DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by LMich

I don't know how I missed that. So the building immediately behind is coming down. I was trying to figure out how in the world they'd be able to build a self-park parking garage as part of the tower on a site as small as that corner parcel.


Emporis

Hey, thanks for using my photo of the annex building, haha. Does anyone know if the office levels of it are being used? If there are tenants in the office floors, I hope they can be relocated into Grand Park Centre or or somewhere else in the city. Its interesting to note that the Michigan Mutual Liability Company logo is still on the side above the Meijer ad.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if the Ilitches own the Adams Theatre site on Elizabeth? Not the Fine Arts Building facade/lot, but the site of the theater proper.

[LMich]

Yes, Olympia owns that lot. In fact, they own the lot behind that one two, the one behind the Michigan Mutual Annex. 28 Associates owns the Michigan Mutual Building, Annex and the corner lot, so this is an "L" shape parcel if they want to combine them.

BTW, as far as I know, the annex is used for office space. It's been maintained at Class A or Class B status and when it sold back in 2013 the entire complex had a 65+% occupancy. So I'd imagine it's even fuller now. The two buildings are connected by both a skybridge and through their basements, apparently.

Boom.

Gilbert plans 913 residences in $300 million-plus development at former Brewster-Douglass site

By Kirk Pinho, Crain's Detroit Business

July 25, 2018

A more than $300 million mostly residential development by Dan Gilbert is planned for the site of the former Brewster-Douglass housing projects just outside of downtown.

This is the latest incarnation of plans for the property that have been discussed for the past several years as the greater downtown area has seen dozens of development and redevelopment projects in the works and coming to fruition.

The effort by city officials and the billionaire mortgage and real estate mogul's team that began more than two years ago is slated to include 913 residential units, comprised of 648 apartments and 265 for-sale units spread across approximately 22 acres and dozens of buildings of varying heights off of I-75 south of Mack Avenue near the Brush Park neighborhood.

It's also expected to include 3.2 acres of public space, 19,000 square feet of retail, another 60,000 square feet of early childhood education space and a hotel with approximately 80 rooms. In addition, the area's street grid is expected to be re-established and connections across I-75 are planned.

[deja vu]

The Michigan Mutual Liability Company Annex is an odd building. The parking deck levels with zero fenestration, the granite on the first floor and brick above...I like mid-century architecture, but this won't be missed by many. As for the new Chemical Bank design, I agree that it is choppy and will likely change. I'd bet that the roof cantilever will significantly change, or go away completely.

[DetroitSky]

Here's the rendering for the Brewster-Douglass site project. I'm glad to see the restoration of the street grid and the planned bridges across 75. I like that they're going for a modern look with these. With this, City Modern and that unnamed project on John R. between Alfred and Edmund, we're going to have a very nice neighborhood of modern architecture.





Eastern Market parking garage needs $1 million in repairs

The city-owned garage is in need of approximately $1 million in structural repairs, Keith Hutchings, the city's director of municipal parking, said in an emailed statement.

"The building is structurally sound, but we need to make these repairs to safely accommodate vehicles again," Hutchings said in the statement.

The city is working with City Council to identify a funding source, he said. Details on timeline and specific possible sources were not yet available.

The city is also seeking funding to make improvements to its Ford Underground garage on East Jefferson Avenue.

It has also agreed to lease the Grand Circus Park garage to Grand Circus Holdings LLC, an entity that plans to renovate and operate it, Hutchings said. Grand Circus Holdings is a collaboration between Detroit-based Roxbury Group, Syncora Guarantee Inc. and Premier Parking, according to Hutchings. The city agreed to a long-term lease of the parking garage with Syncora as part of an agreement in the city's bankruptcy-exit plan five years ago.

Dan Gilbert snags $8M in tax breaks for Free Press Building redevelopment

This approval has also led to an extension on the project; Gilbert now has until 2021 to finish the redevelopment.

Plans for the redevelopment include first floor retail space, second and third floor office space, and residential in floors four-14. The building has one fourteen-story tower flanked by two six-story sections.

[animatedmartian]

More Brush Park projects.

3 Brush Park projects to bring 366 residential units in $102 million investment
By KIRK PINHO

• Construction to kick off next year
• Developments by City Growth Partners and American Community Developers include for-sale and for-rent units
• Projects come as a result of a pair of RFPs for properties at Brush and Watson and Brush and Erskine streets

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20...ing-366-residential-units-in-102-million



The Brush + Watson development is expected to include about 180 apartments, with half of those being for those making less than the area median income.



