DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[LMich]

So, with council returning from its summer recess, I thought I'd look through the agendas and items to see if I could find anything of interest.

1. The Lafayette West Brownfield Redevelopment Plan was referred to the Planning & Economic Development Committee at the September 6 meeting. This is the plan that will demolished WSU's old and long vacant Shapero Hall and replace it with a 12 story apartment building, two 4-story apartment buildings, 60 for-sale condominium townhomes, and underground and above-ground parking.



2. Cass & York continues to moved forward. At the September 11 meeting, the Housing & Revitalization Department was requesting a public hearing be set for a request to establish a Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District (OPRA) for 6001 Cass, the office component of the project. This is specifically for the historic five-story building portion of this multi-block development. I believe the renovation has already started on this building, with scheduled completion for Fall 2021. The building will include 80,000 SF of office space, 25,600 SF of retail space, and a 6,000 SF art gallery for WSU. Components 2 & 3 of this project include the 130 residential units in two buildings, one named Antoinette (76 rental apartments) and one named Cass (54 for-sale condos), parking garage and more retail, and those are going on seperate approval tracks at the moment.


42Floors

3. The developers of Brush House have submitted to buy the land they want to developer their building on in Brush Park. This is at the southeast corner of Brush and Watson and includes a 5-story, 178 unit building with underground parking and ground floor commercial space.



4. There was also action taken on the Special District Review for the Crowne Plaza Tower 2. We found in the paper, today, that the council overwhelmingly rejected this project, again, and it sounds like it's over some unresolved labor disbute and other issues.

[DetroitSky]

Orangetheory moving into the Boulevard; apartment pre-leasing starts soon

The Platform announced a major tenant of the Boulevard, a mixed-use development slated to open this winter. Orangetheory Fitness will open its first Detroit location in the New Center building.

The popular fitness brand, started in Florida in 2010, has 17 locations in Michigan, with many across metro Detroit. It offers one-hour classes for all fitness levels.

Comerica Bank will also be a tenant in the building, and more retail tenants will be announced soon. The Boulevard will have 21,000 square feet of retail total, plus a 330-space attached parking structure.

The Boulevard, formerly called Third and Grand, is located close to both the Fisher Building and Henry Ford Hospital. The six-story development will bring 231 apartments, which will start leasing in October. The studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments will range in size from 908 to 1,158 square feet. Exact prices aren’t available yet, but they will be market-rate. 20 percent of the rentals are set aside as affordable housing.

'One of a kind' campus at Marygrove to offer 'cradle to career' programs

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is opening a K-12 school on the Marygrove College campus next year — and it's unlike any other school the district has operated. In fact, it could be a one-of-a-kind in the nation.

For one, the school — approved by the Detroit Board of Education during a meeting Tuesday night — will be part of a unique "cradle to career" campus geared toward people from birth through college and careers.

What does that involve?

An early childhood center funded by a philanthropic partner, with programs aligned to K-12 education. A news conference is scheduled for Thursday to provide details. Chalkbeat Detroit identified the partner as the Kresge Foundation.
A K-12 school run by the Detroit Public Schools Community District. The district would hire and fund staff, and lease the space housing the school for no more than $1 a year.
The district will partner with the University of Michigan, which will operate a teacher residency program for would-be teachers that will operate more like a medical school — and provide a pipeline of trained teachers for the district. Under the medical school model, new teachers, after student teaching alongside veteran educators, will remain at the school for three more years for more training while helping newer teachers learn the ropes.

Detroit Denim plans to expand production, footprint in Detroit

Detroit Denim Co. could open a second location in the city come 2019.

Owner Eric Yelsma made the announcement Wednesday to a crowd of about 200 industry members who are visiting Detroit for the Design Retail Forum at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit.

The Detroit-based jeans maker is actively scouting for a 1,000-square-foot storefront that offers dense foot traffic.

Detroit Denim, which employs about a dozen people, currently makes about 20 pairs of jeans a day. The company expects to stretch its production to 250 pairs by 2020 and 1,000 pairs by 2022, Yelsma said.

