dte energy - cam special issue 2009

FALL 2009 VOL. 30 • NO. 11 • $4.00

“ V O I C E O F T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N I N D U S T R Y ”

SI 1-11 Intro_Nov 10/5/09 2:43 PM

BlooM

74 CAM MAGAZINE FALL 2009 “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

Detroit turns into Oz at the corner of Bagley Avenue andThird Street. Seven city blocks have undergone analmost magical metamorphosis: old concrete streets arenow lined in striped bands of brick pavers; waterfallstumbling into quiet pools have replaced a wasteland of

gravel parking lots; and a condemned parking structure has given wayto a garden of sculpted earth mounds. Each grassy hill is encircled ina rainbow of colored pavement – one is even a yellow brick road. Thestylized urban gardens now surrounding DTE Energy’s headquartersin downtown Detroit weave this once weary nine acres into a truecampus for the Fortune 500 company, as well as a phenomenal plazaopen to the city. “The former campus looked incredibly tired and shabby,” said

Lynne Ellyn, DTE’s senior vice president and CIO who spearheaded theproject through all its phases. “It certainly did not represent our statusas a Fortune 500 company. It was tragic, actually.” Together, the keen talents of Neumann/Smith Architecture,

Southfield, Grissim Metz Andriese Associates (GMA), Northville, andWalbridge of Detroit turned “tragedy” into harmony in the form ofthree virtuoso landscapes, two inspired additions, and an elevatedbridge. The project team transformed DTE’s collection of disparatebuildings into a corporate neighborhood, complete with a TownSquare at the heart of it all. An open courtyard – a broad pancake ofconcrete trapped between three buildings – is now a vibrantcommons with 16 pyramid skylights and an expansive glass walldisplaying the ornate façade of its next-door neighbor, a vintage 1928office building.

WELCOMING THE WORLD DTE now welcomes Detroit and the world to its downtown campus

with a dramatic new “front door,” a 60-feet-high wall of canted glass inthe shelter of a cantilevered canopy stretching 165 feet across theface of the Walker Cisler Building (WCB). This new front door, or porch,provides the monolithic, uniform façade of the 24-story WCB with adefined entry portal clearly differentiated from the original building.“The tower did have a nice base, but the front door was not apparentfrom a block away,” said Joel Smith, AIA, partner, Neumann/SmithArchitecture, architect of record. “Our firm has a philosophy thatoriginated with our founder, Ken Neumann, who believed that thefront door of a building should always be apparent. Historically, ourwork features distinctive entries.” A departure from the old building, the new addition is in harmony

with the new “front lawn.” Still pools of water float and shimmer acrossa plaza the size of an entire city block – a block once composed of adrab concretion of parking lots and a street called Plaza Drive. Thealchemy of water has converted this sea of parking into pools ofloveliness and filled this quadrant of the city with a new sound: themusic of falling water. A fountain spillway – a series of three, squarearches giving rise to three waterfalls – spans a pedestrian pathwayand the executive drive. The visitor drives under these broad archessurrounded by water on both sides. The illusion of driving throughwater is a perception intentionally generated by the impoundment ofthe pool about 8 inches above the roadway. Randall K. Metz, FASLA, vice president, principal in charge of design

for GMA, landscape architect, and the late Ken Neumann, FAIA in one

B y M a r y E . K r e m p o s k y , A s s o c i a t e E d i t o r • P h o t o g r a p h y b y J u s t i n M a c o n o c h i e

Enchanting Changes at DTE Energy’s Downtown Campus

Making the Desert

BlooM

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM Page 74

oM

CAM MAGAZINE FALL 2009 75Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

of his last projects, worked together closely todesign the plaza as a grand introduction tothe DTE campus. “We wanted it to have asense of arrival,” said Metz. “We envisionedthe concept with the idea of the spillwaycreating a dramatic outdoor gateway into theproperty. The reflecting pools create a strongsense of place. They identify the wholecomplex to the world and to the city.”The great sweep of shimmering water

meets the translucency of glass in the form ofthe new addition’s canted glass wall. Thebuilding and waterscape “join hands” ingeometry and materials; the sight line flowsin an arc from fountain spillway to canopy,both formed of the same strong, squareangles and both clad in silvery metalcomposite panels. The division betweenbuilding and plaza blurs: the pool extendsunder the canopy and the interior marblereaches through the glass wall. Visitors walk apath between two pools of water to reach themain door marked by a marble panel. Designed in tandem, plaza and lobby

