In the News: Mammoth Building demo, Southwest Detroit Hospital demo, and building with Tall Timber

Final phase of Mammoth Building demolition marks new chapter for Detroit’s west side

City leaders envision neighborhood revival at Greenfield and Grand River

DETROIT – Workers removed a decades-old skybridge at Greenfield and Grand River on Sunday, marking the final phase of demolition for the long-vacant Mammoth Building on Detroit’s west side.

The demolition project represents one of Mayor Mike Duggan’s final initiatives to address vacant structures before leaving office.

“After today, nobody has any reason to come here and look at abandoned ruins because what you have now is beauty and rebirth,” Duggan said.

The Mammoth Building, which stood vacant for 25 years, has been a prominent symbol of blight at the intersection of Greenfield and Grand River.

The skybridge removal, accomplished using a crane, marks the completion of the site’s cleanup efforts.

City Council President Pro Tem James Tate envisions the intersection returning to its former status as a neighborhood hub.

“The fact that there was a skywalk from one retail space to another shows how important this neighborhood was,” Tate said. “But first, this had to happen.” The full story is here. By Priya Mann, Click on Detroit

Demolition of Detroit hospital paves way for new soccer stadium

DETROIT — Demolition has begun of the long-abandoned Southwest Detroit Hospital to make way for a planned professional soccer stadium and dozens of new apartments.

On Dec. 19, an excavator ripped through an entrance to the old 1970s hospital at 2401 20th St. off Michigan Avenue in Corktown, to the delight of a gathering of Detroit City FC club officials and fans who were there to celebrate.

Once the building is down, construction is to begin on Detroit City FC’s new 15,000-capacity soccer stadium, to be called AlumniFi Field.

Club co-founder Sean Mann said they plan to work through the holidays with a team of HOK architects and construction experts to finalize the stadium design. Their goal is to break ground in the spring and finish building it in time for the 2027 soccer season, although precisely when in 2027 is yet to be determined, he said. The soccer season ordinarily begins in March.

In addition to the stadium, Detroit City FC will be developing a new 421-space parking deck, 76 nearby apartments and 16,000 square feet of commercial space. The total cost of everything in the development is expected to be $198 million.

Mann said that watching the derelict hospital building begin to come down was exciting and surreal.

“It’s a proof that this is real, that this is happening,” Mann said. “For all the cars that drive by on I-96, I-75 every day, this will ultimately be the biggest billboard for soccer this region will ever have.”

Read the full story here.  By JC Reindl And Dana Afana, USA TODAY Network Via Reuters Connect

MassTimber@MSU and DNR bring traveling exhibition on mass timber construction to downtown Detroit

An exhibition highlighting the potential of mass timber construction is open in downtown Detroit, featuring skyscrapers made of wood and the story behind the growth of this sustainable building technique.“Tall Timber: The Future of Cities in Wood,” a traveling exhibition created by the Skyscraper Museum, runs through Feb. 28 in Bedrock’s historic building at 719 Griswold St. in Detroit. The exhibit features architectural models and artifacts from quality and safety testing as well as visual, narrative, and video content. It provides a striking introduction to mass timber, including examples of Michigan projects.

Mass timber enables the construction of tall buildings – even skyscrapers – using wood in ways previously not possible. Beams and panels are engineered from layers of lumber or veneers laminated for strength and designed to resist fire. Mass timber buildings, delivered as a prefabricated kit of parts, often go up faster than other types of structural systems. In a heavily forested state like Michigan, mass timber demand can also contribute to economic development in rural communities.

“This exhibition comes as mass timber momentum is growing in Michigan,” said Sandra Lupien, director, MassTimber@MSU, which is producing the exhibition showcasing sustainable construction materials. “With more than 65 mass timber projects completed, in design or under construction in Michigan, we know mass timber has caught the interest of the building industry in our state. With ‘Tall Timber: The Future of Cities in Wood,’ we are excited to introduce mass timber and its many benefits to more Michiganders.” 

The traveling exhibition includes a look at sustainability, design innovation, and examples of successful projects such as the world’s tallest mass timber building, the 25-story Ascent Tower in Milwaukee, which tops out at 284 feet. Read more about the exhibit here.