DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[DetroitMan]

High-tech medical startup closes in on $100M Detroit expansion

Securing another $5 million in state funding provides further financial backing to BAMF Health’s plan to develop a clinic in the city of Detroit for the advanced treatment of cancer and other diseases.

The Grand Rapids-based BAMF Health is “very close” to selecting a partner for a Detroit theranostics clinic that would cost “well north of $100 million” to develop and open by early 2027, said Chief Operating Officer Chad Bassett. A decision on a partner for the project could come “in the coming months, if not weeks,” Bassett said, adding that a location is not yet finalized.

“We are looking at partner options with nearly every health system in the metro Detroit market, as well as with the academic medical centers and the schools, as well as other partners that are seeking to come to Detroit,” Bassett told Crain’s. “We’re open to all locations and the right partners, but nothing has been finalized yet. There are a number of sites.”

This year’s $5 million from the budget, which awaits Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature, is on top of $20 million lawmakers appropriated for the Detroit project in last year’s budget.

BAMF Health has been working with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s office and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. to select a location for a clinic that would join the Grand Rapids theranostics center that opened nearly two years ago on Michigan State University’s downtown research campus. At the time, BAMF executives expressed an interest in expanding into Detroit.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/health...roit-expansion

[DetroitMan]

This could be a major asset for Detroit if developed correctly. It could be our own version of Chicago's Illinois Medical District.

MSU wants to build more than one research facility in Detroit

What is happening right now as the center plans to be completed in 2027?

We already have a growing number of nurses and doctors at Henry Ford and we’ll be growing our presence with students. In the next 18 to 24 months, you’ll see more educational capability online in Detroit. We’ll get that K-12 program working and really start focusing on the social work and social determinants of help research and programming. We’re really bringing the full weight and capacity of MSU to bear in the city. In the next 12 months, we’ll see more clinical engagement between our two organizations as well.

Is the research center the pinnacle of the partnership?

This is all a more gradual, mission-driven arrival than a big bang. You will continually see MSU more and more in Detroit. The site for the research building will hold two more buildings of that size (335,000 square feet). We’ll start planning the second one as we open up this one. We think we’ll need a second research building and 10 years out, we think the site will have one million square feet of laboratory space. That’s different for Detroit. Detroit is one of the largest U.S. cities without a true academic medical center. We’re raising up that idea and creating one. That’s a long-term goal, for Detroit to have a Johns Hopkins or UCLA.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/conver...medical-center

[Velvet_Highground]

Late summer construction start for new 80-unit downtown Detroit apartment building

A downtown Detroit development of a new nine-story apartment building that will incorporate the facades of two existing buildings won approval Tuesday for millions in state-level incentives and is aiming for a late summer construction start.

The $38 million project, temporarily dubbed Broadway Lofts, is to contain 80 mixed-income apartments and about 6,500 square feet of commercial space for a possible restaurant and small food market. The development would stretch across three existing three-story buildings — from 1322 Broadway to 1336 Broadway — and demolish the buildings' interiors to make way for the new high-rise.

However, the historic facades of two of the buildings will be saved; that of the third — 1332-1336 Broadway — is considered too deteriorated and would be rebuilt.

Board members of the Michigan Strategic Fund in Lansing voted Tuesday to approve the project for a $8.2 million loan via the Michigan Community Revitalization Program and a Brownfield tax capture of up to $3.5 million.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/bu...y/74335800007/

[Velvet_Highground]

I’m paywalled out of this article it’s interesting enough to post the title on its own imo. Anyone who has access it would be cool if you could post any clues to what this could mean or whether Stephen Ross is retiring and intends to see the U of M Innovation Center completed. Hard to tell without reading if what his role in District Detroit even is it’s hard to imagine he’s going to take on a more active role but not impossible. My uninformed take is not to worry about UMCI & that we didn’t miss the boat bc of Olympia being Olympia about District Detroit.

Stephen Ross steps away from his real estate company — but not District Detroit

Stephen Ross is stepping down as chairman of his New York City-based development giant, Related Cos.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...strict-detroit

[DetroitSky]

Developers of Detroit's long-vacant Lee Plaza request 3rd extension on project timeline

One of the more ambitious housing redevelopment projects in Detroit needs a bit more time before construction work can start.

The developers of the long-vacant Lee Plaza in Detroit, who once hoped to begin work on the 16-story tower by early 2023, are now asking city officials for a third extension to the project's original timelines.

The city's approval is needed because Detroit still holds title to the tower at 2240 W. Grand Blvd., which is located about a mile west of New Center, and it entered into a development agreement back in 2021 with the project's codevelopers — Detroit-based Roxbury Group and Ethos Development Partners.

The developers plan to transform the vacant building, which dates to 1927, into a mix of market-rate housing (60 to 70 units) and affordable housing for seniors (117 units).

[Blocky858]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

All I remember seeing about this project in the past was some brief mentions that it received some grants. Other than that there doesn't seem to be any info online. I took these photos on April 9th:

I work nearby. The building seems to be going up quite fast at this point!

From my understanding the land was owned by the Archdiocese of Detroit because it was the site of a former school that was associated with the nearby church and the developer bought it with a profit-sharing agreement with the Archdiocese for a number of years. I also heard that as part of the deal, they would also be redoing the parking located along the service drive directly behind the apartments.

I have also heard mixed things about the property at 71 E. Edsel Ford, the former convent. (For some reason it is labeled as 'Rocc' on Google Maps). I have heard either the developer plans on demolishing the building to make way for more parking for the apartments, or they have an agreement with the Archdiocese to renovate the property. It is my understanding that the building (at least its upper floors) is pretty dilapidated and needs a lot of work. If it is renovated I don't know what the new purpose of the property would be. I doubt it would go back to religious use but who knows. My guess would be residential.

Again, that is if it isn't demolished. I will need to look into that more to see exactly what the plan for it is.