DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown [Archive] - Page 24

Rail>Auto

Jan 8, 2014, 6:22 AM

I'm huge on reuse, and often to others' annoyance, but the Joe's exterior has exactly zero architectural value. It was built in a rush and on the cheap to keep the Red Wings from bailing to the suburbs...and it shows. It worked for what it was, and worked really well in spite of itself, but the location is awkward and it's got to be one of the ugliest arenas around.

Sure, recycle the steel, but what's the architectual argument for saving it? How is it comparable to Cobo Arena in what can be done with it in a reconstruction?

http://static.foxsports.com/content/fscom/img/2013/12/13/Detroit-Red-Wings-Joe-Louis-Arena-PI_20131213232641374_730_350.JPG
Fox Sports (http://msn.foxsports.com/topics/baseball/detroit-tigers.htm)

The only thing I'll miss about it is the name. You know much like when the Tigers lost their stadium, that the new name will be corporate.

I definitely agree its architecture is nothing to rival Tiger Stadium or the Silverdome, but I think both the historical and architectural components of a facility should be factored in. It's seen a lot of Red Wings hockey which is one of the few constant things Detroit has had going for it.

As for what I'd do with it, I'd have to look at what the plans are for the convention center, but my initial thoughts are it should either have the precast seating sections gutted for an expanded exhibit hall or have its seating drastically reduced for either mid sized events or performing arts. Then there's the whole Maple Leaf Gardens concept of building buildings within a building.

But yea, I think the name is what draws it to me more so than anything else. Would really hate to lose it, especially after losing architecturally significant places like Tiger and Olympia.

LMich

Jan 8, 2014, 8:25 AM

I think that Detroit has been lucky with Ford Field and to a lesser degree Comerica Park. Neither one is overly blatant like some stadium names. I have a feeling it will be called the Rock Financial Forum or something like that, and the nickname will be "The Rock".

You know, given that this is the Ilitch's last hurray, and with Detroit being their hometown, it'd be really nice for them brand it themselves (after Olympia Entertainment, of course).

But, yeah, they'll probably sell the naming rights. The worst case scenario is that they did what they did with the NCAA Motor City Bowl, and do self-branding of another one of their companies, and we get something like Pizza!Pizza! Arena, or some such sh%t. lol

LMich

Jan 8, 2014, 12:51 PM

Looks like the on-and-off redevelopment of Brush Park is back "on". Hopefully, this attracts some one other than Crosswinds.

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20140108&Category=BUSINESS06&ArtNo=301080045&Ref=V2&MaxW=300&Border=0&Detroit-Brush-Park

Detroit's historic Brush Park may finally see a revival (http://www.freep.com/article/20140108/BUSINESS06/301080045/Detroit-Brush-Park)

By John Gallagher | Detroit Free Press

January 8, 2013

Detroit’s historic but largely vacant Brush Park district might finally come in for redevelopment under a new request for proposals issued by the City of Detroit.

The city owns most of the vacant area in the district and is asking developers to submit ideas to build new market-rate housing with a historic architectural theme on almost 9 acres of land, enough space for at least several dozen units or more of townhouse-style residences. The project also would include redeveloping a handful of the historic 19th-Century mansions still standing but vacant.

Unlike the city’s previous stabs at redevelopment in Brush Park, which fell victim to poor economic conditions and a deteriorating housing market, this one takes place in a time of rising demand for residential space in the downtown and Midtown districts.

...

“I think it’s probably one of the most desirable places to live in Detroit,” said Jim Marusich, manager of real estate development for the city’s Planning & Development Department.

The city’s request asks developers to submit ideas for two main parcels. The biggest parcel covers about 7.5 acres in an area bounded roughly by John R, Brush, Edmund and both sides of Alfred. It contains a total of 40 separate pieces: 36 vacant lots and four historic house. A 1-acre parcels lies east of Brush between Alfred and Division.

Austin Black II, a real estate broker active in the greater downtown area, said the project is important because it promises to deliver much-needed new residential units to the market. There’s a shortage not just of rental apartments but of for-sale condominiums and townhouses, too.

...

Developers have until Feb. 5 to submit their proposals to the city. The request for proposals can be found on the city’s website at www.detroitmi.gov by clicking on “departments,” then on the Planning & Development Department page, and then clicking on for request for proposals.

The city’s request said a decision will be made later in February.

...

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20140108&Category=BUSINESS06&ArtNo=301080045&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Detroit-s-historic-Brush-Park-may-finally-see-revival
Ryan Garza | Detroit Free Press

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20140108&Category=BUSINESS06&ArtNo=301080045&Ref=V1&MaxW=600&Border=0
Ryan Garza | Detroit Free Press

animatedmartian

Jan 8, 2014, 2:10 PM

Didn't Crosswinds go kaput? Anyway, yea, I'm really hopeful some good proposals come from this. I don't think the Crosswind townhomes are bad by themselves, but they really don't compliment the historic homes at all. :yuck:

LMich

Jan 9, 2014, 8:11 AM

I forgive them to the extent that they were the first developer to really take a chance, but beyond that, they are ugly and lookg and are completely out of place and out of scale being built right on Woodward. They kind of redeemed themselves with the Garden Lofts, though. Now that I think about it, didn't they do the renovations for the Brownstones on John R. pictured above? I guess I was a little harsh on them. They got better as they went on, mostly. I hadn't heard they'd liquidated.

But, yeah, I have much greater hope for development than the renaissance of the early 00's, when you really had folks with a lot of heart, but not a whole lot of experience. People are both dreaming bigger things and doing bigger things than they once were. I have all the confidence in the world that we're going to get a quality project or two out of this.

hudkina

Jan 9, 2014, 11:35 PM

There were recent plans for one of the smaller buildings on John R that looked great. Are those plans still on?

animatedmartian

Jan 11, 2014, 2:29 AM

David Whitney is reportedly 45% of the way through renovations.

New Rendering (or at least it seems newish)
http://detroit.curbed.com/uploads/DavWhitRen1-thumb.jpg (http://detroit.curbed.com/uploads/DavWhitRen1.jpg)

Currently (as of December).
http://imgick.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/pgmain/img/detroit/photo/2013/12/-9f0e25c6af2434a6.JPG (http://imgick.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/pgfull/img/detroit/photo/2013/12/-9f0e25c6af2434a6.JPG)
(click images for full size)

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2014/01/david-whitney-rehab-on-track-releases-a-new-rendering.php

jodelli

Jan 12, 2014, 7:03 AM

I'm huge on reuse, and often to others' annoyance, but the Joe's exterior has exactly zero architectural value. It was built in a rush and on the cheap to keep the Red Wings from bailing to the suburbs...and it shows. It worked for what it was, and worked really well in spite of itself, but the location is awkward and it's got to be one of the ugliest arenas around.

Sure, recycle the steel, but what's the architectual argument for saving it? How is it comparable to Cobo Arena in what can be done with it in a reconstruction?

The only thing I'll miss about it is the name. You know much like when the Tigers lost their stadium, that the new name will be corporate.

I definitely agree its architecture is nothing to rival Tiger Stadium or the Silverdome, but I think both the historical and architectural components of a facility should be factored in. It's seen a lot of Red Wings hockey which is one of the few constant things Detroit has had going for it.

As for what I'd do with it, I'd have to look at what the plans are for the convention center, but my initial thoughts are it should either have the precast seating sections gutted for an expanded exhibit hall or have its seating drastically reduced for either mid sized events or performing arts. Then there's the whole Maple Leaf Gardens concept of building buildings within a building.

But yea, I think the name is what draws it to me more so than anything else. Would really hate to lose it, especially after losing architecturally significant places like Tiger and Olympia.

The Joe is basically a large hanger that doesn't really have much going for it architecturally. As LMich says it was built quickly and on the cheap.

Coming back from out west I was disappointed personally how far from the ice some of the upper bowl seats were (call it cavernous?) after the atmosphere at the Olympia (Yes, I'm that old). And the steps were the only way in at first save the elevator off Atwater. The suites were an afterthought and really in the nether regions. I won't miss the place.

LMich

Jan 13, 2014, 8:29 AM

David Whitney is reportedly 45% of the way through renovations.

New Rendering (or at least it seems newish)
http://detroit.curbed.com/uploads/DavWhitRen1-thumb.jpg (http://detroit.curbed.com/uploads/DavWhitRen1.jpg)

They forgot to incoporate the streetcar platform (and maybe shelter) into the rendering. ;) In fact, they'll be right across the street from the Whitney and Broderick near the corners of the park right there on Woodward.

LMich

Jan 16, 2014, 1:47 PM

I'm just skimming this article in today's News (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140116/BIZ/301160045/Detroit-turn-over-park-Ilitch-project-fuels-land-rush?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE) about the Cass Park entertainment district, but is Cass Park actually being handed over to Olympia Entertainment, or just the management of the square, you know, like what was done with Campus Martius? I was under the impression that just like in my city, that handing over parkland requires a popular vote.

animatedmartian

Jan 16, 2014, 4:00 PM

Popular vote by the city council maybe.

animatedmartian

Jan 16, 2014, 7:27 PM

Metro Detroit Gets Ready to Grow with Transit-Oriented Development (http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/Transit-OrientedDevelopment%200329.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetromodeMedia+%28Metromode+Media%29)
NINA IGNACZAK | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014

http://www.metromodemedia.com/images/Features/Issue_329/transit-dev-main.jpg

All around the Motor City, people are starting to talk transit.

In 2013, M-1 Rail broke ground along Woodward in Detroit, work commenced to speed up the Pontiac-to-Chicago Amtrak line, talk of an Ann-Arbor to Detroit commuter line moved incrementally closer to reality, AirRide expanded bus service between Ann Arbor and DTW, Bus Rapid Transit emerged as the preferred alternative for regional mass transit, and after 40 years of failed attempts, a Regional Transit Authority was finally established for metropolitan Detroit.

Now, public officials and developers across the region are readying themselves to reap the economic potential of functional transit - something many cities across the country have already done.

[Chris] Leinberger expects that trend to take place in Metro Detroit - both in the city and in the suburbs.

"Probably 40-50 percent of walkable urban development will be in the center city," he says, "but the majority of it -50 to 60 percent- will be in surrounding suburbs in places like Birmingham, Ferndale, Royal Oak, and Ann Arbor."

A 2013 study by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy suggests those places can expect significant economic activity. The study measured the economic impact of Cleveland's HealthLine BRT, which leveraged $5.8 billion in economic development over five years from a $200 million initial investment - an ROI nearly 30 times the initial construction cost.

"We're behind the curve in starting this process," says Richard Murphy, Programs Director at the Michigan Suburbs Alliance and Washtenaw County representative to the RTA.

In 2012, Murphy worked with five southeast Oakland County communities to develop a South Oakland Woodward plan outlining TOD-friendly policies each city should adopt in preparation for rapid transit - things like increasing building heights and establishing zero lot-lines and parking restrictions.

"The plan is a good example of how we should be approaching TOD in the region," says Murphy.

Brad Strader, a consultant with LSL Planning who worked on the plan, agrees.

"All of the Oakland County community representatives are enthusiastic about transit and TOD, and the developers just want to know where the stations will be," he says.

The City of Ferndale already has much of the zoning in place, according to Derek Delacourt, Director of Community and Economic Development for Ferndale.

"A functional, well-designed rapid transit system along Woodward is an opportunity for the city to evolve," he says.

http://www.metromodemedia.com/images/Features/Issue_329/transit-development-009.jpg

http://www.metromodemedia.com/images/Features/Issue_329/transit-development-002.jpg

The City of Dearborn is also planning for TOD. Working with the Michigan Municipal League to develop a place-based TOD strategy for its new multi-modal train station, the city plans a mix of uses at a scale appropriate for transit users and pedestrians, according to Luke Forrest, Program Coordinator with MML.

"The plan orients development to rail commuters, calling for a mix of uses like a coffee shop, a dry cleaner, and a newsstand, anchored by housing," says Forrest. "It also connects with west downtown Dearborn, which is only a couple of blocks away but feels much farther because today it's hard to walk to from the train station."

Murphy sees potential for TOD across many of metro Detroit's corridors, such as 8 Mile and Gratiot.

"Gratiot is the next place for TOD," says Murphy. "It's the highest ridership corridor in the region and the homework has been done by Macomb County and the local governments, so they have a lot of the pieces in place."

Meanwhile in Detroit, Dan Gilbert's Rock Ventures continues to snap up land and buildings along Detroit's Woodward corridor ahead of M-1 Rail.

"What we have seen around the country is tremendous economic development on transit routes," says Matt Cullen, CEO of Rock Ventures and M-1 Rail. "The benchmarks suggest four to as much as eight times the investment in transit, you get back in economic development. So that puts us into the billion-dollar range."

