Detroit Development News

Stella Cafe remodeled and rebranded as Stella Good Coffee in the Fisher Building

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Stella International Café inside the Fisher Building in New Center has gone through a major renovation and rebranding.

Now called "Stella Good Coffee," the café – owned by Shawn Santo and Kevin Borsay, owners of Pure Detroit, Rowland Café, a second Stella location inside the Guardian Building, and Vera Jane (a women's clothing store) – will focus on all things Detroit, starting with the design.

After closing last fall, the space was stripped down to bare walls and floor, grinding away layers of concrete to reveal the original Albert Kahn-produced floor from 1928 (which has a slightly different design than the floor of the main lobby, also original). Santo and Borsay oversaw all of the renovation work themselves, working closely with James Willer of Reclaim Detroit on material sourcing and design. They also worked with local companies and artists on the fixtures, including lamp shades from the Detroit Wallpaper Company (which will feature the designs of local artists and will be rotated regularly) and a white neon sign that reads "Drink Good Coffee" from Spectrum Neon Sign Company.

The redesign also allows for more seating inside the café, which will have free WiFi, and additional seating will be available in the Fisher lobby.

In addition to a new look, a new name, and a new logo (a complicated geometric figure with a long technical name that includes the word "stella," also known as the "Moravian star"), Stella Good Coffee will have a whole new approach to their products. Instead of the quick grab-and-go coffee shop they were previously known as, they will offer only pour-over coffees, which take longer but, as Borsay says, "is worth it." They will also have loose-leaf teas, soups from Russell Street Deli, and baked goods from Avalon Breads and Traffic Jam & Snug.

Stella Good Coffee is celebrating a "soft" opening this week, with a grand opening coming later this spring.

Source: Kevin Borsay and Shawn Santo, owners of Stella Good Coffee
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Got a Development News story to share? Email Nicole here.

Neumann/Smith Architecture moving to Midtown, overseeing several major development projects

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Neumann/Smith Architecture, which has been around since 1969, has been working under the radar downtown for years. Now, the firm is making it official this year when it moves into the Wright-Kay Building at 1500 Woodward.

The firm has worked on several significant projects in the city out of its Southfield office, including various projects with Wayne State University, One Kennedy Square, the Science Center, the $50 million landscape renovation including meditation gardens and fountains at DTE, Blue Cross Blue Shield's east campus (including the green parking deck and courtyard), and work for several clients inside the Renaissance Center.

Most recently Neumann/Smith worked with Quicken Loans and Bedrock on some of their most high-profile developments. The first opportunity was the Madison Building, which has become a technology hub noted as much for its design as for its inhabitants. "(That building) was huge for them and for us," says Joel Smith, partner of Neumann/Smith Architecture. "It got a lot of attention." (Particularly the fifth-floor meeting space and rooftop patio available for private parties, which Smith calls "one of the coolest" spaces in the city.)

Next up on Neumann/Smith's Bedrock project roster includes renovations of the Dime Building, One Woodward, First National, and construction on the "Z" lot. "With all of this going on we needed to be closer to our client," says Smith. "We have always had a historic preservation practice but the Detroit office will be the hub for historic preservation and adaptive reuse (and) solidify our commitment to the city."

The firm is also heading up the renovation of the Wright-Kay Building, which Smith expects to be complete in June. The six floor, red sandstone building will feature office space on the upper floors (fully committed though not yet all officially leased) with ground floor restaurant and retail space.

Source: Joel Smith, AIA, partner of Neumann/Smith Architecture
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Got a Development News story to share? Email Nicole here.

Designer of downtown's new Crowne Plaza to give the "Pontch" a whole new, colorful look

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Another iconic Detroit building, the former Pontchartrain Hotel, will breathe new life later this spring after sitting vacant since 2009.

The Pontchartrain will soon re-open as a Crowne Plaza, an upscale hotel property owned by the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG). Ohio-based Stephen Berry Architectural Design is the design firm working on the project. The firm specializes in hotel projects nationwide, many of which are IHG properties. The firm has also worked with the previous two owners of the Pontchartrain.

Stephen Berry says that the new design concept for the 25-story, 371-room hotel will be sensitive to the building's 1965 modernist design. The vaulted ceiling of the lobby will be completely re-finished with gold and silver leaf. The restaurant and lounge spaces will be totally re-imagined with copper leaf accents, new fixtures and décor.

"The lobby and lounge will be very modern and striking. We're really changing the look," says Berry. "(The new design) really gets away from the darkness of the past."

The exterior of the building will also see significant aesthetic changes with a whole new color scheme. The face of the building will be neutral beige with green glass. One of the biggest changes includes a new auto-access entrance on Jefferson in IHG's signature plum color, with a white custom-built backlit canopy arcing over it. "It's very colorful. The building was always a monochromatic black and dark gray. Now it will have a whole new look."

Significant work is also being done to the second-floor exterior terrace, which Berry describes as a "key feature of the building."

Other plans include added ground-floor retail along Jefferson, including a new gift shop concept that internationally-known hotel developer Gabriel Ruiz (who is behind this development) has branded in his hotel chain through North America.

Source: Stephen Berry, owner of Stephen Berry Architectural Design
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Got a Development News story to share? Email Nicole here.

David Whitney Building secures final $8.5 million in funding, will begin construction immediately

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

A recent $8.5 million investment by the State of Michigan in the David Whitney Building has made headlines recently. This money finally enables the Whitney Partners, LLC to move forward with construction.

The Whitney Partners are the Roxbury Group, the Detroit-based real estate development and consulting firm that is heading up this renovation project and most recently completed the Auburn, a new construction project in Midtown, and Troy-based investment firm Trans Inn Management Inc.

"The $8.5 million is coming as a loan being lent to us through the Michigan Community Revitalization Program," says David Di Rita, owner of the Roxbury Group. "It is enormously important. It closed the remaining funding gap between all of the other credits and incentives."

So far the project has received $9.8 million in a state brownfield redevelopment tax credit and $12.4 million in state historic tax credits. "We still had about $8.5 million to bring to the deal to get financing closed and that’s what this will do. It was the final piece."

At press time the Whitney Partners were working to close on overall financing for the project. Construction will start immediately once the funding is in place.

"We won’t be announcing when we close the financing deal," Di Rita says. "We will just start construction and that’s how people will know."

So keep an eye out for those construction cranes.

The David Whitney Building has sat empty since 2000. The Roxbury Group bought the building in 2011 for $3.3 million. The renovation will create 105 residential apartments, a 136-room Aloft Hotel (a Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide property), a new and improved People Mover station, and ground floor retail.

"We’re very proud of the fact of being able to (secure funding) within 24 months of getting the building," says Di Rita.

They are targeting early 2014 for full completion of the project, which is expected to cost $82.5 million and create 75 jobs.

Source: David Di Rita, Owner, The Roxbury Group
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Have a Development News story to share? Send Nicole an email here.

U-Haul installs new sign, lighting in its New Center home

Model D Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Perhaps you have seen the new sign atop the building U-Haul is renovating into its latest full-service location? Or a few of the upper floors lit up at night showing off doors painted in bright orange while driving by on the Lodge Freeway? If so you have seen the most recent progress of one of the greater downtown Detroit area's largest redevelopment projects.

The moving company bought the former Nabisco Building in New Center (899 W Baltimore St.) last summer and has been slowly but surely rehabbing the 250,000-square-foot structure into its first full-service center in Detroit. The new location, set to open this spring, will feature everything from truck and trailer rentals to storage space.

"One year from now we will have a gorgeous truck, trailer and storage business going there," says Stuart Shoen, executive vice president of U-Haul. "I am just very optimistic for the area."

For now, Detroiters are going to have to settle for the encouraging new visual cues on the building's crown and updates from the company's blog about the work. Workers (three U-Haul employees and about 20 construction workers) are currently focusing on finishing the renovation of the showroom and getting the basics of the rest of the building to come on.

"It's finally starting to look like a retail space," Shoen says. "The building needed a lot of fundamental improvement. It took us longer to get the water and the electricity on than we thought. The windows weren't level in the showroom. This building needed a lot of work in every facet."

National Biscuit Co (or Nabisco today) built the structure in the 1920s as a bakery. It has been vacant for several years before U-Haul purchased it to service Detroit's growing population.

"In a few years, we will be contemplating building more," Shoen says. "That's our hope and expectation."

Source: Stuart Shoen, executive vice president of U-Haul
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Downtown Hamtramck makes National Register of Historic Places

Model D Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Downtown Hamtramck is now a part of the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that should help the commercial district leverage more redevelopment dollars and maintain its classic character.

The historic district runs the length of Jos Campau Street between the GM Poletown plant to the south and close to Carpenter Street on the north end. "The historic district is a couple of streets short of that," says Jason Friedmann, director of community and economic development for the city of Hamtramck. "This is the area with the oldest buildings with the most character are located."

The Jos Campau Historic District encompasses about 200 buildings that are about 100 years old. Most of the them were constructed after the old Dodge Main Plant was built in the early 1900s. It joins the historic district around St. Florian Catholic Church near the intersection of Jos Campau and Holbrook streets.

The Jos Campau Historic District is only a national historic district. That designation allows it to leverage national historic tax credits for redevelopment but doesn't come with the strict restrictions and oversights commonplace in local historic districts.

Source: Jason Friedmann, director of community and economic development for the city of Hamtramck
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

New three-story glass atrium at Cobo Center debuts at the Auto Show

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The new Corvette Stingray isn’t the only thing that will be making its public debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show.

The Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority is busy at work on a $300 million renovation project at Cobo Center. The extensive plans include a three-story atrium with a skylight and an 80-foot glass wall on the structure's southern exposure overlooking the Detroit River.

"What was formerly a confined dark space is now flooded with bright light," says Patrick Bero, CEO of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority. Cobo Center first opened in 1960, long before the Riverwalk was built, and was originally designed with no direct link to the River itself. "There was no direct link to the region’s most vital asset. The biggest function of the atrium is that it is our connection to the river."

The atrium offers 16,000-square-feet of space that will accommodate 600 people for dinner, 1,000 people in theatre-style seating, or 1,200 standing. The space is intended for high-profile VIP events and other special occasions. The glamor of this new event space is enhanced by 30,000 square feet of porcelain tile from Italy, 315 tons of marble from Portugal, and 19,000 square feet of glass from Michigan-based Guardian Industries. "The biggest thing is the striking view the atrium gives us of the Detroit River," says Bero. "It also gives us another point of entry into the facility." The atrium can be accessed from the Riverwalk by crossing Atwater St.

The atrium will temporarily open for the Auto Show, which opens to the public on Jan. 19. It will then close again in order to complete construction.

In addition to the atrium, the former Cobo Arena is being renovated into a grand ballroom and several meeting rooms. The grand ballroom will feature 40,000 square feet of space with 40-foot ceilings, dinner seating for up to 2,500, two industrial lift elevators in the floor (for auto "reveals"), and an outdoor plaza extending around the perimeter. Upgraded garages on Congress St. and Washington with additional parking spaces, a new all-natural concessions venue on the main concourse, an expanded kitchen with private tasting room, and a new food court round out the extensive list of renovations.

The full renovation is expected to be completed in June.

Source: Patrick Bero, CEO of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Have a Development News story to share? Email nicole@modeldmedia.com.

More Palmer Park apts set to come online in Feb, April

Model D Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Renovation work on a handful of apartment buildings in Palmer Park is set to wrap up in the next few months.

The first in line for completion is the Sarasota Apartments, 325 Merton, in February. The four-story building exemplifies the Art Deco architecture for which Palmer Park's apartments are famous. It had been vacant for years, falling into disrepair before renovations began last spring.

Next in line are the Seville Apartments and Palmer Lodge. Both are set to come online in April. "I really can't wait," says Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, co-owner of Shelborne Development which is heading up the development of the apartment buildings in Palmer Park.

Palmer Lodge is one of the marquee apartment buildings in the Palmer Park historic district. The jumbo-sized Tudor-Revival structure stands sentinel at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Covington Drive. The four-story apartment building was designed by Weidmaier and Gay and built in 1925. It's being redeveloped into 54 apartments and space for two businesses (think cafe or martini bar) in its basement. The Seville Apartments is at 750 Whitmore St. The four-story structure at the corner of Third Avenue and Whitmore Street will feature 16 apartments. One hundred and two units will come onto the market when construction is finished at all three, which were vacant and in serious disrepair before renovation work began early last year.

Shelborne Development is renovating these buildings and a handful of others in Palmer Park. The Indian Village-based firm leveraged historic tax credits, federal stimulus funding and other government incentives to renovate these buildings to maintain their historic integrity and upgrade them with modern conveniences such as new Energy Star appliances, high-efficiency furnaces, insulation and granite countertops. It previously renovated the La Vogue apartments last summer.

Makino-Leipsitz says she is still pursuing the idea of bringing mounted security patrols to the neighborhood by utilizing the Detroit Police Department's mounted division, which is housed nearby. She also wants to bring Christmas lights to the trees of the neighborhood to help inject some vibrancy to the area.

"I want to light up the trees in Palmer Park like they do at La Dolce Vita (a nearby restaurant)," Makino-Leipsitz says. "It gives the area such a great feel."

Source: Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, co-owner of Shelborne Development
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Shelborne begins transformation of New Center apt district

Model D Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Shelborne Development is in the midst of rehabbing two significant historic apartment buildings in New Center and is set to transform the block of Seward Street between Woodward and Second avenues with renovations.

The renovations promise to turn some of the biggest, blighted structures in New Center into vibrant buildings filled with new residents. When it's all said and done, the rehabs will bring well in excess of 100 new rental units to the northern tip of the greater downtown area.

"I have always loved that block of Seward," says Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, co-owner of Shelborne Development. "It is one of the prettiest blocks of multi-units in the city. Hopefully, we will be able to turn that block into what it used to be."

The Indian Village-based development firm is the driving force behind the renovation spree taking place in Palmer Park. Its rehabs have expertly leveraged tax credits and other incentives to turn the Art Deco beauties into high-quality rentals that include energy-efficient systems and appliances, insulation, stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops, among other amenities. These rehabs go the extra mile to preserve the historical character of the buildings, which are often chosen in large part because of the architectural beauty.

Makino-Leipsitz plans to do the same thing with at least half a dozen of the apartment buildings in New Center, most of which are vacant and have fallen into disrepair. The first two, which are currently under renovation, are 112 Seward and 628 Delaware.

The apartment building at 112 Seward is called the Birchmont Apartments. It stands as a 3.5-story building with a blond-brick facade and is just east of the 120 Seward condo building. It will house 31 units that include 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments. 628 Delaware is a tudor-style structure that stands four stories overlooking New Center Commons Park just west of Second Avenue.

"That Delaware apartment building is a beautiful building," Makino-Leipsitz says. "It will be 18 units when we're done."

Both buildings, each about 100 years old, are set to come online in August and fully occupied by the end of the year. They will bring 49 units of workforce housing to the rental market. The buildings previously housed 54 units. The developers redesigned the units to offer bigger spaces with more rooms.

