JW Marriott Updates - August 2024

These are a collection of images from August 2024 of downtown and the JW Marriott site being developed by Sterling Group and designed by Neumann Smith Architecture.

Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the site as seen from over the Detroit River.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the active construction site as they lay the foundations for the skyscraper.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the site with downtown Detroit in the background.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the Water Square residential building from above.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the site from above along with the Water Square residences.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the site as well as the neighboring convention center.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the site and the entire downtown Detroit skyline.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the skyscrapers that line Jefferson Avenue looking towards the east side of the city.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features the under construction Hudson's Detroit designed by SHoP Architects and developed by Bedrock.
Architectural and drone photograph of the JW Marriott construction site in downtown Detroit designed by Neumann Smith Architecture. This image features many of downtown Detroit's skyscrapers.

The Shepherd + Little Village Updates - August 2024

The Curis family is in the midst of creating an incredible arts and residential district on the east side of Detroit in Little Village. This year saw the opening of The Shepherd, a rehabilitated church and grounds designed by Rich Peterson Office, and The Lantern, a refurbished industrial building designed by OMA. These building conversions are bringing new gallery spaces as well as cultural amenities to a part of the city that had been forgotten by developers. It is exciting to see what the future holds for the area as more and more of the Curis’ vision comes to life.

Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Shepherd designed by Peterson Rich Office.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring the entire sit of The Shepherd, an art district designed by Peterson Rich Office.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring an oblique view of The Shepherd designed by Peterson Rich Office.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring some of the new residential that the Curis family is building in the neighborhood.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Lantern unique ramp and seating, designed by OMA.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Lantern designed by OMA. Pictured is the unique ramp that leads up to the building's retail.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Lantern by OMA and shows the light hitting the buildings unique ramp.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Lantern designed by OMA.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring the skyline view from above the neighborhood.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Shepherd designed by Peterson Rich Office. Pictured here is the Charles McGee sculpture garden on the grounds.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Shepherd designed by Peterson Rich Office. This image shows the Charles McGee sculpture garden and Tony Hawk skate park.
Architectural and drone photograph of Little Village in Detroit featuring The Shepherd designed by Peterson Rich Office. This image shows the entire site from above.

Brush Park

For many years Brush Park was a neighborhood on the decline. Its’ gilded age mansions had fallen into disrepair and the few that remained were surrounded by urban prairies. The addition of CIty Modern, as well as many restorations and other ground up residential buildings, has really altered the fate and feel of the neighborhood. While much of the building stock that gave its’ initial character have been lost, many of the mansions have been restored and now there is a really fascinating mix of modern homes filling in the gaps between the historic structures. Some people don’t like that the new buildings aren’t of a similar style, but I am in the camp that thinks that the contrast between the historic and modern allows one to appreciate both styles even more. This post is a small fraction of what is going on in the neighborhood but gives you a feel for the changes underway.

Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows some newly constructed townhomes with Bedrock Detroit and SHoP Architects Hudson's Detroit project in the background.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a newly completed set of modern townhomes.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows the contrast in the new construction with the older mansions.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a detail of the Brush + Watson development by Oombra Architects.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a detail of LOHA Architects red apartment building in City Modern which was developed by Bedrock Detroit.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows some of the buildings of City Modern developed by Bedrock Detroit. It features designs by LOHA Architects and Studio Dwell.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a residential building designed by LOHA Architects.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows buildings designed by LOHA Architects and Studio Dwell Architects.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a townhome by Studio Dwell Architects and one of the older mansions.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows the beautiful townhomes designed by Studio Dwell Architects.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows one of the remaining mansions in the historic neighborhood.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows one of the buildings designed by Oombra Architects at Brush + Watson.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a mixing of old and new buildings.
Architectural photograph of Brush Park which is an historic neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows some older buildings with Bedrock Detroit and SHoP Architects Hudson's Detroit project rising in the background.

Dodge Fountain

For years the Isamu Noguchi designed Dodge Fountain in Hart Plaza had been shut off, occasionally used for events like Jazz Fest, but inactive at all other times. Scrappers had run off with many of the fountain’s components and due to the unique design, replacement was deemed too costly. That was until this year, when the city of Detroit invested money in restoring the fountain to its’ former glory, allowing many Detroiters to experience the water feature for the first time. In addition to the water flowing through the pipes again, the lighting was restored as well. Look for images of that in a future blog post.

Architectural and fine art photograph taken of the Noguchi designed Dodge Fountain in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows the main ring of the fountain.
Architectural and fine art photograph taken of the Noguchi designed Dodge Fountain in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows a closeup of the water and brushed metal paneling.
Architectural and fine art photograph taken of the Noguchi designed Dodge Fountain in Detroit, Michigan. This image featuring two cyclists help to demonstrate the scale of the fountain.
Architectural and fine art photograph taken of the Noguchi designed Dodge Fountain in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows the different components of that fountain at work with the Detroit skyline behind it.
Architectural and fine art photograph taken of the Noguchi designed Dodge Fountain in Detroit, Michigan. This image shows the fountain from the side showing the brushed metal paneling on the supports.