M-1 Rail worked in collaboration with multiple partners to complete a Downtown Detroit Woodward TOD study. The plan was an opportunity to coordinate multiple plans completed by various groups over the years and get everyone on the same page, says Cullen.

http://www.metromodemedia.com/images/Features/Issue_329/transit-development-010.jpg

Sue Mosey, President of Midtown Detroit Inc., sees an urgent need for more mixed-income housing in the Woodward corridor, something she thinks will only increase after rail begins operating in 2015. But even though Midtown is currently 97 percent occupied, Mosey says a financing gap remains because the market is so undervalued.

That gap is narrowing, according to Cullen.

"The gap is much smaller now than it used to be," he says. "Market rents are increasing, and plenty of people want to live along the Woodward corridor."

But as rents rise, low- and moderate-income residents can be pushed out.

"We need mixed-income development," says Cullen. "Before there wasn't any demand, but now we have an opportunity for the same kind of mixed-income housing as many areas across the United States."

Ensuring commercial development within a TOD serves mixed incomes is critical, according to Scot Spencer, transit equity expert and Associate Director at the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

"In many places with TOD, there's no provision that the mix of uses allows for a mix of incomes," says Spencer. "The services along transit stops are important to someone for whom transit is not a choice or luxury. Are there day care centers or social services agencies helping folks who are transit-dependent?"

To help bridge the finance gap, investors have established a Woodward Corridor Investment Fund to provide longer-term funding with lower equity requirements than traditional financing typically allows.

"Our investors have stepped up to make the longer-term commitment," says Ian Weisner, Senior Loan Officer with the fund. "We are willing to take the risk of a 20 percent loan-to-value ratio over 30 years, because we have faith that the market is undervalued."

The $30-million fund already has $54.5 million in applications that would create 540 units, says Weisner. The first projects are expected to be announced in 2014.

Leinberger calls this long-term investment strategy "patient equity."

"Ten years from now, those investments will look inspired," he says. "It's your classic buy-low and sell-high scenario."

http://www.metromodemedia.com/images/Features/Issue_329/transit-development-003_1.jpg

:cheers::cheers:

uaarkson

Jan 16, 2014, 10:21 PM

I should have kept working at Toyota and bought some houses in Ann Arbor and Detroit.

animatedmartian

Jan 16, 2014, 11:43 PM

I should have kept working at Toyota and bought some houses in Ann Arbor and Detroit.

Metro Detroit home prices up 41% since December 2012 (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140113/NEWS/140119946/metro-detroit-home-prices-up-41-since-december-2012)

No kidding. Though the bigger factor in this case is a general lack of new residential on the market rather than any major positive changes. Unemployment has been going down but at a rate similar to the rest of the country if not a little slower.

However, there's still hope. Prices in Detroit ought to remain low while the city is going through bankruptcy and there's still plenty of blight to content with. But I suspect that once the city is order (services, crime, and blight), transit is improved (at the least, improved bus service), and more jobs are being generated (rather than just moved around), then oh yea, real estate has no where to go but up. :D

LMich

Jan 17, 2014, 8:24 AM

To be clear, prices in the city are on the rise, too - maybe even more than the region at large. The catch being, of course, that the housing market in the city is so incredibly low and abnormal, that we're just trying to get it back to where it could be considered a normal market. And, that is still many, many years off, even as city services and quality of life return to a sustainable level.

Detroit proper will remain for many more years a place to buy a home if you're looking to actually live in the city, you know, if you have a good job and good pay are looking to do something beyond ladder climbing across the country. It's not going to be a sellers market anytime soon...and that's not necessarily a bad thing for the certain kind of person I mentioned.

I'd like to add that I'm talking about the city proper as a whole. There will be neighborhoods and regions of the city that will return to a normal market much sooner than others. For instance, I see a lot of neighborhoods in the northwest being able to compete with inner-ring suburban hoods in a few years. I think the greater downtown area will reach a tipping point very soon transitioning from fringe places which still attrack "urban pioneers" to full on yuppie-mode. Then, you'll have a lot of working-class and middle-class neighborhoods in the out-city, which will once again compete with the inner-suburbs. Then, you'll have a kind of ring right on the edge between the greater downtown and out-city neighborhoods that I think will continue to struggle in parts, and there will also be some out-city areas, too, which will continue to struggle (Delray, Oakwood Heights, Boynton in the Southwest, Brightmore in the farwest, etc...)

LMich

Jan 17, 2014, 8:37 AM

:cheers::cheers:

The release of that article couldn't have come on a worse date. lol I only say this because while everything they talked about, transit-wise, is most likely still going to happen, in the past week, we've had these setbacks:

1. John Hertel pulled out of being the CEO of the RTA because of lack of funds for a proper staff. This sent the board scrambling trying to figure out if they should still mount a campaign for funding for BRT this year, or wait until 2016, which would push the project back by at least that many years. I can't even believe this is being debated, just pull the trigger, already.

2. It was announced just yesterday that M-1 Rail's chief administrative officer is quitting, and she didn't even give a good explanation of why she was leaving, leaving everyone nothing but to guess reason.

3. The guy who has headed up SEMCOG's Ann Arbor to Detroit regional rail is saying that it could be another two or three more years before they can get the project started because MDOT is still behind on a lot of things along the line, such as the West Detroit Connection Rail Project at Junction, which was funded in 2012, but which still hasn't started construction. MDOT has the project included in this years budget, I think, but who knows. Even more to the point, SEMCOG really wants to hand this off to the RTA, but the RTA can't do much of anything until it gets its own house in order.

Again, it looks like all of these things are still on, and the Woodward streetcar is almost definitely a go since prelim construction work is already underway. But, as usual, there seems to be a lack of urgency. Some of the blame can be placed with the political situation in Lansing, and some of it can be placed with the kind of lazy and/or timid mass transit culture of Southeast Michigan. I just hope we get people in place, soon, who are screaming to get things moving from the rooftop. I hope the new CEO will be a vocal zealot when it comes to mass transit in the region, because the region needs a kick in the pants, at the moment.

animatedmartian

Jan 17, 2014, 3:55 PM

mousquet

Jan 17, 2014, 6:54 PM

I guess it's not that easy to change the leather seats of your SUV for an overcrowded rail car... Go Detroit! They can do it! In the end, it's all capital gain and social progress. Looks like they can feel it now, though.

LMich

Jan 18, 2014, 4:41 AM

Those are only small details in the overall picture. At this point, everyone is at least aware of the benefits of transit and TOD. At worse, it just means a lot of new developments will still have to be accompanied by multistory parking garages or parking lots in farther out suburbs. But in a lot of places mentioned in that article, as well as some not mentioned, have already set up zoning and planning for the possibility of transit.

The new goal for a lot of municipalities around SE Michigan is to become more walkable and appealing for yuppies. Some suburbs will pull this off better than others (the Southfield fiasco seems to be the worse so far) but generally it's in a good direction.

It would actually probably be more problematic if we were in a boom growth stage because then those setbacks would have bigger impacts as there would be a flurry of developments built without any consideration for the eventual transit that'd come. So really, we're lucky to be in a slow growing economy if you look at it that way. Although it is true that transit can't be delayed for too long before the economy continues to pick back up and TOD really starts to become important.

Oh, I have no doubt that the actual projects will be built. That's inevitable given the improving economy. And, Detroit is going to attract much more of the region's housing, office and retail development then in years and decades past. I'm not worried about whether the housing and residential projects will be built.

Really, my only critique is that I'd rather the development be done correctly, this time, and to facilitate that, the leaders in the region need to get really serious about mass transit. You know, in any given week I swing between pessimism, realism, and optimism given the history of the place. For instance, I was really heartened, today, to hear Duggan even mention the word "expansion" when it came to DDOT maybe getting back some of the service capacity it has lost over the years. Of course, he said it in the context that even considering expansion is years off, but it's the first time in years I've heard a mayor even mention adding to DDOT, when the decisions in recent years haven't even been about whether to cut, but how much to cut. I'm also happy that with the announcement of the new director of DDOT finally came some clarification (and expansion) of the role of the office of the director, which will include critical oversight of the PM and the Woodward Streetcar when it's ready to be handed off.

Anyway, my only frustration is with how disorganized and uncoordinated the comeback remains. This is partially because the city proper is under emergency management with different leaders pulling in different directions, sometimes not out of spite of one another or even forethought, but just because they communicate so poorly and it doesn't even cross their minds to coordinate efforts and initiatives. A lot of it is really just the generally sloppy nature of leadership in the region.

hudkina

Jan 19, 2014, 6:19 PM

I would hope DDOT doesn't even exist in a few years... Hopefully we'll finally see a true regional bus system.

animatedmartian

Jan 19, 2014, 8:23 PM

Update of WSU's MBRB (http://www.facilities.wayne.edu/projects/mbrb.php) courtesy of itvdetroit.

gFV_DQKg5aE

animatedmartian

Jan 20, 2014, 1:05 AM

Skyline view of the city from the newly renovated Cobo Ballroom exterior.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x1024q90/838/vlml.jpg

LMich

Jan 21, 2014, 1:46 PM

The non-profit Detroit Blight Authority revealed the more recent blight removal project. It's focus is another part of Brightmoor:

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20140120&Category=BIZ&ArtNo=301200070&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&Border=0

Plan to rid Detroit of 35 blocks of blight unveiled (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140120/BIZ/301200070/Plan-rid-Detroit-35-blocks-blight-unveiled?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s)

By Louis Aguilar | The Detroit News

January 20, 2014

Detroit — The large-scale campaign to destroy all blight in Detroit is taking aim to create a 35 block zone free of derelict structures and junky vacant lots.

...

The 35 blocks are in the northwest neighborhood of Brightmoor and the estimated plan would cost up to $900,000 and clear nearly 70 homes. The plan is a 21-block expansion of a project the nonprofit started last year, which helped clean the trash from vacant lots in a 14-block area of Brightmoor. Another 50 blighted homes in that area also are to be razed. The 35-block area is roughly defined by Outer Drive West on the north and west, I-96 on the south, and Burt Road on the east.

...

It appears all of this experimentation has led to lowering the price of demolition, considerably, and better organization and coordination of all kinds of efforts in the city.

LMich

Jan 23, 2014, 1:56 PM

A Hong Kong investor with hotels next door in Ontario, wants to renovate the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle. Sounds like he's serious.

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20140123&Category=OPINION01&ArtNo=301230009&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Hong-Kong-investor-wants-save-Belle-Isle-jewel
John T. Greilick

Hong Kong investor wants to save Belle Isle jewel (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140123/OPINION01/301230009/Hong-Kong-investor-wants-save-Belle-Isle-jewel?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE)

By Nolan Finley | The Detroit News Columnist

A Hong Kong investor is offering a rescue plan for the Detroit Boat Club, one of Belle Isle’s most historic and most dilapidated buildings.

The boat house, built in 1902, has been steadily sliding into the Detroit River, its docks twisted and sinking and its walls and roof deteriorating.

With its red tile roof and location near the foot of the Belle Isle bridge, the boat club is one of the most distinctive buildings on the island park.

That location is what caught the eye of Jimmy Lai, owner of the Vintage Hotel group, which operates seven hotels near Toronto and Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and Next Media, the largest media company in Hong Kong.

“You don’t hear this said often, but Detroit is really a pretty city,” says Mark Simon, Lai’s representative. “The riverfront is spectacular.”

The vision, Simon says, is to rebuild the boat club to its original appearance as a 100- to 120-room boutique hotel.

The docks would also be restored. The building is home to the Detroit Boat Club, the oldest operating rowing group in the country, with roots dating to 1839, and the rowers would be allowed to stay, Simon promises.

The building would also include several restaurants to cater both to boaters and day visitors to the city-owned island, which was recently leased by the state of Michigan and is being converted to a state park.

“We think it could become a premiere destination for weddings,” Simon says. “The setting on the riverfront is so unique.”

In all, Simon says, it’s a $40 million project.

To make it happen, Vintage would have to negotiate with the city for a long-term lease. Investors want a 70-year agreement, twice as long as the state’s lease on the island.

Talks with city and state officials are in early stages. Simon is scheduled to be in Detroit this week, and will meet with George Jackson, head of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, among others.

Jackson says the city is preparing a request for proposals seeking development ideas for the boat club, which he says will require a considerable investment to rehabilitate.

“It makes sense to get private dollars for a project of this magnitude,” he says.

...

So long as private investors are renovating existing facilities and working with existing tenants, as opposed to grabbing open space, I'm completely for this kind of development on the island.

animatedmartian

Jan 23, 2014, 3:04 PM

I'd rather it be used like the Casino. As a hotel, it's basically in an exclusive location and has pretty much no competition (in fact, being a waterfront hotel makes it a rarity in the metro). If there weren't going to be other hotels on the island, then the prices for this hotel would be pretty high which I don't think too many people would pay for given the lack of amenities other than the restaurants. To me, this is roughly equivalent to if it was open space development and I can't imagine it wouldn't spark some sort of demand for additional development.

