2 years later, Detroit's Hudson's site is a stinky hole in the ground

Nearly two years after ground broke on the project, Detroit's Hudson's site skyscraper is still just a 40-foot hole.

It's also been emitting a nasty, sulfuric smell for months, causing some to wonder if a gas line was broken.

Detroit Fire Department Deputy Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell tells Metro Times he's unaware of any concerns about natural gas leaking. A spokesperson from Dan Gilbert's Bedrock LLC told Crain's Detroit Business that the smell is coming from ground water, and should stop soon.

"While drilling for our deep tower caissons at the Hudson's site we encountered ground water that contains trace sulfur which is contributing to an intermittent smell around the site," Bedrock said in a statement. "The water is being pumped off the site and the smell should be completely gone once we complete drilling for the last caisson in January."

The project has been delayed, with Bedrock now estimating the date of completion to be 2023, as opposed to 2022 as originally reported. The final design of the skyscraper and its price tag has also fluctuated since ground broke: At first it was intended to be a 734-foot-tall, $775 million project, making it the tallest building in Michigan. Last year, Bedrock said the tower was increasing to 912 feet.

Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.