METRO DETROIT | Development & Projects

[DetroitMan]

Asian-themed Project Sakura Novi Adding Korean Steakhouse, 117 Apartments

Sakura Novi, Michigan’s first Asian-themed, mixed-use real estate development, today announced a lease has been executed for The Dancing Pine Korean Steakhouse, while a joint venture agreement has been executed with Robertson Brothers Homes to build 117 townhouse apartments.

The development, located at Grand River Avenue and Town Center Drive in Novi, will include a collection of Asian-themed restaurants, high-end lifestyle retail shops and services, townhome apartments, office space, and, at the center, a Japanese-themed garden path, an existing pond, and a public plaza for community events.

Novi is located in Oakland County, the ninth-wealthiest county in the United States with a population of more than 1 million people. According to the development team, 290,000 Asians and Asian-Americans live within 50 miles of the project, while the average household income is $119,999 within a three-mile radius of the site.

The Dancing Pine will be a high-end steakhouse brought to market by Seven York Inc., owner of several restaurants in metro Detroit, including Kimchi Box, Dae Jang Keum, Tomo Sushi, The Seoul, Blue Fish Asian Cuisine, and Mama Satto.

https://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/asi...adding-korean-steakhouse-117-apartments/

[Velvet_Highground]

I was helping a friend move yesterday in Oak Park[IMG]http:/[/IMG] and ended up driving by North Land there well underway with construction. The first of the residential buildings along Greenfield only has one floor to go it’s too down construction. The elevator cores are up for the second building on the south side of the Greenfield entrance as well. The original Hudson’s store has been preserved it was to far to tell what was being done there but it’s slated for lofts if memory serves.

Some crappy renderings, the master plan is from all the way back in 2017 when demolition of the mall surrounding the original Hudson’s suburban location began.


https://www.freep.com/story/money/busine...mall-redevelopment-subsidies/5376658001/


https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/l...ad-plans-sale-northland-site/6320692002/



https://www.mlive.com/business/2017/09/northland_mall_redevelopment.html

I’d look but I need to get to the store before this ice storm really hits I saw almost 6/10th of an inch in Pontiac, almost 7/10th in Ann Arbor & 9/10th in the Chelsea - Adrian area. Gonna be real nasty this afternoon though the urban heat island & the open water is expected to allow the city & east side of Macomb County to rise above freezing around 4 when the heavy freezing rain falls. Stay off the roads if possible this afternoon n stay safe everyone.

[deja vu]

^ Would love to see progress photos of that!

Here's a small one... the final name of the park is still TBD -

Farmington -

Downtown Farmington successful in their crowdfunding campaign to build new pocket park
MJ Galbraith | Metromode
February 9, 2023

Existing site -

Source: Metromode | David Lewinski

Rendering -

Source: Metromode | Courtesy MEDC

[mattb81]

Wyandotte
Work is now underway on the transformation of the former Wyandotte City Hall building (originally built as a Federal department store) into a mixed-use development, including the addition of two new floors.

Former Wyandotte City Hall to be renovated into mixed-use development
By Jim Kasuba | News-Herald
PUBLISHED: March 1, 2023 at 6:16 p.m. | UPDATED: March 1, 2023 at 6:29 p.m.

In Wyandotte’s thriving downtown, a dilapidated property that has sat vacant for over a decade is about to take on a whole new life.

City and state officials have announced a major multi-million dollar project that will transform the former city hall building into a mixed-use development consisting of 35 units of rental housing, with retail and restaurant space on the first floor.

The Federal Building Redevelopment Project will rehabilitate the existing two-story building, located at 3131 Biddle Ave., including the construction of three additional floors.

Source: News-Herald | courtesy of Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer

[deja vu]

^ Fascinating. For a building to go from a department store, to a city hall, to a mixed-use development is a pretty unique sequence. Here's the street view - the building as-is appears to have very little worth preserving. So I guess the massive overhaul implied by the rendering is OK. I'm not crazy about the aesthetics of the proposed redevelopment, but a 3-story vertical addition is pretty interesting, and they are recalling some of the look of the original architecture.

When it was a Federal Department Store, 1940's -

Source: flickr | Downriver History & Facts

When it was City Hall (I'm guessing late 1960's or early 1970's) -

Source: flickr | Downriver History & Facts

[mattb81]

Lincoln Park/Allen Park
A redevelopment has been announced for the blighted Sears Shopping Center property. The vacant Sears store will be torn down and multiple commercial and retail buildings, as well as a hotel, will be built on the property. This will be a huge boon for Lincoln Park.