Shelborne Development also owns 59, 69, 90, 93, and 100 Seward, which are all high-density apartment buildings on the first block of Seward west of Woodward. The firm has already renovated 93 Seward and plans to renovate 90 and 100 Seward as market-rate rentals next. It recently acquired 59 and 69 Seward, which have long been problem buildings with out-of-town ownership, and plans to renovate those, too, within the next few years.

Source: Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, co-owner of Shelborne Development
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Slows expanding, adding more seats and offerings

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Detroit’s most famous restaurant is currently going through a much-needed expansion.

Slows BAR BQ, which has been covered in national media from the New York Times to Food & Wine and was a 2012 finalist in Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America on the Travel Channel, is largely credited with kick-starting the rebirth of Corktown, attracting several new independent businesses on its block of Michigan Avenue and leading to what is now a total lack of available rental units according to Ryan Cooley, co-owner of Slows and owner of O’Connor Realty.

The original Slows space, which seats about 80 indoors (not including the seasonal outdoor patio), was ill-equipped to handle large parties, and long wait times inside the enormously popular restaurant inevitably led to a lot of bottle-necking at the front door by the bar.

"We're adding on the new space but it will serve as more a beer bar, private dining room and waiting area," Cooley says. "With bigger parties this is really going to help with efficiencies."

The new 1,200-square-foot space, which is overtaking the former office of O’Connor Realty (which has since relocated down the block), will be connected by a door to the original location but will in effect be its own separate space ideal for private parties and grabbing a drink while waiting for a table.

The new bar will feature 36 tap handles, many of which will be duplicate selections from the bar in the main restaurant for efficiency’s sake. The beer cooler will be expanding and moved into the basement, freeing up additional space upstairs.

Behind the scenes, the kitchen will also be expanding into the new space and will be fully updated. "We opened on such a shoestring budget the first time through we had to buy used equipment. This will allow things to be more streamlined," Cooley says.

This is good news for serious barbecue enthusiasts, as this will enable Slows to slow down their smoke times and make a good product even better. Chef and co-owner Brian Perrone will also be able to host more beer dinners and run additional specials, allowing him more creativity in the kitchen.

Cooley says that by the time the kitchen is expanded and bathrooms added, the new space will add about 20 new seats. "We didn’t want to add to ton of space, really. We didn’t want a huge open-feeling space. We kind of wanted to keep it small and intimate."

At press time the main restaurant is on track to re-open on their target date of Jan. 9, while the new space may be delayed just a day or two.

Source: Ryan Cooley, co-owner of Slows
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Detroit Institute of Bagels breaks ground on new production facility

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Back in 2010, Ben Newman had a dream of better bagels for Detroit. He and his brother Dan launched Detroit Institute of Bagels out of their flat in Corktown, selling unique bagel flavors like bacon cheddar and rosemary-olive oil-sea salt made to order. The bagel buzz built quickly; a Kickstarter campaign raised about $10,000 towards their own bagel shop and they were top ten semi-finalists in the first-ever Hatch Detroit competition in 2011. When they purchased a building on Michigan Avenue in Corktown roughly one year ago, it seemed that Detroit’s days as a bagel desert were coming to an end.

But as anyone who has tried to renovate a historic and long-vacant building can tell you, these things take time.

"Anything going from idea to reality takes two years, (that’s) what everyone told me," says Ben Newman, co-founder and bagelsmith of DIB who also has a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.

Since Model D reported on the purchase of the building at 1236 Michigan Ave., the Newmans have received Rehabilitation Tax Credits, but weren’t allowed to do any sort of renovation work on the building during the approval process. The building itself has, at their best estimate, sat vacant for roughly 40 years before they acquired it, and when they began to look at the basement as the bagel production facility they quickly realized it wasn’t going to be practical and a new production facility would have to be added on.

"(We were told) we might never be able to fully waterproof the basement and end up tens of thousands of dollars into trying and still be forced to build a new space," Newman explains. "For the employees, for myself, for the experience and overall efficiency it will be better to have all production happen on the same floor as the retail."

DIB broke ground Jan. 3 on its new bagel production facility, which will be located in the space between the current building and PJ's Lager House (sharing walls with both). The 1,800-square-foot new building will be set back about 30 feet from Michigan Avenue. The rest of the street-facing lot will be a green space with outdoor seating. Inside there will be windows between the café and the production facility which will allow customers to watch the process of bagels being made.

Renovation on the original building hasn't yet started, though now that ground has broken on the new facility all of the construction will move forward simultaneously.

"That was part of the year-long process," Newman says. The structural plans and mechanical drawings for both buildings had to first be completed, submitted and approved before any significant work could be done.

While their initial hopes of opening in 2012 were perhaps a bit too ambitious, Newman remains undaunted and continues to move forward. "I am really happy that people are excited about our opening. I realize that it's a very good thing to have a following before we open," he says. “We’re not just opening a bagel shop (in) a white box space; we’re redeveloping a whole property. For me that’s what I’m passionate about."

Source: Ben Newman, co-founder of the Detroit Institute of Bagels
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

Gilbert's downtown footprint expands with new purchases

Model D Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The Dan Gilbert game of downtown Detroit Monopoly is not showing any signs of slowing down these days. The chairman of Quicken Loans acquired five more buildings just before the end of last year and now there is a report from Crain's Detroit Business that he has his sights set on more.

What we know is that Gilbert's real-estate company, Rock Ventures, recently acquired five buildings on Woodward Avenue and Broadway Street. These largely vacant buildings include the addresss 1201, 1217 and 1412 Woodward, along with 1301 and 1521 Broadway.

"We didn't want to see these buildings just sit there and have no activity in them," says Jim Ketai, managing partner of Bedrock Management, Gilbert's real-estate management firm. "We want to bring some more activity to them."

Gilbert now owns 15 buildings with 2.6 million square feet of commercial space and another three parking garages with 3,500 spaces. His firms are also building a new parking garage/retail space on Broadway and are leasing space in the Compuware Building.

The latest additions include a former Kresge department store at Woodward Avenue and State Street and the building that houses Small Plates next to the Detroit Beer Company. All of the buildings will be renovated to accommodate ground floor retail space and either residential or office space above.

"It will take a lot of time," Ketai says. "They have had a lot of neglect."

Source: Jim Ketai, managing partner of Bedrock Management
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Top development news of 2012 spread across Motor City

Model D Tuesday, December 18, 2012

There was no no shortage of big announcements in Detroit's built environment in 2012, so Model D has expanded its Top 5 Development News Stories to its Top 5 Development News Subjects. This year's list includes:

The Gilbert Effect
Quicken Loans Chairman Dan Gilbert became the biggest power player in downtown Detroit this year. His team's accomplishments include acquiring buildings left and right, filling them with tech businesses, pushing for a retail rebirth in the Central Business District and spearheading the M-1 Rail plans for light rail up Woodward which now seems quite likely with the passage of a regional transit authority bill in the state legislature.

Palmer Park Rebirth
The Palmer Park area - ahem, Uptown - is enjoying a large amount investment these days as the quality of life improves with more community involvement. Shelborne Development is spearheading the renovation of a number of Palmer Park's Art Deco apartment buildings, including La Vogue and Palmer Lodge, and working to establish mounted security patrols. Local residents are improving the area by planting sunflowers along Woodward Avenue, planting orchards in Palmer Park, building trails through the park and rebranding the area Uptown.

Downtown/Midtown Apt Blitz
Developers can't build new living options in Detroit's downtown or Midtown neighborhoods fast enough these days to keep up with skyrocketing demand. Some big projects came online in 2012, including the Broderick Tower, The Auburn and Newberry Hall. More are coming. Construction is in progress for the Sherbrooke Apts and Woodward Garden Block Apts and work is set to begin on the Whitney Building in a few weeks.

Momentum in The Villages
The people working to improve the The Villages scored some big wins in 2012. Those wins include developing plans for more greenways, sparking the pop-up retial store boom, Tashmoo Beirgarten's return, and landing a number of new businesses to take those spots in West Village. Look for The Villages to keep the momentum going in 2013.

Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction
This year set the record for the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction. This fall's auction featured more than 20,000 properties and sold more than 12,000. Local officials are working to turn these empty houses into new homes. What happens next to the thousands of unsold properties is becoming a bigger question that needs to be dealt with. Oh, and next year's auction is set to break all of those records again.

Honorable-mention projects include, Avalon's expansion plans, Buffalo Wild Wings moving downtown, the groundbreaking of WholeFoods, Reclaim Detroit's deconstruction efforts and the GAR Building rehab.

Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Hamtramck partners with Reclaim Detroit on home deconstruction

Model D Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Hamtramck is taking a lead role on Metro Detroit's fledgling home deconstruction industry. The inner-city suburb commissioned one of the first deconstructions last year from Reclaim Detroit and now has six more in the offing. The city is also applying to have another 40 homes deconstructed through the Michigan Land Bank.

Home deconstruction is an alternative to demolition for buildings beyond repair and renovation. When a building is razed, it only takes the efforts of a handful of unskilled workers and all of the byproducts goes to a landfill. Deconstructing a building creates more jobs (about 10-12 for a single-family home) and ensures that a vast majority of the building's materials are recycled.

"That's something we have been pursuing for a while," says Jason Friedmann, community & economic development director for the city of Hamtramck. "It helps keep the valuable materials out of a landfill. Some of these materials can't be found anymore, no matter what the price, like the old-growth lumber."

A house on Carpenter Street was one of the first to be deconstructed by Reclaim Detroit. That project created 18 jobs and the materials from it generated $40,000. Some of those materials ended up in places like the Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co cafe in Midtown.

The 40 homes in line for deconstruction next year are a combination of leftovers from last fall's Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction, city-owned houses beyond repair and privately owned homes that are either condemned or fire-damaged and have no insurance. Friedmann hopes to leverage the current six deconstructions set to happen this winter and 40 next year to help create more jobs in the city.

"A lot of skills that can be used to take apart a building can be used to put one back together," Friedmann says.

Source: Jason Friedmann, community & economic development director for the city of Hamtramck
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

City leaps to help in auction-house-demo disaster

Model D Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Kristine Diven got the shock of her life last week when she went to check on the house of her dreams and found a pile of rubble.

Diven is a 36-year-old photographer who co-owns an art gallery called District VII in Detroit's rivertown district with her partner, Micho Detronik. She moved to Detroit from New York City four years ago and she and her partner planned to put down roots in the Motor City this fall. (Full disclosure, Diven contacted this writer for advice about buying a tax foreclosure house last summer because of this writer's experience buying and rehabbing such buildings.)

The couple bought a vacant duplex and the lot next to it on Beaconsfield Street near Mack Avenue in East English Village at the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction for the auction's minimum bid of $500. Coincidentally, Detronik had done work on the house in recent years for a previous owner.

"We were blown away that we could get a home like that," Diven says. "It had a new roof. The basement had no cracks in the foundation. There was no water damage. All it needed was new electric and two new tubs. We estimated it would be take $8,000 to get it up in working order."

The house was open to the elements. Diven and Detronik were afraid the sale would be canceled if they did any work on the house before they had the deed, so they periodically drove past it and waited, but held off closing it up. When Diven went by on Thursday she found a pile of rubble where her house once stood. She still has yet to receive the deeds to the house or the vacant lot.

Later that day she posted a "Thanks Detroit" missive about what happened on her Facebook page (a similar note on WhyDontWeOwnThis can be found here) and the news spread quickly across social media. Within a few hours, she had dozens of comments on her original post and a helping hand extended by Karla Henderson, group executive for planning & facilities for the city of Detroit and one of Mayor Dave Bing's top lieutenants.

"Of course Kristine and her family are the kind of citizens we want to live in the city," Henderson posted on Facebook on Friday. "After speaking with her this morning and hearing all the wonderful things she is involved in, it would be our loss if she left. Please know that the City will work with her to find a comparable house. Although the City was not responsible for the demo, we feel it is the right thing to do."

Henderson explained that the demolition was executed by the Michigan Land Bank after getting the green light from the Wayne County Treasurer's Office. The demolition is part of Gov. Rick Snyder's initiative to demolish abandoned and dangerous homes within a half mile of specifically targeted schools in Southwest Detroit, the Bagley neighborhood on the city's West Side and in the Morningside/East English Village neighborhoods on the city's East Side. Diven's house was within a half mile of J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy, one of the schools used as a radius for the half-mile-dangerous-building demolition circle.

Kim Homan, executive director of the Michigan Land Bank, explains that her agency received the green light from the Wayne County Treasurer's Office last summer to demolish Diven's house on Beaconsfield, along with several others in the area. The house and several others were also on the auction list for this fall's Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction. Homan says Detroit firefighters had identified it as open, dangerous and irredeemable, and that her office executed the demolition as a way to help protect students walking to school.

"Our primary concern was the safety of the kids," Homan says.

Eric Sabree, deputy treasurer for land management at the Wayne County Treasurer's Office, confirmed those details, adding his office gave the Michigan Land Bank the greenlight to raze any dangerous buildings within a half-mile radius that were left over from the 2011 auction.

When those were done and the Michigan Land Bank requested more demolition candidates the treasurer's office gave the go ahead to begin the demolition process for properties that were coming up in this year's auction. Sabree says his records show the deed was recorded for Diven's property on Nov. 28 and the demolition was finished Nov 27.

"The decision to do this with the state land bank was made late in the process," Sabree says. "We knew it was risky."

He adds the sales for properties where buildings were demolished will be canceled; and next year if an auction property is on the demolition list it will be listed on the bidding website. In the meantime, Diven and her partner will not be held responsible for demolition costs and will be reimbursed their purchase price.

"They will get a refund, no doubt about it," Sabree says. "If there is property that no one bought (at the last auction) we will offer that to them."

Henderson's office at the City of Detroit is allowing Diven to go through its backlog of available homes in hopes of finding something at a comparable quality and price. Homan says the Michigan Land Bank is prepared to do the same and says the entire episode is regrettable.

"A thing like this is really unfortunate," Homan says. She adds her office routinely works to cross check her lists with those at the city, county and other local agencies. "We have a lot of trouble reconciling data with other agencies," Homan says.

Both Henderson and Homan say they are working to not only find a house-replacement solution that works for Diven but also to help prevent this sort of thing from happening again.

"We want residents with that spirit here," Henderson says. "Anything we can do to soften that blow we stand ready to do."

Source: Kristin Diven; Kim Homan, executive director of the Michigan Land Bank; Karla Henderson, group executive for planning & facilities for the city of Detroit; Eric Sabree, deputy treasurer for land management at the Wayne County Treasurer's Office
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Detroit Yacht Club Foundation aims to preserve DYC building

Model D Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Detroit Yacht Club has created a namesake foundation to help preserve its historic structure on Belle Isle.

The Detroit Yacht Club is a private sailing club founded in 1868 and its current Mediterranean-villa-style clubhouse was designed by George Mason (who also designed Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel and Detroit's Masonic Temple) and opened in 1923. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places last year.

The Detroit Yacht Club Foundation is a nonprofit that will focus on fundraising and coordinating the preservation of the yacht club's nearly 100-year-old clubhouse. Although the building itself is still sound, the foundation will focus on securing and preserving its envelope features, such as its roof, walls, doors and windows.

"All of these areas are 89 years old," says Mark Lifter, president of the Detroit Yacht Club Foundation. "With Michigan's freeze-and-thaw cycles, water always finds a way."

