|
DETROIT CHAPTER
President, Message
|
 A
Message from the President
Jeffrey R. Zokas, AIA
For many years now our members have
complained that AIAD does not have a strong voice in the community.
They have said we don't take a position on controversial issues. We
have heard your concerns and this year we will make every effort to
offer an opinion on controversial subjects. The attached statement
is now in the hands of our PR firm Marx Layne who will hopefully be
able to get it published in the media this coming week.
Many of Detroit's architects have been shocked by the short
sightedness the Detroit City Council demonstrated in its decision to
reject the expansion and modernization of Cobo Center. This facility
has been one of the few bright economic generators for a city that
is in desperate need of new business.
The North America International Auto Show has traditionally been the
biggest event of the year and generates the significant income for
local hotels, restaurants, bars and our new casinos. Let's not
forget that Cobo Center is host to numerous other conferences and
shows throughout the year. These events generate millions of dollars
annually for our local economy. As Cobo Center continues to age and
fall into disrepair it will not be able to attract these events nor
will it have a competitive advantage over neighboring states that
have invested in more modern, up-to-date facilities like Chicago's
McCormick Convention Center. As architects we know from direct
experience that whether it be corporate America,
institutional/governmental clients or residential customers, the
image and quality of your facility has a HUGE impact on your ability
to attract and retain customers, faculty, staff, students or home
owners. Good building design is vitally important from a business
perspective. It helps grow your business and generate income for the
community and its residents! Cobo Center must be revitalized for the
good of the City of Detroit and its surrounding communities!
Last year a national committee from the American Institute of
Architects visited Detroit to assess our convention center's
capabilities to accommodate our national convention that attracts
20,000 members annually. The committee rejected Detroit because of
insufficient hotel and convention space capacity/accommodations.
That represented a loss of 24 million dollars to the City of Detroit
and its local businesses for that four-day convention period. We
must ask the question; how many other national organizations have
considered Cobo Center and rejected it for other sites with more
modern, updated convention facilities? How many millions of dollars
have been lost and will continue to be lost because of an aging,
tired old facility? Can the City of Detroit really afford not to do
anything, and how can a decision such as this be rationally
justified? A city that has been desperately trying to escape an
accelerating death spiral cannot afford to turn its back on such an
important economic generator. For the benefit of all citizens and
businesses who call Detroit home, this decision must be reversed.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey R. Zokas, AIA
|
