Wordpress-ed Fuzzytek

If you have passed by Cass Avenue between Michigan and Grand River Avenues at night you’ve probably noticed a rather large glowing arc-like structure. For months now it appeared as if Noah was building an arc with massive steel struts holding upward boning for a ship in the air.

Last month as I passed by around 11pm one evening I stopped by to take some photos of the new structure. Here’s a slideshow to check out…

Updated Aug 31: Last week DDOT held meetings with the public for four days at locations all around Detroit regarding cutting service and eliminating Sunday service. Some people at the meeting inquired about costs to create the Rosa Parks Transit Center, the location for meeting talks August 25 – which I have documented video coverage, see my blog post.

Here are some archives…

• February 28, 2007 – Detroit News
  “The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. today gave the green light to the new Rosa Parks Transit Center. At a meeting this morning the group awarded a $10.7 million construction contract to DeMaria Building Co. of Detroit. The transit center, named after the civil rights icon, will be a 25,000 square-foot facility covering two city blocks.”
• November 14, 2008 – City Of Detroit Transportation Department
  DDOT Contract No 2658822 Change Order 2 – refer to page 11 for this text

  “This contract was initially approved in January 2005 for a cost of $18.3 million with the EDC to carry out all activities required for the preparation of te site for construction of the Transit Center in Times Square. The contract was approved for a term of 5 years. The administrative cost to the EDC in Jan 2005 was $366,000.

  Change Order No. 1 was submitted Sept. 25, 2007 for an increase of $10,995,145 to extend the contract term 5 more years, for the total of 10 years; Add the language for the construction of the Transit Center; the Rehabilitation and renovation of the DOT Central Administrative Building; and a Phase II to include renovation of 350 Michigan for use of DOT staff. Change Order 1 increased the EDC Administrative fee to $585,982.

  This Change Order No. 2 for an increase of $4,204,000 does not indicate the reasons for this change. The EDC Administrative fee of 2% of the total expenditure is increased with this Change order to $669,982. All payments by DOT is based on the invoices, submitted not more than once per month, from the EDC for the actual work done.”

• August 4, 2009 – Arch Tracker
  Rosa Parks Transit Center – FTL Design Engineering Studio, a subcontractor for Parsons Brinckerhoff, design consultants.
• July 14, 2009 – MLive.com
  “Detroit’s $22.5 million Rosa Parks Transportation Center on Michigan Avenue is open for business today, roughly two years after planning began.”

In essence the $4.2 million increase includes…

• An oversight in design for AT&T ducts which the utility did not disclose when requested.
• Safety design issue surfaced requiring redesign of canopy steel and foundations requiring additional steel and concrete.
• Improvements in technology for safety and security equipment to be used.