The Detroit Yacht Cub Foundation's first order of business is to conduct an engineering study of the building before moving forward with any improvements. In the meantime the foundation is working on raising money and resources from members and people with a connection to the yacht club.

"Over time, there are probably millions of people with a connection or an affinity for the Detroit Yacht Club," Lifter says.

Source: Mark Lifter, president of the Detroit Yacht Club Foundation
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Gilbert buys 10th building downtown, One Woodward

Model D Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Rock Ventures purchased it's 10th building in downtown Detroit yesterday, picking up the iconic One Woodward at the corner Woodward and Jefferson avenues.

World famous architect Minoru Yamasaki designed the 26-story office building, which was built in 1962. Yamasaki's work includes the former World Trade Center towers in New York City. One Woodward is considered an early version of the World Trade Center, which was built in the early 1970s.

Rock Ventures is the real-estate arm of the Quicken Loans family of companies, which are controlled by Quicken Loans Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert. The billionaire-owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers has bought and refurbished nine other buildings in downtown Detroit over the last few years, moving thousands of his employees into these office towers and helping spearhead the Central Business District's rebirth.

"The office space downtown is not abundant anymore," says Jim Ketai, managing partner of Bedrock Real Estate Services, the real-estate management company of the Quicken Loans family of companies that is overseeing the renovation of One Woodward. "We need more space."

One Woodward is 60 percent occupied with existing tenants. Ketai expects that number to hit the 90 percentile within the coming months as Bedrock Real Estate Services renovates the building and recruits new companies to fill it. Work began earlier this week and the first new tenants are expected to begin moving in within four weeks.

One Woodward is also an expansion of the footprint of Gilbert's cluster of downtown office towers. Gilbert has purchased buildings in the Lower Woodward corridor between Grand Circus Park and Campus Martius as part of an effort to turn that area into a hotbed for tech firms being branded as WebWard. That footprint now stretches south of Campus Martius to Jefferson, and more acquisitions are possible in the near future if the right opportunity presents itself.

Ketai says his team is looking for ways to better connect Gilbert's cluster of buildings with the nearby Riverwalk and Renaissance Center. "We would love to figure out how to bring everything together," Ketai says.

Source: Jim Ketai, managing partner of Bedrock Real Estate Services
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Woodward Garden Apts sprints toward opening next fall

Model D Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Construction is moving forward in earnest to complete the rest of the Woodward Garden Block between West Alexandrine and Selden streets in Midtown.

Workers are working on rehabbing the long-shuttered Woodward Garden Theater in the middle of the block and building the Woodward Garden Apartments at the corner of Woodward and Selden. The theater is set to open in May 2013 and the apartment building the following September.

"It is basically on schedule," says George Stewart, managing member of the development team for Woodward Garden Block. "We hope to have it all enclosed before the bad weather comes."

The Woodward Garden Block project has been a long time coming. A large section of office space in the middle of the block was renovated two years ago, along with the construction of a parking garage behind it. The old Blue Moon building at the corner of Woodward and West Alexandrine was gutted and opened as the new home for the Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co's signature cafe.

The Woodward Garden Theater will reopen as a 32,000-square-foot entertainment venue that can seat as many as 1,300 people. It was originally designed by C. Howard Crane (architect that designed the Fox Theatre) and has been derelict for many years.

A small one-story commercial building at the corner of Selden and Woodward was recently razed to make room for the 5-story Woodward Garden Apartments. The mixed-use building will feature room for ground floor commercial space and 61 apartments on the upper floors. The apartments will be a combination of market-rate one- and two-bedroom spaces. Workers have poured the concrete for the basement of the new building and are currently working on erecting its steel skeleton.

Source: George Stewart, managing member of the development team for Woodward Garden Block
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Shipping-container apts set to break ground in Woodbridge, Corktown

Model D Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Detroit's first shipping container building is about to break ground in Corktown.

Three Squared (formerly Exceptional Green Living) plans to begin building a couple model units of the larger multi-family project destined for Woodbridge in early 2013. The two live-work units will be made of old shipping containers. The units will go up on Michigan Avenue next to the Grinnell Place Lofts.

"We will have this entire model center framed in four hours," says Leslie Horn, CEO of Three Squared.

Three Squared, and the six people working to make it happen, plans to build out two areas of multi-family shipping container developments in Corktown and Woodbridge. The Woodbridge development will go up on the southeast corner of Warren Avenue and Rosa Parks Boulevard. It will consist of 20 units ranging in size between 853 and 1,920 square feet.

The second development will consist of 6-12 units at Michigan Avenue in Corktown. The units will first be marketed as for-sale condos that Horn describes as "extremely competitive with market-rate sales." If condo sales don't work, Horn is ready to go forward with construction of the projects and marketing the developments as rentals.

Shipping container construction is considered one of the greenest forms of construction because it reuses so much material. Such construction has been proven not only viable across the U.S. and around the world but popular.

"We know they will be LEED certifiable, gold or maybe platinum," Horn says. "But we won't go for certification until we have our first units up. We want to prove our concept as soon as possible."

Source: Leslie Horn, CEO of Three Squared
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Rehab moves forward at 1444 Michigan Ave. in Corktown

Model D Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The renovation of 1444 Michigan Ave. is moving forward in earnest, helping activate another storefront in Corktown.

The century-old storefront near the corner of Michigan and Trumbull avenues has been undergoing a slow renovation in recent years as its owner, Anthony O'Donnell, used his own resources to put on a new roof and make other structural improvements. He has now secured a six-figure loan from the Detroit Development Fund along with some other state and national tax credits, allowing him to completely rehab the structure.

O'Donnell lives on the second floor and small set-back third floor of the building. He plans to turn the ground floor into a eatery and is in talks with a local microbrewer, Batch Brewing Co, to open up a nano-brewery in the ground floor.

"We have been talking about that for a few months now," O'Donnell says.

The plan is to complete the facade restoration of the building before the end of the year and white-box the first-floor commercial space by mid-2013. O'Donnell plans to renovate the entire building and the garage behind it, which comes to about 14,000 square feet of space.

Source:Anthony O'Donnell, owner of 1444 Michigan Avenue
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Buffalo Wild Wings creates 100 new jobs with new downtown location

Model D Tuesday, November 06, 2012

When the new Buffalo Wild Wings opens in a few weeks in downtown Detroit it will create 100 jobs with the potential of bringing even more to Detroit.

Diversified Restaurant Holdings, which owns the Buffalo Wild Wings and Bagger Dave's franchises, began renovating the Odd Fellows building at the edge of Greektown early this year. The first two stories of the 4-story building at Monroe and Randolph streets will house a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant and bar. That space will be able to seat 380 people. The whole operation will employ 100 people. The Buffalo Wild Wings is set to open on Dec. 8 and hiring staff has already begun in earnest.

Diversified Restaurant Holdings is renovating the upper two stories of the building into office space. The Southfield-based company is seriously considering moving its headquarters to the 7,500 square feet of space, a move that could bring another 18 jobs to downtown.

"That is still to be determined," says Michael Ansley, president & CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings. "We're still thinking about it."

A decision is expected to be made by the new year. He adds that even if his company doesn't make the move the upper floors will be gutted and ready to be leased to someone else.

Diversified Restaurant Holdings has 11 Bagger Dave's, a hamburger restaurant franchise, across the Midwest. It also has 31 Buffalo Wild Wings franchises across the U.S. The downtown Detroit restaurant will be No. 32. Two more are expected to open elsewhere in the U.S. later this year.

Source: Michael Ansley, president & CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings
Writer: Jon Zemke

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First residents begin moving into Broderick Tower, Auburn Apts

Model D Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The first residents began moving into the Broderick Tower and the Auburn apartment building last weekend, making room for dozens of new residents in the greater downtown Detroit area.

The Broderick Tower is welcoming the most residents. The high-rise renovation at the cover of Woodward Avenue and Witherell Street overlooking Grand Circus Park is fully leased except for one of its units. That means at least 124 new homes will be coming online over the next few weeks. The last available unit is a 1,030-square-foot apartment on the ninth floor with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The asking price is $1,450 per month.

"It looks down the Woodward corridor," says Eric Novack, a spokesman for Motown Construction Partners. "It's a fantastic unit. It's one of my favorites, personally."

The Broderick Tower opened in 1927 as the Eaton Tower. The 34-story building, designed by Louis Kamper of the Book-Cadillac Hotel fame, became the Broderick Tower in 1944 and spent most of its life as office space for professionals, such as dentists. It went vacant in 1985 and became a signature haunt for urban spelunkers in the 1990s and 2000s. Over the last two years, Motown Construction Partners have been working to rehab the historic building into restaurant and bar spaces on the first two floors, offices on the third, fourth and fifth floors and luxury apartments in the rest of the building.

Contrast that with the Auburn. The 58-unit apartment building is a piece of new construction at the corner of Cass Avenue and Canfield Street in Midtown. The Roxbury Group began construction on the mixed-use structure last year, creating a space for eight small retailers on the ground floor and 54 one bedroom and four studio apartments one the second and third floors. The Auburn replaces a blighted vacant lot and derelict commercial building.

Leasing on the Auburn began a few weeks ago and the building's apartments are now 60 percent leased with only one-bedrooms left. All of the retail spaces are spoken for except one. The developers are hinting that the last space will be occupied by a coffee shop. They add that the Auburn has created 100 construction jobs over the last year and will be the home to another 15 jobs when all of the businesses are opened and the new residents are moved in.

"We will be staggering the move-ins over the next few weeks," says Michael Martorelli, sales and leasing manager for the Auburn.

Architects from downtown Detroit's Kraemer Design Group are engaged on both projects.

Source: Eric Novack, spokesman for the Broderick Tower and Michael Martorelli, sales and leasing manager for the Auburn
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Work begins on contemporary parking garage/retail space in downtown

Model D Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Rock Ventures, the real-estate arm of the Quicken Loans family of companies, is breaking ground this week on parking garage/retail development in downtown Detroit on what project organizers are calling the Z Lot.

The parking garage will replace two large surface parking lots on the block surrounded by Broadway and Library streets and East Grand River and Gratiot avenues. The two lots share an alleyway in the middle of the block, creating a Z-shape when combined and viewed from above.

The 9-story structure will measure in at 535,000 square feet. That includes space for 1,300 parking spaces and 33,000-square-feet of retail space on the ground floor.

"No matter what we do we will always do ground-floor retail," says Jim Ketai, managing partner with Bedrock Real Estate Services, which is quarterbacking the project. "We feel it's important to create that sort of urban vitality."

The project will employ a contemporary design that camouflages the parking-deck portion of the building. "It's not just a parking deck," Ketai says. "We challenged out architects."

The parking space will accommodate the growing number of downtown Detroit-based workers for the Quicken Loans family of companies. Many workers are currently being shuttled from other not-so-nearby structures to the Quicken offices in the Compuware, First National, Chase and M@dison buildings. Rock Ventures also has the option to develop the former Hudson Building site nearby, but Ketai says the parking spaces will not be a part of any proposal to develop that site. Work on the parking structure is expected to wrap up by late next year.

Source: Jim Ketai, managing partner with Bedrock Real Estate Services
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Cass Community Social Services begins rehab of Antisdel Apts

Model D Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Cass Community Social Services broke ground on a $10 million rehab on the city's near west side last week, breathing new life into a classic art deco apartment building.

The Arthur Antisdel Apartments is the latest addition to Cass Community Social Services' campus, which now covers a roughly four block area just west of the Lodge Freeway and several blocks south of the Davidson.

"We're trying to build on what we have started," says Faith Fowler, executive director of Cass Community Social Services.

The $10 million project will turn the 4-story apartment building at 1584 Elmhurst St. into 41 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless people. The project's goal is to provide homeless men and women with safe, secure, attractive and affordable housing that is within easy walking distance of Cass Community Social Services' headquarters and other services, such as educational and 12-step programs.

The project will thoughly rehab the entire building using a number of sustainable practices, such as finding a new use for an existing structure. The Arthur Antisdel Apartments will also incorporate a geothermal heating and cooling system, which is the gold star of green-building practices. The Arthur Antisdel Apartments will be the first homeless housing project in Michigan to utilize a geothermal system, according to Cass Community Social Services.

Construction is expected to begin in earnest in November.

Source: Faith Fowler, executive director of Cass Community Social Services
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe opens in Brush Park

Model D Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Detroit welcomed another grocery store to its well-established and growing mix of supermarkets last weekend when Ye Olde Butcher Shopped opened its doors in Midtown.

The independent grocery story is the work of Michael and Peter Solaka. The brothers are recreating the famed supermarket experience their father created with his grocery store of the same name in Lafayette Park in the 1970s and '80s. The supermarket will feature both everyday staples and high-end items.

"We're an urban grocery store, so we won't have everything," says Michael Solaka, co-owner of Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe. "We're trying to have a good mix of everyday items and finer items as well. It will have all the stuff you need to cook a great meal."

Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe is opening in the former Zaccaro's Market space at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Watson Street in Brush Park. The reconfigured space aims to better serve customers with things like its "City Basics" department, which has everything from paper and cleaning products, seasonal items, kitchen and cooking gadgets, and other sundries for the growing residential market.

Contrast that with some of its more gourmet options, such as fresh bagels and smoked fish offered with an option of a newspaper like The New York Times on Sundays. There will also be an in-house butcher among the staff of 15 people. The space will also include an outdoor patio on the north side of the building.

Source: Michael Solaka, co-owner of Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Collision Works aims to create shipping container hotel

Model D Tuesday, October 30, 2012

More construction development for Eastern Market is on the drawing boards now that the Collision Works is moving forward.

Collission Works aims to build a boutique hotel made of used shipping containers on the east side of the Dequindre Cut near Division Street. The 16,000-square-foot structure will include 36 hotels rooms, 3,000 square feet of event space and a large outdoor courtyard.

"It's a boutique hotel and community work space built around storytelling," says Shel Kimen, founder & CEO of Collision Works. "It's a place to let people tell their stories and to give these stories a home. The idea is when people of different perspectives and backgrounds come together interesting things happen."

One of the main places where these sorts of conversations and connections will be happening is in the hotel's co-working space. The communal office space will be big enough to accommodate between 15-20 people.

Kimen worked in digital design and strategy for an advertising agency before taking on this project. She has a degree in architecture and design from Michigan State University and sees Collision Works as a great opportunity to put those skills to use while enhancing the community. She is currently working with the city to acquire the land and alternative lenders to secure financing for the project, which she hopes will break ground midway through next year and be done by spring of 2014.

"We're making headway with the seed funding," Kimen says.

Source: Shel Kimen, founder & CEO of Collision Works
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

What's next for 8,000 properties left over from tax auction?

Model D Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The second Wayne County Tax Foreclosure auction came and went last week, leaving lots of people with new properties to take care of and a lot of statistics.

Model D tapped Jerry Paffendorf, co-founder of Whydontweownthis, which has been following the auctions closely, for some statistics from this year's auction.

Approximately 22,500 properties in Wayne County went into foreclosure this year for not paying taxes. A vast majority of those properties are inside the city of Detroit. About 2,000 of those were withdrawn from the auction by the county. Normally, properties are withdrawn because the county has worked out a payment plan with the owners or the owners have repaid the overdue taxes.

