Quicken Loans is moving to downtown Detroit. Do you agree...?

The Hudson's site is by far preferrable.

1. The Grand Circus Park area should be redeveloped as residential as started with the Kales. Think Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. GCP could be a great draw for residents, providing a public sphere that can be enjoyed by all.

2. Woodward is still an iffy street. Filling in the Hudson's block makes retail viable and helps fully revitalize that area of downtown.

3. The City has sunk significant costs into the deck at Hudsons, its time to recoup that investment by having development. There won't be another office tower for a good 5-10 years. Are we prepared to let the site sit vacant that much longer.

4. The odd shape of the Staler block, along with the need to purchase property from slumlord Tony Pieroni as well as having to cut a deal with Olympia Holdings if they are to use the Tuller / UA site will drive th cost up exponentially and you can bet your life its the City that going to eat that cost somehow someway.

5. If I am a Quicken Employee, the proximate dining options are far better at the Hudson's site. And there are a lot of restaurants in that area that could use the patronage. You also have proximity to some shopping such as Borders.

Building on the Statler site kills a great residential opportunity (Hudson's is not that great of a resdiential site) while leaving a hole in Woodward. Building on the Hudson's site will be easier and cheaper for the City and will "complete" Woodward.

Do the right thing Quicken....build on the Hudson's site....leave the ego at the door and do what is right for the City....from an urban planning and economic development perspective, I don't know why the City is even offering the Statler for an office use.

Detroit is definetly on the road to revival. There are always the stumbles that the city must endure, but they do not stop the momentum. The many condo projects happening around the city, mostly in Midtown and Downtown, and the new retail across the city, things are looking brighter. But Detroit needs Quicken to reach the tipping point.

With 4,000 employees moving down, I would prefer the Statler site be developed. The Hudson Block is limited to a certain height, i believe around 20 stories, while the Statler site is much smaller and aids more for a skyscraper to make an impact on the city skyline. A highrise would also be in sightline from almost anywhere in the city from the Statler site. Also, if enough companies come with Quicken, the Hudsons Block can be a mixed-use project including the many companies in offices, a hotel, a large retailer, smaller retailers(groundfloor), and even some residential. If Quicken builds on the Statler site, it would have a major impact on the northern part of downtown and give a boost of energy to the slowly reviving Grand Circus Park, Washington Boulevard, and new Park Avenue District. Building the headquarters on the Hudsons Block would have a minimal effect on the area unless done right with major retailers.

With the Tuller Site and United Artists Building included in the Statler block, the Tuller Site should also be built on. Maybe a parking garage and residential tower with the parking garage hidden to Grand Circus Park. The United Artists Building needs to be renovated. It can't be demolished. There is too much history there. Have EPrize and Fathead use the building as its headquarters. With the United Artists Theatre, it could become the new "Quicken Performing Arts Center" which could rival many midsized theatres in the city and bring back a prominent downtown theatre of the former "necklace" district. Both sites should be utilized. The Statler being the Quicken World Headquarters.

I am also excited to see what Quicken can do with the Broadway-Library Block and the Lafayette Building. The Broadway-Library Block should be a 8 story parking garage with 12 stories of residential on top. Utilize the option of air rights. The Lafayette Building should be luxury condos with ground floor retailers. A renovated Lafayette Building would give a boost to the already bustling Michigan and Shelby corner. A renovated Lafayette would also give an even nicer area to get The Griswold Condominiums back on the drawing board which recently was scrapped in December after much fanfare of a project. The immediate area around the Book Cadillac and the Lafayette is one of the major areas in the city thats needs to have a revival inorder for the downtown core to be on its way back.

I can see residential developers and retailers flooding the CBD and Midtown after Quicken and its followers come in and when a mass transit system is born. GO DETROIT 2.0! GO QUICKEN! and, GO DAN GILBERT!

There has been some concern about the validity of this question and our profile. I really do work at Quicken Loans and Quicken Loans is an official knowledge partner with Y! Answers.

I intend to share this information with the people who are making decisions about the move downtown. No, this is not an official poll, but it's not a publicity stunt either. I answer real estate & mortgage questions daily on Y! Answers and thought this a great forum to get some opinions from Detroiters who love their city.

Keep answering - we really appreciate the input. I will make sure that your answers are considered by those who will make the ultimate location decision.

Which do you feel would be best?

Update : Hey everybody! There has been some concern about the validity of this question and our profile. I really do work at Quicken Loans and Quicken Loans is an official knowledge partner with Y! Answers.

I intend to share this information with the people who are making decisions about the move downtown. No, this is not an official poll, but it's not a publicity stunt either. I answer real estate & mortgage questions daily on Y! Answers and thought this a great forum

been some concern about the validity of this question and our profile. I really do work at Quicken Loans and Quicken Loans is an official knowledge partner with Y! Answers.