Though I'm not entirely against development on Belle Isle if it's done smart; create some strict architectural guidelines, strict zoning rules, and limit developments to specific areas of the island. Namely, the north shore from the boat house to the beach, the former golf course south of Lake Muskoday, and maybe the old zoo. Nothing else would have to be touched. Otherwise, I'd rather just have it used as a banquet hall or another boat club or something.

LMich

Jan 24, 2014, 8:14 AM

It's not being used for anything beyond parts of it for the boat club, and who cares if the prices are high? If the developer thinks there is a market for it, I say let him try. I think the concept is really unique, and directed at folks who may want a quieter stay in the city, which basically mirrors the whole reason for the islands founding in the first place: as a sort of city getaway, but still within the city.

I don't want to see any other hotels on the island. Commercial development should be kept to a bare minimum to keep its general character. But, I think these kind of unique projects are exactly the kind of limited development that will end up helping the island. No, this is not at all like taking the fields or woods of the island - or even the zoo property, for that matter - and building new construction in the middle of the park.

hudkina

Jan 25, 2014, 8:08 PM

I'd rather see a boutique hotel on the island than a rundown boat club. I'm sure the hotel would have some kind of shuttle that brings people into the downtown core. Besides the island is a strong enough draw (especially now that it is under state control) to bring people who might want to enjoy the nature outside their doorstep.

animatedmartian

Jan 26, 2014, 5:12 PM

It seems we have ourselves a supply problem downtown.

Downtown Detroit apartment rents spiking higher, even pricing out middle class (http://www.freep.com/article/20140126/BUSINESS04/301260081/Rents-rising-Detroit-downtown-Midtown-Corktown)
By JC Reindl and John Gallagher. January 26, 2014

Rental rates in downtown Detroit-area buildings have risen so high, some young professionals who breathed new life into the city core just a few years ago are now being priced out of the market and forced to move — a type of middle-class gentrification that has some developers eager to build new residential projects.

Development experts say demand far exceeds existing rental units in choice areas, such as Midtown, Corktown and the Detroit riverfront, where influxes of mostly young, well-paid professionals drove rental rates to new heights in new, existing and soon-to-open apartment buildings.

In many cases, landlords are asking $200 to $400 more a month for apartment leases than they were just a year or two ago because of the high demand and almost nonexistent new supply.

...

Rents are inching closer to the magic $2-per-square-foot level, a price developers say could allow new residential projects to get built without reliance on the subsidies, tax credits and nontraditional funding sources that are currently required. Once there is more supply of apartments in the popular neighborhoods, the thinking goes, rent prices would stabilize.

....

A sample of current and soon-to-be available apartments in desirable Midtown and downtown Detroit apartment buildings shows a trend of higher monthly rent costs.

http://freep.com/graphics/rent-rise/DFP-Rising-Rents-graphic-WEB.jpg

1. Forest Arms
Monthly rent: To be determined
Units: 74 apartments, 5 new penthouses
Status: Renovating and adding to building, could open fall 2015

2. Studio One Apartments
Monthly rent: 1-bedroom units, $1,095-$1,145; 2-bedroom units, $1,249-$1,369
Units: 124 apartments
Status: Opened 2008

3. 9-story mega development
Monthly rent: To be determined
Units: 248 apartments planned
Status: Scheduled to open 2016

4. The Auburn
Monthly rent: Averages $1.55 per square foot. Studios, $780-$830; 1-bedroom units, $920-$995
Units: 58 apartments, 20% for low- and moderate-income tenants
Status: Opened fall 2012

5. Strathmore Apartments
Monthly rent: To be determined
Units: 129 apartments
Status: Rehab of former Strathmore Hotel to begin this spring

6. 3909 Woodward Avenue Apartments
Monthly rent: 1-bedroom units, $900s- $1,100s; 2-bedroom units, $1,500s-$1,700
Units: 61 apartments
Status: Opening in March

7. Kales Building
Monthly rent: 1-bedroom units, $977- $1,550; 2-bedroom units, $1,550-$2,100
Units: 117 apartments
Status: Open

8. David Whitney Building
Monthly rent: To be determined Estimated to start at $2.75 per square foot and higher
Units: 105 residential units
Status: Under construction, will probably open mid- to late 2014

9. The Broderick Tower
Monthly rent: Rents increased 5% to 10% this year. Studios, $900s; 1-bedroom units, $1,100s-$1,700s; 2-bedroom units, $1,375-$2,150; top penthouses, $5,000
Units: 124 apartments
Status: Opened in fall 2012. There is currently a vacant apartment – 17th floor one-bedroom for $1,625 a month

10. Detroit City Apartments
Monthly rent: 1-bedroom units, $960- $1,295; 2-bedroom units, $1,290s-$2,080
Units: 351 apartments
Status: Open

11. Lofts of Merchants Row
Monthly rent: Studios, $800-$1,050; 1-bedroom units, low $1,000s-$1,800; 2-bedroom units, $1,625-$2,100
Units: 157 apartments
Status: Opened 2004, 99% full

12. The Westin Book Cadillac
Monthly rent: Up to $2.20 per square foot
Units: 64 condos and apartments
Status: Open

13. Renaissance City Apartments at Millender Center
Monthly rent: $1,140-$2,860
Units: 338 apartments
Status: Currently open and renovating the apartments and amenity spaces

NYC2ATX

Jan 27, 2014, 1:00 AM

:previous:
Funny I'm writing this on the Detroit thread, but there are worse problems to have, no? ;)

Rizzo

Jan 27, 2014, 2:44 AM

Wow, some of those rents are steep. Although I pay just shy of $3 / square foot, the cost is justified. But on a recent visit to Detroit, I can't imagine paying near what I pay on a downtown apartment. There's just not much shopping and restaurants. Lack of supply indeed. Glad there's someone willing to pay those prices, but this isn't healthy. The door needs to open for more residential or the trend of sluggish commercial growth will continue.

What concerns me most, is the lack of supply of new places then prices out the young professionals just starting jobs in the Detroit area. While in other big cities, you have to pay the $2.50 + / sqft rent, I can't imagine recent grads are going to throw down that kind of money on a new place in Detroit.

Guiltyspark

Jan 27, 2014, 3:40 AM

animatedmartian

Jan 27, 2014, 4:38 AM

This really shouldn't be all that surprising. If people start to move into an area, prices go up.

In the case of Detroit, it's misleading because there's still a lot of vacant and untouched properties that no rational person would move into unless they were to renovate the property themselves.

Until more property is either demolished or renovated (I'm assuming property within a mile or so of downtown), rents are still going to be pretty high save for a glut of projects with subsidies and tax incentives.

Rizzo

Jan 27, 2014, 5:05 AM

^ "Water water everywhere, nor any drop to drink"

Lot's of property with potential, but too expensive to rehab and rent.

LMich

Jan 27, 2014, 8:38 AM

This problem is a windfall for the landlords already in the market, but inner-city Detroit needs A LOT more quality affordable/mid-scale product. I'm surprised it's taken the media this long. Occupancy in greater downtown has been at 95%+ for, what? Going on two years, now? Who ever takes the chance to build a lot of cheaper units, right now, is going to reap a helluva profit in the long-run.

I was talking about this here a few months ago. What you have in the greater downtown area is either borderline luxury product or public (subsidized) housing. There is little in the way of a "normal" market in between since the profit reward isn't as immediate as doing a project where you're ROI is being paid by a steady stream from the government or your well-to-do new tenants.

This seems like such a huge opportunity. I wonder who's going to be the first to take a crack at this level of the market?

hudkina

Jan 27, 2014, 1:42 PM

I think whoever takes up the final redevelopment of Brush Park will be able to satisfy a huge chunk of the demand.

subterranean

Jan 27, 2014, 1:52 PM

Finally, an article telling it how it is. My girlfriend and I have been looking to move to Detroit for awhile now but we just haven't found anything affordable that entices us to make the leap. The decent neighborhoods are all leased up and even $1.75/sq ft. seems out of control for Detroit unless you're talking luxury lofts. I've even considered buying in a few select neighborhoods, but the houses move too quick or need too much work, very little in between.

animatedmartian

Jan 27, 2014, 3:14 PM

Occupancy in greater downtown has been at 95%+ for, what? Going on two years, now?

Actually, no. Since 2010. So really, more like 3-4 years. It's only just now that demand has outpaced supply though it was slowly coming. (Plus people still generally have a hard time believe anyone wants to live in Detroit.)

Here's a market analysis of greater downtown (http://investdetroit.com/sites/default/files/documents/Downtown_Potential_Residential_Market_Study.pdf) in 2010.

The most expensive rates at the time were the Fort Shelby apartments at $1.80/sq ft. Most everything else stays below $1.20/sq ft despite still having 90%+ occupancy rates.

Rizzo

Jan 28, 2014, 1:47 AM

Difficult thing about renovations are they are so incredibly expensive. Even projects here in Chicago gets tons of subsidies to make the financials work for residential in large vintage buildings. As a result, lots of developer driven construction to build tall buildings at a low cost and charge almost near what rents are starting to reach in Detroit.

Kind of frustrating because you know big projects are perfectly capable of happening. Same story sub t mentions is common.

animatedmartian

Jan 28, 2014, 2:58 AM

I get the feeling that this is the sort of situation Dan Gilbert would just love to capitalize on. If he makes the Hudson project majority residential and with a good number of units, no doubt it'd get filled in an instant. And if it does get filled, he'll just build another one until demand matches supply. He'll be able to shuffle in all the workers of companies that he brings into downtown with incentives and whatnot.

Plus Mayor Duggan just announced plans to lower property taxes by 5% to 20% (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140127/METRO01/301270072/Duggan-Detroit-s-property-tax-assessments-drop-5-20-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE) depending on the neighborhood. Stable areas are more likely to see a smaller cut than vacant areas, but it's all good nonetheless.

animatedmartian

Jan 28, 2014, 4:01 PM

If anyone doesn't mind the drive (and even less retail options than what you'd get downtown aside from the Meijers down the street), you should be glad to know Palmer Park is going through a quiet revival. A nice second option while downtown is going through high rents. :D

Palmer Park's turnaround and neighborhood revival (http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/palmerpark12814.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ModelDMedia+%28Model+D%29)
MATTHEW PIPER | TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

http://www.modeldmedia.com/Images/Features/issue%20394/012814-md-shelbourne-development-group-palmer-park0005.JPG

.....

Between 2007 and 2012, Kathy and Mark's Shelbourne Development purchased a total of 14 apartment buildings in Palmer Park, with the intent to breathe new life into the neighborhood and restore its historic grandeur through redevelopment. Of the 14, six were completely vacant at the time of purchase and eight had very low occupancy.

When I ask her why she and her husband have invested so much in the Palmer Park apartment district, Makino-Leipsitz replies, "How can you not fall in love with that area? Each building's a work of art. That district is one of the few in the nation, if not the only one, where you can see so many distinct styles of apartment buildings in one place."

Renovation work is complete in seven of Shelbourne's Palmer Park buildings; of those, four have people living in them, one has people moving in, and two will be ready for move-in in early February.

Kathy and Mark financed the purchase and redevelopment of the buildings -- and weathered the recession -- through a complex assortment of financial tools, including historic tax credits, federal stimulus funding, and low-income/affordable housing tax credits. As a result of the latter, 80 percent of the renovated apartments will be designated affordable housing, giving low-income Detroiters the opportunity to live in updated apartments inside beautiful, well-preserved historic shells.

.....

Rochelle Lento is on the board of People for Palmer Park, the citizen-driven nonprofit organization that assumed operational control of the park in 2011, in the wake of its threatened closure.

At the time, the city's General Services Department staff had been drastically reduced, prompting it to announce the closure of 77 city parks. Led by Palmer Park's tennis players, a diverse group banded together to protest the closure, eventually forming People for Palmer Park, an organization dedicated to the park's rejuvenation and sustained vitality.

Their efforts in recent years have been remarkable, including clearing miles of trails, pruning trees to enhance visibility through the park, opening Thomas and Lizzie Palmer's log cabin to visitors for the first time in decades, planting apple trees, managing a large-scale composting effort, and, in August 2013, installing a brand-new splash park for kids. (1,200 people attended the grand opening.) People for Palmer Park has hosted harvest festivals, tennis lessons for both kids and adults, yoga and t'ai chi classes, and once-a-week bike rides through the park. They're getting ready for WinterFest this coming Sunday, which will include a doggie fashion parade (that's right), as well as skiing, snow-shoeing, ice skating, and horse and carriage rides.