together give the corporation a sense ofarrival and the community a sense of place.“The plaza is a welcoming space that reachesout and opens its arms to the community,”said Smith. “Viewing the entrance to thebuilding across this plaza or forecourt is agreat way to address the city. With a trio of cascading waterfalls, virtually

a small lake, and a wide “window” to view itall, it is little wonder that a retiring DetroitEdison President Robert Buckler personallyrequested this open, airy and polished lobbyas the setting for his retirement party. CarloArnini, AIA, NCARB, DTE senior projectmanager, Facility Optimization – FacilityDesign & Construction, recalls a comment ofbusiness and civic leader, Roger Penske, at thegala event: “He said, ‘I have a feeling we arenot in Detroit anymore.’”As Construction Manager, Walbridge made

PHOT

O BY

DAV

ID R

OSE PH

OTOG

RAPH

Y

Light, water and stone seem to reach intothe interior of this grand new lobby (top).The plaza’s still pool extends under the greatcanopy and a wall of marble flows from theexterior into the interior of this open, airyand polished space.

Once the site of a condemned parkingstructure, this space (right) was transformedinto a series of vegetated mounds, eachrising in a circle of brightly coloredpavement. This “yellow brick road” can be used as an exercise track leading todifferent loops of interwoven rings, a quietplace for conversing, or as seating for asmall, central amphitheater.

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM Page 75


this early December event possible by changing Detroit into Oz onemonth ahead of schedule. “How often do you hear of a huge,complicated construction project being completed ahead ofschedule?” said Ellyn. DTE’s dream team has definitely delivered DTE’s dream campus.

“Neumann/Smith and GMA came back with concepts that were farmore exciting, innovative and in closer alignment with what we weretrying to achieve,” said Ellyn. “Walbridge came back with valueengineering ideas, so that the project was affordable. “There isn’t anybody on the executive committee or on our board

of directors that isn’t just absolutely delighted with the campustransformation,” said Ellyn. “The enthusiasm for it is amazing. I thinkour leadership team is very proud when we have clients, investors and

other visitors. They are pleased with the utility of the space, for we’veused it in multiple ways. The effect on employee morale has beengreat.”

FLAWLESS PLANNINGWalbridge’s project management was as precise and elegant in its

own way as the campus design. DTE buildings were fully occupiedthroughout the entire course of the three-year project managed byWalbridge Project Director Terry Clemens and Walbridge ProjectSuperintendent Jason Arsenault. Walbridge navigated a subterraneanobstacle course of underground utilities, hoisted steel trusses overand above a sensitive systems operation center, and reshuffled thestructural frame of the WCB tower’s second floor. The structuralanalysis of Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers, the West Bloomfield-based structural engineering consultant, was pivotal to the project’ssuccess. Both DTE and Neumann/Smith sing Walbridge’s praises for their

management savvy. “I’ve worked on many projects in my 30-yearcareer, and this was such a beautifully planned project,” said Smith.

Added Ellyn, “The project was one of the highlights of my career. Imanage large, complex projects all the time, although not inconstruction. I had the idea that this was going to be an uphill battle.It was going to be late, and we were going to fight cost over runs.These things never occurred, plus we had a fabulous relationship withall the providers.”

A WISE INVESTMENTThe transformation from wasteland to wonderland began with

DTE’s sale of 25 acres of surface parking to MGM Grand for theconstruction of the casino’s new parking structure. Negotiationsresulted in a coveted amenity for DTE employees: covered parking inthe new MGM facility during business hours. With funds in hand and

the remaining grid of surface parking no longer needed,DTE was ready to invest in its dream campus. “I think itwas a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Ellyn. “Theimprovements were accomplished simply by divertingfunding from the sale of the land. In exchange, we wereable to provide something of high value to theemployees, to the corporation, and to the community.”

