DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[DetroitSky]

Majestic Theatre's new marquee gives Woodward a touch of classic old-school

After 15 months of construction, the renovated facade at Detroit's Majestic Theatre is nearly complete — including a newly installed marquee harking back to the venue's early years.

Crews worked overnight this week mounting the vintage-style neon sign, several months after limestone and granite work was completed at the Woodward Avenue complex in Midtown. An unveiling event will be scheduled once lighting touches are finished in coming days.

The marquee, designed and constructed by Spectrum Neon Co. in Madison Heights, is modeled on the sign that adorned the Majestic in the 1930s, decades before the theater became one of Detroit's go-to rock venues.

"We have a preservationist attitude," said manager Dave Zainea, whose family has owned the Majestic since 1946. "We want to keep the integrity of the old look and keep it historical. We think that's important."

It's part of an ongoing $1 million makeover of the 104-year-old complex, which also houses the Magic Stick, Garden Bowl and Alley Deck. The Majestic Cafe, which occupied the street-facing side, was closed last year to make way for the theater's expanded lobby.

Quicken Loans to Add 1,800 Positions After Closing $40B in Home Loans in Third Quarter

Detroit’s Quicken Loans Inc. announced Thursday it has closed $40 billion in home loans in the third quarter, the highest quarterly volume in the company’s 34-year history. Mortgage volume also hit a record high in September with $15 billion of closed loan volume, which the company expects to surpass in coming months.

As a result of 2019’s growth, Quicken Loans has outpaced its total mortgage volume from 2018 ($83 billion), and has surpassed its highest-ever full-year mortgage volume ($96 billion in home loans), which it attained in 2016.

As part of its rapid growth, the company is looking to fill 1,800 open positions in entry-level to specialized roles. It is seeking mortgage bankers, QLMS account executives, underwriters, software engineers, data scientists, paid interns, and more.

HarvestFest Detroit to Inaugurate New Robert C. Valade Park on Riverfront Saturday

The fifth annual HarvestFest Detroit, which celebrates fall in the city and this year the grand opening of Robert C. Valade Park, takes place Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. and features activities for the entire family.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the Molly and Mark Valade Family Fund announced in August that the newest public space along the waterfront would carry former Carhartt Inc. chairman and CEO Robert C. Valade’s name and open in the fall. Carhartt, based in Dearborn, was founded in Detroit in 1889 by Hamilton Carhartt.

The free outdoor festival at the new park, located at 2670 Atwater St. (between Stroh River Place and the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre) in downtown Detroit, moves from its previous Dequindre Cut location.

Developer of B. Siegel Livernois Project in Detroit Targets Fourth-quarter Completion Date

The redevelopment of the B. Siegel department store at 19031 Livernois Ave. on Detroit’s west side is nearing completion and should be finished by the end of the year, according to JLL, the Chicago-based commercial real estate developer in charge of the project.

When complete, the redevelopment will add more than 29,000 square feet of mixed-use space to the Detroit neighborhood, including retail, dining, and office space.

Detroit Vs. Everybody, Brix Wine Bar, and Lacquered already are signed as tenants while the anchor corner of the development is being marketed to established restaurant operators. The restaurant space features a rooftop patio with views of the Livernois Streetscape, which also is expected to be finished before the end of the year.

The streetscape includes underground parking, increased ease of access to the local businesses, and pedestrian-friendly walkways.

Chicago’s Coyote Logistics Moves into The Assembly Building in Corktown

Chicago-based Coyote Logistics, a UPS company, has opened its 58,000-square-foot office in The Assembly building in Detroit’s Corktown district. The Assembly is owned and operated by Bedrock Detroit, and Coyote now occupies the development’s second and third floors as one of the building’s largest tenants.

Coyote expects to add 200 to more than 500 employees in the next three years, with 100 expected to start in the new location in 2020. Their roles will focus primarily on customer service, sales, and business development. The company’s former hub, located in Ann Arbor, will close its doors this fall.

