Plans were recently unveiled for a $221 million facelift for Cobo Hall.
Cobo Hall hasn’t been renovated since the late 1980’s since it was constructed in 1960. This marks the first major renovation since a regional authority took over control from the City of Detroit in 2009.
Construction work will begin in July 2011 and be completed in time for the January 2014 Autoshow.
Four architectural firms were involved in designing the updated look. Three of them are from Metro Detroit: Albert Kahn Associates, SDG Assocates, and Rosetti along with TVSdesign from Atlanta.
Modest Exhibit Space
Many have criticized the hall for its lack of exhibit space and past plans have included significantly expanding its 700,000 SF to 1 million square feet.
This plan only adds about 125,000 SF of exhibit space by creating additional building area and reconfiguring the existing footprint to provide the additional exhibit space.
Will it be enough?
Other Updates
Cobo Area will be renovated into a 40,000 SF ballroom and a new 3-story atrium will run the length of Cobo Hall along the Detroit River.
The east elevation, facing downtown, will feature a computer-generated “media-mesh” billboard to highlight upcoming and current events.
Internally, a new vehicle lift will help move vehicles to the 2nd floor of the exhibit space.
Opening Up (Finally)
In striking contrast to the current building, this facelift finally allows Cobo Hall to relate to and embrace the surrounding city continuing the trend started by the GM Renaissance Center.
This facelift embraces the riverfront, converts Cobo Arena into a glass jewel, and transforms the east elevation into a dynamic, transparent screen.
While it looks like the iconic cubes have been minimized, the current design still reflects some of the earlier modern architecture.
The Future?
This facelift will certainly be another piece in the long road to Detroit’s comeback. Does the Regional Authority have a master plan for future expansion? Joe Louis Arena has been rumored as moving closer the stadium district (Foxtown) and the site would provide ample expansion space once vacated.
What do you think?
Do you like the facelift? Is it enough or just enough for the near term?
its beautiful. it really looks fantastic and the idea of opening the walls up is the best idea ever. the views of the river and riverfront entrance are great ideas. how about putting the marshall frederics indian statue back where it was inside that atrium. it had a fountain spilling down into a pool, and that would be great inside there. i think its at the other end of the building now. now we need a first class new hotel attached too. maybe move the veterans memorial where ford auditorium is, or where the pontchartrain hotel is, and build a big hotel on that site, where it would have an outlook to hart plaza and cobo, now that would revitalize the whole area!
I love it! I support it and I’m all for it. Can’t wait for them to get started. Despite some global embarrassments in recent years, our city is coming back bit by bit!
I am very impressed with this new project. I am carpenter at local 687 in Detroit and have worked the autoshow for many years. Like many in this area out of work this project is going to be great. I hope to get a call to work on this project and have many more years at the autoshow.
This is going to be a state of art. We certainly need it. I am very impressed with this design and very happy that our city is rising up.
I hate to see the ultimate concert venue be converted to a “ballroom” . However, there have been so few shows at the arena over the past 20 years, the conversion is welcome. You can’t live in the past. What a great place to see a concert though. The animated plans really do look nice. Go Detroit!
Yawn…I think it’s awful. While I’m really glad that the river side will be opened up with windows (duh), the rest of it is tragically bland. Seriously, it’s all slick and shiny but has no style whatsoever. At least that’s what I saw in those renderings. So sad that Detroit’s style heydays have passed. (1920s-Renaissance Center) Do you really think this will look even close to as good as the Guardian Building; have the character of 1 Woodward; or the timeless coolness of the Mies van der Rohe buildings on Lafayette? And yes, the RenCen is a really cool building. The concrete interior is of the same futuristic style that Goddard captured in Alphaville. And what about sustainability and commitment towards building a Leeds certified structure? Reading the “Detailed Program Objectives” on the Cobo site I found “To make significant progress towards a “Green” building and “Green” operations” in the list of objectives. What exactly are these?? Nowhere else is this mentioned in the video or elsewhere on the site (that I could find). Elsewhere in the world, new buildings boast their commitment towards “zero carbon emission” structures or promoting local and sustainable food operations.
Four architecture firms? That’s what it is. A hodgepodge of ugliness. As usual, more flashy blandness in everything new in Detroit. What a shame.
A “signature” videoscreen on the front of the building is the “excitement” builder? LOL! try tacky!
Let’s take a look at some gorgeous, award-winning convention center architecture from around the world shall we?
1) http://www.architizer.com/en_us/projects/view/rouen-convention-center/18770/
2) http://inhabitat.com/cite-du-design-solar-powered-international-design-center-unveiled/cite-du-design-14/
3) http://www.mcec.com.au/plan-an-event/green-credentials/
4) http://icebergevents.com.au/blog?Id=28
5) http://www.olex.org/blog/?p=4900