Part of DTE’s mission for this campus facelift – thecampus had not been upgraded in 35 to 40 years – wasto create a stronger sense of community within thecorporation by knitting together its “grab bag ofbuildings,” including the WCB constructed in the 1970s, ageneral office building originally constructed in 1928,and a 1920s service building directly across from thecasino. “We also wanted to create a natural and beautifulenvironment that enhanced the experience of the city,represented our company well, and enabled employeesto feel more attachment to the company,” said Ellyn.

AGILE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION The new campus was designed in close consultation

with the entire team. “The design emerged from multipleinteractions between various team members,” said Ellyn.“We also took concepts back to the executive committee,the CEO, the CFO and the COO, asking them, ‘Does this fityour vision?” We brought these different perspectivestogether into a cohesive whole. It was a very dynamicbut very positive process.”

Neumann/Smith and GMA employed sophisticatedvisualization tools to translate concepts into

understandable graphics. “We prepared elaborate videos andrenderings, because many people at the levels we were presenting tocould not read plans,” said Smith. “These visual tools of the trade keptthe project moving. This place was virtually built before we evenphysically built it.” Walbridge entered the project in the middle of 2006 working

closely with Neumann/Smith throughout the entire project. Givenfunding constraints, “We were trying to cater our entire designconcept to a certain budget,” said Smith. In conference rooms and boardrooms, incessant tweaking of the

budget, design and program continued throughout a project that wasessentially four projects in one, namely Town Square, the Campus, theWCB lobby, and an elevated bridge. “Preconstruction never endeduntil the last phase,” said Walbridge Senior Vice President and GeneralManager – Commercial Group, Donald Greenwell, Jr., PE. “They werefinish-to-start type projects, meaning we would finish one and moveto the next.”In the field, unexpected discoveries in building structures with

limited documentation, plus the site’s tangle of underground utilities,

This remarkable project converted a grid of parking lots into a paradise of quietpools and waterfalls. The wonderfully designed waterscape and lobby are a perfectharmony of shimmering water and translucent glass.

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM Page 76


continued to require close coordinationbetween all parties. “The buildings on thiscampus are 40-plus years old,” said Stephen J.Gedert, RA, LEED AP, principal/projectmanager at Neumann/Smith Architecture.“The documentation was very limited. Thatmade design difficult; it made construction achallenge. During construction, JasonArsenault became an archeologist. He wasmaking new discoveries on a daily basis. Weworked with Walbridge and the trades to findnew ways to make our design work with whatwas found on site.”

PROJECT LAUNCH: A NEW MORNINGCOMMUTEBuilding an enclosed bridge linking the

MGM parking structure to DTE’s ServiceBuilding launched the project. Because thenew parking arrangement shifted the“morning commute” for the entire employeebase from the front to the back of the DTEcomplex, “Our core design goal was to createreverse access to the building,” said Smith. Walbridge coordinated its work with the

construction of MGM Grand and its otherneighbors. “Each of the two main trusses ofthe 400-foot-long bridge were assembled inthree pieces on the ground and then lifted inone piece on a Sunday to minimize theimpact on traffic,” said Arsenault. The 8,800-square-foot bridge is an

elevated L-shaped promenade enclosed in aglass shell, offering DTE employeesprotection from the weather and a wonderfulview of the Butterfly Peace Garden in DTE’snew backyard. “We thought the bridgeshould be a very transparent thing, allowingemployees to see the activity of the streetand enjoy the site while walking the bridge,”said Smith. Composite metal panels with ahigh-performance organic coating in a lightgray metallic finish complete the materialensemble. “The bridge’s glass and metalpanels also established the material palettefor the rest of the project, including the northface of the Service Building that wasintegrated with the bridge entrance,” addedSmith.The bridge did far more than determine

the project’s material cloak. With almost theentire 2,500-person DTE staff pouringthrough this portal daily, the bridge createdthe opportunity for a new pathway throughthe building complex, beginning with thebridge, followed by a new corridor of mosaic-tile clad curvilinear walls, and Town Square.The new access route ultimately inspired thecreation of Town Square, a perfectly situatedcrossroads, cafeteria and corporate commonsdesigned to take full advantage of this newpathway.

BUILDING COMMON GROUNDThe Town Square had humble beginnings.