Pistons, City of Detroit Complete $2.5M Renovation of 60 Basketball Courts

The Detroit Pistons and the City of Detroit recently put the finishing touches on 17 refurbished basketball courts, completing a two-phase, six-year, $2.5 million program to refurbish 60 courts within parks.

Completion of the Phase II courts comes a week after the team opened the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center, a $90 million training center and corporate headquarters in Midtown.

“Our move downtown has been a huge win for our franchise and for the community,” says Tom Gores, owner of the Pistons. “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and the way the city continues coming together. At the same time, we are still just getting started. Efforts like the parks program are further extending our reach and will allow us to make an even bigger impact.”

Court refurbishments in Phase II included single basketball courts at Optimist-Stout Park, Dequindre-Grixdale Park, Keller Park, Adam Butzel Park, Palmer Park, Tolan Playfield, and Piwok Park. Double court refurbishments were made at Van Antwerp Park and O’Hair Park while six courts were redone at Lasky Park.

This article briefly mentions how a local rapper plans to reopen the Apex Bar in The North End by fall 2020.

[DetroitSky]

Detroit plant now producing self-driving vehicles with Waymo

Detroit — Not only is Detroit building vehicles people can drive, but now it is producing vehicles that can drive themselves.

John Krafcik, CEO of Google self-driving affiliate Waymo LLC, said Monday that its Detroit plant is operating and outfitting fleets of vehicles with its autonomous driving hardware and software. The milestone allows the Alphabet Inc. subsidiary to put its automated "driver" into vehicles at mass scale. Doing so will help Waymo, an acknowledged leader in the self-driving space, to test its technology and expand its robotaxi service.

"We've just opened the world's first dedicated autonomous plant," Krafcik said during an interview at Forbes Under 30 Summit at the Masonic Temple. "We call it a factory."

In April, Waymo said it was leasing and would repurpose a plant owned by American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. on its Detroit headquarters campus bordering Hamtramck. The $14 million investment puts the Silicon Valley tech company at the center of the North American hub for automakers, suppliers and engineering talent. It also sits across the Detroit River from the Windsor assembly plant that produces Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans it uses in its self-driving fleet.

Road closures, wall design, and other Gordie Howe Bridge updates

The bridge authority is asking residents to weigh in on their favorite of three designs for a Jefferson Barrier Wall.

This landscaped perimeter will be built outside the U.S. point of entry and run parallel to West Jefferson Avenue from Campbell to Green streets. In addition to an 8-foot high security wall, there will also be a multi-use path and landscaping with “native pollinator-positive plantings.”

One of three designs for the Jefferson Barrier Wall

Three bridges in southwest Detroit will soon be gone. In order to accommodate ramps on the Michigan Interchange connecting to the U.S. port of entry, bridges over I-75 on Springwells Street, Clark Street, and Livernois Avenue will be demolished.

The other major piece of work currently taking place is the construction of 12 large, drilled shafts on both sides of the Detroit River. These 120-foot long pylons that weight over 143,300 pounds will be the main support structure for the bridge.

This work will continue through 2019.

This article mentions the construction of Waters Edge II in Harbortown, which previously hadn't been announced to my knowledge. More info here.

Bloomfield Hills-based AF Jonna Development plans to build a five-story, 202-unit apartment building and 11 townhomes with parking on 6.88 acres to be completed in 12-16 months. The developer is asking for approval of a zoning ordinance amendment that would allow the development known as Waters Edge II.

Hopefully the NIMBYs don't kill this one. Sounds like it'll be approved, though. It seems like it'll look like the first phase of Waters Edge at Harbortown, seen here:


Source

[DetroitSky]

Ross, Gilbert teaming on $300 million UM innovation center at former jail site in Detroit

New York City real estate mogul Stephen Ross and Detroit entrepreneur Dan Gilbert are teaming to build a $300 million University of Michigan graduate school campus at the one-time site of Wayne County's failed jail project in a development billed as transformative for the east side of downtown.

