HopCat Arrives in Midtown, Smashes Through Agave's Wall

HopCat is probably Detroit's most anticipated bar ever, but the beer can't begin flowing until the HopCat's future home—the vacant Agave Building in Midtown—is completely renovated. A month after interior demo was supposed to begin, the beer bar is finally making its presence known.

After a month without so much as a port-o-potty or dumpster showing up on the property, a full-blown construction site has appeared in the last 48 hours. It looks like the first task on the to-do list was destroying a low brick wall. How were people supposed to get to the future biergarten with that thing in the way? (There really is a biergarten planned out back)

Compared to the $3.3M overall investment, one exterior wall coming down is negligible. But keep in mind, over 18 months have gone by since a renovation announcement was stapled to the Agave's barricaded front door. It's a relief to finally see some progress. August is still HopCat's official ETA. Given the current pace of progress, that seems a wee bit optimistic.
UPDATE (5/15/14): A spokesperson for HopCat tells us they're now targeting a fall opening, adding "we're hoping to make it in time to enjoy the Tigers in the playoffs."
· HopCat Chooses Midtown, Scores the Old Agave Building [Curbed]