DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[seabee1526]

https://detroit.curbed.com/2019/5/17...strict-detroit

Work on the Eddystone to happen?

[DetroitSky]

Stephen Ross, Dan Gilbert, UM in talks to bring ‘innovation center' to former jail site

New York City real estate mogul Stephen Ross is in talks with Detroit billionaire businessman Dan Gilbert and the University of Michigan about establishing a manufacturing innovation center on the vacant Gratiot Avenue site where Wayne County's half-built jail was demolished last summer, Crain's has learned.

The concept is a "Detroit innovation center" that could house research and development for UM, according to three people familiar with the talks who requested anonymity. It would represent a major expansion into Detroit for the university.

For years, the 15-acre former jail site has long been seen as an eyesore to the eastern gateway of downtown Detroit — and a major development opportunity at I-375 and Gratiot that could spur northward revitalization along the avenue.

For UM, the Gratiot site is envisioned to mirror Cornell University's Cornell Tech urban campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City, according to two sources familiar with the plans. Ross' real estate development firm, Related Cos., was one of the developers that constructed Cornell Tech's first residential building on Roosevelt Island, a narrow island in New York's East River nestled between Manhattan Island and the Queens borough.

A native of Detroit who has donated more than $300 million of his wealth to UM, Ross has expressed past interest in doing a real estate project in the city — but has largely remained on the sidelines of the revitalization of downtown Detroit that Gilbert has led since bringing his Quicken Loans Inc. to the city nine years ago.

Motown Museum park to open

DETROIT (AP) - (05/18/19)- The Motown Museum has created a park that it's unveiling in conjunction with a celebration of its founder .

Dancing in the Street Park will debut Sunday afternoon next to the Detroit museum, located in the former home of Motown Records' offices and studio.

Officials say the public gathering place fits within the mission of museum founder, Esther Gordy Edwards, who sought to commemorate the company's legacy in Detroit.

[uaarkson]

That's about the happiest ending to the Fail Jail story that anyone could have hoped for, at this point.

[The North One]

Woah, there's a lot happening here.

This confirms my suspicion that Gilbert wants as much of the highway and interchange removed as possible for developable land and with heavy weights like him, Ross and UM they could easily pressure the state/MDOT into doing what they want considering the investment. UM seriously wanting a major base in the city is something we've known for awhile but these are the first time actual plans have been leaked.

[DetroitSky]

Former WJBK-TV Studios building in New Center lists for $3.5M

Just north of the Fisher Building in New Center, the former WJBK-TV Studios building is for sale. The 30,000-square-foot, all-brick building is listed through O’Connor Real Estate for $3.5 million.

The former studio on 2nd Avenue is notable for several reasons. Built in 1956 in the Georgian Revival style, there’s a limestone-trimmed portico at the front entrance, and a frieze and cornice at the top of the two-story building. The only building designed in Detroit by John L. Volk, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

WJBK broadcast shows there for about 15 years, then sold it to a Detroit public television station, which left in 2009.

Ottawa-based Halcor bought the property in 2014. The company then made plans to develop the building and site, adding more height to the original building as well as constructing several new ones. In total, the proposal called for 145 residential units and 5,000 square feet of commercial space.

Purchase of the property comes with development plans.

^This is the first we've heard of this project in years. Hopefully this sells quick and gets underway soon. As originally announced it was supposed to be completed this year, I believe.

[The North One]

how are they allowed to build on top of a national historic landmark?

[Detroit]

Originally Posted by The North One

how are they allowed to build on top of a national historic landmark?

It’s been known to happen from time to time. Here is an example of a pretty popular historical site getting a tower expansion. The Hearst Tower in NYC. https://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/n...ower_cdbe.html

[DetroitSky]

Preservation Detroit posted on their Facebook page that the Detroit Saturday Night building has been saved from demolition!

Safe for now!
Detroit Saturday Night Building
Thanks to your comments to city council and your petition signatures, the Detroit Saturday Night building is safe! The owner, Emmett Moten, and city government are working to find an alternative use for the building, but we have received word from the city that they do not intend to allow demolition to the building. Thank you for your advocacy!

High-end golf clothing shop to open in downtown Detroit

High-end men's clothing company Greyson Clothiers is opening a store in downtown Detroit and teeing up plans to eventually move its base to the city.

Greyson, which specializes in golf attire, will open a 3,500-square-foot shop Wednesday at the ground floor of the First National Building as a popup through Aug. 31, said Adrienne Cass, spokeswoman for the company.

