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Adam Ford
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
John schreef:
I say they should save Genesee Towers and make it into something good. More office space, dorms, lofts, retrai.
They should be saved and opened ASAP but it may be that the city of Flint does not want the towers opened. I think they could be bought for $5 million. I imagine nowadays it would cost at least $50 or $100 million to build something like this. I'd hate to see the city get its hands on this property. |
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Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:34 pm |
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Joe
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| Your right on! This building has to be saved. It just needs some updating! |
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Thu Jan 11, 2007 4:28 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
John schreef:
I say they should save Genesee Towers and make it into something good. More office space, dorms, lofts, retrai.
This is Crazy that we are even having this conversation folks! Only in Flint Michigan would we RENOVATE The Durant Hotel ( which I support 110%) and tear down Genesee Towers. Durant Hotel must be saved to, not only because of its historic value, but also its skyline contribution. Genesee Towers is apart of our skyline which is very important to our city and more importantly our downtown. We probably will never see another building be built in downtown flint like it.
Why tear it down? Why not renovate the thing into condo's, lofts, a classy restaurant or club on the top floor. I would love to see a mixed use redevelopment of such a structure. At one of Historic District Commission Meetings Michael Freeman from LISC talked about all the tax credits, grants, brown field monies etc. available right now for redevelopment. I think we should explore our options of putting a new skin (outside renovations) to the building and fix it up. I bet there is a lot of monies out there for such a job.
Its not the nicest building to look at, however it has lots of potential. Architect Freeman Greer has drawn plans up last year to show what the building could look like with a renovation. I was shocked when I seen the plans and thought wow that would be great for downtown.
Some people familiar with the building say the cost to rehab could be less than demolition which they have pegged at 8 to 12 million dollars. What would we build there, a parking lot???
I hope the more intelligent people in this city will find a adaptive reuse for the building, rather than tearing it down!
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:14 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
Why tear it down? Why not renovate the thing into condo's, lofts, a classy restaurant or club on the top floor. ... I think we should explore our options of putting a new skin (outside renovations) to the building and fix it up.... Some people familiar with the building say the cost to rehab could be less than demolition which they have pegged at 8 to 12 million dollars. What would we build there, a parking lot??? ...I hope the more intelligent people in this city will find a adaptive reuse for the building, rather than tearing it down![/b]
Renovation of Genesee Towers is not a good idea. It is not structurally sound; the basement was badly flooded and the water left standing for a long period of time; there are holes in the floor of the parking deck and rusty water from the steel beams leaks through; the walls are not square. I worked in that building years ago, it has not been properly maintained since the current owner bought it. If you really have a desire to renovate I'd urge you first to talk with the original builder and let him tell you what he knows the problems are, then talk with the building inspectors about what they found wrong most recently. I would not be a tenant or a customer if it were renovated. |
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Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:10 am |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Well, I would really look hard into it. If we can renovate Durant Hotel and other structures I am sure there is a way to do this one. However, I am not a commercial contractor. I do know there is another building just like this one built in Texas I hear.
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:33 pm |
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Jake
Guest
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quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
quote:
John schreef:
I say they should save Genesee Towers and make it into something good. More office space, dorms, lofts, retrai.
This is Crazy that we are even having this conversation folks! Only in Flint Michigan would we RENOVATE The Durant Hotel ( which I support 110%) and tear down Genesee Towers. Durant Hotel must be saved to, not only because of its historic value, but also its skyline contribution. Genesee Towers is apart of our skyline which is very important to our city and more importantly our downtown. We probably will never see another building be built in downtown flint like it.
Why tear it down? Why not renovate the thing into condo's, lofts, a classy restaurant or club on the top floor. I would love to see a mixed use redevelopment of such a structure. At one of Historic District Commission Meetings Michael Freeman from LISC talked about all the tax credits, grants, brown field monies etc. available right now for redevelopment. I think we should explore our options of putting a new skin (outside renovations) to the building and fix it up. I bet there is a lot of monies out there for such a job.
Its not the nicest building to look at, however it has lots of potential. Architect Freeman Greer has drawn plans up last year to show what the building could look like with a renovation. I was shocked when I seen the plans and thought wow that would be great for downtown.
Some people familiar with the building say the cost to rehab could be less than demolition which they have pegged at 8 to 12 million dollars. What would we build there, a parking lot???
I hope the more intelligent people in this city will find a adaptive reuse for the building, rather than tearing it down!
Ryan I agree, and ask any urban planner they will tell you the same thing. Downtown Flint needs things to attract people downtown, not more buildings tore down! |
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Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:51 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
00SL2 schreef:
quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
Why tear it down? Why not renovate the thing into condo's, lofts, a classy restaurant or club on the top floor. ... I think we should explore our options of putting a new skin (outside renovations) to the building and fix it up.... Some people familiar with the building say the cost to rehab could be less than demolition which they have pegged at 8 to 12 million dollars. What would we build there, a parking lot??? ...I hope the more intelligent people in this city will find a adaptive reuse for the building, rather than tearing it down![/b]
Renovation of Genesee Towers is not a good idea. It is not structurally sound; the basement was badly flooded and the water left standing for a long period of time; there are holes in the floor of the parking deck and rusty water from the steel beams leaks through; the walls are not square. I worked in that building years ago, it has not been properly maintained since the current owner bought it. If you really have a desire to renovate I'd urge you first to talk with the original builder and let him tell you what he knows the problems are, then talk with the building inspectors about what they found wrong most recently. I would not be a tenant or a customer if it were renovated.
All those things are problems buildings in Detroit have that are getting renovated. I hope the building is saved, cause we will have another damn parking lot. Nobody in this town has the cash to rebuild any big building like that.!
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
Some people familiar with the building say the cost to rehab could be less than demolition which they have pegged at 8 to 12 million dollars.
quote:
Ryan Eashoo schreef:
I hope the building is saved, cause we will have another damn parking lot. Nobody in this town has the cash to rebuild any big building like that.!
Ryan, when's the last time you looked at the building or took a tour of it? As a "realtor" perhaps you could find a buyer for it as is to make the renovation you desire. It is likely
no one
would have the cash, but who would even be willing to make the investment, and what bank would be willing to advance such an exhorbitant loan?
It's the tallest building in town, an "advertisement" for all to see--and the little white shack on the top is covered with graffiti! Bet you didn't even notice that! But what an advertisement for Flint, don't you think? The Flint Journal had a good editorial on the subject of the Genesee Towers recently. What we really need is for someone to take a sincere and dedicated interest in the property at First and Harrison whether it's to tear down and rebuild, or replace it with a parking lot. If we're to attract new business downtown there needs to be more parking, and that's a good spot for it. Genesee Towers had it's place in history and it's time to start a new chapter. |
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Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:12 pm |
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Dortpimp
F L I N T O I D
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| So in layman's terms how bad is it? is it gonna fall down in 10 years? 15 years? 50 years? So its got a few rust stains and needs a little patch work. It gives the building some character. Folks had their doubts about the leaning tower of Pisa back in the day but look at what a great landmark it has become. |
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Conservative views in Flint are about as useless as breasisis on a wild boar. |
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Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:50 am |
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