Hudson Hole Development Hype is Losing Touch With Reality

After a report that the Hudson Hole design would be unveiled in the "next few months," expectations are being scaled back and amped up at the same time. Since late last night, the Free Press has devoted no less than four articles to the idea that Gilbert wants to build something iconic. There are multiple suggestions that the development could "rival or exceed" anything built in Detroit since the RenCen. "Think Empire State Building, the Guggenheim Museum, Sydney Opera House, World Trade Center, says one article. Another compares Dan Gilbert to Muhammed Ali, along with jittery speculation that the development could be an "auto museum or an aquarium" or maybe even "our Space Needle." But all of the hype boils down to a single kernel of new information, and it's not exactly uplifting.

Here's the only solid bit of new information.

But Cullen emphasized that there is no final programming for what the building would contain, no budget, and no timetable. He said Gilbert's team could make some final choices by the end of this year.That's it. And really, that's fine. Filling the Hudson Hole will be a massively expensive and emotionally charged endeavor—there's no need to rush. These little self-promoting pep rallies, however, are getting pretty old.
· Coming Soonish: The Grand Plan for the Hudon's Site [Curbed]
· Gilbert's vision for Hudson's site: One-of-a-kind building [Freep]