Originally, the space was an interiorcourtyard, open to the weather and trappedwithin the center of the campus matrix.Dubbed “the yard,” this virtually emptyexpanse of concrete was actually part of theroof of DTE’s Systems Operations Center(SOC). Post-transformation, this rooftop isnow the vibrant hub of the corporation. Asystem of open web trusses with 16 pyramidskylights spans the opening, enclosing thespace and capturing natural light in a glassshell. “An expansive wall of glass captures thebeauty of the old 1928 building and almostresembles a wall mural,” said Smith. “Basically,this space was conceived as a winter garden.We wanted to let in as much light as we could,and also bring some of the campus inside.”“Bringing the campus inside” was quite an

elaborate operation. Greenwell outlines thetask: “The SOC is the umbilical cord of DTE’soperations, and we had to lift long-spannedtrusses that provide column-free spacedirectly over it and within a beehive ofbuildings. It was perhaps the most well-planned operation of the job, because of thepossible impact on DTE operations.” Walbridge used a gravel lot – the site of the

future Butterfly and Peace Garden – as a laydown area for the trusses. A crane hoisted thesteel, reaching almost 100 feet over a portionof the two-story SOC and across the rooftopto pluck the trusses down in the middle ofTown Square, said Arsenault. Desai/Nasr performed the structural

analysis for Town Square. “Desai/Nasr did ayeoman’s job of analyzing the existingstructure,” said Smith. “The good news iswhen this building was originally built it wasbuilt very well, so we had a lot of capacity thatwe were able to reinforce to carry the long-span trusses, large loads and everything elsethat had to be placed on top of the existingbuilding.” Once the truss system was in place, DTE

and Neumann/Smith elected to keep theconstruction exposed for both its visualappeal and value. “There were many designschemes, one of which was an all-glass roof atone time, but we returned to an earlierscheme for an exposed construction design,”said Smith.

INVISIBLE CONSTRUCTIONArsenault listed strategies used to limit

noise and vibration in this sensitive workzone: linking steel with Lejeune boltsdesigned to reduce vibration; installingimpact pads of composite plastic to form acushioned roadway over the old courtyard;and dissecting 8 to 10 heavy concrete

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM Page 77


planters into smaller pieces as opposed to demolishing the stepplanters with high-impact jackhammers. “Vibration sensors were alsoinstalled in the operations center and monitored on a regular basis,”added Arsenault. The sensors were especially crucial during extensivedemolition of the old courtyard’s concrete floor slab.Being “invisible” was quite a task during the revamping of the

arcade, a corridor skirting the perimeter of the old courtyard. Arcade

sections were eliminated for installation of a full-service kitchen;another stretch was closed and converted into storage. Before thetransition to the new access route, the old pathways still had to bemaintained during construction. “We had to keep the buildings allconnected, no matter what,” said Arsenault. “Maintaining traffic flowand safety was the toughest part of the job.” Walbridge maintained the cloak of invisibility by performing some

work in the evenings. However, floors demolished in the evening hadto be temporarily replaced for the morning “commute” through thebuilding interior. “We would demolish the floor and ceiling, and thenthe next morning have a walkway surface safe for use and a ceilingwith temporary lighting,” said Arsenault.

A NEW CROSSROADS The end result of this elaborate design, engineering and

construction effort is a light-filled expanse with a 450-seat cafeteria, afull service 6,500-square-foot kitchen, a convenience store and a Java

City coffee bar. Under an umbrella of glass and open web trusses, this42,000-square-foot commons offers full wireless service and a variedmenu of spaces, including four private enclosures for small meetingsand an alcove of secluded workstations. This versatile venue can evenhost gatherings of 700 people. “At last, we have the option to holdlarge-scale meetings in-house,” said Arnini. “Town Square definitely promotes greater interaction among our

disparate employee groups to create community within our midst,”added Ellyn. Town Square also includes an 8,000-square-foot outdoorcourtyard nestled between the glass wall and the vintage generaloffice building. The gentle sound of a fountain, coupled withblooming plants, and striped brick pavers in alignment with thepedestrian pathway of Second Avenue directly below, is one of manylinks between landscaping and buildings in this cohesive campus. This wonderful commons offers state-of-the-art communication

tools for creating corporate community. Town Square has beendesigned for optimal acoustics obtained through its curvilinearsidewalls, the canted angle of the glass wall, a computer-controlledspeaker system, and even fabric duct work that dispenses air silentlythrough hundreds of minute perforations in the fabric. This newcorporate crossroads enjoys a state-of-the-art audiovisual system,including a 36-screen plasma array and theatrical lighting for presen-tations and events.