The planned Detroit Center for Innovation will feature a 190,000-square-foot research and graduate education building for UM students in automotive mobility, artificial intelligence, sustainability, cybersecurity, financial technology and other tech fields.

"The whole idea of that is using (the innovation center) to get companies to relocate to Detroit and take advantage of the talent coming there," Ross said in an exclusive interview with Crain's.

Gilbert's Bedrock LLC and Ross' Related Cos. will co-develop the rest of the 15-acre former jail site to include mid-rise residential buildings for UM graduate students, incubator space for new tech businesses and a boutique hotel and conference center inside the former Detroit Police Department headquarters, a project pegged at $120 million that recently surfaced before City Council in a tax abatement request.

All told, the innovation center project could top $750 million in cost, Ross said.

HUD denies recommending demolition of United Artists Theatre

Emmett Moten told Detroit City Council that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deemed it necessary to demolish the United Artists Theatre in order to redevelop the rest of the downtown building. HUD says that’s false.

“HUD did not impose a condition requiring the demolition of the theater,” Marta Juaniza, public affairs specialist for HUD, told the Detroit News. “The borrower’s proposal was to demolish the theater.”

Moten’s claim came during an October 24 meeting of the City Council’s Planning and Economic Development standing committee. There, he laid out a $56 million plan to convert the 18-story former office building, which has sat dormant for years, into 148 apartments with 20 percent designated as “affordable.”

When asked by a member of the city’s Legislative Policy Division what would happen to the historic theater, Moten said that the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and HUD, which is supplying the project with a 40-year multifamily construction loan, deemed the it unsalvageable.

[Busy Bee]

We're still destroying movie palaces in 2019???

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

We're still destroying movie palaces in 2019???

Unfortunately its in the hands of developers who still think its the 70s.

Waters Edge II, the development I posted about yesterday in Harbortown, was approved:

Detroit council OKs controversial Harbortown development

Detroit — The Bloomfield Hills-based developer with plans to complete the nearly 40-year build-out of Harbortown has been given the green light from the Detroit City Council to build a five-story apartment building and 11 townhomes.

In a 7-2 vote, the council approved a zoning change that would allow for the development known as Waters Edge II. Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones and President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield voted down the request.

[The North One]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Ross, Gilbert teaming on $300 million UM innovation center at former jail site in Detroit

This is such a fucking huge deal. We knew it was in the works but seeing it officially announced brings me great joy. This is like a game changer and the city seems to be already getting so many game changing investments. Absolutely incredible.

[cityguy]

Yes,it's great news for Detroit.

[Tiorted9]

Originally Posted by The North One

This is such a fucking huge deal. We knew it was in the works but seeing it officially announced brings me great joy. This is like a game changer and the city seems to be already getting so many game changing investments. Absolutely incredible.

I agree. I've been wondering when Stephen Ross was going to do something large in his hometown. I know he has been supporting The Platform recently, but this is on a whole different level. Great project!

[DetroitSky]

More info on the Detroit Center for Innovation:

Financial, other details on Ross, Gilbert jail site project to be determined over next 90-180 days

Bedrock LLC, Gilbert's real estate company, and Ross' New York City-based development firm Related Cos., would jointly develop the remainder of the site set off Gratiot with 10- to 15-story residential buildings for UM grad students, incubator space for new tech businesses and a boutique hotel and conference center inside the former Detroit Police Department headquarters building at 1300 Beaubien St. That project could be about $120 million based on previous project costs, according to documentation for a tax abatement recently submitted to the Detroit City Council.

A variety of approvals, including from the Detroit City Council and Wayne County Commission, are still needed for the project to move forward, Crain's reported Tuesday.

Ross and Gilbert are making undisclosed financial gifts to the project, which would have a groundbreaking in 2021 and completion in 2023. Bedrock CEO Matt Cullen told Crain's that additional fundraising for the main building are targeting philanthropic foundations and corporations that may have a presence in the incubator space.