Of the 20,000-plus properties that went to auction, nearly 12,000 sold. Another 8,686 properties were not bid on during the county's two foreclosure auctions. Bidding in the first auction in September starts at the amount of back taxes and bidding during the second auction in October for properties left over from the first auction starts at $500. Last year, Wayne County re-offered similar leftover properties in a third auction. What happens to those leftover properties that no one wants is unclear.

"It's so confusing, so confusing," Paffendorf says.

The Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction netted $49,975,566 in bids this fall. The total sum of overdue taxes in this year's auction stands at $275,521,615. That leaves a tax collection gap of $225,546,049 in unpaid property taxes. The lion's share of those taxes are for properties in Detroit.

Source: Jerry Paffendorf, co-founder of WhyDontWeOwnThis.com
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Spaulding Court rehab brings new residents to North Corktown

Model D Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Work on the rehab of Spaulding Court is starting to gain traction as more units in the apartment building in North Corktown come online and more people take residence there.

So far five of the complex's 20 units are renovated and occupied. About a dozen people live in what was once such a stereotypical piece of Detroit blight that it shared the stage with the Michigan Central Stadium in an Eminem video. Today those people are creating a grass roots community that is breathing new life into the complex's two structures of stone row houses.

The Friends of Spaulding Court, the organization behind the renovation, is now trying to raise funds to finish the rehab of a few more units this year. "If we can get five done by summertime that would exceed our expectations," says Jon Koller, president of the Friends of Spaulding Court.

The immediate goal is to rehab one vacant and one occupied unit while a third unit waits in the wings. Residential units are the priority but the Friends of Spaulding Court sees potential for small scale commercial or community space in the future.

"We're trying to get it done with rough finishes and have it insulated and warm before Thanksgiving," Koller says.

For information on the project, click here.

Source: Jon Koller, president of the Friends of Spaulding Court
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Roxbury Group plans to rehab riverfront's Globe Building

Model D Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Roxbury Group is taking on the redevelopment of the Globe Building overlooking Detroit's Riverwalk, a move that will expand the nearby Milliken State Park.

The Globe Building is a large industrial structure at the corner of Atwater Street and the Dequindre Cut, and across the street from the Milliken State Park. Henry Ford once worked in the building before starting Ford Motor Co. It has been vacant and derelict for many years as a few redevelopment proposals have fizzled, including a conversion to condos.

Now The Roxbury Group is partnering with Walbridge (which will handle the construction of the project) and the state of Michigan (which will make it part of Milliken State Park) to shrink and renovate the building.

The Globe Building is actually a hodgepodge of buildings that have been cobbled together over the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It currently stands at about 100,000 square feet but part of it will be demoed to make the building viable for the 21st Century.

"It's going to be a mix of old and new," says David Di Rita, principal of The Roxbury Group. "When it's done it will be 43,000 square feet."

The new space will house room for exhibits about the area's history and natural resources. It will also have spaces for youth education and activities, such as archery ranges. "It's going to be an integral part of Milliken State Park when it's done," Di Rita says. He adds that he hopes to begin work on the project before the year is out.

Source: David Di Rita, principal of The Roxbury Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Wayne County Tax Auction attracts thousands of bidders in Detroit

Model D Tuesday, October 23, 2012

More and more money is pouring into the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction this week.

As of Monday evening, $8.5 million has been bid on 5,694 properties in this week's auction. So far 730 bidders have purchased 2,622 properties in both the current auction and the previous auction in September. This week's auction is offering up just under 20,000 properties that range from single-family homes to apartment buildings to industrial complexes. A vast majority of these properties are located in Detroit.

Jerry Paffendorf is a co-founderer of Loveland Technologies, a Corktown-based software startup that owns WhyDontWeOwnThis.com. The website has been tracking the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure auctions for the last two years, mapping the properties and making the maze of information in the auction easily accessible to everyone. Here are some thoughts about this month's auction so far:

• There's a new biggest buyer, with 137 up near state fairgrounds: Benjamin Brothers;

• It looks like the Power House Project picked up 17 properties.

• It appears that Dennis Kefallinos bought another big building in Corktown. Kefallinos is a both a prominent and controversial developer in Detroit who owns several high-profile properties, including the Russell Industrial Center and Niki's Pizza in Greektown. He bought the Roosevelt Hotel near Slows at the county tax foreclosure auction two years ago

• Paffendorf toured 20 empty homes that are up for auction Monday, meeting maybe 15 neighbors. "None of them had any clue the auction was happening," Paffendorf wrote in an email.

• So far there are still 12,875 properties without bid, so things are roughly on track for 10,000 to be left behind. Tracking them after auction and helping to virtually land bank them will be interesting and important.

Source: Jerry Paffendorf, co-founder of WhyDontWeOwnThis.com
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Midtown's Sherbrooke Apts renovation lands key state funds

Model D Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Sherbrooke Apartments project in Midtown recently received a key piece of funding that will allow the renovation to continue to move forward.

The $2.4 million project recently received a nearly $600,000 Community Revitalization Program grant from the State of Michigan. The performance-based grant is the replacement for the historic tax credit program that was phased out when the state overhauled and simplified its business tax code. The City of Detroit is also expected to approved a 12-year tax abatement for the project worth $842,413.

"It (the Community Revitalization Program grant) is absolutely crucial," says Lis Knibbe, developer of the Sherwood Apartments project. "Without that subsidy, you can't do this. The numbers just don't work."

The Sherbrooke Apartments opened in 1913 geared toward providing larger, luxury units. It was later chopped into several smaller units before going vacant in recent years. Knibbe, who is also a principal at Quinn Evans Architects, and her partners began renovating the building at the corner of Second Avenue and West Hancock Street earlier this year.

Knibbe and her team are turning the apartment building into six 1-bedroom and eight 2-bedroom units with the potential of combining some of the 1- and 2-bedroom units into a large 3-bedroom apartment. The project will restore the original woodwork in the building, along with a number of smaller original details. It will add a geothermal heating system, restore the building's original windows and provide a balcony or private outdoor space for each unit that is above ground. Rents will range between $850 and $1,500 per month and the project looks to service students and professionals at the nearby Wayne State University. Work is expected to wrap up by the end of this year.

Source: Lis Knibbe, developer of the Sherwood Apartments
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Whitney Building renovation steps into the construction starting blocks

Model D Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The David Whitney building is crouched and ready to begin the long construction run toward a total renovation.

The Roxbury Group expects construction will begin within the coming weeks as it races to finish the last of the paperwork details for the renovation of the downtown Detroit skyscraper.

"We are very close to completing our financing on the project," says David Di Rita, principal of The Roxbury Group. "All of the financial resources have been identified. It's our intent to get construction underway before the end of this year."

The David Whitney building opened in 1915. The 19-story skyscraper overlooking Grand Circus Park was designed by Daniel Burnham, who also designed New York's Flatiron building and Union Station. Then it was occupied by retailers on the first few floors and offices for doctors and dentists and other professionals on the upper floors. It's signature is a majestic atrium in the center of the building.

The building has been vacant for years but is now being redeveloped into a mix of space for retailers, a boutique hotel and apartments on the top floors. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide plans to open one of its Aloft hotels in the building. The hotel will feature 136 rooms in a loft-style design.

Source: David Di Rita, principal of The Roxbury Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

PNC Bank nears completion of Midtown branch rehab

Model D Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The finishing touches are going on the newly renovated PNC Bank branch in Midtown, which is part of a larger expansion into the Detroit market by the multi-national bank.

For years PNC Bank had a drab little branch at the corner of Woodward Avenue and West Alexandrine Street. That began to change earlier this year when the surrounding neighborhood hit a tipping point development wise. The Detroit Medical Center began its expansion across Woodward. Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co opened across West Alexandrine. Now there are rumblings of the redevelopment of the big vacant apartment building behind the branch.

"We have to make certain we were a part of (the rebirth of the neighborhood)," says Mike Bickers, executive vice president of retail banking for PNC Bank. "The first part is the interior, which has been totally revamped. The next step is the outside."

He adds the renovation of the 3,000-square-foot building is "basically done" with a few remaining loose ends being tied up this month. The revamped branch joins PNC Bank's 10 other branches in Detroit and Hamtramck. The newest one is a community branch at 7 Mile and Evergreen roads on the city's West Side, which opened last week.

"That branch is about low-to-moderate-income, community-based banking," Bickers says. He explains that the branch will focus a lot on financial education that helps people establish bank accounts and a credit history rather than taking paychecks to check-cashing places.

PNC Bank is also looking to open a full-service branch at 8 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue next summer. The branch will consist of ATMs, drive-thru lanes and other regular banking amenities. It will be part of the Gateway Marketplace development, which is set to be anchored by stores from Meijer and Marshalls.

Source: Mike Bickers, executive vice president of retail banking for PNC Bank
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Local attorney brings more Brush Park apts online with The Edmund

Model D Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Deciding whether or not to save a classic Victorian mansion in Brush Park is pretty easy for Michael VanOverbeke.

The attorney established his practice (VanOverbeke, Michaud & Timmony) in a restored Brush Park mansion at 79 Alfred St. and played a key role in the redevelopment of 48 Edmund Place into a Victorian-house-turned-apartment-building. So finishing the redevelopment of 104 Edmund Place after it fell victim to the housing market collapse was a no-brainer.

"I was concerned about it falling by the wayside," VanOverbeke says. "I wanted to save it and complete it."

The original redevelopment of the huge Victorian mansion and accompanying carriage houses called for turning them into for-sale condos. VanOverbeke and his partners changed course, creating high-end apartments and rebranding the development The Edmund.

"We decided in this market it's better to go rentals," VanOverbeke says.

The Edmund now consists of nine apartments. The main building, which dates back to the 1870s, measures in at 11,000 square feet. It has six apartments, including the three-bedroom, 2.5-bath penthouse. The two carriage houses (both new construction) consist of three apartments between them. Prices range from $1,000 per month for a one-bedroom to $2,250 per month for the penthouse.

The Edmund is currently taking reservations for its rentals and expects to begin moving in the first residents by late November. For information, call 313-623-2461.

Source: Michael VanOverbeke, managing member of The Edmund
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Historic Ford plant offices in Highland Park inline for renovation

Metromode Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Woodward Avenue Action Association has big plans for the historic Ford Plant in Highland Park, starting with the redevelopment of the administrative office building and executive garage overlooking Woodward Avenue just south of McNichols Road.

The 4-story building served as the offices for Henry Ford at the critical time when he was developing the assembly line and creating the $5 workday in the early 20th Century. The building no longer serves as an office complex and has fallen into disrepair.

"We want to stabilize it," says Heather Carmona, executive director of the Woodward Avenue Action Association. "We want to make sure we don't lose it. This is the most historically-significant building in the state and one of the top 5 in the country."

The Woodward Avenue Action Association has received a $400,000 grant from the State of Michigan to purchase the building. A sale price of $550,000 has been agreed to and the Woodward Avenue Action Association plans to raise the money to close the gap.

The 40,000-squar-foot building is at 14329 Woodward and stands next to a shopping center and in front of the former Ford industrial plant, which still has tenants. The Woodward Avenue Action Association plans to redevelop the office building into a museum about Henry Ford, the plant and how they changed the world in the early 20th Century. The nonprofit also plans to turn the building into its new home and create office space for businesses that would help make the project viable.

"Obviously it needs to be sustainable," Carmona says. "It just can't be a museum."

Source: Heather Carmona, executive director of the Woodward Avenue Action Association
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Thoughts, advice for upcoming Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction

Model D Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Chances are that if you're reading this you are at least interested in buying one of the nearly 20,000 properties that will be up for grabs at the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction that begins this weekend.

Congrats, you are about to embark on a business venture that comes with both high risk and high reward. Allow me to offer some insight into the the land of buying a house in Detroit for as little as $500. Please keep in mind that while I have purchased a handful of properties through Wayne County's tax foreclosure auctions over the last two years, I am not an attorney. With that said, please take my advice with a grain of salt and think about the following:

- Contact an attorney. You will need help figuring out exactly what your rights and obligations are as a new property owner, what type of deed you have, etc.
- Go to the place you're looking at during the night to make sure you are still comfortable there.
- Double check the property boundaries. I have literally accidentally bought a building when I thought I was buying a vacant lot because I didn't realize where the property lines were located.
- Do not go inside the property until you have the deed. If it's abandoned and wide open I doubt anyone will make a fuss if you secure it, but realize it's not yours until you have the deed.
- Go into the auction with a couple of places you would like to buy so if one doesn't work out you have a backup.
- If it's your first time, just buy one. Remember you are getting what you pay for. A house that sells for as little as $500 also means it is a huge project that will more than likely cost tens of thousands of dollars to make it a comfortable home.
- Expect to do things like replace the roof, rewire the electrical, install a new furnace, etc. If someone hasn't been able to pay the taxes for years that means they have been letting the maintenance slide for much longer.
- Wayne County can nix the sale for any reason until you have the deed.
- When you have the deed, go knock on the door with a friend in the middle of the day. If someone answers the door be friendly and calmly explain who you are and your intentions for the property. Hope for a reasonable person who will work with you.
- If someone is living there that means the place is still their home even if you are the new property owner. You can't go inside unless they give you permission. If they are uncooperative, then you should speak to an attorney about the eviction process. This is a foreclosure so the eviction process will take longer.
- Clean up the property as soon as possible after taking possession. This is a great way to casually meet your new neighbors.
- Contact the local police station and let them know that you bought the place and your plans for it.
- Contact the Detroit Water & Sewerage Dept to have the water turned on, bill straightened out, etc. Because the property was foreclosed on, you are not liable for previous water bills prior to the foreclosure.
- You will have to pay the 2012 taxes on the property by the end of the year. This auction only wipes out the taxes prior to this year.
- Become a constant presence at the house. Check it multiple times a day if you can, even if it's just to walk through and make sure everything is fine. Make sure you check it at different times so you avoid a pattern.

Also realize that you are not the first person to do this. Ask around to family, co-workers, friends and friends of friends for advice or information.

For specifics on a property, I like to use Zillow.com to get a rough idea about things like square footage and taxes. WhyDontWeOwnThis.com provides a bevy of great information about the auction properties, including its easy-to-use mapping system. Its comments feed is a great place to learn more, too.

There are also a few local blogs that are helpful. "A $500 House" is about a young man who bought his new home at an earlier auction. "Redemption in Corktown" shows what it takes to bring a forlorn foreclosure back to life.

Writer: Jon Zemke
Source: Jon Zemke's experience

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REVOLVE retail program launches out of West Village with Tashmoo

Model D Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation launched its new retail business program, Detroit REVOLVE, out of West Village last weekend, leveraging the year's first Tashmoo Biergarten weekend as a backdrop.

Detroit REVOLVE allows the DEGC to partner with neighborhood stakeholders to create pop-retail shops with an eye for establishing permanent stores there in the not-too-distant future.

"Our goal is to help transform vacant storefronts into vibrant spaces," says Michael Forsyth, business development manager for the DEGC. "We want to do that with temporary businesses and art. We want to turn them into full-time businesses."