It will be the Hawthorne, New York-based company's only brick-and-mortar retail store in the country, launched in tandem with the Rocket Mortgage Classic that is scheduled for the end of June at the Detroit Golf Club. Once the popup is done, the company plans to open a permanent flagship store in Detroit — either at the Bedrock-owned building or elsewhere in the city. The long-term plan is to move Greyson's 20 or so full-time employees to the city.

"My heart never left Detroit," said Greyson owner Charlie Schaefer. "We will be flowing product into the store that doesn't exist anywhere else."

[DetroitSky]

State, city approve FCA incentives packages, land swap totaling at least $311.6 million

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is getting a package of taxpayer incentives worth as much as $311.6 million in tax breaks, captured taxes for newly created jobs, government-funded job training, free land and grants for its $4.5 billion investment in five manufacturing facilities in Southeast Michigan.

Detroit City Council and the Michigan Strategic Fund's board voted separately Tuesday on incentives packages tied to FCA US LLC's creation of more than 6,433 new jobs across multiple plants, 4,950 of which will be in Detroit.

"This is the biggest automotive assembly plant deal in the United States in a decade," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday at a midafternoon news conference in Lansing. "And it's the second-largest overall automotive deal for new jobs or private investment across the United States during that time."

Dozens of new liquor licenses could be issued in Detroit if approved by City Council, state

City Council is expected to refer the item Tuesday to the Planning and Economic Development Committee to review Thursday a resolution allowing 20 businesses to secure special licenses that let them sell alcohol for on-premises consumption. The city says a total of 63 such licenses could be issued, with more every three years, if the state approves the licenses in a "City Redevelopment Area" established by the city late last year.

The licenses would be above and beyond the city's maxed-out quota of Class C liquor licenses, the most common — and coveted — type for restaurants and bars. They would also cost one-fourth the price of a typical license.

"Liquor licenses are very expensive at the moment because of a high demand and a limited supply," according to a summary of the proposal provided by the city. "To mitigate this high expense for small and medium size businesses, we are proposing to establish a City Redevelopment Area, which would allow for businesses to purchase a liquor license, straight from the State Liquor Control Commission.

Develop Detroit plans new neighborhood fund as it makes progress on 70-home project

As Develop Detroit plugs away at its plan to renovate and build 70 homes in north Detroit, it is also working to develop a new neighborhood fund to prop up similar projects.

The Detroit-based nonprofit developer is a year into its $6.5 million homebuilding effort in the North End and Grandmont Rosedale neighborhoods. Phase one is expected to be complete in July and include the construction of 14 new homes and the renovation of seven homes in the area bound by Marston Street, Philadelphia Street, John R Street and Woodward Avenue, as well as two renovated homes in the Rosedale/Minock Park neighborhoods in northwest Detroit.

Phase one was originally scheduled to be done in March, but poor weather pushed back construction slightly, said Sonya Mays, president and CEO of Develop Detroit. Still, the project is on a solid pace, she said. A duplex in the North End sold for $320,000, four homes have sales pending for $250,000 each, and the remaining homes are expected to be on the market by the end of the month.

"There's a lot of investor interest in this particular neighborhood, but also just the idea that you could do this kind of for-sale project in a Detroit neighborhood," Mays said. "There's appetite out there."

More time sought for Paradise Valley plan in Harmonie Park

Detroit — Almost three years after plans were unveiled for a new downtown district highlighting African-American arts and culture, one of the developers is seeking a new timeline to build a residential and retail building.

On Wednesday, the developer behind a potential new mixed-used building, with at least 60 residential units and first-floor retail, will seek a new closing date of April 2020 to complete the project, according to city documents.

The Paradise Valley Cultural and Entertainment District plan was announced in June 2016. It originally involved the simultaneous redevelopment of five buildings and three parking lots clustered around a small triangular public space often called Harmonie Park. The area is bordered by East Grand River, Centre and Randolph.

The original vision is grand: a boutique hotel; a jazz club; new restaurants; luxury and affordable housing; and a new parking garage. In 2016, there was hope the redevelopments would be close to opening by now, but the projects have been delayed.

State OKs $11M tax breaks for Detroit's Kahn, Walker-Roehrig projects

Albert Kahn Building

The Michigan Economic Development Corp.'s governing body approved a 15-year, nearly $3 million tax break for the rehabilitation of the vacant Albert Kahn Building at 430 Second Ave. AK Owner LLC, a joint venture between Farmington Hills' Northern Equities Group and Birmingham's Lutz Real Estate Investment, owns the building.