And they honor the neighboring apartment district with an annual fall walking tour that gets more and more popular every year (200 people attended in 2011, 400 in 2012, and 600 in 2013).

Together, the ongoing revitalization of the park and rehabilitation of the apartment buildings are utterly transforming Palmer Park, turning it into a vibrant center of community activity and local pride where one constructive effort uplifts another.

"One of the things we just decided we're going to do," Kathy Makino-Leipsitz tells me, "is to buy everyone who moves into one of our buildings membership in People for Palmer Park. What they're doing is such a complement to what we're doing, and the more we can do to get the residents involved in the whole community, the better off we're all going to be."

http://www.modeldmedia.com/Images/Features/issue%20394/012814-md-palmer-park0036.jpg

http://www.modeldmedia.com/Images/Features/issue%20394/012814-md-shelbourne-development-group-palmer-park0006.JPG

http://www.modeldmedia.com/Images/Features/issue%20394/012814-md-shelbourne-development-group-palmer-park0004.JPG

http://www.modeldmedia.com/Images/Features/issue%20394/012814-md-shelbourne-development-group-palmer-park0003.JPG

subterranean

Jan 28, 2014, 5:28 PM

That far north, you're better off going into Ferndale/Royal Oak for your retail/shopping.

LMich

Jan 29, 2014, 8:10 AM

I was about to say that the retail situation up there really isn't that bad. It's certainly more everyday shopping than anywhere you'd find in the inner-city. I know that a lot of folks in the westside of the city end up shopping along 8 Mile in or near Southfield, Oak Park of Ferndale for their everyday needs. Places like Palmer Park don't compete with downtown, anyway. This is the out-city, which again is more comparable to neighborhoods in neighboring cities.

animatedmartian

Jan 30, 2014, 5:52 PM

The massing doesn't really fill the site like Staler did, but it has nice height and hotel at least faces GCP. There is a podium but would the hotel be better if it lined the streetwall of GCP?

Boutique hotel development planned for former Statler Hilton site in Detroit
By Kirk Pinho. January 30, 2014.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/716/2ki6.jpg

A group of Michigan and out-of-state investors plans a new development with a 118-room boutique hotel, 150 high-rise residences, a Miller Parking Services parking garage with at least 700 spaces and three restaurants on the site of the former Statler Hilton Hotel on Grand Circus Park.

A $1.5 million purchase offer and $100,000 deposit for the site on Washington Boulevard has been presented to the office of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, the Downtown Development Authority and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., according to a news release.

The Downtown Detroit Executive Hotel Complex development group expects the project, dubbed the Fitzgerald Place, to be complete by the third quarter of 2015.

According to the news release, the owners of the 34-story Broderick Tower at 10 Witherell St. are included in the investment group. However, Mike Higgins, owner representative for the Broderick Tower, told Crain's he is not involved in the project.

The group has sole Detroit market rights for the San Francisco-based Commune Hotels & Resorts Inc. brand of hotels, which includes Thompson Hotels and Tommie Hotels.

The first Luca's Chophouse in Detroit is expected at the Fitzgerald Place development, according to the release. Gillespie's jazz bar and the Blues Note club are expected, as well. There also would be a Grant Street Cleaner's, the company's second in Detroit, according to the release.

An attorney representing the development group and one of the developers, William McCrary of Tennessee, could not be reached for comment.

The Statler Hilton was razed in 2005 ahead of the 2006 Super Bowl.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140130/NEWS/140139978/boutique-hotel-development-planned-for-former-statler-hilton-site-in

subterranean

Jan 30, 2014, 11:49 PM

The massing doesn't really fill the site like Staler did, but it has nice height and hotel at least faces GCP. There is a podium but would the hotel be better if it lined the streetwall of GCP?

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140130/NEWS/140139978/boutique-hotel-development-planned-for-former-statler-hilton-site-in

It's hard to imagine what this might look like with such a rudimentary sketch-up. The site plan with its weird three-pronged massing looks like a misshapen plug for a 220v outlet.

I know it's early, but they didn't even get the orientation of the two larger (orange) towers correct. Half of the upper left tower faces an existing building. And at least if it were to be oriented along Washington, the street wall would be much more attractive than the parking garage.

Couldn't this be a liner building with parking in the center? I'd rather see a uniform structure on this block with the parking completely hidden. This looks like a 3rd grader put it together.

Hopefully those in charge of the site aren't so desperate as to not have some design input.

JonathanGRR

Jan 31, 2014, 12:22 AM

animatedmartian

Jan 31, 2014, 12:36 AM

It's hard to imagine what this might look like with such a rudimentary sketch-up. The site plan with its weird three-pronged massing looks like a misshapen plug for a 220v outlet.

I know it's early, but they didn't even get the orientation of the two larger (orange) towers correct. Half of the upper left tower faces an existing building. And at least if it were to be oriented along Washington, the street wall would be much more attractive than the parking garage.

Couldn't this be a liner building with parking in the center? I'd rather see a uniform structure on this block with the parking completely hidden. This looks like a 3rd grader put it together.

Hopefully those in charge of the site aren't so desperate as to not have some design input.

I figured it was set up like that to maximize views for each tower. If the tower on Washington is set up along the streetwall, the residents on the west side of the building would basically just have a view into the other tower. Better views make better sales, no?

But yea, originally I was expecting a linear building as well. Hopefully lining the streetwall on all sides similar to Statler. Though I'm much less concerned about a hidden parking garage since pretty much every residential high rise and Detroit doesn't have a hidden parking garage.

animatedmartian

Jan 31, 2014, 1:04 AM

I agree with both of you. It sounds like an exciting project, but the building should be oriented with a straight-up streetwall fronting GCP and Washington Blvd at least.

On a similar note: does Detroit really need another boutique hotel downtown? I'm not sure on the answer, but it seems as though there have been a lot of boutique hotel proposals popping-up lately...

With this proposal included, there's a possible 3 boutique hotels on the way for downtown; one being the David Whitney renovations, one being the former fire department HQ across from Cobo Hall, and now Fitzgerald Place. One that's already recently opened is the Crowne Plaza across from Cobo.

It is kind of iffy territory. Hotel occupancy rates and prices haven't exactly skyrocketed or anything but if you take into account falling office vacancy rates and possibly increased business and convention activity for downtown in the coming years, it's not exactly a bad thing to have as many possible hotels as there are now. I don't think it'd be severe over-saturation unless there were proposals for several more hotels downtown or something. Hard to know until a report comes out about it.

LMich

Jan 31, 2014, 8:29 AM

With Detroit being as tough a market as it is, I don't think these developers would be proposing these hotels if they didn't believe there to be a market. I'm not at all convinced there is an oversaturation, and if you're going to make hotels work in downtown Detroit at this point, boutique is the best way the go. Were Marriott or Westin or (insert other huge brand) was proposing something, I'd be a bit skeptical. But, I think this isn't a sign of reaching saturation as it is that things are finally beginning to snowball and create its own demand. It doesn't feel like we're reaching the end of anything; it feels like we're just reaching the beginning of something legit. I think hotel developers are picking up on the fact that Cobo's booking is booming, and more important, that's it's not a fluke, but a direct result of the renovation and expansion.

But, yeah, the massing of Fitzgerald Place is just plain weird. I'll just chalk this up to being extremely preimilary, though.

animatedmartian

Jan 31, 2014, 9:04 AM

But, yeah, the massing of Fitzgerald Place is just plain weird. I'll just chalk this up to being extremely preimilary, though.

Though the construction time seems pretty quick. I mean, wouldn't they have to break ground this weekend to meet a 3rd quarter 2015 timeline? Financing already done? Permits and whatnot? Then again, there's already confirmed retailers so I guess they really are ready to break ground once approved. With that in mind, that does make me wonder just how 'preliminary' this sketch is.

The design might already be finalized, but then again it could still be an early draft than they just put out for whatever purpose. I don't man, doesn't add up.

LMich

Jan 31, 2014, 9:32 AM

Having come out of nowhere, completely, it does seem kind of shady. It's also kind of weird that Crain's is reporting that their press release states they delivered the deposit for the site directly to the mayor's office, which does not at all sound like the normal process of development. This stuff doesn't go through Mike's office, at least not this early in the process. lol

animatedmartian

Jan 31, 2014, 9:51 AM

Checked out Detnews (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140131/BIZ/301300094/Investors-bid-add-boutique-hotel-near-new-Wings-arena?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE) and reported that they worked four years on it and that it's "too soon to determine the project's fate" which is what I had assumed was the case. Though nonetheless amazing that it's been a secret for so long.

Originally the article was similar to Crain's so some of that information only came out within the day. But I breathe a sign of relief at least feeling that the rough model is only preliminary. But if it's a good rendering then I'd be glad if they complete it by 2015.

animatedmartian

Jan 31, 2014, 7:37 PM

Gentrification Downtown and more residential coming to Midtown.

More Capitol Park Residents Receive Eviction Notices (http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2014/01/photography-by-chris-and-michelle.php#more)
Friday, January 31, 2014, by Paul Beshouri

http://imageshack.com/a/img534/612/q6u6.jpg

Just a few months after Bedrock Real Estate Services was declared the new building manager at 1215-1217 Griswold, residents are being told to hit the road. According to a tipster, residents recently received eviction notices describing "issues with the fire marshall," before issuing a move-out deadline of February 28.

http://imageshack.com/a/img827/9224/qs1d.jpg

Just across the park, the thousands of senior citizens inside the Griswold Building are facing the same headwinds of gentrification. Purchased by a development company in early 2013, the Griswold Building is already renovating into market rate apartments. The remaining seniors must be out by the end of March.

New Apt. Building Might Replace Crumbling Midtown (http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2014/01/new-apt-building-might-replace-crumbling-midtown-ruin.php) Ruin
Friday, January 31, 2014, by Paul Beshouri

http://imageshack.com/a/img833/7198/2o48.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img545/2118/rymw.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img163/4338/dlt5.jpg

An old apartment building on Selden Street might soon face demolition. The Historic District Commission recently approved an application from Ferlito Construction to demolish 438 Selden, which has been abandoned since the 1980s. At Wednesday's HDC hearing, Ferlito told commissioners that approving the demolition would allow the company to purchase the property from the city of Detroit. The plan: rip down 438 Selden early next summer to begin construction on a new residential building.

Several dominos need to fall before those plans are finalized, but Ferlito's early designs call for a smaller residential building of market-rate lofts, with an open parking area on the ground floor (like we see at the Auburn Building). New residential construction is just what Midtown needs. One that avoids another surface lot is a double bonus. The new building would likely finish up in mid-to-late 2015. Ferlito Construction is the company behind the new Anytime Fitness, as well as the Bamboo Detroit coworking space.

hudkina

Jan 31, 2014, 10:04 PM

OMG they must be crammed into that building if there are thousands of seniors.;)

animatedmartian

Jan 31, 2014, 10:59 PM

DEGC: Proposed boutique hotel project at Grand Circus Park 'not realistic (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140131/NEWS/140139951/degc-proposed-boutique-hotel-project-at-grand-circus-park-not)'
By Kirk Pinho. January 31, 2014.

A spokesman for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. said Friday that a proposed development for the former site of the Statler Hilton Hotel on Grand Circus Park had “serious deficiencies” and was rejected by DEGC staff.

Bob Rossbach said he did not know when the proposal to build a 118-room boutique hotel, a 700-space Miller’s Parking Services garage, 150 high-rise residences and three restaurants was rejected, but it was “some time ago.”

Crain’s reported Thursday that a group of Michigan and out-of-state investors had plans for the project and that a $1.5 million purchase offer and $100,000 deposit had been made for the site and presented to the office of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, the Downtown Development Authority and the DEGC.

But Rossbach said Friday that the developers did not present a viable business plan. The plan included revenue and expense projections that were “not realistic,” Rossbach said. He would not elaborate.

William McCrary, the president and vice principal of the Downtown Detroit Executive Hotel Complex development group, said Friday that there was never a formal request for approval to the DEGC.

“It was never a rejection because it was never an official request,” he said. “There was never an official request with any entities.”

McCrary, who sent a press release on Wednesday night about the development, declined to reveal the cost of the project.

He said he will continue to try to purchase the Grand Circus Park land from the city. However, Rossbach said that in general, the city would only sell the land to the development group if it had a positive recommendation on the project from the DEGC.

The DEGC continues to consider alternative proposals for the site, which is owned by the city of Detroit, according to Rossbach.

...

By the way, this might be a relevant time to mention that George Jackson is resigning (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140130/NEWS/140139992/george-jackson-explains-resignation-from-degc)from the DEGC this March. Not that he has anything to do with this story, but relevant to the entity.

animatedmartian

Feb 3, 2014, 9:39 AM

The next hotspot along Woodward could possibly be Highland Park. I can only imagine good things if Highland Park were able to reverse its decline.