Gilbert's StockX to hire more than 1,000

Detroit-based StockX, a consumer marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of pricey sneakers, streetwear, handbags and watches, plans to hire more than 1,000 people in the next year after a $44 million round of funding. Most of those hires will be in Detroit.

[The North One]

I'm wondering how StockX fits inside one campus martius when Gilbert has already made it clear there's no room. How many new hires are we talking at the actual HQ and not the "authentication centers"?

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by The North One

I'm wondering how StockX fits inside one campus martius when Gilbert has already made it clear there's no room. How many new hires are we talking at the actual HQ and not the "authentication centers"?

They might be in scattered locations temporarily until the addition to One Campus Martius is completed. There's definitely been some early work occurring in the building's "notch" lately. That's my best guess.

On a side note, One Campus Martius recently received StockX signs inside and outside.

[LMich]

Funny, I'd never heard One Campus Martius was full, but maybe it is. In either case, there will soon be a few hundred-thousand square feet of new space, soon, so space won't be an issue.

[hybrydy]

Originally Posted by LMich

Funny, I'd never heard One Campus Martius was full, but maybe it is. In either case, there will soon be a few hundred-thousand square feet of new space, soon, so space won't be an issue.

all a game of chess, but the dailies keep saying there's no big blocks of class a office available. gilbert bought and reno'd 1300 saint antione to move rock connection folks out to accommodate meridian. he also moved all of bedrock into the metropole @ 630 woodward, likely to accommodate microsoft. i think long range one campus maritus will be gilbert's main property to court and lure in new companies downtown and he will continue to horse trade his companies in/out to accommodate new tenants.

i do think we're approaching a period where many of gilbert's initial tenants to move downtown are having their 7-year leases come up for renewal. those renewals are coming with significant price increases due to the inflated market he essentially created and now has a monopoly on. will the general conditions/amenities of the cbd be enough to get tenants to cough up more rent? we shall see.

[LMich]

I have basically zero doubt space will be filled. It's office sector gentrification. Do you believe no one will move in as those companies not able to pay the higher rents get pushed out? We've not seen that happen.

[DetroitSky]

Woodbridge house converted into six for-sale condos

The condos at Trumbull House range from a one bedroom, one bath unit at 510 square feet for $175,950 to a two bedroom, two bath “penthouse”—with private deck—at 1,195 square feet for $448,125. The house was gutted and redone with new mechanicals (A/C, furnace, electrical) and finishes. The condos have in-unit laundry, Nest thermostats, smart home entry, and gated parking behind the house. HOA fees are $250 per month.

Pop-up Vespa store opens for 6 months in Fisher Building

Joe Ricci Vespa of Taylor has opened a pop-up Vespa store in the Fisher Building in the New Center area.

The moped dealer will be open for six months outside of The Peacock Room, owned by Vespa enthusiast and owner Rachel Lutz. Test drives and information will be available for a $10 donation to the Michigan Humane Society.

Ricci, the CEO of Joe Ricci Automotive Group, said in a press release that he has been considering opening a Vespa store in Detroit as mobility trends evolve and that the pop-up is "the perfect venue to 'test-drive' the concept."

He said in an interview that if the pop-up can make eight to 10 scooter sales per month, that would financially justify "becoming a permanent fixture on the first floor" of the iconic Detroit building.

Detroit Pistons Bring Blink Fitness To Midtown Detroit

The Detroit Pistons and Blink Fitness today announced plans to build a publicly-accessible Blink Fitness franchise inside the state-of-the-art Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center. The New Center facility will be the first Blink Fitness location in Detroit and one of several planned Blink Fitness openings slated in Michigan during 2019. Blink Fitness, a premium-quality value-based gym, announced in February that it will open 15 or more locations throughout Michigan.

Rock palace Grande Ballroom on track for national historic registry

After a decade-long quest by a determined group of supporters, the Grande Ballroom is set to make the federal registry, overseen by the National Park Service. It would join at least 18 other music and arts related properties in Detroit already on the list.

Approval would help the property qualify for tax credits, financing and grants — paving the way for restoration of the dilapidated building that was once the epicenter of Detroit's counterculture.

Proponents have just two remaining steps: approval from historical advisory agencies in Detroit and Lansing. They'll make their case with each on Thursday and Friday, and are confident it's all but a done deal.