"When (Ross) approached us with this incredible vision, this center for innovation located in the center of Detroit anchored by the University of Michigan, it took Dan about 15 seconds to say we were all in as an organization," Cullen said during Wednesday's event. "And as Stephen has noted, he intends to provide significant financial support for the initiative as well to see the project through to fruition."

Duggan said during the event that he has been courting Ross, the 79-year-old Detroit native who is now worth $7.6 billion, to invest in the city with annual trips to New York for the last four years. Finally, a year ago, Ross told Duggan he was planning something big.

Renovations nearly complete, Woodbridge townhomes now ready for tenants

A lengthy renovation of seven Woodbridge townhomes is at long last nearing completion.

When we last spoke with Jon Zemke, he and his wife Kristin Lukowski had just finished work on a duplex on West Warren Avenue. The home, built in 1910, had been abandoned for at least 10 years.

But the bigger project was down the street at LaFerte Terrace. There, most of the 1,523-square-foot, three-bedroom townhomes still needed a lot of work. Two of the seven units were renting at the time for at an affordable rate of $1,000 per month.

Now, the renovations are nearly done. The first unit in this phase of construction is ready for rent and the other four should be available by the end of the year. All the townhomes in this batch will be market-rate and rent for $1,950.

Entrepreneur launches crowdfunding campaign to bring Morningside Café to east-side neighborhood

Following a Top Ten finish in this year’s Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest, a Morningside entrepreneur is turning to the community to help bring his business idea to fruition.

Jeffrey D. Lewis II has launched a crowdfunding campaign for Morningside Café, a café, music and performance venue, and events space in the neighborhood of the same name.

For Lewis, a resident of Morningside, the café is an opportunity to provide his neighbors with a place to gather over a cup of coffee, tea, or smoothie. Morningside Café also plans on carrying baked goods, breakfast foods, and more.

"They have to travel over to the Grosse Pointes and patronize Starbucks or travel as far as downtown and Midtown to have a place to go get a quality cup of coffee or just to have a place where they can meet with friends and colleagues," Lewis told Model D in August. As a resident of the neighborhood, he remembers there were local businesses he could go to without leaving the neighborhood and wants to offer that experience through his cafe.

Spirit of Detroit Plaza reopening after major renovations

DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Spirit of Detroit Plaza is officially reopening after major renovations.

Renovations totaled $794,750 and the new features include new playground equipment, a stationary musical instrument, new planter boxes and landscaping, new boulder installation, charging stations, a drinking fountain, new tables, chairs and benches, and fire pits.

“This improved public space will allow us to concentrate on providing programming and events appealing to all ages, whether residents, downtown workers or visitors,” said Brad Dick, Group Executive of Services and Infrastructure. “We are excited about making Spirit Plaza a place to celebrate community.”

[DetroitSky]

Some retail news:

New fashion shops opening in Detroit's New Center

Women's fashion boutique Coup D'etat will take over a 1,200-square-foot annex on the ground floor of Cadillac Place, adding a little flare to the state-owned building. It is scheduled to open Nov. 9 after a $20,000-$25,000 build-out that keeps intact its "neoclassical elegance," according to a news release.

The shop will sell clothes, shoes, beauty products, housewares and gifts with prices ranging from $12 for a bottle of nail polish to $750 for a silk dress.

Coup d'etat in Cadillac Place

Just across the street, luxury fashion shop The Upperow opened Friday at 3031 W. Grand Blvd. The 1,500-square-foot shop sells clothes for men, women and children, said Detroit-native Anthony Thompson, who owns the business with his wife Latoya. Prices range from $80 for a sweater to $350 for a suit.

The Upperow in New Center One

Sasson outlines Sauce plan

Sauce, an Italian restaurant, cafe and mini-market from Prime + Proper purveyor Jeremy Sasson, is shuttling toward an expected March opening in Midtown Detroit.

It's a big concept — nearly 11,000 square feet and 265 seats — in the old Will Leather Goods shop that closed in May at 4120 Second Ave. Sasson calls the restaurant portion a "progressively new-aged play on Mediterranean and new-aged Italian dining," with naturally fermented Neapolitan-style pizza among its dishes.

