[DetroitSky]

This is huge:

GM commits to $2.2 billion investment and 2,200 jobs at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly

General Motors is investing $2.2 billion in its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant to make it a state-of-the-art facility building electric and self-driving cars.

The automaker said Monday the plant will provide 2,200 jobs as it shifts to become the company's first all-electric vehicle plant.

Detroit-Hamtramck will start production of an all-electric pickup in late 2021, then build the Cruise Origin, an all-electric self-driving car.

"This will be General Motors' most technically advanced assembly plant," GM President Mark Reuss said in a news conference at the facility. "That's really amazing."

For now, the plant is set to idle for retooling on Feb. 28, meaning about 800 hourly workers could be laid off or transferred. Union leaders have set up informational meetings with members to discuss their futures starting Tuesday.

Detroit moves forward with plans to get historic Fort Wayne redeveloped

For years, Fort Wayne in Southwest Detroit has been steadily deteriorated with little funding going towards preservation. But a renewed push from the city to redevelop the historic site may soon change that.

The Detroit News is reporting that the city of Detroit will issue a request for information February 10 seeking development concepts for Fort Wayne. Development partners could be for- or nonprofits looking to occupy all or part of the city-owned 78-acre park. The city may also lease buildings and have a third party manage the property.

To encourage partnerships, it’s also going to lift land restrictions on the grounds to allow for a variety of potential developments.

In addition to the expansive grounds, the site includes the star-shaped fort built in 1842, a Native American burial mound, and various buildings including barracks, officers’ homes, a post office, and more. Many buildings will require extensive renovations and are in critical condition.

1848 barracks

This project is moving along quickly:

$22M multi-building development near West Village clears last financing hurdle

A multi-building development near West Village led by the owner of the Leland Hotel has just gotten the last piece of financing necessary to move forward.

At Jefferson and Van Dyke avenues, developer Michael Higgins has plans for a mix of new and redeveloped buildings that would include 42 apartments, 17,000 square feet of commercial space, and a parking deck. Last week, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved two loans for the $22 million project through the Michigan Community Revitalization Program and in Brownfield Tax financing worth $4.9 million.

Construction could begin in the next three months and take 18 months to complete. Berardi Partners, which has offices in Detroit, Cleveland, and Columbus, is the architect.

Old Soul Vintage prepares for February opening in Midtown

In Midtown, there’s no shortage of places to eat or drink. But there’s about 15 places to shop, Mary Capicchioni says, with “half being gender specific or unaffordable.”

That’s why she’s opening Old Soul Vintage in mid-February at the corner of Cass and Martin Luther King. The business was one of 10 semifinalists in the most recent Hatch Detroit Contest. While the business didn’t make the final round, she has worked since then to open the store because she’s on a mission.

“I’m here to provide a positive retail impact in the community,” she says of her shop, which combines all of her passions for history, culture, and sustainability under one roof.