Hotel, commercial buildings to go up at site of former Lincoln Park Sears
By Jim Kasuba | News-Herald
PUBLISHED: March 29, 2023 at 5:39 p.m. | UPDATED: March 29, 2023 at 5:55 p.m.

The former Sears building has been purchased by a developer and will soon be demolished.

While most people familiar with the situation assumed it was only a matter of time until the building comes down, that information has now been confirmed.

“The plan is to demolish the old Sears building (elimination of an obsolete building) and develop multiple different retail/commercial buildings, as well as a new hotel,” said Lincoln Park City Manager James Krizan.

[DetroitMan]

Auburn Hills-
Magna Seating plans $100 million plant, 500 jobs in Auburn Hills

Automotive supplier Magna Seating is planning a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and 500 new jobs in Auburn Hills near the Orion Assembly Plant of customer General Motors Co.

The $100 million just-in-time seating plant is expected to be built on 40 acres at 1700 Brown Road, according to an Auburn Hills Planning Commission document.

Magna confirmed the project investment and size as well as the number of jobs spurred by new business from GM. The jobs will be UAW-represented.

"We are working with the city of Auburn Hills and the State of Michigan on a potential new facility that would ultimately supply GM's Lake Orion Assembly Plant and Factory Zero," spokeswoman Tracy Fuerst said in an email to Crain's.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/auto-suppl...lans-new-plant-and-500-jobs-auburn-hills

[seabee1526]

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/loca...ng-to-port-of-monroe-heres-what-we-know/

Port of Monroe expansion to benefit region.

[Velvet_Highground]

Excellent the region’s maritime logistics infrastructure has been underdeveloped or in private hands. The region is blessed geographically with success at these expanded facilities other areas in the region with good natural harbors like downriver or the port of Detroit have a model to replicate. Either way good news for the region’s economy.

[mattb81]

Allen Park
The site of the Allen Park Cinema, closed in 2019 and currently being demolished will become a park with an amphitheater and a large shed.

Allen Park releases plans for former theater property
By Jack Nissen | Published April 12, 2023 10:55AM | Allen Park | FOX 2 Detroit

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Allen Park has posted renderings of what it wants to do with a plot of land in its downtown that was left vacant after the city's theater closed.

The city has also asked for $5 million to help fund the project, requesting money from Wayne County that had been appropriated from the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021.

Work on the Allen park Theater Property, located at 6601 Allen Road, is part of a larger initiative to improve the downtown area. So far $13.6 million has been invested into the Downtown Allen Park Improvements project.

[DetroitMan]

Proposed Birmingham apartment tower would be one of city's tallest buildings

Ryan Cos. has submitted plans for the 1.55-acre site in the city's Triangle District with a vision of a multifamily development with heights ranging from a nine-story, 114-foot portion in the center of the project, with two eight-story portions fronting Woodward and a six-story, 78-foot portion toward farthest east. In all, the project would have 210 residential units, 12,000 square feet of retail and commercial space and a three-level parking deck with 341 spaces for residents, visitors and shoppers.

It would also be the largest apartment complex in Birmingham in terms of unit count. Currently, the largest is the garden-style Eton Square at 1997 Villa Road with 158 units.

The 555 Building downtown is 15 stories and Birmingham Place is 10 stories and 110 feet, according to CoStar Group Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based real estate information service. The 555 Building's height in feet is not known.

Under the proposal, there would be 24 studio apartments ranging from 500 to 800 square feet; 98 one-bedroom apartments between 600 and 1,000 square feet; 70 two-bedroom units with 900 to 1,200 square feet; and 18 three-bedroom units with 1,200 to 1,800 square feet, according to a site plan application.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/ryan-cos-proposes-residential-tower-downtown-birmingham

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by DetroitMan

Proposed Birmingham apartment tower would be one of city's tallest buildings


https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/ryan-cos-proposes-residential-tower-downtown-birmingham

That site has been vacant over 10 years now. It's about time something decent was proposed there. Build it!

[animatedmartian]

I do wish it was a little bit taller. Birmingham could stand to let a few residents get some shadow.

[DetroitMan]

General Motors plans $200M EV parts plant at Palace of Auburn Hills site

General Motors Co. plans a $200 million plant and 1,000 new jobs on the former Palace of Auburn Hills site.

The project, set to be 1.1 million square feet covering about 87.3 acres of the former home of the Detroit Pistons, is expected to appear before the Auburn Hills Planning Commission on Wednesday. It would consist of 1.05 million square feet electric vehicle parts assembly and distribution space, plus about 50,000 square feet of office space, according to city documents.