The Brush House project by City Growth Partners LLC is slated to include 178 apartments, with 20 percent of them being affordable.



Brush 8 townhouse development

[seabee1526]

Biggest news is that Ford is getting a blimp!

[animatedmartian]

There's actually a lot more projects done by OOMBRA that seem to not have been announced yet.

Here's more of Brush + Watson:







https://www.oombra.com/block-17/

[The North One]

It's insane how fast Brush Park is developing, from urban prarie to new urbanism is a few years. Those designs look great.

[subterranean]

Originally Posted by The North One

It's insane how fast Brush Park is developing, from urban prarie to new urbanism is a few years. Those designs look great.

Totally agree. I feel very lucky to be witnessing this in my lifetime, even if from afar. I visit every year and every time I'm back it's just awesome walking around and seeing what's happening.

[mousquet]

Yep, I think that's the best type of low-rise architecture you can get these days.
It sounds like they'll put enough money into it to build attractive things.
This must be a good neighborhood, huh.

These boxes on the Promenade remind me of something in la Garenne-Colombes.
I'll show you so that you get a foretaste of what you might get there.

https://goo.gl/maps/4rAP3q4YdFy

At first, I would complain about the height, but these things eventually look pretty neat for real.
Of course if they spent some good money in materials, you guys could get some real stylish stuff here.
Just about the same quality as what they get in better-off northern Europe at the moment.

I think it's worth very much spreading this kind of contemporary architecture.
So much better than pastiches imitating old buildings.

[DetroitSky]

Great stuff! Is the Brush 8 project fronting Beaubien Street? I know the RFP for that block excluded the old gas station and church at Brush and Watson. It will be interesting to see if those get repurposed or torn down and the site built on. They’re both currently unused.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Great stuff! Is the Brush 8 project fronting Beaubien Street? I know the RFP for that block excluded the old gas station and church at Brush and Watson. It will be interesting to see if those get repurposed or torn down and the site built on. They’re both currently unused.

Brush 8 will be on the northwest corner of Brush and Watson, next door to the Victorian mansion there.

Imo, with these relative dense developments all around it, I'd expect the gas station and church torn down and built with a similar 3-5 story development.

[DetroitSky]

Detroit seeks developer for $8 million mixed-use project

About 0.67 acres was listed Wednesday for $59,900 in the Piety Hill neighborhood. It includes four parcels being sold as a group at 61, 85, 89 and 97 Clairmount Ave. The Detroit Land Bank Authority owns the property and is handling the RFQ with the city's Housing and Revitalization Department.

A site study suggests that an $8 million project with 45 units would be feasible for the property, said Katrina Chaves, central region development director for Detroit.

The site is at 61, 85, 89 and 97 Clairmount Street, right down the street from Saint Rita Apartments, which can be seen down the street on the left side of the photo. Looking forward to what comes out of this.

[LMich]

I know that area well. Development is reaching almost all the way up to the Highland Park border, now; this is near the north end of the North End, itself. I was kind of surprised to see this exact location, but kind of not. It's still a rough area, but so was every other places that's seen reinvestment before they became what they are now.

BTW, someone needs to do the math on how many units are either under construction or planned now for Brush Park starting with either The Scott or at least since City Modern has gone under construction. It's crazy, because at first I thought Brush + Watson (before I saw the name) was the proposals for John R. and Edmund, and that it had been changed slighty. But this is an entirely new project. lol

I actually think the Bedrock proposal could have included less open space, believe it or not. But then again, is that land in between the southern end of this development and Crosswinds also a part of the project? Or does someone else own those two large fields rendered in? If that's not Bedrock's land, then that would make sense. Otherwise, that's way too close to the downtown/midtown border to be greenspace. I can get the greenspace around the old rec center; that makes sense.

On another note, it's crazy how out-of-place Brush Park Manor senior apartments looks, now, with that surface lot behind the building. And it's not really all that big of a lot, but with the parking for the new developments either being on-street or underground, it makes it stick out like a sore thumb.

[DetroitSky]

Updates from the past three weeks or so:

July 12


7.Liv


Rowhouses at the northeast corner of E. Grand Blvd. and St. Paul Street


5033 Mitchell Art House, one of two buildings being renovated in Poletown East by 555 Arts


This is the other building being renovated by 555 Arts, the Banner Tobacco Building


5223 Moran Street, Poletown East

July 14


2841 E. Grand Blvd, Milwaukee Junction


675 Mount Vernon Street duplex, The North End

July 17


Renovation of the former Shoppers World store in Hamtramck


3565 E. Canfield Street, Poletown East

July 21


Canine To Five addition


Detroit Shipping Company is now open


James Scott Mansion


Henry Glover House, Brush Park. One of those projects that will hopefully be on par with the Ransom Gillis House and James Scott Mansion.