What happens next is in the hands of Chapel Hill Baptist, which bought the property more than a decade ago.

"Obviously, the church would like to use it for their purposes — some people at the church call it 'the former Grande Ballroom,'" said Early. "But they're not above making it available for secular events. A lot of ideas are being kicked around."

Landing on the National Register of Historic Places does not assure protective status, funding or even a commemorative plaque. But it does make a property eligible for investment tax credits and federal preservation grants.

"We're working with the church to do a structural integrity report," said Early. "We've got an engineer going in once this nomination process is done. There's due diligence to really determine the viability of moving forward — we have to make sure there's no serious, serious problem with the building."

[DetroitSky]

Ferndale yoga studio to join New Center redevelopment

Push Design LLC, based in Detroit, is doing exterior design and rendering work for the redevelopment.

Barbat said he expects to start interior renovation in several weeks; the company is still obtaining permits for exterior changes. He declined to provide an investment figure or name general contractors.

Motown Coney Island is leasing the building's 1,275-square-foot, ground-floor corner space. Barbat said his company doesn't yet know if it will renew that lease.

Brighton-based Lake Trust Credit Union has signed a lease for the 1,425-square-foot space next door. No tenants have been chosen for the second-floor office space, Barbat said.

^ While I'm glad to see this building being used more than it is in its current form, seeing longstanding businesses being pushed out is upsetting. Hopefully, if Motown Coney gets pushed out, they can relocate.

A small blurb about another Ferndale business opening a location in New Center:

Ferndale-based cookie and edible cookie dough maker D'Vine Cookies & Dough is opening a kiosk in Detroit's New Center neighborhood.

D'Vine has a stall in the Rust Belt Market in downtown Ferndale. It also sells at Detroit Bubble Tea and Western Market in Ferndale.

The new first-floor stand at 3031 W. Grand Blvd. marks its first foray into Detroit, according to a news release. It will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, after a grand opening 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, during which it will give away samples.

[DetroitSky]

$2.5 million donation fuels affordable-homeownership project in Southwest Detroit

The $2.5 million — plus an anonymous $100,000 from a colleague of Sam Yaker — will fund much of the nonprofit's Newberry Homes project in the neighborhood west of booming Corktown.

The gift will be used for mortgage lending, renovation work, to create a new Sam Yaker Park and Pavilion, and to provide financial advice to homebuyers.

Universal McCann to open Detroit office, named Quicken Loans agency

Detroit-based mortgage lender Quicken Loans Inc. has signed on a new New York-based media agency that expects to locate 150 employees in a new office downtown.

Universal McCann and Quicken Loans agreed early last week to a "long-term" deal to bring the media company on as official agency of record, pushing the lender and its Rocket Mortgage brand's media strategy forward, according to a news release.

Quicken Loans declined to release terms of the agreement.

Universal McCann's new presence will supplement its existing office in Birmingham, which serves clients including FCA US LLC, said Scott Russell, president of its central region. Some — but not a substantial portion — of the Detroit employees will come from the Birmingham office, Russell said.

Peek inside the Fisher Mansion gives glimpse of Detroit's past, future

The doors to the Charles T. Fisher Mansion in Boston Edison, a 36-block neighborhood of stately homes, were open to the media and select guests as a preview of the Junior League of Detroit's gala on Friday and 22nd Designers' Show House.

The historic,16,000-square-foot house was originally owned by Charles and Sarah Fisher, who, in 1922, moved into it. In the past year, the house's new owner, actor Hill Harper, has been renovating — and restoring it to its former glory — with the intention of making it a place to raise his young son.

"This is going to be my primary residence," said Harper, who added that he came to love Detroit while filming roles here and has since made several close friends. "There's an energy in the city, a creative energy."

[animatedmartian]

Detroit skyline vacancy rates tick upward as rents rise


Vacancy rates for Detroit's most expensive and well-known office properties are slightly up this year due to smaller companies being pushed out from higher rents.

For the most part though, Detroit's skyscrapers are pretty much full. Of the 21 buildings being tracked only 6 have less than 90% of their total space leased out. Half of those 6 are 3 towers in the Ren Cen complex (specifically towers 100, 200, and 600). The other 3 buildings are 211 West Fort Street at 80% leased, Brewery Park at 82% leased, and the Fisher Building at 87% leased.