A city 'ready to rise': With state control looming, Highland Park sees signs of hope (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140202/NEWS/302029976/a-city-ready-to-rise-with-state-control-looming-highland-park-sees)
February 02, 2014. By Gary Anglebrandt.

http://imageshack.com/a/img716/9693/9e4i.jpg
Mark Hackshaw, chairman of Highland Park's Tax Increment Finance Authority, said the TIFA will be issuing requests for proposals on TIFA-owned sites on Woodward Avenue, such as the vacant Highland Appliance store.

.....

Mark Hackshaw, president of the Highland Park Business Association and chairman of the city's Tax Increment Finance Authority, said real estate sites like the vacant store on Woodward Avenue have built-in value, namely, their location off a major regional artery.

"It's Main Street USA," he said.

The authority purchased the Highland Appliance property last fall, and the TIFA also now owns the old city hall, fire station and other properties on or near Woodward and is preparing request for proposals for them. The idea is to attract businesses such as restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.

The city has plenty of retail; it now needs these kinds of quality-of-life businesses, Hackshaw said.

"You're not going to be able to go downtown without stopping somewhere in Highland Park," he said.

Conversations with other people in the local business community reveal optimism like Hackshaw's — more than might be expected from a city that just emerged from financial management in 2009, a status it had since 2001.

No one glosses over Highland Park's problems. But they say there's more going on than people realize.

"You never like to hear that your city is going to be under control of a financial manager. But ... with all the negative that's been in Highland Park for so many years with arson and fires and businesses leaving, I gotta tell you I'm optimistic," said Nick Becharas, president of Becharas Brothers Coffee Co., a coffee roaster that's been in business for 100 years and in Highland Park since 1961.

"There's business here," he said. "It might not be as evident as what Dan Gilbert is doing downtown because there's no real destination point here in Highland Park. But there's business in the city."

....

LMich

Feb 3, 2014, 9:49 AM

I didn't even know HP had a TIFA, and I'm surprised with a city with basically no tax base left that there is enough to do anything, really. I do wish HP luck, but it's one of the few places I have very little hope for - at least surviving as an independent city. HP is about to go back into emergency management.

It'll always have some value being on Woodward, but I don't see the point of it having a government, anymore. It's weird that HP is basically the only city that would probably be better off merged with a bankrupt Detroit, because it at least then have access to the city's economic development expertise.

I wish that at least the streetcar would have been stretched up to it for economic development purposes. The BRT is going to great for moving HPers, but I don't expect a lot of spin-off development from it.

animatedmartian

Feb 3, 2014, 1:10 PM

There are smaller suburbs in Metro Detroit that are still independent, I think HP can pull it off.

subterranean

Feb 3, 2014, 1:53 PM

LMich

Feb 3, 2014, 2:15 PM

I'm hopeful that Highland Park ain't goin' nowhere. There are ongoing multifamily rehabs assisted by the state housing authority along the Woodward corridor. If the city could continue to bring back that density and fan out with new development atop the demolished/land banked properties, this could put HP into (slow) growth territory since they've already dropped so low. However, population estimates show that their decline has pretty much bottomed out.

I'm really interested in this. How many units are we talking? Do you know the names of any of these places?

I don't want to belabor this too much further, but I'm trying to figure out even under another EM where the city is going to find the money to pay the basics? Street lighting is already at a bear minimum after they were habitually late on their bills. And, after their city-wide water system was shutdown by the state because of its poor condition, not only could they not raise the money to open it back up, but after DWSD took over, they couldn't even afford to regularly pay the water bill.

The problem with HP isn't just its size - in fact, that issues ranks way down HP's list of problems - but its valuation. It's one of the poorest - if not the poorest - incorporated city in the state. You couple these two things together, and you have to wonder even if the population stablizes, where the money is going to come from to support a local government? Of course, Michigan has small cities, poor cities; it has cities that are both small and poor. HP is an actual whole other level of disinvestment. We're talking 47% of the population below the poverty line. With property values basically worthless, and at least half the city you can't collect an income tax from, that leaves you scrounging for income taxes from people who work in HP and live elsewhere, and shaking some money loose from industries in the city from the PPP tax.

subterranean

Feb 3, 2014, 6:00 PM

Sorry, I was wrong. They received Cities of Promise and NSP funding through the Authority and demolished somewhere on the order of 600-700 properties.

What I was thinking of was right across McNichols bordered by Woodward and Pontchatrain, just inside the City of Detroit. There are a number of multifamily projects that went through major rehab there just south of Palmer Park golf course.

Till, I think if the transit happens, and with that many people traversing Woodward, I think HP is positioned well for TOD.

hudkina

Feb 3, 2014, 9:40 PM

animatedmartian

Feb 3, 2014, 11:57 PM

I could eventually see Highland Park benefiting from the transit system. There are a few neighborhoods in the city that still have great bones and could eventually see some form of gentrification. I can't remember the name of the neighborhood, but the southeastern portion of the city with the "state"-named streets is actually quite nice from an aesthetic point of view.

According to HP's 2010 master plan (http://www.highlandparkcity.us/Government/Docs/2010MasterPlanFinalEdition.pdf), that neighborhood is called Medbury-Grovelawn. Pretty catchy name.

animatedmartian

Feb 4, 2014, 1:47 AM

Canadian hotel plans meetings on Belle Isle boat club (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140202/NEWS/302029981/canadian-hotel-plans-meetings-on-belle-isle-boat-club)
By Tom Henderson. February 02, 2014.

http://imageshack.com/a/img692/2936/mo2e.png

The CEO of a Canadian hotel group that wants to spend $40 million to turn the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle into a luxury hotel and conference center met with city and state representatives last week and said he will come back this week for further meetings.

Bob Jackson said the Vintage Hotels group, based in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, has bought 7 acres of waterfront property on Detroit's far east side next to Mariner Park and plans to develop it as the first residential property in the group's portfolio.

He said that it hasn't been decided whether to build houses, condominiums or a combination and that the project would stay on a back burner while he pursued the boat club deal.

He said the best scenario would be to open the hotel, which will have up to 120 rooms, in 18 months.

Jackson said his group, owned by Hong Kong-based developer Jimmy Lai, decided last year that it was time to look into Detroit real estate, and he made a trip here in September, which included a tour of Belle Isle and a look at the boat club.

"The property struck me as a real gem. We like the natural setting," he said.

Vintage has four hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake, two in Toronto and expects to close this week on a hotel in Stratford, Ontario.

"We want to turn this into a four- or five-star hotel. It's a historic building, so you have to do it right. You want to be respectful of the property and its history," said Jackson, who has had renderings made into a booklet that shows how the hotel might look when done.

"There will be a lot of banquet space on the property, and we don't think there's a better place for miles to shoot wedding photos."

He said the property would also continue to be the base for the Detroit Boat Club Crew, which has been rowing on the Detroit River since 1839.

Jackson said the deal isn't contingent on financing or tax credits.

When asked about the project, Robert Rossbach, a consultant to the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. said: "Representatives from DEGC meet regularly with many representatives from many organizations, but they generally do not discuss or even confirm those meetings unless they are presenting something to one of the public authorities that DEGC staffs."

The non Belle Isle project mentioned is out on the Grosse Pointe/Detroit border (http://goo.gl/maps/o841V).

LMich

Feb 4, 2014, 8:19 AM

Before I scrolled down, I was about to try and figure out where Mariner Park is. lol This is literally in a corner of the city. I wonder what occupied the land, before? This is a really interesting part of the city. In fact, I've never been down that way except for what you pass on Jefferson. I remember seeing a ghost-hunting show, Paranormal State, do an episode on a famous house down that way.

animatedmartian

Feb 4, 2014, 10:56 AM

I've been to the park. It's mostly a popular fishing spot for older folks. The neighborhood behind it has a lot of homes with attached boat docks and canals with one going up to Jefferson along Alter. The non-canal blocks basically look like any typical Detroit neighborhood, both in terms of architecture and condition of the neighborhood. Surprisingly quiet and secluded part of the city despite being on the waterfront.

As far as the lot in question, it was apparently a trailer park (http://www.detroityes.com/webisodes/2005/ParadiseLost/01-CanalViewFromNorth.htm). Judging by historical aerial pictures, the trailer homes went vacant between 2002 and 2004 and subsequently demolished (or removed) sometime between 2004 and 2005.

http://imageshack.com/a/img560/1700/rmmf.png

Supposedly, the trailer park and Mariner Park was set to become redeveloped with high rise condominiums (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqlBbexlgXM). Of course, the crash prevented that from happening.

Also, Mariner Park itself used to have a building. Apparently it used to be a hospital that looks like it became vacant and demolished sometime during the 80s. It was built in 1857 (http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/Documents/farmer/default.asp?ID=s015) and looks like it was expanded sometime during the 1920s. It was a hospital specifically for sailors.

http://imageshack.com/a/img819/6840/am7g.png

http://imageshack.com/a/img607/2081/dhze.jpg
http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?id=S-VMC-X-8853%5D8853

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6114/6224921157_b83dc3c1a6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/southofbloor/6224921157/)
Marine Hospital, Detroit (http://www.flickr.com/photos/southofbloor/6224921157/) by southofbloor (http://www.flickr.com/people/southofbloor/), on Flickr

LMich

Feb 5, 2014, 8:19 AM

The city has approved the new Red Wings arena for Midtown:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/storyimage/CD/20140204/NEWS01/140209946/AR/0/AR-140209946.jpg&MaxW=620&v=201401301511
John Sullivan
Plans call for the new Red Wings arena to be built in this largely vacant area north of downtown and bracketed by Woodward Avenue (left), Cass Avenue (right) and Temple Street (foreground).

City Council approves new hockey arena (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140204/NEWS01/140209946/city-council-approves-new-hockey-arena)

By Bloomberg

February 4, 2014

Something that came out in the coverage of this in the past few days that I think is new is that the actual 8-block arena site is big enough to fit three arenas the size of the one planned for the Red Wings, which brings into question how they are going to do the parking. It sounds like the arena is going to front Woodward. In my dreams, there would be no surface parking, and they'd just attached a parking garage or two to the back of the thing and use, and maybe put a pedestrian plaza on the north or south side fronting Woodward.

animatedmartian

Feb 5, 2014, 8:21 AM

Meanwhile in the suburbs, lots of new residential on the way. Nothing too spectacular, but at least a good sign that things are picking up.

$10M Burton Katzman urban loft project planned in Auburn Hills (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140204/NEWS/140209952/-10m-burton-katzman-urban-loft-project-planned-in-auburn-hills)
February 04, 2014. By Kirk Pinho.

http://imageshack.com/a/img839/6938/s933.jpg

A $10-million mixed-use development is planned on 1.07 acres of vacant land at the southwest corner of Auburn and Squirrel roads in Auburn Hills.

Construction on the 53,000-square-foot Rivers Edge of Auburn Hills development is expected to begin this summer and be complete by the end of summer 2015.

The four-story building will have 9,300 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 31 one- and two-bedroom apartments on the second, third and fourth floors.

Bingham Farms-based Burton Katzman LLC is the developer of the project, which received city council approval on Monday night.

"We are pleased that Burton-Katzman is bringing this type of popular mixed use/urban loft project to downtown Auburn Hills," Steve Cohen, director of community development for Auburn Hills, said in a news release.

Detroit-based Albert Kahn Associates Inc. is the architecture firm on the project.

$11M Lawrence Tech residence hall to be completed in fall 2015
February 03, 2014. By Kirk Pinho.

http://imageshack.com/a/img834/941/glcp.jpg

Construction on an $11 million residence hall for 160 students at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield is expected to be complete by the fall 2015.

The 48,000-square-foot building will be the third residence hall for LTU students and will be located north of the university's North Housing residence hall off of 10 Mile Road and west of M-10 (The Lodge), according to a news release.

Farmington Hills-based JPRA Architects is the architecture firm on the project, while University Housing Solutions and Adena Corp., both based out of Mansfield, Ohio, are responsible for development, design and construction of the two-story building.

There will be a cafe and retail space on the first floor, according to the release.

"The building is designed to encourage students to be out of their rooms with plenty of spae for interaction and collaboration," stated Virinder Moudgil, president of LTU. "One of the goals is to get new students involved in campus life by fostering collegiality on a regular basis."

The project, approved last week by the LTU Board of Trustees, will be funded with housing fees, according to the release.