The $69-million capital investment would redo the building with 108,000 square feet of retail and 190 apartments of 230,000 square feet. At least 20% of the units will be priced at not more than 80% of the area median income. A surface parking lot will be available to residents and customers. The project will create five full-time equivalent jobs with a $22 hourly wage.

Walker-Roehrig and Ashton

A new six-story, mixed-use building will rise on the parking lot behind 600 W. Lafayette Blvd., the former WWJ Building that houses the Michigan American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 25. The Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved a 22-year, $8.4 million-plus tax break that will begin in 2021.

New coworking space part of Vanguard Community Development’s larger economic plan

Realtor Nusrat Hussain was working at new coworking space Cocoon Detroit on East Grand Boulevard when an architect came in wanting to speak with Steven Harris, owner of Cocoon and Rebound Construction. Harris was running late, so Hussain got to talking to the man, a transplant from New York, as he waited. They ended up discussing gentrification, redevelopment of abandoned houses, and displacement of longtime residents.

Not exactly small talk for two people who just met, but it’s the type of engagement and conversation that Hussain loves about being a tenant at Harris’ coworking space, which held its grand opening in late April. Arterra Realty, the real estate company Hussain works for, has its main office in Rochester, but opened the satellite office in Detroit to have a presence in the city. They were working out of another coworking space in the city, Hussain says, but it was getting too expensive for a satellite branch.

She was talking to Harris about her plight and then he told her about his idea to open the coworking space, Hussain recalls. Hussain says she wanted to come on board and a few months later signed up for a year. Today she and several of her colleagues work out of a sunny office that faces Grand Boulevard.

Coworking is nothing new in Detroit with several spaces across the city such as Bamboo, but Harris’ concept brings together Realtors, builders, and other similar businesses together under one roof in a collaborative workspace, says Harris.

[jmcilreavy]

Originally Posted by The North One

Woah, there's a lot happening here.

This confirms my suspicion that Gilbert wants as much of the highway and interchange removed as possible for developable land and with heavy weights like him, Ross and UM they could easily pressure the state/MDOT into doing what they want considering the investment. UM seriously wanting a major base in the city is something we've known for awhile but these are the first time actual plans have been leaked.

375 is definitely being filled in. MDOT has already confirmed. Gratiot site rendering on Bedrocks web page show what it might look like.

[The North One]

^ I know what MDOT currently plans but I think it's obvious that Gilbert et al wants to push it further and I feel like he could probably make that happen.

Also Bedrock's fail jail render show more than what MDOT is currently doing.

[DetroitSky]

Penske's $5 million investment to help reopen community center in Detroit's Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood

Penske Corp. is directing its $5 million Detroit investment promise to Jefferson-Chalmers, an east side neighborhood just across the river from Belle Isle, which is set to host the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix next week.

The investment will be used to renovate and add a gym to the closed Lenox Center, according to a news release. The community center is on the Detroit River at Alfred Brush Ford Park.

"I'm amazed by what you have here" in Jefferson-Chalmers, Roger Penske, founder and chairman of the Bloomfield Hills-based transportation giant, said at a media event Wednesday attended by Mayor Mike Duggan and community leaders. "This gave us a real opportunity to show the community that we want to give back."

Part of the $35 million pledged by seven businesses to the Strategic Neighborhood Fund, the Penske money will be administered by Invest Detroit and used to improve parks, streetscapes, commercial corridors and affordable housing. It will also be used to alleviate flooding issues in the neighborhood, a key part of its revitalization framework.

The Lenox Center is about 5,000 square feet and sits in a park at the mouth of the Detroit River. It's been closed for the eight years, but a functional playground is still on site. Detroit's General Services Director Brad Dick said about $3 million of the $5 million Penske grant will go toward fixing up the center. Construction could involve expansion and will likely include a new basketball gym.

[Garbage_Human]

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/voices...troit-property

A spokeswoman would only say that the design in the RFP is "conceptual, and it's not meant to be prescriptive."

But Michigan Opera Theatre, which owns the property, is apparently taking a big swing on this one, floating to local developers the idea of a high-rise soaring up to 480 feet into the air about a block away from Comerica Park.

Honestly kinda shocked no one has posted anything about this

[DetroitRises]

Originally Posted by Garbage_Human

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/voices...troit-property







Honestly kinda shocked no one has posted anything about this

I really hope whomever wins rights to develop for the opera house goes with a design similar to this in height and style.

[davidberko]

Originally Posted by DetroitRises

I really hope whomever wins rights to develop for the opera house goes with a design similar to this in height and style.