Average rents are around $23.47/sqft or about 4% higher than last year. As expected, once new office buildings are constructed and completed, rents will be heading towards the $30/sqft range or higher.

Relatively speaking, Detroit is keeping pace with quite a few other Midwestern cities, but still punches below its weight relative to metro population size. Basically, it's still a bargain buy for any national company looking purely at rental costs for relocation.

[LMich]

Glass going it at the Element Detroit filling the old Metropolitan Building. Photos are courtesy Roxbury Group via Curbed Detroit.







Glass should be done by the end of the month, and the hotel is shooting for an end-of-year opening. The hotel will contain 110 rooms, 2,000 sq ft meeting space on the mezzanine, 7,000 sq ft of retail space on the ground floor and in the basement, and a rooftop bar and patio.

[LMich]

Update on the Park Avenue Building redevelopment.


David Guralnick | The Detroit News

Last 'dangerous' downtown Detroit building being rescued

Dozens of bricks and chunks of limestone from the 11th floor of a long-vacant Park Avenue building came crashing onto the street in April. Nobody was hurt by the rubble that covered an area the size of an SUV, but it was an urgent reminder why Detroit officials had long considered the building a safety hazard.

Now, after decades of neglect, the historic structure at at 2001 Park Ave. on the edge of Detroit's Grand Circus Park — the last downtown building that officially had been designated "dangerous" by the city — has been stabilized by its new owner and taken off that list.

One week before pieces came raining down, the structure known as the Park Avenue Building was purchased for $4.9 million by an entity linked to a Novi development firm. The new owner promptly secured the property and since then has taken the first steps in an estimated $10 million to $15 million renovation for upscale rental apartments and ground-floor retail. Plans are to transform the 104,500-square-foot former office building into 75 to 100 apartments with 4,000-5,000 square feet of first-floor retail.

The planned revival of the building would mark a stunning turnaround in a city that gave rise to the phrase "ruin porn," referring to the tens of thousands of vacant, blighted properties that still plague Detroit. But in downtown — the 127 blocks bordered by the freeways and the Detroit River — the problem is almost history.

In 2010, the Park Avenue was among the 48 big, empty downtown buildings counted in an analysis by The Detroit News. Since then, billions of dollars have been invested into dozens of properties, reviving the once-bleak city core. The Park Avenue was one of the last buildings in the central business district that sat empty and neglected for years, if not decades, with no working development plan.

After Sachs died in January, his estate began to actively look for a buyer.

Soave had been looking for a downtown building five years ago but kept getting outbid. He was successful this time.

[seabee1526]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Detroit skyline vacancy rates tick upward as rents rise


Vacancy rates for Detroit's most expensive and well-known office properties are slightly up this year due to smaller companies being pushed out from higher rents.

For the most part though, Detroit's skyscrapers are pretty much full. Of the 21 buildings being tracked only 6 have less than 90% of their total space leased out. Half of those 6 are 3 towers in the Ren Cen complex (specifically towers 100, 200, and 600). The other 3 buildings are 211 West Fort Street at 80% leased, Brewery Park at 82% leased, and the Fisher Building at 87% leased.

Average rents are around $23.47/sqft or about 4% higher than last year. As expected, once new office buildings are constructed and completed, rents will be heading towards the $30/sqft range or higher.

Relatively speaking, Detroit is keeping pace with quite a few other Midwestern cities, but still punches below its weight relative to metro population size. Basically, it's still a bargain buy for any national company looking purely at rental costs for relocation.

Looks like Hudsons and Monroe Blocks can't come soon enough.

[animatedmartian]

As it turns out, "The Corner" development is being built with pre-fab/modular units. This is drone footage of the first unit being installed. Also a good view of the progress on Elton Park in the background.

• Video Link

[deja vu]

That's pretty cool. I can't help but notice the crowd of people amassing in the road as traffic tries to go by.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by deja vu

That's pretty cool. I can't help but notice the crowd of people amassing in the road as traffic tries to go by.