EARTH SPIRALS AND RINGED MOUNDSWalbridge began working on DTE’s “big backyard” at the north end

of the campus as soon as the steel trusses were uprooted from thegravel. This experiment in topography has given rise to a shelterednest of earth called the Butterfly Peace Garden. The former roadwayof Second Avenue becomes a spiral pathway leading into thispeaceful enclave. “One can’t see into the garden at first,” said RichardG. Houdek, ASLA, partner, GMA. “As the visitor enters the spiralpathway the earth starts to build up out of the flat plane andcontinues to increase in height. It draws you into the space.” WHCanon Company, Romulus, was the landscape subcontractor for thisentire project. This earth cradle is designed “to moderate the sound of the city,”

added Metz. This oasis is planted with coneflowers, yarrow, Russiansage, and other butterfly-attracting plants. A small forest of whitepine sprinkles the hillside, bringing a touch of northern Michigan toDetroit. As a peace garden, the spiral pathway is lined with black granite

curbing imprinted with the words, “May Peace Prevail” in 58 differentlanguages, including German, Arabic, and Zulu, as well as Braille, andeven the numbers of the binary code. Inclusive of the entirecommunity of life, the Peace Garden even has a granite paver markedwith the tracks of deer, birds, dogs, and raccoons. DTE staff seeking a quiet lunch or a small impromptu meeting can

enjoy this tranquil garden equipped with moveable outdoorfurniture. At the other end of DTE’s backyard is a sunkenamphitheater extending under the elevated bridge and used forconcerts, barbeques, and other activities. “We wanted to enhance the lives of people who work at DTE,” said

Metz. “We wanted to not only create a place that is a new image forDTE to the city, but it is also a setting that is enjoyable for all the DTEstaff. We wanted to create a series of different spaces, including placesto sit by oneself, gather in a large group, exercise for fitness or just takea stroll around the campus.”The southeast garden is an urban space like no other. GMA

reshaped this blank canvas of earth into a series of vegetated mounds,each varied in height and diameter and each rising in a circle ofbrightly colored pavement. “When you enter, you can’t see the entire

This aerial photograph reveals DTE’s amazing new campus of linkedbuildings and three different landscapes: the front plaza with itsbands of river stone; the exercise garden resembling an abstractpainting of colored rings; and the spiral of the Butterfly and PeaceGarden in the background, as well as a glimpse of the Town Squareskylights and the connector link between MGM Grand and DTE.

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM Page 78


garden at once,” said Metz. “As you walkaround the space, it begins to unfold. Everytime you move around a curve, you can enjoya different view of these miniaturemountains, if you will.” Viewed from the upper reaches of the DTE

tower, the mounds, encircled in colored ringsof pavement, resemble an abstract paintingin an art museum. But this garden is nopainting on the wall. The space is aningenious solution to inserting an exercisetrack in a corporate campus with limitedspace and innumerable security gates thatpreclude a lengthy stretch of track. In thisultimate place to jog, the rings of pavementtouch on key edges, creating a series of variedcircular pathways. The garden also contains a small

amphitheater for informal presentations andconcrete seat walls blended into the surfaceof the walkway system. Whatever the use,every DTE employee can enjoy thismiraculous transformation of the urbanwasteland. Beyond their beauty, these miniature

mountains saved a pile of money for theproject. The project’s excavated soils are nowpart of the mounds, saving the cost of offsitesoil transport and disposal – a verysustainable solution.

PLAYING JENGAThe last phase and crowning glory of the

project is the new front door and front lawn.In building the WCB lobby, Walbridge ablymanaged complex foundation and structuralchallenges. Both the new lobby and the northend of the pool are in the former path of PlazaDrive with all the dense tangle of utilitiescommonly beneath an urban roadway. “Anumber of mains run beneath the area, andwe had to coordinate their re-routing orvacating with many different agencies,” saidArsenault.The addition’s columns actually rest

directly in the path of the old roadway.“Footings and foundations were tightlycoordinated,” said Arsenault. “As acompliment to the design team, when wecame across these items their flexibility andresponsiveness helped the ever-changingproject reach completion.” Inserting the new lobby into the existing

tower was a tightly sequenced andcoordinated undertaking. Walbridge startedselective interior demolition in January 2008to avoid exposing the building to winterweather, said Arsenault. Walbridge beganheavy demolition in March, a task demandinga systematic, precise sequence ofreinforcement, structural analysis anddemolition.