Eid family of Birmingham's Phoenicia debuts 'more playful' restaurant in Detroit's Capitol Park

A "more playful sibling" to Birmingham standby Phoenicia Lebanese restaurant opened this week in Detroit's Capitol Park.

The restaurant named Leila, from the Eid family, adds to an increasingly food- and retail-heavy district.

It was built out for $2.4 million in an expansive ground-floor space in the historic Farwell Building at 1245 Griswold St.

Eater Detroit called it "one of the most anticipated new restaurants" of 2019.

The first-floor space next to Leila in the Farwell Building, renovated by Lansing-based developer Richard Karp, is still vacant. Samy Eid said he is helping market it to other restaurateurs because getting someone in there will be good for his business.

"There's tons of interest, I can tell you that much for sure," he said.

Coworking hub to open in Detroit's Fitzgerald neighborhood

Organization Strategic Community Partners is opening a coworking hub in the Fitzgerald neighborhood, located at 10240 West McNichols Road between Meyers and Wyoming. According to a news release, the space will be open to the public on Monday, with a ribbon-cutting event and tour of the building.

The 2,000 square-foot building will offer programming space and conference rooms at no or nominal cost to organizations serving Detroit. In addition, there will be a teacher resource center offering free space, resources and supplies for any Detroit teacher that is part of the nonprofit Teach 313.

Construction finished on 21 homes in first phase of North End residential development

After a longer-than-expected delay, the first phase of a major residential development in the North End is complete.

Develop Detroit has finished construction on the first 21 homes of a scattered-site project, mostly in the North End, intended to add neighborhood density. The seven rehab and 14 new homes clustered on several streets around John R and Marston are all for sale, going for between $150,00 and a little over $250,000. They’re listed with City Living Detroit.

The homes are not only a combination of new and rehab, but also housing type. There’s nine units across three triplexes, two duplexes, and the rest single-family. All the homes are similar in size: two to three bedrooms between 1,000 and 1,400 square feet. Many, including all the new single family homes, have already sold.

Additional details on the $50M Cambria Hotel as it breaks ground downtown

Part of Choice Hotels International Inc.’s brand, the Cambria Hotel at 600 W. Lafayette Street will be a 158-room mixed-use building. In addition to the hotel, there will also be an upscale Italian restaurant, a rooftop bar, a grand ballroom, 60,000 square feet of Class A office space, new retail space, and a 150-car parking structure.

The project, which was first announced in March this year, is a mixture of rehab and new construction.

The developers are renovating the 90,000-square-foot, Albert Kahn–designed former WWJ Studios building, which will house the office and retail space as well as some hotel amenities. The new 150,000-square-foot hotel, made out of modular components, will be constructed on a surface lot behind the building.

According to a release, it’s the first modular development in the history of Detroit and the first new-build hotel in 15 years.

The lobby


Italian restaurant


Rooftop bar

[DetroitSky]

The Detroit News posted some photos of Michigan Central Station's renovation from October 25th:

[Innsertnamehere]

Im really excited to see how it turns out. I hope Ford has enough budget for the project to do it right, and doesn’t make too many modifications. Its really rather symbolic to see Detroit’s most famous icon of economic decline restored and re-occupied as a part of the cities resurgence.

[subterranean]

Looking more like a gut rehab. Amazing how far gone it is.

[DetroitSky]

Another new rendering of the Detroit Center for Innovation was released today by Crain's:



Check out the amazing turnaround of a Second Empire home on Vinewood Street

The home at 3311 Vinewood Street just outside Southwest Detroit was built all the way back in 1877. David Larson says it was originally part of Springwells Township. The home is in the Second Empire style—distinguished by the mansard roof and dormer windows—examples of which are mostly found in Brush Park mansions.