$50M Ford Lake development includes boardwalk-style retail, restaurant, residential (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20131202/NEWS/131209973/-50m-ford-lake-development-includes-boardwalk-style-retail)
December 02, 2013. By Kirk Pinho.

http://imageshack.com/a/img809/8382/suo2.jpg

A $50 million mixed-use development with commercial and restaurant space, along with 600 apartment units, is planned on the east side of Ford Lake in Ypsilanti Township.

The owner of Lake Shore Apartments, south of Grove Road between South Harris and Rawsonville roads, also plans senior housing for the development on two parcels totaling about 105 acres.

John Packer, general partner of Newport Beach, Calif.-based Delaware Lake Shore LP, the ownership entity of Lake Shore Apartments, said he expects construction to begin on the first phase of the development by the end of next year.

"There is no place to go on the lake to get a burger, a steak or to watch a game," Packer said. "The idea is to build a boardwalk that people would stroll a mile or two along the lake, then have some restaurant and dining options there."

The development would also include a marina, he said.

The senior housing would be located on a 14- to 15-acre parcel, and the mixed-use development would be on a 90-acre parcel. A 27-hole disc golf course currently on the larger parcel would remain open.

Packer's development plan is similar to one he presented to Ypsilanti officials about five and a half years ago, he said. That plan included a water park instead of the apartment units; Packer said he could not find an operator for the facility and that water parks took a hit during the economic downturn at that time.

Packer said the new one-bedroom apartments, which would be located above the commercial space and rent for about $1,000 per month, would cater to young professionals and college students with disposable income.

"If we build the retail and don't add (residential), the retail will do great on the warm, sunny days," he said. "Unless we've got people within walking distance — if you put them in a mid-rise building, that retail can survive the winter months and thrive in the summer months."

The first residential units would be available for lease by the summer of 2015, Packer said.

Lake Shore Apartments has 1,026 units, according to Washington, D.C.-based real estate information service CoStar Group Inc. It is currently 100-percent leased, Packer said.

93-unit loft apartment complex planned for Plymouth (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20131216/NEWS/131219888/93-unit-loft-apartment-complex-planned-for-plymouth)
Originally Published: December 16, 2013. By Kirk Pinho.

http://imageshack.com/a/img208/3381/kt1a.jpg

Construction on an $18.5-million loft apartment complex in Plymouth is expected to begin in May.

Starkweather Station, a proposed 93-unit complex on Plymouth Road east of North Holbrook Street, would be complete by 2015 pending approval of a planned unit development request by the city commission next month, according to a news release.

The Plymouth Planning Commission approved the PUD request on Wednesday.

The 128,000-square-foot, two-building complex will feature units ranging from 800 square feet to 1,300 square feet. They will include 10-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and in-unit washers and dryers, according to the news release.

The developers are DevMar Development LLC and Burton-Katzman LLC, both based in Bingham Farms.

Mark DeMaria, founder and principal of DevMar, said rent will be between $1,352 and $1,945 per month.

Bingham Farms-based Core Partners Associates LLC will be the complex’s property manager, said DeMaria, who founded DevMar in 2012.

Starkweather Station would sit on 5.8 acres.

NYC2ATX

Feb 5, 2014, 8:51 AM

Thanks for that animated, I think it's important to remember that while a revival of Downtown Detroit is wonderful, an economic revival of the greater Detroit region is what will support a thriving, interconnected engine. The brilliant strangeness of Southeast Michigan today is that so much of the general populous and wealth fled to the suburbs that for the region as a whole to rise again, it may need to develop a more regional, multi-centered city/metro...a rust-belt skeleton turned a LA-style conurbation, if you will. Quite the paradox.

Also, being not from the Detroit area, I had no idea until just now that Lawrence Tech was located literally across the freeway from the Southfield towers. Maybe the redevelopment of that complex into a "downtown Southfield" could actually be successful if it portrayed the whole initiative as Lawrence Tech's "college town" ...they could market it as "a new Ann Arbor." Food for thought.

animatedmartian

Feb 5, 2014, 10:06 AM

Found a plan view for the development in Auburn Hills.

http://ahcommunitydevelopment.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/auburn-squirrel-rendering.jpg
http://auburnhillsdevelopment.com/2014/01/23/downtown-auburn-hills-scores-exciting-new-project/

jodelli

Feb 6, 2014, 4:55 AM

Before I scrolled down, I was about to try and figure out where Mariner Park is. lol This is literally in a corner of the city. I wonder what occupied the land, before?

I've been to the park. It's mostly a popular fishing spot for older folks. The neighborhood behind it has a lot of homes with attached boat docks and canals with one going up to Jefferson along Alter. The non-canal blocks basically look like any typical Detroit neighborhood, both in terms of architecture and condition of the neighborhood. Surprisingly quiet and secluded part of the city despite being on the waterfront.

As far as the lot in question, it was apparently a trailer park. Judging by historical aerial pictures, the trailer homes went vacant between 2002 and 2004 and subsequently demolished (or removed) sometime between 2004 and 2005.

I'd been there too while the trailer park still existed and thought at the time that it was a strange use of prime waterfront especially being right next to GPP.
Too bad the earlier proposal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqlBbexlgXM&feature) went south but I'm glad to see there's renewed interest in the site.

subterranean

Feb 6, 2014, 1:29 PM

animatedmartian

Feb 7, 2014, 1:22 AM

I don't know what significance there is if any, but the city extended the deadlines for the RFP (http://www.degc.org/degc-news/brush-park-rfp-addendum-1) for the Brush Park redevelopment.

Proposals for Parcels A and/or B previously due 3 p.m. on February 5, 2014 – Have been extended an additional 30 days and are now due on: FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014 @ 3 P.M. –EST.

Does this usually mean that now there's more time given for more refined proposals?

LMich

Feb 7, 2014, 8:11 AM

It could mean almost anything. It could mean that they didn't receive any replies. It could mean that they've received plenty of responses and nothing was too their liking. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

BTW, thanks for the link to the RFP. I see that the city is looking to develop the land as multi-family units, which is interesting, because I'm so used to Detroit that I thought they'd be going to route of single-family homes - and maybe not even attached single-family given the previous build of the neighborhood. Good to see they realize that it's time for some level of density in the second tier of the inner-city.

animatedmartian

Feb 7, 2014, 12:15 PM

I think they realize the demand for housing that's present now that wasn't there in previous decades. SFH would definitely limit the amount of demand they could alleviate. So the obvious thing to do would be to create density.

Plus with the Stadium just across Woodward, I don't think too many homeowners would be fond of the noise and the crowds that for sure are going to fill the area. Even with the current stadiums, you get a lot of foot traffic because a lot of people park up this way.

LMich

Feb 7, 2014, 1:23 PM

Tailergaters and people trying to avoid parking tickets are going to be so pissed as Brush Park and Cass Park actually turn back into neighborhoods. You just know the DPD is going to follow the redevelopment. lol I've heard a lot of complaints from Crosswinds folks even know, as you say. And, when Tiger Stadium still existed, near the end, drunk Tigers fans used to use Corktown as a toilet, essentially. With things on the upswing, there's going to be quite a bit more pushback and civic pride shown by neighbors, for sure.

animatedmartian

Feb 7, 2014, 1:36 PM

Yea I had just thought about that. I'm surprised the city hasn't already considered expanding the areas that have metered parking. Then again, I wouldn't expect them to announce that sort of thing and I'm pretty sure the current set of meters probably need updating anyway.

Also, I discovered something on Google Maps that I can't quite unsee now.

http://imageshack.com/a/img546/3382/f45u.png

http://imageshack.com/a/img31/1755/czq8.png

I know painting whole buildings with single off-colors in Detroit isn't new, but... why though? :sly:

LMich

Feb 7, 2014, 2:28 PM

I don't know who owns it, exactly, or exactly the year it was done (maybe five or so years ago), but I think they painted it to hide the decay. There has been sporadic work done on it to keep it from going the way of so many vacant buildings in the area. I suspect the paint job was done to show potential vandals that the building may be vacant, but it's not abandoned.

It'll be interesting to see if the Olympia buys it - of if they already bought and it we just never heard. It's going to feel so good to see all that parking disappear. The northwest corner of downtown has got to be one of the most disgraceful parts of a city center of any downtown in this country.

On a totally seperate subject, for those interested in keeping up with the bids for the Woodward Avenue Streetcar, Stacy & Whitbeck has had a site out for some time with some interesting information on it:

https://stacywitbeck.app.box.com/m1rail/1/1517922581

animatedmartian

Feb 9, 2014, 3:29 PM

Four downtown office buildings for sale, but will the comps be strong? (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140209/NEWS/302099971/four-downtown-office-buildings-for-sale-but-will-the-comps-be-strong)
By Kirk Pinho. February 09, 2014.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/35/q8fw.jpg

Not since Dan Gilbert swarmed into Detroit's downtown real estate market in 2010 has such a flurry of central business district office buildings been poised for sales deals.

Four midsize buildings totaling 295,000 square feet have been put up for sale and are actively being marketed to potential buyers. Real estate experts say how those buildings fare in purchase offers will be a marker of the how high the level of investment interest is in the 12 million-square-foot downtown office market.

The buildings range from 15,000 square feet to 164,000 square feet. They are at 1260 Library St. (100 percent occupied); 511 Woodward Ave. (vacant); 243 W. Congress St. (53 percent occupied); and 415 Clifford St. (vacant).

Two of the buildings, the Woodward and Clifford sites, are being sold by Wayne County. The Library Street property is being sold by Vernier Holdings LLC with a registered agent of developer Michael Curis. The Congress building is being sold by Maria Gatzaros, widow of the late Greektown developer Ted Gatzaros.

"You want to see how this real estate is absorbed and what comes of it and what the sales comps are," said A.J. Weiner, executive vice president of brokerage in the Detroit office of Jones Lang LaSalle, which is marketing three of the four buildings for sale. "If the comps are strong, it bodes well for other sellers."

Charles Mady, CEO of Detroit-based Exclusive Realty -- the company marketing one of the four buildings, the 164,000-square-foot Class B Marquette Building at West Congress and Washington Boulevard -- said the CBD office market is still "sluggish." However, if the downtown buildings sell for high enough prices, that will be a milestone for the market.

"We would go up a full rung on the ladder," he said. "We are now attracting professional buyers and developers. I get calls every day from L.A. and New York. The excitement is out there, so that would be a major boost."

In the fourth quarter of 2013, CBD office buildings sold for an average of $23.69 per square foot, according to data from the Southfield office of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank.

What the four buildings are used for, whether office or a combination of uses, will become future indicators as well, brokers said.

"Are they going to be tapping into the demand for residential? One would argue that would be an easy sell," Weiner said.

Some would likely remain office space, such as the 15,000-square-foot Class B building just northwest of Gilbert's Z Site on Library Street. Others, like the 35,000-square-foot Class B building on Woodward between Larned and Congress streets, could be transformed into mixed-use space for retail and office, Weiner and Mady said.

The Clifford Street site, between Bagley Avenue and Times Square, includes 81,000 square feet of Class C office space. Jones Lang LaSalle is marketing the Clifford, Library and Woodward buildings.

Brokers and attorneys say the next wave of real estate sales downtown is expected to attract a different crop of people seeking to invest in a market on the upswing.

Joe Kopietz, a partner in the real estate practice at Detroit-based Clark Hill PLC, said approval of a business improvement district downtown might be something that "some of our more passive property owners may not want to be around for." That means more building sales could be on the horizon, he said.

...

Interactive map of the 4 buildings for sale. (https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zNJfKWxiraIk.kJDwHRi9pfPA)

Rivertown seniors development in 2nd phase (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140209/NEWS/302099986/rivertown-seniors-development-in-2nd-phase)
By Sherri Welch. February 09, 2014.

http://imageshack.com/a/img691/6387/42k6.jpg

Presbyterian Villages of Michigan is in the second phase of development at its $43.5 million Rivertown Neighborhood near Detroit's east riverfront.

After opening an affordable assisted living complex in one of two former Parke-Davis manufacturing facilities on the Detroit campus last spring, Southfield-based PVM and Chelsea-based United Methodist Retirement Communities Inc. began construction of a $7.5 million independent senior apartment building in the fall. The four-story, 50-unit building, which is just under 50,000 square feet, is expected to open in July.

The development, and existing Rivertown complex, is at McDougall Avenue and Franklin Street, two streets south of Jefferson Avenue.

"The demand for that building has been the greatest we've ever seen," said PVM President and CEO Roger Myers.

More than 300 people have expressed interest in living there, but PVM won't begin taking applications until late March, he said.

....

As part of the new developments, PVM also plans to create additional parking to the north of the campus and a garden and park area -- the Rivergarden Community Park -- on property leased from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, Myers said. The hope is to complete at least part of the park this summer. The park will be just south of the Rivertown development on the grounds of the UAW center.