“It was a step-by-step process even toremove the floor,” said Arsenault. “To avoidjeopardizing the structure, a great deal ofreinforcing had to be put in place, followed bynew steel installation. Once in place,Desai/Nasr would conduct an inspection, andif satisfied, we would proceed withdemolition.”Arnini compares this careful procedure to

playing Jenga, the popular ‘80s game, calling

on each player to remove a piece from astacked tower of blocks and placing it on topwithout toppling the tower. Fortunately, theproject team were very good players at thisgame of rearranging the steel pieces of anactual 24-story tower. “We did challenge thestructural engineers to tell us what we couldsafety carve away, because, as Ken so wiselyquipped, ‘If the building falls down, you’refired,’ ” recalled Smith.

Next Generation environmental, inc.

asbestos and lead abatement, envorinmental remediation,

Specialty Coatings

21st Century Salvage, inc.

industrial and Commercial Demolition,

Dismantling, Salvage and Strip Out

high tech industrial Services

industrial Cleaning, Water Blasting, Duct Cleaning

and Plant Decommissioning

Charlie MartiN

President

[email protected]

10750 Martz road

Ypsilanti, Mi 48197

Ph: 734.485.4855

Fax: 734.485.6959

Next Generation Services Group

inc.

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM 9


Walbridge also had to maintain a safeenvironment and access routes for DTE staff.“Demolition was often shifted to theafternoon and evening to minimizedisruption to DTE,” said Arsenault.This final project phase also was a game of

design Jenga, meaning the project teamscaled back the lobby addition to fit thebudget while preserving the spirit of thedesign. “The lobby went through a rigorousvalue engineering process,” said Greenwell.As one alteration, the glass curtain wallsystem shifted from afull to a partialPilkington system.“We installed thePilkington system inthe lower half where ithas the most impact,and used a standardcurtain wall in the lessvisible upper half,” saidGreenwell. Valueengineering alsoreduced the numberof the plaza’s squarearches, affectionatelycalled staples, fromfive to three withoutdetracting from thedesign intent.

STILL WATERS RUNDEEPThe design and

construction teamattended to everydetail of this elegantplaza. Prominentbands of brown and gray river stone lend thepool a pleasing appearance even in thewinter when the water is drained. GMAemployed a fascinating strategy to maintainthe Zen-like stillness of this 26,000-square-foot reflecting pool. In an aquatic version of araised access floor, the river stones rest on afiberglass reinforced plastic grate supportedby raised pedestals. Only two inches of waterare actually visible above the stones in this1.5-foot-deep pool. This strategy makes thestriped banding of stones more visible andmaintains the water’s stillness. “We wanted the appearance of the water

to remain still, but yet we needed movementto keep the water clean,” said Houdek. “Thepool’s circulation and piping system ismounted to the concrete slab of the poolfloor. Invisible, but highly functional, thepiping layout directs the water movement,moving the water below, but not disturbingthe water surface above the grates.” The three waterfalls cascading from the

spillway do not break the surface of thewater. “They intentionally drop into threepits, so the water remains still and reflective,”said Metz. “The pits are also part of arecycling system to continually re-circulatethe water.”An 800-square-foot mechanical equipment

center is also hidden below the plaza, theonly telltale sign of its presence is a barelyvisible hatch opening in the brick pavers. Thislovely lake also has a hidden function as avehicle barrier for the building. “We didn’t

want the look and feelof a fortress,” saidEllyn. “The poolsbalance the need forsecurity with thefeeling of being partof the city.”