Most of those are media people, apparently. The combination of this being the Tiger Stadium site and the use of modular containers (sprinkled with a bit of the overall 'Corktown/Detroit Revival' theme) makes this a somewhat unique news story.

[DetroitSky]

Ad agency startup plants flag in Eastern Market

Two years after swapping TV news careers for the startup life, the team at Standard Wonder Group moved from a house in Royal Oak to an office with a view in Eastern Market in Detroit.

The advertising agency has been settling into its new third-floor digs at 2362 Russell St. for the past couple weeks, said Seth Myers, 40, one of four partners in the company.

German developer pours $1.2 million into remaking Detroit street

Herz owns six buildings on and around Dunedin and about eight vacant lots under a development company, Detroit Rock Solid Inc., that he owns with his brother Matthias. They have invested around $1.2 million so far on acquisition and renovation in the past three years, with Detroit-based Rebound Design Build as general contractor.

Four-block Dunedin Street sits near the intersection of West Grand and Rosa Parks boulevards. Herz said he wants to eventually bring infill housing and retail to the stretch that borders the LaSalle Gardens neighborhood.

Hundreds of volunteers gather to build brand new playground in northwest Detroit

Local neighborhood group Grand Seven Detroit applied for and received a grant from national non-profit KaBOOM! They also received funding from Toronto, Ontario-based financial services provider Foresters Financial.

Representatives for those organizations and volunteers from throughout the community joined together on Saturday, Sept. 15 to construct the playground. More than 325 volunteers attended the event, constructing the playground within six hours. That number exceeds Foresters' initial prediction of 200 volunteers.

"This is an area currently undergoing significant revitalization efforts," says Foresters manager of sales engagement, Kaylie McCann.

Howes: Churchill heir poised to deliver public art to new Detroit school

In an unlikely corner of the city, students showing up next fall at Cornerstone’s planned Adams-Young Academy would be greeted by Sir Winston Churchill’s granddaughter.

Or her art, anyway. Edwina Sandys visited Detroit over the weekend to scope out the site for a sculpture essentially commissioned by Cornerstone Schools’ Founder Clark Durant. They envision a public art installation for Cornerstone's latest project, already underway in the abandoned John R. King School on Cheyenne south of McNichols near Schaefer.

[DetroitSky]

Major renovations to start at Belle Isle Conservatory

The Albert Kahn-designed Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle will undergo $1.9 million in renovations starting in October, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. This will mean that part of the popular attraction will be closed for about six months.

The DNR states that structural work will start on the dome October 1. From October to April, the show house and the north and south wings will be open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will be able to gain access through the lily pond, and special events are on hold until May 2019. Much of the dome itself—which has majestic palm trees—will be closed to visitors

Wayne State to break ground on Gateway Performance Complex

A busy part of Midtown will see more construction soon. Wayne State University officially breaks ground on the Gateway Performance Complex Thursday evening.

The $65 million development will bring a new performing arts complex to Cass Avenue, along with the renovation of the adjacent Hilberry Theatre.

According to a release, the new complex on Cass Avenue will include:

Three new, state-of-the-art theatres including: the Gretchen Valade Jazz Center, a proscenium and studio theatre
New educational production space for students to hone their skills in performance, design and management
A modern café that where guests mingle before performances, during intermissions, and after events
A patron lounge where invited guests can relax and socialize before the show

New residents move into City Modern in Brush Park

A Bedrock representative tells us that nine of the condos are currently occupied, and 24 of the total 104 condos are still on the market.

Bedrock also tells us that they expect to start leasing 124 Alfred—the apartment building for seniors—in October. This building will have 54 apartments (mostly one-bedroom, with seven two-bedrooms) for people 55 and over who make 80 percent of the Area Median Income. This building will also have first-floor retail space and 40 parking spots below ground. It’s located a block up from Woodward, so we’ll start to see more businesses coming into the neighborhood.

M Den to open first store in Detroit

M Den has signed on for a 4,000-square-foot space with two storefronts on the ground floor of Little Caesars' new $150 million home with pizza-shaped windows, the release said. One storefront will sell M Den merchandise. The other will be called The Victors Collection by The M Den, with more high-end products for alumni.