When the Larsons bought the home two years ago, it was in terrible shape. Parts of the roof, windows, and walls were gone. The ceiling was falling apart. The first floor was filled with debris. It’s only one of two homes left on its side of the block.

The fact that the home has been saved at all is remarkable—it was even on the city’s demolition list. Not only was it saved, but it’s been turned into a beautiful residence with original features intact or recreated where appropriate, a few personal touches made, and every detail thoughtfully considered.

Take the attractive periwinkle color scheme on the outside, nicely painted onto every single bit of wood trim and corbel. Or the fact that every piece of the original hardwood floor that could be saved was—boards from the second story floor were moved to the living room to create a seamless look. There’s very little original trim, but the new baseboards are the exact same size and dimension. The new crown molding is nicely detailed as well.

Who’s behind the ‘Old Western Market’ sign outside Corktown?

Schneider and Noto’s plans for the new Western Market are still in the very early stages. They’re looking to get a permit from the city, which will allow them to erect a 10,000-square-foot tent and host up 60 vendors starting in May 2020.

They estimate this pilot phase of the market will cost around $150,000 and last around a year. They’re currently seeking loans and grants.

Eventually, they hope to build a permanent space for “20 to 30” small businesses selling a variety of goods from produce to coffee to antiques. They also say their goal is to keep everything as affordable as possible, in both the food that will be sold and rent for the vendors.

The Detroit Pepper Co. Opens on the East Side, Offers Peppers, Bowls, Smoothies

The Detroit Pepper Co., a carryout restaurant specializing in smoothies and bell pepper-based dishes, hosted its grand opening today at its location at 17180 E. Warren on the east side of Detroit.

Menu items at the location will include stuffed bell peppers, pepper salads, and grain bowls aimed at health-conscious customers. The company is a recipient of a Motor City Match grant.

Marlin Hughes, owner and operator, thought of the idea for the restaurant after family and friends enjoyed stuffed peppers he served at a gathering nearly eight years ago. It coincided with Hughes’ lifestyle and dietary changes as well as a desire for a place that he and his son, who has autism, could share.

[DetroitSky]

H&M’s Detroit store officially opening November 21

One of the world’s largest clothing retailers is finally ready to open its first Detroit store after first announcing it in March.

H&M’s downtown store at 1505 Woodward Avenue will officially open on November 21 at noon. The 25,000-square-foot space will span across three Bedrock Detroit–owned buildings, all designed by Albert Kahn.

“As Bedrock’s largest retail tenant, H&M signals a tipping point for the historic Woodward Shopping District,” Matt Cullen, CEO of Bedrock, said in a release. “For the first time in decades, shopping for the whole family is available on our main thoroughfare, and there is much more to come.”

^A Detroit News article said the store will span three floors of the three buildings, so I'm guessing basement, ground floor and second floor, though I haven't noticed any work being done on the second floor of any of the buildings.

Three different apartment buildings get major upgrades, remain affordable

[/QUOTE]University Meadows

On November 1, Develop Detroit and Presbyterian Villages of Michigan broke ground on a rehabilitation of an apartment building for low-income seniors in Woodbridge.

The 53 units at the Village of University Meadows will be preserved as affordable through a $9 million investment. At the two-story building, all the major systems will be replaced and a photovoltaic solar array installed on the roof. Additional amenities will be added, such as a resident services coordinator, exam rooms, and a “healthy living” curriculum.[/QUOTE]

Central Towers

A $19 million renovation just finished on Central Towers, two affordable high-rise apartment buildings deep in Southwest Detroit.

The project was made possible through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits valued at $13 million awarded by MSHDA. The two buildings on Central Avenue total 232 apartments, and approximately $40,000 was invested in each of the one- and two-bedroom units.

The’ll be reserved for residents who make 60 percent of the area median income or less. Rent starts at $800, but the average renter pays $170 per month.

Elmwood Club Plaza

An article in the Detroit Free Press details how 45 of the units at the Elmwood Club Plaza Apartments were kept affordable after nearly becoming market-rate.