"We really see this Rivergarden as being an asset, a resource for the surrounding area even though it focuses on the Rivertown neighborhood," Myers said, noting conversations with the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy are already underway to look for ways to tie in Riverwalk programming with the new park.

...

animatedmartian

Feb 11, 2014, 10:52 PM

Lawrence Tech's capital campaign surpasses $100 million (https://www.ltu.edu/news/?_from=/news/index.asp&_opt=detail&_cid=f94a99a4-c8c4-4805-8bbf-a348492a4a8d)
February 10, 2014

Lawrence Technological University (LTU) has surpassed the $100 million mark in its “Proud Heritage, Bold Future” capital campaign, and construction is scheduled to begin in the fall on the first phase of the A. Alfred Taubman Engineering, Life Sciences and Architecture Complex (TELSA).

“We are pleased to be able to launch and complete the construction of the first phase, while continuing fund-raising efforts to complete this entire new complex,” LTU President Virinder Moudgil said.

The 125,000-square-foot project is the top goal of the capital campaign and has an estimated price tag of $55 million. The design architect is Thomas Mayne of California-based Morphosis, and the architect of record is the Detroit-based Albert Kahn Family of Companies.

Construction costs will be approximately $15 million for the first phase, a three-story structure of 34,000 square feet that will be connected to both LTU’s Science Building and Engineering Building at the southeast corner of the campus quad. The new building will provide advanced facilities for robotics engineering, biomedical engineering, life sciences and several related programs, including an office to promote progressive strategies for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics – the STEM disciplines.

A new engineering building has been identified as the university’s top priority. The building is designed to create a collaborative learning environment that brings students and faculty closer together and to further promote the interdisciplinary cooperation between LTU’s College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Architecture and Design. “The new facility will be designed to accommodate such emerging programs as robotics and biomedical engineering that draw upon the expertise of multiple fields of study,” said LTU University Architect Joseph Veryser.

The new building will be named for former LTU student A. Alfred Taubman, the shopping mall pioneer and noted philanthropist who donated $1 million to cover planning for the new building and offered a $10 million challenge grant that has now been matched by over $20 million in new pledges for the construction of the building.

...

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/QUAD_FINAL-copy.jpg

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/ATRIUM_FINAL-copy.jpg

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/POND_FINAL1-copy.jpg

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/ORB-INT_FINAL-copy.jpg

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/INTERIOR_FINAL-2-copy.jpg
http://sntdesign.com/portfolio/ltu/

uaarkson

Feb 12, 2014, 11:52 AM

So awesome.

LMich

Feb 12, 2014, 1:25 PM

Guiltyspark

Feb 12, 2014, 2:41 PM

Speaking as an alumni, I am not the biggest fan of it. It isn't horrible and the basic concept and massing is good, it just seems a little jumbled near the engineering building.

animatedmartian

Feb 12, 2014, 4:47 PM

It really is something, isn't it? Good to see the campus will physically begin to reflect the talent it puts out.

BTW, all that is rendered, above, is the 34,000 square foot "connector" building, right? We're not also looking at the larger combined engineering building, too, are we?

I think it's just the connector building. The larger engineering building is said to be eventually built elevated over the Evans Drain which flows behind the current engineering building.

http://www.examiner.com/article/internationally-known-architect-to-design-new-ltu-complex

animatedmartian

Feb 14, 2014, 1:33 PM

Just as I figured, the building itself isn't big enough for Vintage to make a profit by just purely renovating it. There's going to be a fair amount of new construction with this. The only question is how much? (if the proposal would be approved, that is)

Will historic Detroit Boat Club structure survive development plan? (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140213/BLOG009/140219934/will-historic-detroit-boat-club-structure-survive-development-plan)
Sherri Welch. February 13, 2014.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/AR-140219934.jpg

Early reports of a $40 million boutique hotel and conference center envisioned for the site of the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle gave hope to the idea that the historic structure could be restored.

But it's not a foregone conclusion the existing boat club structure will be a part of the hotel project should it move forward.

Sources versed in the plan say Ontario-based Vintage Hotels group doesn't plan to retain the original structure, unless required, given the high cost associated with renovating it.

Yet, last week, Vintage CEO Bob Jackson told Crain's, "It's a historic building, so you have to do it right. You want to be respectful of the property and its history."

Jackson said the deal isn't contingent on financing or tax credits.

It's unclear from project renderings whether the original boat club structure would be included in the proposed project, though the planned buildings do maintain the aesthetic of the historic boathouse.

And Vintage isn't commenting directly on the matter.

"Our proposal on the Detroit Boat Club to the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan is only that, a proposal," said Joseph Cella, a local representative for Vintage, in an email to Crain's today.

A process is underway to determine if Vintage will issue a formal request for proposals, he said.

"If an RFP is issued, it depends on its contents, and it also depends on what the current condition of the building is, but we would like to preserve where possible and economically feasible."

To begin with, the boat club doesn't even look bad at all (http://detroiturbex.com/content/parksandrec/boatclub/index.html). At most, the renovations would be entirely aesthetic. I still contend that this is pretty much equivalent to an open land development if, in the end, the building is entirely reconstructed.

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4072/4280845880_af61b6bcfa_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/knightmg01/4280845880/)
Detroit Boat Club (http://www.flickr.com/photos/knightmg01/4280845880/) by knightmg01 (http://www.flickr.com/people/knightmg01/), on Flickr

More interior shots on Flickr. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/46193389@N07/sets/72157623133393710/with/4243198286/)

Elsewhere in the metro...

5-story Royal Oak apartment building to break ground in spring (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140213/NEWS/140219938/5-story-royal-oak-apartment-building-to-break-ground-in-spring)
By Kirk Pinho. February 13, 2014.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/AR-140219938.jpg

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/V1-140219938.jpg

Construction on a new five-story, 48-unit apartment building in downtown Royal Oak is expected to begin in the spring.

Clinton Township-based developer Aragona Properties LLC garnered financing for the project and now awaits building permits from the city, the developer confirmed today.

The development is planned for 1.5 acres of vacant land on South Main Street south of East Lincoln Avenue. Besides luxury apartments, plans call for first-floor retail space.

Paul Aragona, CEO of Aragona Properties, said construction on the $13.5 million project is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2015.

The building would be about 73,000 square feet, according to Marty Smith, principal at Southfield-based Siegal/Tuomaala Associates Architects & Planners Inc., the architecture firm on the project.

....

subterranean

Feb 14, 2014, 1:56 PM

Thanks for the link. I had no idea the boat club burned down 3 times before they built the current building out of 'fireproof' materials in 1902.

LMich

Feb 14, 2014, 2:08 PM

I'm not even sure if this developer gets the property, let alone assuming that this is a tear down when even the news source says it's just a guess. I'll withhold my judgement until I hear something more concrete than assumptions by local media.

Anyway, I was searching for something else and came across this article from about a month ago. It's good to see downtown recognizing its neighbor across the river as a recruitment ground for talent:

Quicken Loans, city launch job partnership (http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2014/01/17/quicken-loans-city-launch-job-partnership/)

Dave Hall | The Windsor Star

January 17, 2014

Quicken Loans and the City of Windsor have launched a website listing jobs available at the Detroit-based lender to those living on the Canadian side of the border.

The partnership with Quicken Loans was announced by Mayor Eddie Francis in his annual State of the City address last November.

“Quicken Loans is an industry leader and one of the very best employers in the U.S.,” Francis said in a press release announcing the website. “We’re proud that this partnership will be a bridge between career seekers, a great employer and our city.”

As of Friday, the website, WindsorWork.ca, listed several Quicken Loans information technology positions including iOS developer, telecom engineer, .Net developer, SQL database administrator and Windows systems engineer.

...

animatedmartian

Feb 15, 2014, 11:50 PM

Only a matter of time before South Midtown starts getting filled in.

Curio shop in Detroit's old Chinatown forced to move out
LOUIS AGUILAR. THE DETROIT NEWS. FEBRUARY 15, 2014

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20140215&Category=BIZ&ArtNo=302150020&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Curio-shop-Detroit-s-old-Chinatown-forced-move-out

Detroit —On Friday afternoon, the founders of Showcase Collectible in the Cass Corridor received an official 30-day notice to vacate their charming retail space, ending a decades-long run for the business. It’s also the latest chapter in the rapid gentrification of the gritty neighborhood.

Two separate buyers have bought the two buildings on the western corner of Cass Avenue and Peterboro Street. The corner was once the heart of the city’s small, long-gone Chinatown. The building that housed Showcase Collectible, a vintage and curio shop, was bought by someone who vows to return the 8,000-plus-square-foot building to its glory.

“I’m going to renovate it and restore it to the Chinatown era,” said new owner Matt Hessler, a Detroit resident who owns a tattoo shop in Rochester. “I’m really happy to have a business in Detroit.” The first step is opening a tattoo shop in one section of the building, the corner storefront once housing the retailer Mantra.

The other purchased building was the home of Chung’s restaurant. It was bought by Midtown Inc., the influential nonprofit that steers much development in the Midtown area. “We don’t know our plans for it yet,” said Sue Mosey, president of Midtown Inc.

The roots of Detroit’s Chinatown began near Third Avenue and Porter Street in 1872, according to the Detroit Historical Museum. A wave of immigrants led by five Chinese families opened restaurants, grocery stores and a Chinese school between 1910 and the late 1950s. In 1963, Chinatown was forcibly relocated to Cass and Peterboro as part of a city-wide housing demolition project. The neighborhood experienced some success before political and social changes led to its demise in 1987.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140215/BIZ/302150020#ixzz2tRAIMXhN

EuphoricOctopus

Feb 17, 2014, 4:53 AM

Only a matter of time before South Midtown starts getting filled in.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140215/BIZ/302150020#ixzz2tRAIMXhN

Meh. A tattoo shop is not something that gets me excited... :shrug:

LMich

Feb 17, 2014, 8:25 AM

Meh. A tattoo shop is not something that gets me excited... :shrug:

It's not so much the type of business, but the signal that the rebuilding of the corridor is finally starting. Or, should I say gentrification, because residents and businesses are being kicked out and bought out left and right to make way for operations bringing in more revenue.

I guess the silver lining is - for anyone ever worried about this process - is that a lot of the property owners, at least, made killings cashing out.

animatedmartian

Feb 17, 2014, 3:40 PM

In most cases, residents and property owners being kicked out know this is coming and know it will benefit the neighborhood. A lot of people in this area aren't in the best of situations and they know it. The thing that really sucks is the 30-day eviction notices. It's hard for anyone to suddenly have to move out on a moment's notice.

EuphoricOctopus

Feb 17, 2014, 4:00 PM

It's not so much the type of business, but the signal that the rebuilding of the corridor is finally starting. Or, should I say gentrification, because residents and businesses are being kicked out and bought out left and right to make way for operations bringing in more revenue.

I guess the silver lining is - for anyone ever worried about this process - is that a lot of the property owners, at least, made killings cashing out.

Quality over quantity. It would be like getting excited over a building renovation on woodward just to house a wig shop... Sure it's development, but it's not the kind that Detroit desperately needs.

animatedmartian

Feb 17, 2014, 5:37 PM

There's very little reason for Detroit to be picky over the type of establishments that are opening. If anything, we should be happy it isn't a liquor store. Lord knows we already have enough bars and restaurants to serve the current downtown population.

Park Apartments buyer plans $6M in upgrades, will rename building Briggs House Residence (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140217/NEWS/140219891/park-apartments-building-in-detroit-sells-for-3-25m)
By Kirk Pinho. February 17, 2014.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/6bb4924f-707f-4afd-bbb8-e3d28dac2b40.jpg

The buyer of the vacant Park Apartments building on West Adams plans more than $6 million in renovations - and a renewed focus on the building's history in downtown Detroit.

Joe Barbat, who bought the building, between Park Avenue and Clifford Street, in an off-market deal for $3.25 million, told Crain's he plans to rename the building the Briggs House Residence to reflect its history as the former Hotel Briggs.

The building was built in 1937.

The 17-story apartment building, which is 95,000 square feet, consists of 131 studio, one- and two-bedroom units and penthouse suites.

There are 64 studio apartments, 63 one-bedrooms, a pair of two-bedrooms and two penthouse suites. Units range from 400 square feet for a studio to 1,600 square feet for penthouse suites.

Barbat, the CEO and chairman of Southfield-based Wireless Toyz, said he plans to convert the building into 116 Class A units by merging some of the studio units to create more one-bedroom units.

New electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems are planned, as are new common areas, an exercise area, and a laundry room and Internet cafe. In addition, a new rooftop terrace and first-floor dining options are planned, Barbat said.

He said renovations are expected to begin this spring and be complete within a year. Barbat – also the founder of West Bloomfield Township-based Barbat Holdings LLC, a real estate development company – said lease applications should be accepted within six months.