The store will also offer new "Detroit-themed" items and may host autograph signing events with professional athletes, the release said.

[DetroitSky]

Photo update time!

August 26


Advance Plumbing & Heating Supply Co. renovation on Cass and Parsons appears complete


1429 Townsend Street


Saint Charles Residences


Saint Charles Terraces


Live Cycle Delight Fitness & Yoga has opened in the retail space at The Coe


River Terrace Apartments renovation

August 27


Church of Scientology Building at 1 Griswold Street. The barricades have been removed since I took this and the building is once again lit up at night. Renovations still appear underway.


Lawyers Building


Waymarking Skate Park has been dismantled, hopefully more proof that work on the Monroe Blocks project is to begin soon.


Hudson's site


Gabriel Houze


Checker Building at Elton Park


Lake Trust Credit Union and Ensoul Yoga's soon-to-be location

August 31


Magic Dollar, 18647 Livernois Avenue


18615 Livernois Avenue


Biggby Coffee, 18685 Livernois Avenue


Bink's Grill, 18455 Livernois Avenue. This building was abandoned for years.


741 Seward Street


4616 Cass Avenue


4642 Second Avenue


First Congregational Church restoration


Spread Deli & Coffee House, 4215 Cass Avenue


Shinola Hotel's Woodward buildings

September 2


9512 Woodward Avenue. This building appears to have restarted renovations after a long hiatus during the recession.


Corktown Lofts

September 7


Crystal Car Wash, 18900 Woodward Avenue. Not the biggest development by any means, but its one of many smaller business renovations and expansions I've been seeing around the city lately.


Blue Moon Cafe & Greenhouse site with the Healing House in the background. Part of the Avalon Village project in Highland Park.


Improvements being made at Riverside Park

September 11


Grinnell Brothers Building


Fisher Arcade Building


Element Detroit at the Metropolitan Building


Shinola Hotel's Farmer Street building


Book Tower

September 12


Lawyers Building


51 Blaine Street


629 Gladstone Street


12920 Grand River Avenue


9204 Grand River Avenue


The Sawtooth and Magnet restaurant


St. Joseph renovations


2315 Orleans Street


Kaps Wholesale addition, 1300 Maple Street


Some cleanup has occurred at Busy Bee Hardware


Viola Building


Wolverine Packing Co.


Forest Park improvements being made as part of the deal for Wolverine Packing to build on part of the park's former grounds.


Citizens Bank branch opening in The Scott

September 14


Detroit Life Building


Book Tower

September 14


Fisher Arcade Building entrance


Grinnell Brothers Building base


Besa restaurant opening soon in the Vinton Building's retail space.

September 15


I believe this is Brush Park Village North phase 2.


South side of The Kelemen. The front hasn't changed much.


James Place Lofts


Rainbow Child Care Center of Detroit


No idea whats being built here. Alfred Street between Orleans Street and the Dequindre Cut, adjacent to the former Thorn Apple Valley slaughterhouse.

September 17


Eco Homes


Eco Homes


Fisher Arcade Building entrance again. It appears there's a retail space and office entrance in the Grinnell Bros Building and one single retail space in the Fisher Arcade.


City Club Apartments CBD Detroit


City Club Apartments CBD Detroit


Book Tower


Book Tower


Louis Kamper Building


Newport Garage


Free Press Building


The Farwell


Hudson's site

September 19


The Corner


The Robertson, Elton Park


2100 Trumbull, Elton Park


2120 Trumbull, Elton Park


Checker Building, Elton Park


Tiger Towns at the Corner


Checker Alley, Elton Park


The Crawford, Elton Park


8th Street Row, Elton Park


Good Stuff restaurant, 1444 Michigan Avenue

September 20


WSU Gateway Performance Complex groundbreaking ceremony


820 W. Baltimore Street


Detroit Pistons Performance Center


The Boulevard


Boost Mobile, 2920 W. Grand Boulevard. Soft opening today, September 21.


Third location of Zo's Good Burger. This is their third location. I couldn't find an address but it's a few doors west of the Boost Mobile above.


Cadillac Place ground level work.


9155 Woodward Avenue. No idea whats going on here, but there has been activity the past week or so.

Thanks!