Construction ofthis aquatic nirvana inthe heart of Detroitconsumed six to eightmonths alone withunderground utilitiesgreatly complicatingthe installation.Walbridge discoveredsurprises throughoutthe entire campus,ranging from anunexpectedbasement slabextending in front ofthe 1928 officebuilding to thediscovery of the lackof infrastructure tohandle water after

demolition of the condemned parkingstructure. GMA’s site design tried to take suchunderground dragons into account bybuilding above existing utilities. For thisreason, planting areas are raised above gradein two-foot high segmental precast concreteplanters, and new brick and concrete paversare installed directly on top of the originalroadways. Soulliere Decorative Stone, Utica,installed all the pavers and retaining walls.GMA decommissioned the streets,

converting 30-foot-wide streets to moreintimate 20-foot-wide pedestrian pathways.“By keeping the basic urban grid of streets,we retained the urban context, but alsopreserved access for utilities and emergencyvehicles,” said Metz. GMA filled the entirecampus with blooming perennials and about700 trees, both for beauty and to camouflagethe security perimeter fencing.

THE 20-SECOND TESTThe project team tackled a complex roster

248.583.1221 www.rothassocpc.com

Construction Consulting Services

Contact: Jeffrey W. Roth Robert M. Roth Jr., P.E.

ROTHROTH Dispute Avoidance Program Real Time Dispute Resolution Dispute Review Board Initial Decision Maker Project Neutral Exposure Analysis Technical Expert Coordination Claims Preparation and Presentation Claims and Litigation Consulting Contract Surety Claims Troubled Project Support Demonstrative Exhibits Arbitration & Mediation Services

Commercial / IndustrialPainting & Wallcovering

Outstanding Quality ServiceFamily Owned For 20 Years

23433 Hoover RoadWarren, MI 48089Ph: (586) 755-0055Fax: (586) 755-6870

www.detroitspectrum.com

Sunlight pours into the new Town Square, avibrant commons with 16 pyramidskylights and an expansive glass walldisplaying the ornate façade of its next-door neighbor, a vintage 1928 officebuilding.

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:56 PM 0


of challenges to deliver this magnificent campus to DTE and toDetroit. “The front entrance is our face to the world,” said Ellyn. “All ofour aspirations as a company are contained in its appearance. Wewanted it to be beautiful and welcoming, as well as practical anduseable. We had this vision that within 20 seconds of walking in ourfront door you would have a sense of DTE as a vibrant, expansive, anddiverse corporation.”The new DTE campus and new lobby certainly passes this test with

flying colors. The interior is an ensemble of elegantly veined CarraraGold Select marble, Tahitian Brown granite, and an Anegre woodceiling. The lobby can be viewed as a cantilever within a cantilever. Similar

to the exterior canopy, the second-floor conference room partiallycantilevers into the lobby, offering an extraordinary vista of both theringed garden and the reflecting pool. As an optical illusion, the frontof the conference room seems to project into the waterscape.“Conceptually it seems like you are in the prow of a boat looking outacross a broad panorama,” said Smith. “This was one of Ken’s favoriteparts of the project. The front of the conference room offers a widevista, yet the frosted glass on the back of the conference room offersthe privacy needed for an executive meeting.”This amazing campus revitalization also included renovation of

existing interior space, including 31,500 square feet of the WCBinterior, creating an entirely new conference center and otherrevitalized spaces. DTE, Neumann/Smith Architecture, GMA, and Walbridge have

created a truly remarkably magical place in the heart of the MotorCity. At DTE’s Auto Show gala held in the new lobby and in the TownSquare, “Our guests were just enchanted,” said Ellyn. Enchanted is aword seldom applied to this still struggling tri-centennial city, butthanks to visionary design and quality construction, the ideal of abeautiful city has been beautifully realized in this newly mintedcampus of wonderful spaces.

Your Full Line Fastener Source for Brands You Know and Trust

DETROIT l KALAMAZOO(313) 491-1700 (269) 345-6896

Visit us on the web at:WWW.MARSHALLSALES.COM

MARSHALL SALES, INC.Your preferred choice for fasteners since 1956ISO 9001:2000 WBENC l DBB lWCBE

MAKE THE RIGHT CONNECTION

The dramatic, 60-foot-tall “front door” of the new lobby welcomesvisitors and clients to the headquarters of this Fortune 500 company.Banded pavement, along with quiet pools, form DTE’s new “frontlawn.”

SI 74-81 DTE_Nov 10/5/09 2:57 PM Page 81