Downtown Detroit Continues to Thrive Despite City's Other Problems

Downtown Detroit continues as the one bright spot in the city's efforts to renew itself, in spite of continuing deterioration of most of its outlying residential neighborhoods. As we see in this story, the development of upscale condominium housing continues in the city's core. It appears that the Commerce Building -- across the street from the Book-Cadillac Hotel which is being restored and converted into a hotel-condo complex -- will become a parking garage topped off with $200,000+ condominiums. The Commerce Building is located at 150 Michigan Ave. -- across the street from the two well-known Coney Island restaurants. The Commerce Building used to be headquarters for the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, now known as the Detroit Regional Chamber. Good stuff.