The Observation Deck

The updated design has an increased set back and an entrance facing the street. That entrance is an emergency entrance. That entrance can be converted to useable entrance if Social Security ever moves out of the building. I think the City and the ARB did a fine job.

This building essentiall turns it back on our city's main thoroughfare and this is a sucess? I don't think so. I understand that there are security concerns with location of the entry, but I still find these elevations lacking. At the very least, it looks like they turned that one man door into a glass one instead of metal? Sorry, still a bit of a dog to me.

I don't even know where it is people. Could someone post the location of the building on here?

It will be at Spring Garden and Detroit. There is currently a church there.

That's what they're putting there. That'll go with the new Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins.

Valerie Molinski wrote:This building essentiall turns it back on our city's main thoroughfare and this is a sucess? I don't think so. I understand that there are security concerns with location of the entry, but I still find these elevations lacking. At the very least, it looks like they turned that one man door into a glass one instead of metal? Sorry, still a bit of a dog to me.

If you had a front entrance then the parking would have to be in the front as well. I don't think that would be very attractive. I think on of the compromises the designers agreed to was the front entrance. The building will be set back 20 feet or more from the street with landscapping and small area for a park bench. All thinis considered the building works for me. If you could make the owners build what you wanted what would you want?

One thing I would like to know is how the owners got this sweet deal from the Feds. Guaranteed tenant with rent and all fixed and variable costs paid for by the feds for the life of the loan plus a profit. It's like winning the lottery.

The denny does nothing individual FINALLY does somethng and Lakewood gets a look the back door "entry" from the"front" building WOW

Now it needs a name - I suggest : "dennis kucinich ( memorial?) SS Building" with sub lettering ": requesed , "approved" and dedicated by dennis kucinich 2010? ( all but paid for by djk )

I have to agree with Valerie.

I have never seen any building with its back directly to the street it sits on, buildings with security concerns included. That is just completely bizarre to me.

If my only other option to get an entrance on Detroit meant having parking in the front, then yes, I would choose to have parking in the front. (Does this mean a requirement of the building was a single entrance?)

But was that the only other option?

Hopefully the appearance will look better in reality.

Jill Jusko wrote:I have to agree with Valerie.

I have never seen any building with its back directly to the street it sits on, buildings with security concerns included. That is just completely bizarre to me.

YMCA would be another.

Why could they not at least put a faux front on the building.

I also find it odd that they allowed Dunkin Doughnuts to be right on the street, then
have the SS office set back. Why not set both back. That way the residents(remember
them) that live behind the building are shielded from the noise and car doors.

Almost looks like the city is moving back to the "firschel plan" which saw access roads
built north of Detroit so that the city takes on the feel of a mall. We all know how
so many in Lakewood are impressed with malls.

I had heard 6 stories, but...


.

I stand corrected. I believe the Huntington Bank on Detroit has no front entrance as well.

That said, I'll stick by my statement that I hope the reality looks better than the drawing. In the drawing, the side facing Detroit looks like the back of the building. Hopefully it's misleading.

So everyone who comes to the building has to drive?

Our new schools are built like this too though. To get in any time besides right when the first bell rings you have to go to the parking lot side of the building. Our world is becoming car center, ok for the burbs not so okay for this urban environment.

I do hope the new social security building looks better than the Y. I hate walking past the back of a building when I am walking on a main street it always irritates me.

I would think the front should be on Detroit because many people with be arriving via bus. And if someone drives then I don't think walking a few feet will kill them. An entrance on the front would just be so much more pleasing to the eye.

Danielle-- The old YMCA was built in 1959 I believe and the large front lawn tried to mimic the large front lawn expanses of the further out suburbs, of which Lakewood was not. Hence, the lawn was only good for selling Christmas trees a few weeks a year. As a kid and later on, I recall that the front entrance and it's surrounding hallways was totally unused.
The new Y recognizes that there is truly only one entrance for bike riders, pedestrians, and cars and centers that on the back. I sort of prefer that the front is up as close as possible and uses land that was essentially wasted in the past.
Stan

most people with business at the social security office are old.

there are more teenagers loitering and passing by on the mainstreet.

old people don't like dealing with teenagers. it makes them lower property values.

so they need an entrance away from the main street.

I understand the whole land use thing, although I do miss getting my pumpkins there. But the thing I hate is that it looks like the back of a building, a nice back of a building but still the back of a building on one of our main streets.

And Ryan as usual your logic makes perfect sense.