At the distinctive 18-story tower on Chene Street, many of the tenants pay $710 per month or less. But City Club Apartments, which owns and manages the building, planned a $10 million renovation of all 202 of its units starting in December. It would then raise rents to $1,240 per month, making it no longer affordable to those low- and moderate-income residents.

But the city of Detroit cut a deal with the owners. In exchange for a $1.4-million tax subsidy, writes JC Reindl...

City Club agreed to give 19 of the tenants—all seniors on fixed incomes—unique lifetime rent deals in which they will pay $765 per month for 550-square-foot apartments and see future increases held to 2 percent a year. The other 26 residents in the group will pay reduced monthly rates of about $930 or $1,070, depending on their income level, with maximum 3 percent increases for the next 12 years.
At least 20 percent of the units will remain affordable, even if tenants leave.

Elmwood Club Plaza

[DetroitSky]

Real Estate Insider: Site planning ongoing for historic Woodward Avenue church property, UM credit union says

The University of Michigan Credit Union says it is still working on a site plan for the historic former First Presbyterian Church at 2930 Woodward Ave. that it purchased more than two years ago.

"We have been working diligently to make sure that our site plan will exceed the needs of our membership and the community," Haley Burrill, media coordinator for UMCU, said in an email. Additional questions were not answered, and no one was made available for an interview.

At the time of the purchase, Tiffany Ford, the president and CEO of UMCU, said it was planning to build a 4,000-square-foot branch with 12 full-time employees on some of the 2-acre property's surface parking.

From what I understand the credit union will be squeezed in on the left side in this photo between the church and building to the north. Should be a nice little infill project.

Bank's $5 million gift will help school, residents in NW Detroit

A new STEM lab for Cooke Elementary School and a new branch bank to serve neighborhood needs are among the benefits coming to the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood on Detroit's northwest side thanks to the latest contribution to Detroit's Strategic Neighborhood Fund.

Mayor Mike Duggan joined Gary Torgow, executive chairman of TCF Bank, and neighborhood leaders at Wednesday's announcement.

“TCF is so pleased to have the opportunity to bring our newest branch to Grandmont Rosedale,” said Torgow. “An important part of our mission as Detroit’s hometown bank is to be an integral part of the economic growth and vitality of Detroit and its neighborhoods.”

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

The Detroit News posted some photos of Michigan Central Station's renovation from October 25th:

^ So Cool! This reminds me a lot of Battle Creek's Heritage Tower (now called The Milton) which is undergoing a similarly-scaled renovation. I got to tour that project last week and am posting photos in batches under the Kalamazoo development page. Here's a link to the first post, if interested.

[SupaK]

"Detroit Hudson's Site 2019 Update and Joe Louis Arena Demo Progress - 11-4-19" which gives a good view of those sites from the PeopleMover.

Starts at 35 seconds:

• Video Link

[DetroitSky]

Comerica Bank to open New Center Detroit branch today

Comerica Bank's latest branch, in Detroit's New Center neighborhood, will open Tuesday in an apartment development from The Platform LLC.

The ground-floor banking center at West Grand Boulevard and Third Avenue replaces Dallas-based Comerica's location in the nearby Fisher Building that closed Friday. The new outpost will have in-person tellers, as well as interactive machines with virtual customer service and a walk-up ATM, according to a news release.

It also comes after Comerica sold a previous West Grand Boulevard location to Henry Ford Health System around two years ago for the creation of the health system's new cancer center. The bank also donated $100,000 to Henry Ford Health.

The move is part of Comerica's $3 million investment to reshape its presence in and around downtown Detroit. Announced in 2017, that process includes opening new locations, relocating offices and selling some offices to make way for new developments. It has 20 banking centers in the city.

Ann Arbor’s Icon Interactive Opens Detroit Office

Icon Interactive, an Ann Arbor-based digital agency, has opened a Detroit office at 1422 Brush St. near Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts. The loft space showcases Icon’s portfolio of digital innovation, including augmented and virtual reality experiences.