Agreed. It's EXTREMELY ambitious but why not? It's good height with the hudsons looming nearby. Could provide great balance to the skyline. And yes! Love the Dubai-esque architecture

[uaarkson]

Never gonna happen.

[The North One]

that wont happen obviously (and thankfully it's tacky as fuck) but something might eventually, they seem to be serious about working with somebody to develop the site.

[DetroitSky]

I'm not a huge fan of that design either, but I like the massing and height for that location. Here's the other renderings from the Crain's article:







Ford mulls hotel space instead of residential in Michigan Central Station

Ford Motor Co. is considering using two upper floors of Michigan Central Station as boutique hotel space — and not referring to the 13th floor as such.

Previously anticipated as approximately 40 units of residential space, the 12th and 13th floors total 51,000 square feet and could have at least 100 boutique hotel rooms, said Paula Roy Carethers, Ford Land Development Co.'s Detroit development director, during an hourlong tour of the vacant train station in Corktown with media outlets on Thursday.

Whether that ultimately ends up the final use will be determined by the master planning process, which is expected to be completed in about a month, said Christina Twelftree, a Ford Motor Co. spokeswoman.

The Detroit office of architecture and planning firm Gensler, as well as PAU, a New York City-based firm whose name stands for Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, are working on the plan.

Ford says 227,000 gallons of water have been removed, along with 3,000 carts full of debris, one cart at a time from the floors using a service elevator.

Starting next month there will be scaffolding installed around the building and masonry repairs begin. Bricks will be removed for steel framework repairs and terracotta, limestone and brick will be cleaned and replaced.

What was once several feet of water in the basement has been dramatically reduced; the building will take "the next few years" to dry out after being subjected to what Ford in a press release called "extensive water damage and decay."

Work also includes repairing 106,000 square feet of roof structures; and removing 1,200 linear feet of cornice to examine and repair steel and then replacing the cornice. The project also includes replacing 1,184 windows.

Old bottles found during renovations

Jeremy Sasson pizza concept to replace Will Leather Goods in Midtown

Restaurateur Jeremy Sasson is planning to grow his modest portfolio of popular restaurants with a new concept in Midtown.

The restaurant will replace Will Leather Goods, an ornate leather goods retailer at 4120 Second Ave. that closed Tuesday. It opened in 2015 after a $2.5 million build-out.

Will Leather Goods owner Will Adler said the oversize space and lack of foot traffic caused him to close the location, but he's scouting for another in the city.

"I wanted to ignite something in Midtown when I moved here, but it was tremendously fun to bring the Tom Boy Market back to its original shape," Adler said.

Belle Isle Oudolf garden campaign nears completion with $1 million grant

With a $1 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Oudolf Garden Detroit is nearing completion of its fundraising campaign to support a garden designed by renowned Dutch designer Piet Oudolf on Belle Isle.

The new grant from the Wilson foundation will support an endowment held by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan for the perpetual maintenance of the garden, which has been in the works since 2016 and moved forward in late 2017.

The Belle Isle Conservancy is serving as the fiduciary for the grant to Oudolf Garden Detroit.

The Wilson foundation's support brings Oudolf Garden Detroit's fundraising campaign within $350,000 of its $4 million goal, with support from local residents, businesses and foundations including Hudson-Webber Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the William Davidson Foundation and the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation.

The project is the first public garden project in North America for which Oudolf has created the master plan and planting plans, according to local organizers. His design includes mixed perennial beds, a wetland garden and a special stormwater demonstration garden that can be scaled and replicated in community and home gardens. Ninety percent of the plants that will be installed in the garden will come from Michigan growers.

Olympia breaks ground on $70M office building, takes steps to fix public image

After weeks of getting hammered by the media and public for not building out District Detroit, the area around Little Caesars Arena, Olympia Development has finally begun to come out of its shell.

Today, the company announced the groundbreaking of a new, $70 million office building—ironically on a former surface parking lot—just north of the arena at 2715 Woodward Avenue. The five-floor, 127,000-square-foot facility will have office space, medical facilities, and ground floor retail.

Olympia entered into a 20-year agreement with the Detroit Medical Center to operate the 50,000-square-foot sports medicine facility, and has already secured another tenant, the law firm Warner Norcross + Judd, to occupy an entire floor.

[subterranean]

^thankfully this one has Detroit style pizza-shaped windows.

[DetroitSky]

Weberman Construction posted this on their Facebook page:

We are very excited to announce that we will be completing a renovation and addition to this historic home in the Brush Park district of Detroit.

This building is located just north of Carlton Lofts on John R.