Detroit REVOLVE works with community leaders, building owners, entrepreneurs, and artists to fill the vacant commercial spaces. In West Village, the program created two spaces for pop-up retailers. Coffee and Donuts (a cafe) and PRAMU (a store that sells Detroit-centric clothing) are the first temporary businesses to go into vacant storefronts in the ground floor of an apartment building at Van Dyke and Parker streets.

"(These businesses) have all the ingredients for success," Forsyth says. "You have a setting of cohesive, vibrant space. You have high demand from the community and you have great building owners."

Detroit REVOLVE plans to match more aspiring entrepreneurs with more artists and building owners not only in The Villages but throughout the city. The goal is to create a buzz in these commercial districts that will help them support long-term businesses.

Source: Michael Forsyth, business development manager for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Detroit solicits applications for new owner of Lafayette Towers

Model D Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Looking for your chance to own a major of architecture by one of the world's most renowned architects? Detroit has your opportunity.

The city has taken control of the Lafayette Towers, a marquee part of the Lafayette Park neighborhood designed by world-famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The apartment building had been foreclosed on by the U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development and handed over to the city of Detroit to find a new owner. The Detroit Economic Growth Corp is soliciting redevelopment proposals for the city.

This high-rise apartment complex consists of two, 22-story buildings on nearly 10 acres of green space. The complex offers 584 market-rate apartments, along with a fitness center, laundry room, community space, pool and parking garage. A solid majority of the complex is leased and the city is looking for a developer with deep pockets to take over the complex and maintain it as a residential area.

"Somebody has to come in with a minimum of $16 million in financing," says Bob Rossbach, a spokesman for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. "This is a going concern that is significantly rented."

For information on the request for proposals send an email to tdsmith@degc.org or click here.

Source: Bob Rossbach, a spokesman for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Detroit seeks proposals to redevelop downtown Fire Dept HQ

Model D Tuesday, October 02, 2012

The city of Detroit is preparing to release a formal request for proposals for the city's soon-to-be former Fire Dept. headquarters in downtown.

The Detroit Fire Dept has called 250 W. Larned St. home since the building was constructed in 1929. The 5-story structure at the corner of Washington Blvd. features 62,910 square feet. The building is zoned PCA, Restricted Central Business District and could accommodate a high-density re-development.

"We want something that will complement downtown," says Brad Dick, director of the General Services Dept for the city of Detroit. "It could be mixed-use, like condos with a business downstairs."

The Detroit Fire Department is preparing to move to the city's new public safety headquarters in the former MGM Casino on the west end of downtown next summer. It will completely vacate its current home during the move.

Jones Lang LaSalle is acting as the city's agent in this process. It is playing up the site's proximity to the newly renovated Cobo Hall and the People Mover. Financial incentives are also available for the redevelopment. The city has been floating the idea of redeveloping the site for several weeks and has conducted about 20 walk-throughs to potential developers. The city hopes to have a deal in place within the next 9-12 months.

"We'd like to have an agreement to do something as soon as possible," Dick says.

For information, contact Sterling Howard at 313-967-4108 or at sterling.howard@am.jll.com.

Source: Brad Dick, director of the General Services Dept for the city of Detroit
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Boston-Edison mansions receive federally funded TLC

Model D Tuesday, October 02, 2012

The push to renovate a baker's dozen of mansions in Boston-Edison is heading toward its home stretch now that two of the homes have been renovated and the remaining 11 are set to be done by January.

The city is partnering with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Detroit Land Bank to turn 13 mansions in the Boston-Edison into a high-end, sustainable homes that will remain viable places for middle-class families to live for decades. The project is leveraging millions of dollars in federally-funded Neighborhood Stabilization Funds on the project with an average investment of a little more than $200,000 per house.

Each house is for sale and goes for its appraised value. Most of the list prices are about $100,000. These homes are also available to the city's Project 14 program, which focuses on moving more city employees, such as police officers, into the city. Some families have already purchased the finished homes and begun to move in.

"We're excited that people are seeing this as a vibrant and vital neighborhood," says Marja Winters, deputy director of Planning & Development Dept. at the City of Detroit.

Each home has high-end features in both its aesthetics and sustainable core systems. Each house has Energy Star appliances, granite countertops, comprehensive insulation and a number of other sustainable features.

"Some of these even have geothermal (heating and cooling systems) that make it much more sustainable and viable in the longterm," Winters says.

Source: Marja Winters, deputy director of Planning & Development Dept at the city of Detroit
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Highland Park erects tribute statue along Woodward Ave

Model D Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The third Woodward Tribute statue is up and glowing, this time in Highland Park. It joins similar tall, cylindrical sculptures in Ferndale and Pontiac.

The statues are part of the Woodward Avenue Action Association's Tribute Project, which is installing these sorts of sculptures along Michigan's Main Street as way to promote the corridor's history and culture through public art. The 30-foot-high columns are made mainly of glass and concrete.

The Highland Park Woodward Tribute sits at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Gerald Street in a median on Gerald. It is framed by a mural on a drug store behind it that depicts the smoke stacks of the Ford plant where the $5 workday was made famous in the early 20th Century. The Woodward Tribute has images of a $5 bill and a dense figure in a top hat that looks like Henry Ford.

"It's (theme is about) what happened in the area," says Heather Carmona, executive director of the Woodward Avenue Action Association. "It's the story of Woodward."

Portions of these sculptures are being paid for by National Scenic Byway grants. The Woodward Avenue Action Association is still making plans to build another Woodward Tribute in Oakland County near the Royal Oak area and in the city of Detroit.

"That's our next target," Carmona says. "Where exactly we don't know."

Source: Heather Carmona, executive director of the Woodward Avenue Action Association
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction kicks off this week

Model D Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Get ready for the the 2012 edition of the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction. This year's auction is both bigger, more widespread and set to kick off by the end of this week.

The Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction has traditionally been held in real-time until 2010 when the vast number of properties up for sale forced its move to online sales. The 2010 auction set records with thousands of tax foreclosed properties for sale. Then last year's auctions beat those records with more than 10,000 properties up for auction. And now this year's auction is set of shatter those with just over 22,000 properties up for sale, and about 20,000 of those are in Detroit.

"It quite literally touches every single neighborhood in Detroit," says Jerry Paffendorf, co-founder of Loveland Technologies, which debuted a website last year (WhyDontWeOwnThis.com) that mapped all of those properties in Detroit. He adds that every Detroit resident will more than likely know of a tax foreclosed property near them or someone buying one because the auction is so far reaching.

He adds that auction could represent the largest change of hands of property in the city in one small time period (about one month) to date. To him it speaks to the challenges the city is facing in regards to land use, neighborhood stabilization and bevy of other issues impacting local citizens.

Paffendorf says the situation has interest in this year's auction has risen considerably. He wouldn't be surprised if larger investors descend on the auction and alter the playing field in a sale process that has traditionally been dominated by smaller investors.

"Don't be surprised if somebody buys everything," Paffendorf says, referencing one investor who bought every tax foreclosed property for sale in Macomb County last summer for a few million dollars. "I have to assume this will be the biggest auctions ever in terms of sales."

For information on the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Auction, click here.

Source: Jerry Paffendorf, co-founder of Loveland Technologies
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Stella Cafe hires Reclaim Detroit to revamp Fisher Building location

Model D Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Reclaim Detroit is starting to make multiple visible impacts across the Motor City.

The deconstruction/recycling program run by the WARM Training Center finds a new use for just about all of the materials from buildings that would normally be razed and sent to a landfill. It used century-old wood recycled from a deconstructed home in Hamtramck to build out the interior of Great Lakes Coffee Roasting House in Midtown. Reclaim Detroit has been hired to renovate the Stella International Cafe in the Fisher Building in a similar way.

"It will use reclaimed materials but if will have our own unique style," says Kevin Borsay, co-owner of Stella International Cafe. "Wood can have many different looks."

Work has begun on the small coffee house in New Center and is expected to be wrapped up by October. Reclaim Detroit will use a wide variety of recycled building materials and unearth the space's original terrazzo flooring.

"It's going to look more modern, more design-centric," Borsay says.

Stella International Cafe employs five people and plans to hire two more when it reopens in October. It is also looking at making some upgrades with Reclaim Detroit to its Guardian Building location in downtown.

Source: Kevin Borsay, co-owner of Stella International Cafe
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Young people tackle re-imagining and redefining Detroit

Model D Tuesday, August 28, 2012

A large group of young people with creative ideas to re-imagine Detroit gathered for the [de-fine] Detroit event in M@dison Building last week.

The event is the culmination of a creative competition a few dozen young people from Quicken Loans, Rock Ventures and ROSSETTI, along with students from Lawrence Technological University and the University of Detroit Mercy. The 20-plus participants created a variety of plans they see to re-imagine empty spaces in downtown Detroit and redefine how the Motor City is perceived.

Kelly Deines, Principal and Design Director at ROSSETTI, says the bottom line is to begin a conversation that will take Detroit into its future where young people repopulate its urban core and work to revitalize the city.

"You have got to dream to begin with," Deines says. "Every city that anyone cares about started with a dream."

The [de-fine] Detroit competition encouraged its participants to express their vision and experiences of the city through art. That creative process included a rap performance, architectural drawings with new proposals for old buildings and a number of other creative expressions on how to redefine Detroit.

"The question becomes what's the next phase?" Deines says. "We're not done."

Source: Kelly Deines, Principal and Design Director at ROSSETTI
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Work begins on Sherbrooke Apartments renovation in Midtown

Model D Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The Sherbrooke Apartments is coming full circle this year. The apartment building in Midtown started out as plush, luxury units nearly a century ago before being chopped up into smaller, cheaper units. It was vacant for a few years before a local developer began transforming the apartment building back into high-end units.

"It was originally an elegant building," says Lis Knibbe, a principal at Quinn Evans Architects and the developer of the Sherbrooke Apartments. "We want to bring back a little bit of that elegance."

The Sherbrooke Apartments opened in 1913 as six units at the corner of Second Avenue and West Hancock Street. They were designed for upper-middle-class tenants living only blocks away from the present Wayne State University. "Given the size and the quality of these units, they were definitely upper-middle-class units," Knibbe says. "All of these units had maid's rooms."

Knibbe and her team are turning the apartment building into six 1-bedroom and eight 2-bedroom units with the potential of combining some of the 1- and 2-bedroom units into a large 3-bedroom apartment. Rents will range between $850 and $1,500 per month.

The $3 million project will restore the original woodwork in the building, along with a number of smaller original details. It will add a geothermal heating system and provide a balcony or private outdoor space for each unit that is above ground. Work is expected to wrap up by the end of this year.

Source: Lis Knibbe, developer of the Sherbrooke Apartments
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Broderick Tower creates dozens of jobs as it nears completion

Model D Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The renovation of the Broderick Tower is nearing completion and the jobs created by the $33 million project in downtown Detroit are starting to add up.

Construction on the Broderick Tower began nearly two years ago and it's set to welcome its first residents in September. The project necessitated about 350,000 work hours, which translates to about an average of 100 jobs per month for both skilled and unskilled workers for the length of the 20-month renovation, according to the developers behind the project. The building will have a permanent staff of 10 people maintaining the former office tower.

The Broderick Tower opened in 1927 as the Eaton Tower. The 34-story building, designed by Louis Kamper, became the Broderick Tower in 1944 and spent most of its life as office space for professionals, such as dentists. It went vacant in 1985 and became a signature haunt for urban spelunkers in the 1990s and 2000s.

The renovation will turn the Broderick Tower into a combination of restaurants and bars on the ground floor, office space on the first few lower floors and luxury apartments on the higher floors. It joins the redevelopment of the adjacent M@dison Building into office space for tech start-ups and the pending renovation of the nearby Whitney Building into a boutique hotel and apartments.

"It's adding to what's becoming an emerging district," says Eric Novack, a spokesman for Motown Construction Partners, which is redeveloping the Broderick Tower. "This is just the beginning."

So far 100 of the 124 units are reserved, including all of the penthouse units. The apartment residents will move into the building first. The office space and ground floor commercial space will open later this year.

Source: Eric Novack, a spokesman for Motown Construction Partners
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Gilbert gives updates for projects in downtown Detroit

Model D Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Quicken Loans Chairman Dan Gilbert took questions about his other downtown Detroit projects at the Title Source-moves-downtown press conference last week. Here is a quick grab bag of updates on what he and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation President & CEO George Jackson spoke about.

M-1 light rail line: Both Gilbert and local officials, such as Jackson, continue to speak confidently that the hard-fought-for streetcar line between the Detroit River and New Center would soon get the green light to begin construction. They didn't indicate an announcement about the project's approval was pending but didn't say the process was moving backward either.

Woodward Avenue retail: The Gilbert team continues to work toward reinvigorating the section of Woodward between Campus Martius and Grand Circus Park with dynamic retail. He did indicate that announcements of opening businesses would happen in groups instead of individually so the retailers would be better positioned for success. Gilbert also announced that his team has recently hired a handful of urban planning experts from outside of Michigan to help with the retail roll out. "That's really our focus right now," Gilbert says.

Downtown rental housing demand: Gilbert is bullish on downtown Detroit's worst kept secret: the sharp uptick in demand for rental housing in the greater downtown area. "The market is there," Gilbert says. "There are a lot of people in their 20s who want to come to downtown but it's sold out."

Possible future building acquisitions: Opportunity is the driving force behind Gilbert's building acquisition plan. Many of the nearly one dozen structures his team has purchased in a relatively short amount of time happened because it was the right opportunity at the right time at the right price. He says his team will look at adding more properties when the right opportunities present themselves. "A lot of these opportunities just came to us," Gilbert says. "A lot of (foreclosing) lenders approached us. This was the low-hanging fruit."

State help for Detroit's other large parks: Jackson says the negotiations about the State of Michigan helping the City of Detroit maintain and upgrade Belle Isle are ongoing, declining to say much more. He adds that similar talks are not going on about Detroit's other major parks, such as Rouge Park and Fort Wayne, but a deal on Belle Isle could be used as a template for future partnerships with those parks.

Source: Dan Gilbert, chairman of Quicken Loans and George Jackson, president & CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Kraemer Design Group updates buildings on Woodward Avenue

Model D Tuesday, June 26, 2012

New designs are soon to be seen on Woodward Avenue thanks to Kraemer Design Group, PLC. KDG has been selected as the architect, Historic Consultant, and interior designer for Bedrock Real Estate Service property located at 1528 Woodward Avenue- the former United Foundation Building.

The building was constructed in 1916 and received a major renovation in 1960 when it became the headquarters for the United Foundation. The modern renovation included a full height aluminum curtainwall on the front façade and "Mad Men" era interiors for the second floor corporate offices.

The second building being redesigned by KDG is the former Lane Bryant building at 1520 Woodward. KDG will provide the same architectural, historic consulting, and interior designing services to this building as the aforementioned project. This building was built in 1909, and received its façade renovation in 1945 in the Art Deco Style.

Writer: Leah Johnson

Link Detroit project receives $10 million grant for non-motorized transit

Model D Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it will provide Link Detroit with $10 million to improve bike and pedestrian connections between the Eastern Market, the Dequindre Cut, Midtown Loop and Hamtramck greenways.

The funds are coming from the TIGER Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program.