“I believe our concentration on virtual and mixed reality is in line with the spirit of the city: pushing new ideas and moving beyond traditional thinking that helps define the future,” says Rob Cleveland, CEO of Icon.

The new space was designed with an open, industrial feel meant to lend itself to collaboration with clients, partners, and staff. The company’s other campuses are in New York City and Boston.

6 Salon to Open Downtown Detroit Location on Monday

On Monday, 6 Salon will open its newest location at 1441 Woodward Ave. in downtown Detroit. It is accepting appointments. The location is a Bedrock owned and managed property and a part of the Lofts at Merchant Row.

This is the third location for owners George Nikollaj, Johnny Nikollaj, and Tomy Lulgjuraj, who opened the first 6 Salon location in 2003 in Royal Oak, followed by a Birmingham location in 2006. The Detroit location is expected to employ 35-40 people.

The full-service salon will include 18 cutting chairs, two manicure stations, two pedicure stations, two makeup station, and barbering capabilities including hot shaves.

Bank of America Invests $5.5M in Detroit Homeowners, Small Businesses, Neighborhoods

Bank of America and the city of Detroit today announced the bank’s investment of $3 million toward its mission of helping homeowners and small-business entrepreneurs as well as an additional $2.5 million for Detroit neighborhoods.

The $3 million is Bank of America’s cumulative philanthropic giving in the Detroit area in 2019. It has gone to the bank’s community partners dedicated to building strong communities. It includes giving to key programs that create pathways to employment, delivering financial education, supporting entrepreneurship and helping to foster stable, thriving neighborhoods.

The announcement was made at Detroit Sip, a Motor City Match recipient located in the city’s Livernois-McNichols neighborhood. The area has seen significant investment through Invest Detroit, a nonprofit lender and investor in Detroit’s future.

Gettees to Open First-ever Storefront in Detroit’s Eastern Market, Move Headquarters from Sterling Heights

Gettees, a Sterling Heights-based clothing retailer, is opening its first storefront at 2461 Russell St. in Eastern Market, where it will also move its headquarters. A grand opening party is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Established in 2014, the company designs and creates clothing for men and women and employs 20 metro Detroiters. The flagship storefront will become a destination for events and house Gettees’ creative and marketing offices.

“After the success of several pop-ups, being engaged in the city’s creative scene, and our Detroit entrepreneurial mindset, we knew Eastern Market was a natural location,” says Mathew Hunt, founder. “The historic district fits our mantra. We were connected with Firm Real Estate, who helped secure a location, made sure the space was adequate to our needs, and believed in a local business like us.”

Mexican-founded PPAP Manager finds home in the Motor City through TechStars Detroit

Vinnie Delgado started his company, PPAP Manager, last year in his home country of Mexico. But after joining the TechStars Detroit business accelerator in July, he says his company will be moving to Detroit for good.

Delgado says moving to Detroit and joining TechStars has given him and his team access to corporate partners that they "could not even dream of having reached with our own resources."

"I can go to a plant here in Chihuahua[, Mexico,] and knock the door and try to speak with the plant manager and I will not be received," he says. "But if I go to TechStars, I can speak directly with the chief innovation officer or the chief technology officer of the same company. That's what makes the difference with TechStars: the network."

Delgado was inspired to start his own company after working in the auto industry for over a decade, specializing in supply chain and management processes. One of his main responsibilities was to manage teams that handled production part approval processes, or PPAPs. PPAPs are highly detailed documents that potential suppliers submit to an automaker or other company, allowing the automaker to verify that the supplier will manufacture new parts to the automaker's exact specifications.

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Detroit skyline featured in Lego exhibit on iconic skyscrapers at Henry Ford Museum
Nov 12, 2019 at 11:58 AM by Aaron Mondry

Detroit skyline at “Towers of Tomorrow.” [KMS] Photography Some pretty astounding things can be built using Lego’s straightforward blocks.

Source: https://detroit.curbed.com/2019/11/1...-skyline-legos