124 Alfred, City Modern


Townhomes on the south side of Alfred, City Modern


Townhomes on the north side of Alfred


City Modern Carriage Homes


440 Alfred, City Modern


The Kelemen, Brush Park


WCCCD Downtown Campus expansion


Corktown Lofts


Renovation of the Fyfe Building's first floor


Bucharest Grill's 5th and largest location is opening soon at 436 W. Columbia. This is the second abandoned building they've renovated, after the Milwaukee Junction location

July 22


222 Harper, Milwaukee Junction


Majestic Theater renovation is underway


9205-9215 E. Jefferson Avenue

July 23


Baltimore Station 2


Ferne Boutique, 6529 Woodward, New Center


Urbanum furniture, 6545 Woodward, New Center


Baltimore Station


HFH Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion


WSU Anthony Wayne Drive Apartments


109 Leicester Court, The North End


St. Rita Apartments, The North End

July 24


Free Press Building


Farwell Building


Shinola Hotel, Woodward Avenue buildings


G-Star RAW


Detroit Is The New Black storefront renovation. They've opened an "annex" store in the Valpey Building, south of Bonobo's. Not sure if its permanent or just until the renovation of their original store is complete


1508 Woodward


Detroit Life Building cornice installation


A section of Cornice resting on Park Avenue


The Colony Club has been getting new windows. I was under the impression the building was mostly vacant, so hopefully they've found tenants


New building between the Fox and Detroit Life buildings on Columbia Street


Renovations at The Fillmore have begun. All the dates on the marquee are for October


St. John's Episcopal Church Ministry Center Renovation. I didn't realize it until this day, but when Olympia built their new parking garage that was completed last summer on E. Montcalm at John R, Witherell Street was extended from where it used to end on E. Montcalm up to the E. Fisher service drive. This has allowed St. John's to add a drop off loop behind their Ministry Center


The Social Club Grooming Co. has opened in 1515 Broadway


Hudson's site


Shinola Hotel's Farmer Street building


Looks like some preliminary work being done for the One Campus Martius addition


Work has begun on Cass Cadillac


The Boulevard is almost topped out

July 25


2915 Mount Elliott Street


Fail jail demolition


Grinnell Brothers Building


Fisher Arcade Building

July 27


12000 Woodward, Highland Park


740 Virginia Park Street


Wellington Square Senior Apartments


Mike Ilitch School of Business is complete and getting ready for its first classes this fall


4642 Second Avenue


There's probably about 10 foundations poured for the "eco homes" on 4th and W. Alexandrine


644 Selden Street. A restaurant, business incubator space and residential units will be located here.


634 Selden Street, which is going to be a cafe and production space for Shinola


Shewolf restaurant has opened in The Selden, meaning the building is now fully open


A garage and possibly more residential units behind 643 W. Alexandrine


The Robertson, Elton Park


The Crawford, Elton Park


The Corner


UFO Factory with Elton Park's 2100 Trumbull on its right and 2120 Trumbull on its left

Checker Building, Elton Park


Tiger Towns At The Corner, a townhouse development along Trumbull adjacent to The Corner Ballpark


Galley Group's Detroit location, opening this fall in the ground floor of the original Federal Reserve Building


Trenton Apartments, 676 MLK Jr Blvd.

[subterranean]

Incredible. Thanks.

[deja vu]

Beautiful stuff! Thanks for taking the time to take and post all of those.

[DFW]

DETROIT IS SHOWING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HOW TO MAKE A COMEBACK!

Congratulations!

[mousquet]

Well, I'm glad to say I never doubted about the city's refurbishment, while some crappy French media were calling the decaying city proper "the future of 'Murika, baby!"...

It was absolutely outrageous. They really take our people for fools.
Notice they would never visit the suburbs. I guess they still were too healthy.

I find it shocking how the media sometimes misinform the people and spread their propaganda.
And it's been even worse on the contemporary social media, with all their trolls spoiling it all.

There are better things such as relentless economic cycles, innovation, or even mere mystical faith (which is inexplicable, I'll admit) to foresee events.

Really, no one should be surprised by the resurgence of the inner city.
Nations may die and disappear like dust flying away in the wind, cities most often survive them.
My hometown is older than France itself, huh.

[mhays]

Hell of an update. This feels like momentum.