(Editor's note: check out some photos and renderings in this week's Buzz item.

Senator Carl Levin made a statement regarding the grant saying "It will help generate construction jobs immediately, and more jobs in the future as it spurs development in and around Detroit."

Speaking of Eastern Market, Senator Debbie Stabenow says she is excited for the added improvements, especially since "Eastern Market is already a hub for economic activity."

For Eastern Market, planned improvements include streetscape enhancements, improved bicycle and transit facilities, landscaping and pedestrian lights. It’s also the city’s goal is to replace the Adelaide and Division Street bridges just east of the market.

Source: Jonathan Oosting
Writer: Leah Johnson

Chalmers Sq. Project ready to be unveiled

Model D Tuesday, June 19, 2012

After a 10-year effort, Jefferson East Business Association (JEBA) and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) are ready to unveil the Chalmers Sq. Project. This is a $7 Million reconstruction project in the Historic Jefferson-Chalmers Business District.

Originally, these were three vacant buildings, with one building having only three walls and no roof. They have been renovated into 47 family-style apartments with 17,000 square feet of new commercial space.

JEBA assisted in getting the building transferred from the city to a private developer and performed Phase 1 environmental site assessment on the properties and worked to help secure pre-development financing.

Earlier this month, JEBA hosted the Jazzin’ on Jefferson event. Congressman Hansen Clarke and MSHDA Director Edwin Harlin took the stage for the official unveiling of this important eastside development.

The Chalmers Square Project is developed by Shelbourne Department and Malino Construction. MSHDA, the City of Detroit, and Local Initiative Support Corporation were major project supporters.

Source: Eve Doster and Lisa Hardwick
Writer: Leah Johnson

Midtown's Knicker Bocker Apts continues improvements to grounds

Model D Tuesday, June 05, 2012

The little things are starting to add up to a high quality of life at the Knicker Bocker Apartments in Midtown.

The 1920s-era apartment building at Cass Avenue and Canfield Street has undergone a number of small improvements over the last year. The underlying theme of these improvements consists of a heavy emphasis on the exterior aesthetics and functionality.

"We want to beautify that corner," says Raymond DeBattes, manager of the Knicker Bocker Apartments. "We want to participate in the progress that is taking place in Midtown."

DeBattes and Corin Blust, also a manager of the building, have been spear heading the improvements, which include installing a contemporary bench in the vacant lot next to the building, tuck pointing the brick exterior, laying down several yards in the parking spaces and alleyway behind the building and removing the old chain-link fence in front of the building.

"It looks much better with the fence gone," DeBattes says. He adds that its removal helps make the building more welcoming and increases the sense of community.

DeBattes and Blust plan to add more landscaping improvements this spring and summer. The duo are not doing this to up occupancy. Every one of the Knicker Bocker Apartment's 22, one-bedroom apartments is leased and demand for housing in the greater downtown area, especially Midtown, has been growing.

Source: Raymond DeBattes, manager of the Knicker Bocker Apartments
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

DPS, city, archdiocese partner to find creative reuses for old schools

Model D Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Detroit Public Schools wants you to redevelop one of its historic schools into neighborhood mainstays that will serve as community assets for the next century.

The school district recently held a redevelopment conference at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Boston Edison promoting the redevelopment of the dozens of closed schools across the Motor City it wants to see redeveloped. The underlying theme of the conference centered around words like flexibility, solutions and thinking outside the box.

"We hope the next class of buyers are in this room today," Roy Roberts, emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools, said at the event.

The school district has already sold 25 of its buildings, creating almost $11 million in new revenue. Some of those success stories include the Burton School on Cass Avenue in Midtown which became creative space for entrepreneurs among other uses. Old Redford High School is also in the process of being redeveloped into a new Meijer superstore.

Detroit Public Schools currently has 85 properties (both old schools and vacant land) that are available for redevelopment. Those properties represent 863 acres of land and 45 million square feet of space. There are four large parcels that are each larger than five acres. The Archdiocese of Detroit also took the opportunity to promote the redevelopment of the closed schools and churches it is trying to sell in Detroit.

City of Detroit officials are working closely with both the school district and archdiocese to find viable futures for these buildings. The city is open to a number of uses as long as they compliment the surrounding community (no industrial parks in the middle of a neighborhood) and is ready to be flexible to find a solution.

"We are so flexible and open at this time." Karla Henderson, planning and facilities group executive for the city of Detroit, said at the event. "We want to think outside the box."

For information on the properties available at Detroit Public Schools, click here, and for information on properties available at the Archdiocese of Detroit, click here.

Source: Roy Roberts, emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools and arla Henderson, planning and facilities group executive for the city of Detroit
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Wayne State begins taking down marshmallow overhang on Cass

Model D Tuesday, May 22, 2012

What is arguably the ugliest piece of architecture on Wayne State University's campus is starting to come down this spring, the white, plastic canopy at the corner of Cass Avenue and Ferry Street.

The university is restoring the facade of its facilities management building at 5454 Cass. The project will include restoring the 2-story building's original early 20th Century facade, repairing the sidewalk and installing a new canopy, replacing the decades-old plastic overhang that Wayne State University's Ned Staebler describes as "whale tusk" architecture.

"We're also looking at the building next door (where most of the plastic canopy stands)," says Staebler, vice president for economic development at Wayne State University. "People ask why don't we take down the whole thing? We can't because we don't own the building (at the corner of Cass and Ferry)."

That doesn't mean Staebler and the university don't want to do it. They are in talks with the building's owner to find more solutions that would remove the "whale tusk" canopy and replace it with something that fits the block's original architecture. Staebler hopes to reach some sort of resolution by the end of the year.

A facade-improvement grant from Midtown Detroit Inc helped make the initial canopy removal possible. The university is working on obtaining architectural drawings for the new facade for its facilities management building. Staebler hopes to have the entire facade renovation done by this fall, allowing the building to shine in its original state.

"When we took off the section of the awning we were really struck by how different the building looks," Staebler says. "The architecture detail and how much of a difference there is between the 1- and 2-story buildings is big."

Source: Ned Staebler, vice president for economic development at Wayne State University
Writer: Jon Zemke

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U-D Mercy completely revamps main campus dinning hall

Model D Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Quality of life for students and staff at the University of Detroit Mercy's main campus is about to take a big step forward this fall thanks to a newly renovated dinning hall.

The Catholic university is investing $750,000 to expand the current facility on the school's main campus at the corner of Livernois and McNichols avenues. The new dining hall will feature a variety of stations where different kinds of food will be prepared in front of the patrons.

"You can choose to pick to eat at a different restaurant each day," says Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit Mercy. "That's the concept."

The current dining hall was built in 1969 and hasn't received a major upgrade since its opening. The newly renovated dinning hall will be able to accommodate more people, upping the capacity from 250 people to 320 patrons. The renovation will also open up the dinning hall, giving users views of the Fisher Fountain in the middle of campus.

Construction is set to begin this summer and be done by the time students arrive on campus for the fall semester.

Source: Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy
Writer: Jon Zemke

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La Vogue Apts restoration leads resurgence of Palmer Park Art Decos

Model D Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The rebirth of the Art Deco apartment buildings along Palmer Park begins with the restoration of the La Vogue.

The circa-1929 apartment building at 225 Merton (closest to Woodward Avenue on Merton) is arguably the most architecturally distinctive building in a historic district filled with them. The four-story beauty was designed by Cyril Schley in different architectural styles that were popular in the early 20th Century. There are hints of Tudor-revivalism in the exterior with intricate tile and brickwork but has a common area at the entryway that screams Art Deco.

The La Vogue started to show its age in recent decades until it was purchased by Shelborne Development, an Indian Village-based company controlled by Kathy Makino-Leipsitz and Mark Leipsitz, in 2008. They spent four years putting together the financing to make the $6 million restoration a reality, patching together historic tax credits, brownfield tax credits, funding from the federal stimulus package and a number of other economic tools.

To make the building financially viable, Shelborne Development shrunk the 44,000-square-foot structure to 41 units, creating larger apartments with more modern conveniences while maintaining the building's historic character. Downtown Detroit-based EBH Inc did the redesign of the La Vogue.

"When we talk about a gut-job rehab, this is a gut job rehab," Kathy Makino-Leipsitz says. "We went to the studs. This has blown-in insulation and new windows."

The units also utilize high-efficiency furnaces, energy start appliances, and a number of other green features. There are also modern, durable amenities, such as granite countertops and new cabinets. The Makino's refinished the apartments' hardwood floors and preserved the entryway's rich Art Deco designs, such as its ceilings, elevator and front doors.

"We wanted to preserve what it looked like in the 1920s," Mark Leipsitz says. "We want to emphasize the existing architecture with new materials."

The La Vogue will include a mix of both affordable and market-rate housing. The apartment prices will range from $434 for a one-bedroom unit to $800 for a three-bedroom unit. Heat and water will be included with the rent. The Makinos have also purchased a vacant lot behind the apartment building on McNichols that they plan to turn into gated parking.

The building is set to welcome its first residents in early June. Shelborne Development has attracted four-times the number of applications as units available, including twice as many that qualify for affordable housing. The company expects to open the La Vogue to full occupancy this summer.

Source: Kathy Makino-Leipsitz and Mark Leipsitz, co-developers of the La Vogue
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Palmer Lodge, Seville Apts next on deck for restoration in Palmer Park

Model D Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Shelborne Development expects to bring two more Palmer Park apartment buildings online soon with Palmer Lodge and the Seville Apartments next on deck for a complete restoration. Work is currently ongoing at the two buildings and approaching a finish.

"Both will be online by the end of the year," says Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, who co-owns Shelborne Development with her husband Mark Leipsitz.

Palmer Lodge is the large, four-story apartment building overlooking the southern tip of Palmer Park at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Covington Drive. The Tudor-Revival was designed by Weidmaier and Gay and built in 1925 at 225 Covington. Indian Village-based Shelborne Development is redeveloping it into 54 apartments and space for up to two businesses in its basement, such as a coffee house or martini bar.

The Seville Apartments, a stately brick building located at 750 Whitmore, is also being redeveloped into 16 apartments. The four-story structure stands sentinel at the corner of Third Avenue and Whitmore Street and has been vacant for years. Shelborne Development is redeveloping both buildings with a bevy of green and modern features like new Energy Star appliances, high-efficiency furnaces, insulation and granite countertops. It is also preserving the historical character of the buildings' exteriors and entrances, among other features.

"It's a brand new unit in the envelope of a historic building," Kathy Makino-Leipsitz says.

Shelborne Development has been working on redeveloping the Seville Apartments and Palmer Lodge since 2008, utilizing a tool box of economic tools such as historic tax credits, brownfield tax credits and federal stimulus funds. The apartments will be made available for both affordable and market-rate housing.

Source: Kathy Makino-Leipsitz and Mark Leipsitz, co-developers of the La Vogue
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Shelborne Development's Palmer Park plans include mounted security patrols

Model D Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Kathy Makino-Leipsitz and Mark Leipsitz don't just have a vision for the handful of Palmer Park apartment buildings they plan to bring online this year. They have a grand plan for the entire district and its large collection of Art Deco buildings.

"We're very excited," says Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, who co-owns Shelborne Development with her husband Mark Leipsitz. "These buildings are irreplaceable."

The Indian Village-based real-estate development company has purchased nearly a dozen apartment buildings in Palmer Park in recent years. Many of those include some of the district's most jaw dropping architectural gems, such as Palmer Lodge, La Vogue, Coronado, Madrid Court (currently under construction), El Dorado, Alwyne Lane, Sarasota, Merton Manor and Whitmore Plaza. Shelborne Development plans to redevelop all of these into apartments and commercial space, and is considering razing two fire-damaged mixed-use buildings on McNichols. The renovations are expected to all come online by 2014.

The idea is to create a vibrant neighborhood that is a destination for the entire region filled with high-quality homes (both affordable and market rate housing) and spaces for small businesses. The basement of the Palmer Lodge features several thousand square feet of space that could offer space for a coffee shop, restaurant or bar.

"The basement is pretty much open space," Kathy Makino-Leipsitz says. "You would have up to 2,500 square feet in each space."

She is also looking into the idea of bringing a mounted security patrol to Palmer Park. The Detroit Police Department recently relocated its mounted division to Palmer Park. Kathy Makino-Leipsitz is interested in brokering a partnership with the police department that would allow properly trained private security personnel to use the mounted division's horses.

"This should be like Central Park in New York, but for Detroit," Kathy Makino-Leipsitz says.

Source: Kathy Makino-Leipsitz and Mark Leipsitz, co-developers of the La Vogue
Writer: Jon Zemke

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U-D Mercy improves residential halls with comprehensive renovations

Model D Tuesday, May 08, 2012

College living at the University of Detroit-Mercy is stepping into the 21st Century now that the Catholic school is upgrading its dormitories this summer.

The $1 million project will install new bathrooms, replace the lighting and a plethora of other upgrades to the four buildings on the university's main campus at McNichols and Livernois avenues. "It's basically a major renovation to the Quad Commons," says Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy.

The signature improvement will be to the entryway of the circa-1974 buildings. The project will replace the all-glass curtail walls with a more energy-efficient version. "Right now there are single-pane glass," Batcheller says. "We're putting in more energy-efficient glass."

Each of the Quad Commons dormitory buildings has 32 rooms and houses up to 64 students each semester. Construction started this month and is set to wrap up by this fall.

Source: Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Old downtown firehouse set to become new home for UDM law clinic

Model D Tuesday, May 08, 2012

An old Detroit Fire Department fire house in downtown is about to become the new home to the University of Detroit-Mercy's law clinics.

The university's law school purchased the nearly 100-year-old building on the corner of Larned and St. Antoine streets last year. The two-story structure and its 7,000-square-feet of space will allow UDM to consolidate its law school, which is kitty corner to the fire house and across the street from its school's parking lot.

"That building (the firehouse) doesn't have parking but we can use the parking we have," says Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy. "It makes a lot of sense."

The firehouse had already been gutted out so the university will build out the entire interior of the structure. The law clinic's offices will be housed on the ground floor and it will use the second floor for research. The university will spend about $1 million to renovate the structure and work should be done by December.

"The most green thing we can do is rehab an existing building into something we need," Batcheller says.

The firehouse renovation is part of a larger renovation $4 million project to the university's law school downtown campus. Over the last year the university has been upgrading its main law school buildings with new bathrooms, classrooms and common areas.

Source: Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Reclaim Detroit turns home deconstruction into new jobs

Model D Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Reclaim Detroit is using deconstruction as a new way to help tackle Detroit's blight problem, a solution that is also helping create jobs in the Motor City.

Reclaim Detroit launched out of the WARM Training Center last year focusing on deconstructing blighted buildings. So far the non-profit and its 18 employees have deconstructed three houses and has recently started on its four home.

"The more we do the better we get with it," says James Willer, a manager at Reclaim Detroit. "It's amazing what we can get from all of these houses."

It costs Reclaim Detroit about $20,000 to deconstruct a single-family home, however, the total cost can vary depending on the size of the structure. The non-profit has formed several partnerships with local businesses, such as architectural Salvage Warehouse in Woodbridge, to put these materials back into circulation. It is using a warehouse at the Focus:HOPE campus to store a lot of these materials.