He will be applying for state historic tax credits, among others.

He said this is Barbat Holdings' first residential real estate purchase in the city. The Barbat Holdings website says it manages more than 400,000 square feet of retail, office, medical and residential real estate.

Sources said the seller was Detroit-based P & B Investments Inc. According to the P & B Investments website, the company manages a multifamily real estate portfolio consisting of 17 properties and more than 800 units, the majority of which are in Southeast Michigan and south Florida. The company had owned the Park Apartments for less than two years.

The Detroit office of Colliers International Inc. represented both the buyer and seller.

LMich

Feb 18, 2014, 8:14 AM

Quality over quantity. It would be like getting excited over a building renovation on woodward just to house a wig shop... Sure it's development, but it's not the kind that Detroit desperately needs.

I know you know the Cass Corridor. Just about anything would be an improvement. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to cry over the loss of a low-rent junk shop for a hipster tattoo parlor, regardless of whether I'd personally be a regular customer at either of those business (for the record - I wouldn't. lol). The article is very clear that the tattoo shop will be paying more rent than the existing building and the building is getting renovated. That is not a wash; this is not a wig shop or a liquor store or a cash advance shop; it's an improvement. Can't see how anyone could complain about what is unambiguous improvement in an area that barely exists as it is. When the area is built up, then it'll be able to attract every-day services.

BTW, I hadn't even known the Park Apartments had been vacated.

EuphoricOctopus

Feb 20, 2014, 3:20 AM

I know you know the Cass Corridor. Just about anything would be an improvement. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to cry over the loss of a low-rent junk shop for a hipster tattoo parlor, regardless of whether I'd personally be a regular customer at either of those business (for the record - I wouldn't. lol). The article is very clear that the tattoo shop will be paying more rent than the existing building and the building is getting renovated. That is not a wash; this is not a wig shop or a liquor store or a cash advance shop; it's an improvement. Can't see how anyone could complain about what is unambiguous improvement in an area that barely exists as it is. When the area is built up, then it'll be able to attract every-day services.

BTW, I hadn't even known the Park Apartments had been vacated.

The renovation is great, but Detroit needs to strive for better quality retailers. Sorry, but a tattoo shop is not doing it for me.

I also never knew the Park apartments closed either.

EuphoricOctopus

Feb 20, 2014, 3:24 AM

TechTown Warehouse Slated for Lofts, Retail, Rooftop Garden
Wednesday, February 19, 2014, by Paul Beshouri

http://cdn.cstatic.net/images/gridfs/5304baaff92ea17d09029c37/yorkeext.jpg

According to a press release received this morning, Florida-based HD Developments is in the "final stages" of nabbing this lovely warehouse along with a pair of smaller buildings next door. The warehouse, currently occupied by a heating/air conditioning company, would be known as the "Yorke Lofts." The project would include 42 studio and one-bedroom units, with rent ranging between $1,000-$1,200/month. The developer informs us that additional amenities include an exercise room and a rooftop garden.

There's more: Two buildings next door (visible in the rendering) also have a future. Both buildings are lined up for a facelift, replacing their ugly cement facades with brick. The building on the left would continue its role as a parking garage, while four retail spaces would be available in the building to the right. Construction could begin as soon as this spring.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2014/02/techtown-warehouse-targeted-for-lofts-retail-rooftop-garden.php

LMich

Feb 20, 2014, 1:05 PM

Looks like downtown has finally hit the point-of-no-return on gentrification...

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20140220&Category=BIZ&ArtNo=302200028&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Downtown-Detroit-squeeze-forces-out-longtime-tenants
'We believed in downtown and want to be part of its comeback,' said 1214 Griswold resident Debra Miller, left. (David Coates / The Detroit News)

Downtown Detroit squeeze forces out longtime tenants (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140220/BIZ/302200028/Downtown-Detroit-squeeze-forces-out-longtime-tenants)

By Louis Aguilar | The Detroit News

February 20, 2014

Detroit —The $100 million-plus renovations for a proposed arts district in downtown’s Capitol Park are underway and so is the displacement of the low-income tenants, many elderly or handicapped, who reside in two buildings.

Their relocation has become fodder in the ongoing debate that the gentrification of downtown and nearby areas is excluding too many current residents and businesses.

Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans Inc. and one of the largest private owners of downtown property, acknowledged the growing concerns.

“That is a tough, difficult question. It has to be dealt with in humanitarian way,” Gilbert said in a Wednesday interview.

A group of seniors in 127 units in a notable early 20th-century building must leave in five weeks. Some have chosen to fight relocation.

In another Capitol Park building, 20 residents, mainly young struggling artists, have 30 days to leave their lofts because the city found the facility too dangerous for occupancy.

They are among the dwindling number of downtown residents who pay cheap rent. Now, in some cases, rents have jumped by $3,000 more per year for the same unit, as the area becomes more desirable. Residents in both buildings say they can not afford those prices and will have to leave downtown.

...

The new owners have assisted the residents. They signed an agreement with the nonprofit Neighborhood Service Organization to help them find new places to live, and pay some relocation costs and possible security deposits.

...

Across the park from the seniors the 20 mostly young residents of 1215 Griswold were given 30 days to vacate their lofts. They have to leave by March 1. Most are paying $500 a month in rent for 2,300-square-foot spaces in a building with no working elevator and some boarded-up windows. Even a studio apartment in most downtown buildings is more than $500 a month.

Last year, an associate of Gilbert, James Ketai, purchased the building. Earlier this year, the city found numerous violations that made it too dangerous for occupancy and ordered it be vacated immediately. The residents are being given $2,000 for the move and if necessary, a discounted rate at the Greektown Hotel for up to 30 days at the end of the month.

...

LMich

Feb 20, 2014, 1:10 PM

To save on having to maintain their old building on the far west end of downtown, the Freep and Detroit News are moving a few blocks to the old Federal Reserve complex on Fort in the financial district. They will occupy at least part of both the old 1927 building and the Annex, designed by Yamasaki.

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20140219&Category=BIZ&ArtNo=302190145&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Detroit-News-Free-Press-may-found-new-home
The original building of the former Federal Reserve at 160 W. Fort in downtown Detroit was built in 1927. The annex was added in 1951. (Detroit Media Partnership)

Detroit News, Free Press may have found new home (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140219/BIZ/302190145/Detroit-News-Free-Press-may-found-new-home)

By Tony Briscoe | The Detroit News

February 20, 2014

The business agency of Detroit’s two major dailies announced Wednesday night that it is working on a long-term lease to move the newsrooms into the former Federal Reserve Building downtown after a 13-month search.

The Detroit Media Partnership, which manages the business operations of The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press, has “agreed to basic business terms” to relocate five blocks to 160 W. Fort Street, a building owned and under renovation by Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert and his Bedrock Real Estate Services.

Joyce Jenereaux, president of the partnership, said “if all goes as we expect,” the move would take place by the end of September.

If a lease is signed, the newspapers and agency, representing about 500 people, “will be the largest tenant” of the building at the corner of Fort and Shelby streets “with a sign hanging on the exterior.”

...

The 141-year-old News has occupied its address at 615 W. Lafayette, near the Lodge Freeway, since 1917, when the Albert Kahn-designed facility opened. The Detroit Media Partnership was formed in 1989 and joined The News in its building. In 1998, the Free Press left its old quarters, a few blocks east, and moved into separate space in The News building.

...

Hopefully, the old News and Freep buildings find new life.

Detroit Free Press

https://s3.yimg.com/sn/6158/6187042502_95ede39024_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/southofbloor/6187042502/)
detroit news (http://www.flickr.com/photos/southofbloor/6187042502/) by southofbloor (http://www.flickr.com/people/southofbloor/), on Flickr

Detroit News

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2466/3977200737_8e175783f6_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16801915@N06/3977200737/)
Detroit News Building (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16801915@N06/3977200737/) by Reading Tom (http://www.flickr.com/people/16801915@N06/), on Flickr

animatedmartian

Feb 23, 2014, 6:17 PM

Eastern Market going through its metamorphosis.

Eastern Market turns to tax law to make upgrades (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140223/NEWS/302239962/eastern-market-turns-to-tax-law-to-make-upgrades)
By Nathan Skid. February 23, 2014.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/3b9fe0a9-3d57-45d9-a1ee-82e00c3754fb.jpg
Dequindere Cut

Crumbling bridges, parking lots riddled with potholes and vacant buildings — all standing within throwing distance of a thriving commercial district.

Dan Carmody and his team at Eastern Market Corp. want to change all that by creating a cluster of development and capital improvements in the market through the use of a tax increment financing structure that is similar to the TIF districts that fund downtown development authorities.

The market plans to create the state's first Targeted Redevelopment Area, which operates under state brownfield law.

The creation of the TRA is just one part of Eastern Market's strategy to push development in the outer edges of the market and make the area more welcoming to pedestrians and new businesses.

Among the market's first orders of business: more fully inform property owners and merchants about the TRA and its role in the market's long-term vision.

Some business owners don't fully understand the plans and are worried about extra costs or business disruption during construction. Others are worried about maintaining the integrity of a working neighborhood where meat-packing plants, specialty stores and restaurants coexist.

Pushing new development to the outlying areas will allow the core of the market to keep its authenticity as a functioning food hub, said Carmody, Eastern Market president.

"The west side, and heart of the market, will stay focused on businesses that are dirty and loud and make food, which might not make for a great place to live," he said. "Our focus is to ramp up development along Gratiot Avenue and the Dequindre Cut corridor to build more diverse uses around general retail, housing and the creative class."

....

The plans aren't a done deal.

Eastern Market Corp. is in the midst of finalizing its proposal before sending it to the city's brownfield board for review. It will still need to be submitted to the City Council and then get signoff from the state.

Carmody said Eastern Market Corp. has identified eight vacant properties for development, seven of which are located along the second phase of expansion along the Dequindre Cut.

"We need to have our first major project ready to go because we don't want to start the clock on the TRA too early," he said. "When we get our first major project shovel-ready, we will start the TRA."

Jay Bonahoom, co-owner of Wolverine Packing Co., which takes up about 200,000 square feet of space over five buildings on the east side of the market, said he is happy with the direction of Eastern Market, and the plans for the TRA.

"There is nothing worse than stagnation and the crime that happens when there is no development," he said. "We like to see our real estate in a thriving market."

Redevelopment area. (https://mapsengine.google.com/map/viewer?mid=zS0nqH8k2rXg.kpSuY3jY9Ij0&cid=mp&cv=Orbxa0MgxRE.en_US.)

Meanwhile, out in Southfield...

Southfield's Towne Square complex may get 3rd tower (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140223/NEWS/302239961/southfields-towne-square-complex-may-get-3rd-tower)
By Kirk Pinho. February 23, 2014.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/animatedmartian/Towne_Square_tower_1.jpg

Now might be the time for the 670,000-square-foot Towne Square office complex in Southfield to get its third building, which would make it one of the largest office complexes in metro Detroit.

Southfield-based Redico LLC -- which manages and owns Towne Square, northeast of Northwestern Highway between Civic Center Drive and Lahser Road -- is considering a 300,000- to 350,000-square-foot build-to-suit tower now that the two existing buildings in the complex have occupancy rates in the mid- to upper 90 percents, said Dale Watchowski, CEO, COO and president of Redico.

"The leasing pace has picked up, and it's largely a reflection of an improving economy. Much of our leasing (at Towne Square) was done recently," he said.

Redico has started marketing space at a third Class A Towne Square tower, which would need a lead tenant lined up before Redico decided to move forward with the building, Watchowski said.

....

Towne Square is also performing better than much of the 6.1 million-square-foot Southfield Class A office market. The vacancy rate in the fourth quarter last year was 25.5 percent, according to data from the Southfield office of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. The average asking rent was $20.13 per square foot, according to NGKF.

The first tower, built in 1992, is 470,000 square feet. Its largest tenants are Southfield-based Signature Associates LLC (32,000 square feet), which handles leasing for the buildings; Southfield-based consulting firm Gabriel Roeder Smith & Co. (25,000 square feet); and the Sommers Schwartz PC law firm (25,000 square feet), according to research firm CoStar Group Inc.

The second tower, built in 2002, is 200,000 square feet. Its largest tenants are FirstMerit Bank (38,000 square feet); Southfield-based Telemus Capital Partners LLC (27,500 square feet); and the land development, surveying and engineering firm Atwell LLC (22,000 square feet), according to CoStar.

Terry Croad, director of the Southfield Planning Department, said site plans have not been submitted. Redico would need Planning Commission and City Council approval before it could apply for construction permits, Croad said.

"We could be under construction relatively quick, given that the site was originally planned for this use," Watchowski said. "The construction period would be typically 12 to 18 months."

....