I intend to share this information with the people who are making decisions about the move downtown. No, this is not an official poll, but it's not a publicity stunt either. I answer real estate & mortgage questions daily on Y! Answers and thought this a great forum to get some opinions

I would love to see Quicken develop the Statler site by Grand Circus Park because I think it would help spur new developments at the northen end of the central business district. The area around the Hudson site, though not perfect, is already doing well and thriving. It would be great to have a different part of downtown get the same treatment that Campus Martius has gotten since Compuware and other businesses moved there. Quicken moving to the Grand Circus Park area would be a breath of fresh air for the park, plus with the nearby Book-Cadillac renovation it would hopefully spur more interest in renovating the beautiful old buildings that surround Park Ave & Adams Ave. But I mostly want it on the Statler site because I work nearby on Washington Blvd, and it'd be nice to have more people walking around!

From being a graduate student in the Urban Planning Department at WSU and living in the city, I do feel Detroit is on the road to revival. It is the only city where there is still affordable opportunity for all those who see its potential. That being said, we have taken the first ten steps in a thousand mile journey so much still needs to be done.

The Statler Site in Grand Circus Park would be my pick. I feel the company's relocation to this area would put some much needed money and people in Grand Circus Park. The news of choosing that site might also help promote the redevelopment of the United Artists Building which could be demolished if an opportunity does not present itself soon.

I'm a 22 year old former Detroiter who is a student at Delta College in Saginaw, and looking to transfer/move back to Detroit next year. My vote goes for the Statler.

The reasons mainly being:

1. Views from offices on the Washington and Grand Circus Park sides would offer very attractive views for workers, and office views on the opposite side would currently be unobstructed by other structures (as this is on the northern end of the CBD). Most of the other (and newer) office buildings are closer to Campus Martius and the River.

2. Locating on the Statler site would allow workers to utilize the park, and many area restaraunts that are popular during tiger and lions games, and other large events.

3. Safe parking is plentiful, and will be easy to find for suburb or Detroit neighborhood commuting workers.

4. Condos and high rise luxury apartments, as well as some senior high rises are already located walking distance to the Statler site. Young new hires, and relocating employees will find several nice, low cost studio high rise apartments across the park (walking distance).

5. Several hotels (of all pricing levels) are located along both Washington and Bagley.

6. Since the Hudson site lies in between the Statler and other major downtown office towers, development of the Statler site may encourage interest and renovation of other possible residential and office projects, including development of the Hudson site. Development of only the Hudson may not have any affect on increased viability of the Statler site.

7. The Statler site would also encourage other business along Washington and North Woodward, and help those already operating. It is also an area with an abundance of cheaper office space, which will alow possible suppliers and customers to find close and affordable office space.

8. Finally, the Hudson site may work better as several small individual projects, something that would be much harder on the less pedestrian centralised, but more automobile accessible Statler site.

I don't know that Detroit is on the road to revival, per se. I think Detroit is on the road to the road to revival. In other words, I think Detroit it setting itself up for revival, but the ship is still turning. The economy needs to diversify, the schools need a lot of help and the employment, economic and real estate picture needs to improve before we can say Detroit it on the road to revival. Get those pointed in the right direction first.

Now, that being said, Quicken Loans announcing it is moving to Detroit could help immensely. And hopefully more businesses will come with them, as well as retail and grocery stores (something the city sorely lacks). I think the city already has many attractive and diverse entertainment and dining options for people.

As someone who grew up in Metro Detroit, I am a huge proponent of the city's revival and I hope all the best. Can't happen soon enough.

Regarding a possible location, I am indifferent. As I understand, Dan Gilbert (Quicken Loans' owner) plans to develop both sites, so it's a win-win really.

While I'd love to see the girder farm on Woodward developed, I'd lean toward the Statler site. However, I would NOT approve of more buildings being demolished to accommodate parking, etc. If the Quicken HQ can be built on the Statler site and use the old Hotel Tuller site for parking, I think it would help rejuvenate Grand Circus much as Compuware did to Campus Martius. Hopefully it would spur redevelopment of the David Whitney and United Artist buildings, as well. But again, NO MORE DEMOLITION.

-A Detroiter (not a suburbanite)

The Hudson's site might spur some redevelopment on Woodward and rid Detroit of the ridiculous girder farm, but I think for the city's revival, it's important to "spread the wealth," as it were.

I'm also intrigued by talk of redeveloping the Lafayette Building, but I don't think it would do the city as much good as the other two sites.

- A Detroiter (not a suburbanite)