One house that was deconstructed in Hamtramck last year has provided materials for a number of new businesses and projects, including the Lincoln Street Art Project and the Sugar Hill Clay Studio in the 71 Garfield Building. The flooring from the house was reused in the Newberry Hall renovation in Midtown. These sorts of recycled materials from Reclaim Detroit are also being used in other projects, such as the about-to-open Great Lakes Coffee Shop in Midtown.

"We know the supply is there," Willer says. "We know the demand is there. We're trying to bridge that demand."

Source: James Willer, a manager at Reclaim Detroit
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Price tag on Capitol Park redevelopment set at $85 million

Model D Tuesday, May 01, 2012

The Detroit Downtown Development Authority (DDA) plans to redevelop three vintage buildings surrounding Capitol Park in downtown Detroit with the help of Karp and Associates in Lansing, Michigan. The three buildings include the Capitol Park Building, the former United Way Building, and the Farwell Building all located on Griswold.

"We are truly honored to have been awarded this redevelopment opportunity and thrilled to be part of exciting efforts to rebuild the great city of Detroit," said Richard Karp, a Detroit native and managing editor of Karp and Associates. "Our firm has more than 20 years of successful experience. We look forward to bringing our expertise and proven track record to Michigan’s largest city."

The Capitol Park redevelopment consortium includes the DDA, Invest Detroit, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, and Wayne County. This project is expected to cost about $85 million. Karp and Associates propose to construct posh, market-rate loft apartments, with office and retail space.

Capitol Park has deep roots in Michigan History, as the States first Capitol Building was built there for much of the 19^th and 20^th centuries. During that time, there was a lively mixture of office, hotel, and retail businesses and residences.

"Capitol Park is a transformational project that will serve as the next building block for the continued revitalization of the Downtown," said David Blaszkiewicz, president of Invest Detroit. "The redevelopment of Capitol Park represents the culmination of the significant efforts of many individuals and economic development partners. Their shared vision and focus to create diversity and sustainable revitalization in the district will have a great impact on the community."

Writer: Leah Johnson

U-D Mercy pushes forward on new Fitness Center in University District

Model D Tuesday, May 01, 2012

The University of Detroit Mercy is set to debut its first new building on its main campus this year.

The Student Fitness Center will provide exponentially more space for exercising and socializing for the Catholic university's student body. The $8 million building is on schedule to open on the McNichols campus in time for the start of the fall semester. A web cam of the construction can be found here.

"We are finishing up the shell of the building," says Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy. "We are probably 65 percent complete."

Currently students have a few thousand square feet of exercise space in another building on campus. The Student Fitness Center will have 40,000 square feet that will house a range of athletic options, such as an elevated track, fitness areas, workout rooms and a large student lounge.

The building will feature an open design, giving students and staff more flexibility for athletic activities. It will also have green features, such as motion-sensor lights, to make it more sustainable. The building will also offer free Wi-Fi for its patrons.

"We look at it as a space for our students social gatherings," Batcheller says.

Source: Tamara Batcheller, associate vice president for facilities management at the University of Detroit-Mercy
Writer: Jon Zemke

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WSU's Danto Engineering building scores LEED silver rating

Model D Tuesday, April 24, 2012

One of Wayne State University's newest buildings is now one of its greenest thanks for the Marvin I. Danto Engineering Development Center winning LEED Silver certification.

The U.S. Green Building Council awards LEED certification, silver is one of the highest levels, for sustainability features. The Danto Engineering Development Center met specific requirements in five environmental categories, including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

"It just makes sense," says Deb Brazen, senior project manager for planning at Wayne State University. "We're a large urban campus and it's prudent for us to be aware of our impact on the environment."

She adds that three more buildings on the Wayne State University campus are up for LEED certification and at least two of those are going for silver status or higher.

The Danto Engineering Development Center is home to engineering research in alternative energy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, smart sensors, advanced propulsion and other translational research areas. It opened with the goal of mixing both the academic and business worlds in a way that would promote economic development in Michigan.

Source: Deb Brazen, senior project manager for planning at Wayne State University
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Broderick Tower shows off Detroit roots in rebirth

Model D Tuesday, April 10, 2012

When JC Beal Construction President Fred Beal showed off the almost renovated Broderick Tower during the Detroit Tigers Opening Day last week, he wasn't just showing off the downtown Detroit skyscraper's second lease on life. He also tipped his hand to how much stakeholders in the city have rallied to make that rebirth possible.

A majority of the co-investors in the $50 million project, all working under the Motown Construction Partners umbrella, are Detroit residents. One of the lead banks playing a key role in financing the project is longtime Detroit staple Comerica Bank. The project was designed by Kraemer Design Group, a growing downtown Detroit-based architecture firm. Of the 34-story building's three marquee penthouse units, one is going to a executive at Quicken Loans and another is taken by a venture capitalist who already calls Detroit home.

"We have been very successful in leasing," says Fred Beal, president of JC Beal Construction and one of the co-developers of the Broderick Tower. "It started with the most expensive units."

So far 50 percent of the building is leased, and Beal expects the rest of the skyscraper's 127 apartments to be taken by the time it opens this fall. He attributes the quick fill-up to a combination of the sharp demand for high-end housing in the city's center and the skyscraper's historic character, location and sweeping views of the city.

Residents will be enjoy a range of views ranging from a straight line of sight down Woodward to the Detroit River, a backyard of downtown skyscrapers, inside Comerica Park, the city's sprawling green neighborhoods and even Canada. They will also have access to a number of downtown amenities such as the city's sports stadiums, restaurants, concert venues, parks and burgeoning nightlife.

"When we started this project there was nothing going on," Beal says.

The Broderick Tower was built in 1928 and first served as an office building for health-care professionals, such as doctors and dentists. It went vacant in the 1980s and became one the city's iconic ruins, serving as a playground for urban explorers. Renovation efforts have started and stalled over the years until Motown Construction Partners began swinging hammers last year. It will turn the first two floors into a combination of restaurant/wine bar/beer garden. The third, four and fifth floors will become office space.

Motown Construction Partners have also worked extensively to maintain the building's historic character. The ornate entry way on the ground floor will be preserved and restored to its former grandeur. The apartments will also feature a finished look that would be consistent with the look of the medical offices, making the spaces more Park Shelton finished than Willy's Overland Lofts raw.

For more information on leasing an apartment or office space at the Broderick Tower, click here.

Source: Fred Beal, president of JC Beal Construction
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Fisher Building adds comprehensive free Wi-Fi for patrons

Model D Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Farbman Group is making the Fisher Building and its neighboring New Center One more new economy friendly by adding free Wi-Fi and other amenities meant to encourage more knowledge workers and creatives to pop-open a laptop in the city's bustling office buildings.

"We have these beautiful buildings and these days people don't just want to work in their offices," says Andy Gutman, CFO of Farbman Group, which manages the Fisher and New Center One buildings. "They want to work from these common areas."

The Fisher Building is renowned for its art deco architecture and ornate interior. The circa-1928 skyscraper is home to a number of boutique retailers and eateries, such as Pure Detroit and Stella International Cafe. The common spaces in the building already have a handful of chairs and tables but Farbman Group wants to add more comfortable furniture that matches the character of both buildings by this fall.

"We're trying to keep it inline with the historical character of the building," Gutman says.

Source: Andy Gutman, CFO of Farbman Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Paradise Valley Investment Group tackles East English Village, Hubbard Farms

Model D Tuesday, April 03, 2012

The Paradise Valley Investment Group is leveraging the city of Detroit's federal neighborhood stabilization funds, extensively renovating multi-family homes in East English Village and Hubbard Farms.

The home renovation company, headed up by California-native Robin Scovill, is close to wrapping up renovating of seven units of small multi-family buildings that had been foreclosed on in strong residential areas of Detroit. These renovations include extensive green options, such as energy efficient windows and furnaces, along with insulation and Energy Star appliances.

"Robin loved the idea of going into a house and fully renovating it, getting as much out of it as possible," says Eric Novack, an investor in Paradise Valley Investment Group.

Novack adds that there has been a strong demand for the rentals, which are marketed at affordable rates. One duplex in East English Village was leased shortly before it was finished and there has been strong demand for the other units which should come online by the end of this spring.

Novack also says that Paradise Investment Group has broadened its business model, allowing some local investors to take shares in the company as it continues to expand its portfolio, which not includes buildings in West Village, Corktown and a few other well-known Detroit neighborhoods.

"That's the nice things about Detroit's rental market is you will see more outside investors as long as they have the right people on the ground," Novack says.

Source: Eric Novack, an investor in Paradise Valley Investment Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Gilbert-owned buildings downtown racking up new tenants, creating jobs

Model D Tuesday, March 27, 2012

As Dan Gilbert continues to expand his downtown real-estate portfolio, the Quicken Loans Chairman is filling those buildings with more and more businesses.

Four of his principal buildings that are the furthest along (the M@dison, Dime, Chase and First National buildings) are either at capacity or are projected to be near capacity by the end of this year. All of this growth has prompted Bedrock Real Estate Services, Gilbert's real-estate development fund, to rapidly expand its workforce from four employees to 52 employees over the last year.

Quicken Loans public relations team recently released a long laundry list of companies that have moved into these buildings, representing hundreds of new jobs moving into the Lower Woodward Corridor between Campus Martius and Grand Circus Park. Most of these businesses are newer start-ups and the creative-based companies or investment firms that support them.

"It's a lot of these technology companies on that list," says Jim Ketai, managing partner with Bedrock Real Estate Services. "We are getting a lot of different people looking at spaces, such as advertising agencies, law firms and a ton of retailers."

The M@dison building, an entrepreneurial hub for tech start-ups overlooking Grand Circus Park, opened last fall and is at 100 percent capacity. The Chase building (the building by Campus Martius that looks like a cheese grater) is also at 100 percent with employees from Quicken Loans and Gilbert's family of companies.

The Dime Building, on Griswold just west of Campus Martius, is at 54 percent occupancy. "We're working with a couple of tenants that will bring it up to 85 percent (by the end of this year)," Ketai says. The First National Building, also overlooking Campus Martius, is at 58 percent capacity. "It will be at 90 percent shortly," Ketai says. "We're working on a couple of big deals."

Ketai adds that his company has been in touch with a number of retailers interested in Gilbert's buildings. He expects to place a few of them, such as a coffee shop, soon. He also says that Gilbert's team is still debating whether it will make the newly acquired Federal Reserve building as a single-tenant structure or split it up into multiple spaces for other companies.

Source: Jim Ketai, managing partner with Bedrock Real Estate Services
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Hacienda Mexican Foods renovates W Vernor storefront in Mexicantown

Model D Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The public face of Hacienda Mexican Foods is about to become much prettier. The Southwest Detroit tortilla-maker is almost finished rehabbing its principal storefront on West Vernor Avenue near Livernois Avenue, creating a refreshed and more inviting facade on Mexicantown's main drag.

The 22-year-old business began the renovation of its storefront just east of Livernois two years ago when it commissioned a large mural on the side of the building during the Social Forum. That mural has attracted visitors from across the U.S., prompting the business to continue improving its exterior. The new storefront is adding more windows and other aesthetic touches, making it inviting for pedestrians.

"We want to change the front so the building will attract people," says Lydia Gutierrez, president of Hacienda Mexican Foods. "We want to create a welcoming presence for the community."

The project, partially funded by the Southwest Detroit Business Association's facade improvement program, is restoring the building's storefront to its original appearance from the early 20th Century. Gutierrez and her team are reusing wood from old pickle barrels, giving the exterior a distinctive, natural color. The whole project is set to wrap up within the next two weeks.

"This is a store you could have in Birmingham," Gutierrez says. "This is what we wanted to do for our community."

Source: Lydia Gutierrez, president of Hacienda Mexican Foods
Writer: Jon Zemke

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First phase of Belle Isle Maintenance Building restoration wraps up

Model D Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The first phase of the restoration of the Belle Isle Maintenance building is set to finish this spring, providing a future for one of the island's notable architectural gems.

The Belle Isle Women's Committee is heading up the restoration of the circa 1895 structure by the Belle Isle Conservatory. The first phase focuses on the exterior of the building, repairing its clay tile work and other aspects that will keep the weather out.

"A lot of it (the roof) was failing," says Ryan Smith, studio director for Kraemer Design Group which is helping with the restoration. "There were some structural issues. Our job was to make it water tight for the first phase."

The Belle Isle Maintenance Building was designed by George Mason, one of Detroit's most significant architects. Mason designed or helped design a number of major landmarks in the Motor City, such as the Masonic Temple, the Detroit Yacht Club, Gem Theater and the Belle Isle aquarium. He also designed the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

"He is a prestigious architect for Detroit," Smith says.

The 20,000-square-foot building has fallen into disrepair in recent years due to the elements, wildlife and the occasional squatter. Only a small portion of it is still used by island maintenance staff with the rest of it consisting of storage. A future use of the building has yet to be determined.

The second phase of the restoration will consist of window repair and tuck pointing. That is set to begin later this year.

Source: Ryan Smith, studio director for Kraemer Design Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Record Graveyard redevelops Hamtramck building with latest move

Model D Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Record Graveyard has a new home on Carpenter Street in Hamtramck, where the vintage record store has created a white, minimalist new facade in the house-turned-storefront.

"It's all fixed up and it has a tin ceiling," says Jeffery Garbus, president of Record Graveyard. "We're looking to create a19 50s, old fashioned record store."

The 10-year-old business has moved between a handful of locations in Hamtramck over its lifetime. Garbus moved to the 1,000-square-foot space earlier this year because the 1920s-era building at 2610 Carpenter was well kept and ready for a move in. Garbus also liked that a number of its vintage features, such as the tin ceiling, were preserved.

He also liked the simplicity of it so he could make changes to the building in case a film crew wanted to rent out the storefront.

"I can always change the colors," Garbus says.

Source: Jeffery Garbus, president of Record Graveyard
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Hellenic Museum of Michigan greens up new home in Midtown

Model D Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Hellenic Museum of Michigan, an institution devoted to celebrating Green culture, is turning one of Midtown's more historic buildings into one of the neighborhood's greenest.

The Hellenic Museum of Michigan recently bought the Scherer mansion at 67 E. Kirby, one of the few remaining grand mansions along the lower Woodward corridor. Robert Pauli Schearer invented the soft gelatin capsule, which was a major step forward for the pharmaceutical industry.

The Scherer mansion was built in 1912 and eventually became the home of the Detroit Children's Museum. The building was vacant for 10 years before the Hellenic Museum of Michigan purchased it with plans of turning it into its future home in the heart of Detroit's cultural center.

"We're going to upgrade the entire building," says Ernest Zachary, president of the Hellenic Museum of Michigan. "We're gradually getting it together."

The renovation will have a heavily lean on sustainability. The Hellenic Museum of Michigan has installed LED lights throughout the building and plans to install other green features, such as low-flow plumbing, insulation and a geothermal heating/cooling system. The Hellenic Museum of Michigan has received a $66,160 SmartBuilding's grant from the city to help make these upgrades.

The Hellenic Museum of Michigan is working to get the building to the point where it can be open on a daily basis. It has raised about $450,000 to get the project this far and is working to raise even more. For information on making a donation to the effort, call Zachary at 313-831-6100.