It would serve the GM Orion Assembly property in Orion Township at 4555 Giddings Rd. That plant consists of 4.3 million square feet on 433 acres, currently producing Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, and Cruise AV. The official plant website says it is "positioning itself to support GM's goal to bring 30 new EVs to market globally by 2025."

The new building would have about 350 workers per shift, according to the city documents.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/gm-plans-ev-parts-plant-palace-auburn-hills-site

[Velvet_Highground]

Character building in Novi.

The Cambridge Homes’ Terra Development in Novi puts the accent on Prairie-style design

Detroit Design
By Tracy Donohue



Thoughtfully tucked among 300 acres of secluded woodlands in Novi, Cambridge Homes’ latest luxury development, Terra (meaning “earth”), is the first new development in Michigan inspired by Prairie-style architecture.



Cambridge Homes worked with TK Design, a residential home design firm based in South Lyon, to develop six model options for this unique gated community of 40 homes, which will be wrapped in exteriors of stone, brick, and clear cedar. To date, the custom homes range in size from 2,600 to 4,500 square feet, with a starting price of $1.2 million. More than half the lots have already been sold.



“Terra is surrounded by protected parklands, and we wanted to protect its natural environment,” Guidobono adds. “Even though it’s only 10 minutes to shopping, dining, and downtown Northville, you feel like you’re Up North. It’s so quiet, relaxing, and private.” Florida-style lanais with electronic screens are offered as an option for homeowners who want to further enjoy the natural setting.

https://detroitdesignmag.com/lifestyles/snapshots/back-to-nature/

[lambe160]

[/URL]https://www.candgnews.com/news/mixeduse-development-coming-to-site-of-former-main-art-theatre-721

North Main Apt update in downtown Royal Oak on the corner of 11 mile and Main Street

https://1drv.ms/i/s!As4TyccOuu2EpQZnbr6JVAkjs41U?e=wX2u7D

[DetroitMan]

Oakland County plans downtown Pontiac campus, demolition of Phoenix Center

A plan for an Oakland County outpost would bring hundreds of employees to downtown Pontiac.

The county is attempting to buy the two-building Ottawa Towers to turn at least one of the properties into a central business district hub as part of a $19.2 million purchase agreement, County Executive David Coulter said.

In the end, the county would also buy the Phoenix Center parking garage and rooftop amphitheater from the city and tear it down as part of a satellite campus that would ultimately cost about $114 million, Coulter said. That includes an $85 million buy-in from the state or 74.6% of the cost.It's not known in what ways the state would participate in financing the project.

Bill Mullan, public information office for Oakland County, said the county is "talking to legislators and the Whitmer administration about how the state could support this effort as they work on the budget over the next several weeks."

Coulter said "without a commitment from our friends in Lansing," a financing gap would prevent the project from moving forward. He anticipates an answer on whether the state will contribute funding by early next month.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estat...ould-demolish-phoenix-center-add-offices

[DetroitSky]

That would be an amazing transformation for downtown Pontiac. The Phoenix Center garage really ruined that end of downtown.

[DetroitMan]

Silverman Cos. launch $500M mixed-use developments in Independence, Orion townships

A pair of residential mixed-use developments in northern Oakland County are expected to cost $500 million.

Put forward by Silverman Cos., the proposed multi-phase projects in Independence and Orion townships — $250 million each — would bring hundreds of for-sale and for-rent housing units, plus retail and park space, over the next few years.

Two of the project components are already under construction.

In all, the sites encompass about 128 acres, with nearly 725 new housing units planned, plus nearly 125,000 square feet of shopping space and park space. About 45,000 square feet of that is for a Meijer Inc. grocery-only store, and the development team also counts a new Chick-fil-A as a tenant, among others.

Jim Eppink, president of Clarkston-based design firm J Eppink Partners Inc., is working on the project and said Silverman spent years assembling land and planning the vision for the site. He said there are no tax incentives involved in the deal.

The residential properties are intended to hit the middle of the market, he said.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/independence-orion-townships-get-mixed-used-developments

[mattb81]

Southgate
An open house will take place June 21 in which the public can get the first peek in the transformation of the Southgate Tower, the tallest building in Wayne County south of the city of Detroit, into a residential complex.

Open house set for Southgate Tower redevelopment branding reveal
By Jim Kasuba | News-Herald
PUBLISHED: June 15, 2023 at 2:50 p.m. | UPDATED: June 16, 2023 at 10:56 a.m.

The public is invited to get its first peek at the former Security Bank & Trust building as it undergoes a multimillion restoration during a June 21 open house.

The Downriver landmark on Trenton Road is being redeveloped by Southgate Tower, LLC, which is holding an invitation-only branding reveal program in the morning, followed by an open house from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Source: News-Herald | Google Street View screenshot