Source: Ernest Zachary, president of the Hellenic Museum of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Mindfield begins renovation of GAR building in downtown

Model D Tuesday, March 06, 2012

The rebirth of the GAR building, one of downtown Detroit's most iconic small structures, has begun and will soon become obvious through extensive work to its exterior.

Mindfield, the creative agency that currently calls the floors above Vincente's home, is redeveloping the five-story Romanesque building into its new home. The GAR, Grand Army of the Republic, was built as a meeting place for Union Army veterans of the Civil War at Grand River and Cass avenues. The city took control of it by the 1930s and it has been vacant for the last few decades caught up in legal battles.

"The building was a mess when we took it over so we're doing a lot of cleanup and abatement," says David Carleton, executive director of Mindfield. "There was a lot of water damage, bird poop and asbestos there. We're preparing the canvass to paint."

Mindfield will occupy about one quarter of the building and is looking to lease out two other floors. Space in the 25,000-square-foot structure will also be set aside for a restaurant and a Civil War memorial. Mindfield hopes to move in by November of next year.

"You will see some visible signs of improvement very soon," says Sean Emery, post director of Mindfield.

In the mean time, the firm plans to restore the GAR building to its original grandeur. That will start soon with some exterior stone and roof work. Mindfield's co-founders also plan to restore the building's original windows to maintain its original architectural character.

"It would be a crime to take a building that is this grand and iconic in downtown Detroit and take the cheapest way out," says Tom Carleton, creative director of Mindfield. "We're not going to slap the cheapest windows in the building."

You can follow Mindfield's efforts to restore the GAR building here.

Source: Tom Carleton, Sean Emery and David Carleton, co-founders of Mindfield
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Mitchell Street Townhomes bring high-end urban living to Hamtramck

Model D Tuesday, March 06, 2012

The signature home of Hamtramck has traditionally been split between the single-family house and a two-flat. A new townhouse development near city's post office promises to make an impact in a different way.

The Mitchell Street Townhomes promises to create high-end urban living with more than $1 million of new construction, big-ticket green features and luxury touches. "They're going to be high-end," says Jason Friedmann, director of community & economic development for the city of Hamtramck. "They will be the nicest units on the block."

The 7-unit development is going up on Mitchell Street near the Hamtramck Post Office, turning a former parking lot into dense urban living. Each home with come with a plethora of sustainable features, including comprehensive insulation, Energy Star appliances, tank-less water heaters and geothermal heat, the holy grail of green building.

"The energy savings will be substantial," says Mark Lewis, developer of Mitchell Street Townhomes and a member of Community 1st Development. "We know the customer will see at least 40 percent in savings."

The Mitchell Street Townhomes architecture will match the early 20th Century style of the surrounding area. They will also come with some high-end finishes, such as granite countertops and hardwood floors. "We made sure these units would knock people's socks off when they go inside," Lewis says.

The project is part of Hamtramck's $15.5 million neighborhood stabilization funding provided by the federal stimulus package. Friedmann estimates the developers are spending about $210,000 per townhouse, but the units will be marketed as affordable housing for people with low-to-moderate incomes. Prices will be in the range of $70,000-$80,000. Construction is set to wrap up by this summer.

Source: Jason Friedmann, director of community & economic development for the city of Hamtramck and Mark Lewis, developer of Mitchell Street Townhomes
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Rice+Lipka Architects goes for it all with MOCAD renovation

Model D Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The architects behind the pending renovation of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit are dreaming big when it comes to reinventing one of Midtown's marquee cultural institutions.

"We want it all," says Lyn Rice, principal of Rice+Lipka Architects. "We want to completely modernize it and at the same time keep it the same. It can't happen that way, but that's the dream."

MOCAD selected the New York City-based architecture firm James Corner Field Operations to design the renovation of its 22,000-square-foot facility on Woodward Avenue and Garfield Street. The plan is to improve the facility's internal spaces and functionality, making it more energy efficient and easier to control the temperature. Rice+Lipka Architects also plans to create better spaces for art viewing and for staff to work. They designers will do this while maintaining the building's raw, industrial character.

A more visible improvement will result by creating an outdoor space and other exterior upgrades. The architects will design new entry points and develop a strong, memorable presence along the building’s Woodward frontage.

The planning process is expected to wrap up by July. Construction could begin as soon as 2013. Helping fund this project is a $350,000 grant from ArtPlace.

Source: Lyn Rice, principal of Rice+Lipka Architects
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Buffalo Wild Wings plans new location in Odd Fellows building downtown

Model D Tuesday, February 14, 2012

If corporate chain investment serves as the major validation of downtown vibrancy, then the recent announcement of Buffalo Wild Wings plans to open a restaurant near Greektown is a big stamp of approval of just how far the revitalization of downtown Detroit has come.

"I have been looking at that site for 3.5 years," says Michael Ansley, president & CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings, which is a Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee. "I see Detroit starting to come back."

The Southfield-based company plans to open its newest location in the Temple of the Odd Fellows building at the corner of Randolph and Monroe streets, halfway between Campus Martius and Greektown Casino. The $3 million project will renovate the first two floors of the four-story building, which Buffalo Wild Wings will occupy with its normal restaurant/bar and a second floor banquent room. The owner of the building bought the small adjacent lot to the north and plans to build the sports bar's kitchen there and a rooftop deck on top of it that will be accessible from the banquent room.

"It's a really cool building," Ansley says. "It has a lot of potential. There are not a lot of places where I will control a four-story facade. When you look at that building from Campus Martius it really sticks out."

Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants have begun popping up in some of Metro Detroit's most vibrant downtowns, including Ferndale and Ann Arbor. Construction on the downtown Detroit location is set to begin soon. The sports bar is expected to open in November.

The Odd Fellows building, 1211 Randolph, almost didn't make it to this point. The circa-1874 building is the tallest on a block of commercial buildings that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has gone through various redevelopment plans that have improved it in fits and starts. The back end of the building blew off in a fierce wind storm a few years ago and was ordered demolished before receiving a reprieve and a new lease on life.

Diversified Restaurant Holdings also owns Bagger Dave's, a popular burger restaurant chain. Ansley was originally looking at incorporating one of those restaurants into the Buffalo Wild Wings project, too, but couldn't make it work. He is still looking for a downtown Detroit location for Bagger Dave's.

Source: Michael Ansley, president & CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Preservation Detroit regroups, rebrands and works to save McGhee House

Model D Tuesday, February 14, 2012

What was once Preservation Wayne is now Preservation Detroit, a new name for a renewed organization that specializes in historical preservation and is focusing its efforts on mapping out and registering the historic structures throughout the city.

"There are so many treasures in this city that just rot away," says Marion Christiansen, interim executive director of Preservation Detroit. "We cannot allow that to happen."

One of the non-profit's newest priorities is working to preserve the Orsel & Minnie McGhee house on the near West Side. The four square-style house at 4626 SeeBaldt (just northwest of I-96 and Tireman) played a critical role in the repeal of race-based restrictive covenants in property deeds.

Orsel McGhee, a press operator for the Detroit Free Press, and his wife Minnie, a postal worker, rented the house for a decade during the depression and tried to purchase it. The block club sued to remove the McGhee family during World War II. By 1948 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against restrictive covenants based on the McGhee lawsuit and another similar case from St. Louis.

The McGhee house has been a rental for years until it was recently sold to its longtime tenants. They reached out to Preservation Detroit about helping preserve the house, which is on the Michigan Historical Register but not the National Register of Historic Places.

"It really is a treasure," Christiansen says. "It has fallen into a little disrepair."

Preservation Detroit is working to map and catalog the city's historic structures, like the McGhee house, on the state and national historic lists. The hope is identifying these buildings and establishing what needs to be done to preserve them will help make sure they survive. For instance, Preservation Detroit is helping fundraise for a new roof and other essential improvements for the McGhee house and by putting it on the National Register of Historic Places makes it eligible for tax credits and other governmental incentives.

For information on Preservation Detroit and its efforts to preserve the McGhee house, click here.

Source: Marion Christiansen, interim executive director of Preservation Detroit
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Slows preps to expand restaurant into old O'Connor Realty space

Model D Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Slows is in the final stages of planning an expansion of its main restaurant into an adjacent storefront space that once served as the home of O'Connor Realty.

"We're in the middle of doing drawings for the new space," says Ryan Cooley, co-owner of Slows. "We're trying to figure out how to make it an intimate space. We're pretty close to being done with the drawings."

Slows has served as the driving force behind the rebirth of the 2100 block of Michigan Avenue since it opened in 2005. It is now the anchor of a growing list of new, dynamic destinations on the west end of Corktown that includes the Astro Coffee house, the Honor & Folly bed & breakfast and the Sugar House cocktail lounge.

O'Connor Realty is still located on the same block, moving to a new space a few storefronts down from its location. It's previous space, about 1,200 square feet, will now become a overflow area for the Slows, featuring a bar. The original bar in the restaurant will remain in place.

The co-founders behind Slows are still figuring out exactly how the new space will work with the existing restaurant, but Cooley believes they will reach a consensus soon. Work will begin later this spring or early this summer. It should open by the end of the year.

Source: Ryan Cooley, co-owner of Slows
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Final windows installed at Virgil Carr Cultural Center in downtown

Model D Tuesday, February 07, 2012

The final windows have been installed in the Virgil Carr Cultural Center, marking the latest step forward in the renovation of The Arts League of Michigan's new home.

"This is the final phase of an effort that began a while ago," says Oliver Ragsdale, Jr., president of The Arts League of Michigan.

The African-American arts advocacy organization is renovating the former Harmonie Club in downtown Detroit's Paradise Valley District. The circa-1895 building originally served as the cultural hub for the German immigrant population that lived in the neighborhood, previously known as Harmonie Park, at the turn of the 20th Century. The Beaux-Arts-style structure is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The four-story building at 311 E Grand River Ave was largely vacant from the mid 1970s until the turn of the 21st Century when the basement became a bar. The Arts League of Michigan took control of the structure in 2009 and opened the Virgil Carr Cultural Center, named for the first African-American president & CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan, that summer.

The Arts League of Michigan has renovated the basement and first two floors into a cultural destination for downtown Detroit. The basement features COLORS restaurant, an eatery focused on serving locally source, sustainable food while providing workforce training for those interested in culinary careers. The first floor offers office space and art exhibit space. The second floor features a reception area and other art exhibit and office spaces that emphasis the building's architectural history instead of hiding it.

"Since we have opened the building to the public more than 71,000 people have been here," Ragsdale says. "We have also hosted 1,300 events and classes."

The new windows, the last of the replacements in the building, are going into the theater on the third and fourth floors. The Arts League of Michigan had the windows specially made to both match the shape and style of the original windows but also be energy efficient. The new windows replace boards, allowing natural light to flood into the theater for the first time in many years.

The Arts League of Michigan is working to restore the theater, which is surprisingly well preserved despite a large roof leak, to its original condition. The final restoration will cap a $14 million project that the organization is still raising money to finish. For information on helping make that happen, click here.

Source: Oliver Ragsdale, Jr., president of The Arts League of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Medbury Grove Lawn to feature new, infill homes in Highland Park

Model D Tuesday, February 07, 2012

More modern housing is coming online in Highland Park with the latest offerings rising from and being renovated in the new Medbury Grove Lawn development.

Midtown-based Trivium Partners is building infill housing and renovating existing houses on Midland, Pilgrim and Puritan streets between Woodward Avenue and Second Street. Of those 22 homes, 18 will be new houses. The other four will be rehabs. All of them will be in the historic Arts & Crafts-style architecture that are ubiquitous in Highland Park's historic district.

"We want to celebrate the architectural style of Highland Park," says Scott Benson, principal member of Trivium Partners.

So far Trivium Parnters have dug 10 of the basements for the new houses. Of those house four frames are being built and two more have roofs. Each house will be built or renovated with the idea of making it as energy-efficient as possible, meaning each house will be insulated, have Energy Star appliances and high-efficiency furnaces, among other green features.

The federal stimulus-funded project will offer these houses for sale. Benson describes these houses as high-quality housing marketed toward people who are buying their second or third homes.

"We're building new houses and we're utilizing residents in these communities to build these properties," Benson says.

Source: Scott Benson, principal member of Trivium Partners
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Refurbished M@dison Building shows off entrepreneurial chops

Model D Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The word "hub" gets thrown around a lot when developers talk about their projects, especially in commercial real-estate. So obligatory grains of salt were set aside when Dan Gilbert's family of companies began touting the newly refurbished M@dison Building as a hub of tech and entrepreneurial activity. Please refrain from passing the salt.

The M@dison Building is a sight to behold when it comes to an entrepreneurial-oriented office environment. It's made for the 21st Century with its available technology, edgy loft-style design and quality-of-life amenities, such as big windows overlooking Grand Circus Park and a rooftop deck practically looking into Comerica Park.

"This is very much a launchpad for new start-up companies," says Josh Linkner, CEO of Detroit Venture Partners, a venture capital firm focused on early stage tech start-ups. He adds that the creative atmosphere that is enabled by the building's design and housing of multiple firms both big and small make it an attractive place for creatives and entrepreneurs. "This is a commitment to entrepreneurship in Detroit," Linkner adds.

The M@dison Building is home to a handful of venture capital firms, led by Detroit Venture Partners. These VCs use the two floors of the building to house a number of their portfolio companies, such as start-ups Are You a Human (its software reinvents CAPTCHA technology) and Detroit Labs (a mobile app maker). Also sharing the M@dison Building is longtime marketing staple Skidmore Studio, which moved its headquarters from downtown Royal Oak to the building. Quicken Loans, which Gilbert founded and chairs, also utilizes the building from time to time.

Detroit Labs leveraged these sorts of synergies, the momentum Gilbert has been building downtown and the proximity to General Motors headquarters to develop an app for Chevrolet's Super Bowl campaign. The 9-month-old start-up was able to pivot and put together the app on the fly, partly thanks to its location and the connections it enables.

"I'm not sure Detroit Labs gets the Chevy ad being in another office building," Gilbert says. "It's all about connectivity and the environment."

Source: Josh Linkner, CEO of Detroit Venture Partners and Dan Gilbert, chairman of Quicken Loans
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Gilbert makes ninth downtown purchase with Federal Reserve Building

Model D Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Dan Gilbert downtown Detroit Monopoly board is getting bigger now that the chairman of Quicken Loans has purchased his ninth building in the central business district. The real-estate arm of Gilbert's family of companies, Rock Ventures, has purchased the historic Federal Reserve Building just west of Campus Martius.

"It's a unique building that does need some work," Gilbert says. "It's sort of like the Chase (Tower)."

The Chase Tower, the building just south of Campus Martius that looks like a cheese grater, is one of nine buildings Rock Ventures have bought along the Woodward Corridor between Grand Circus Park and Campus Martius. Gilbert's companies rehabbed the Chase Tower so several of its floors house Quicken Loans employees. Rock Ventures has also purchased three parking garages and one parking lot downtown. In total, Gilbert controls nearly 2.1 million square feet of office space and 3,500 parking space.

The Federal Reserve Building is located at 160 W Fort St. The classic revival-style structure was originally built in 1927 and received an 8-story glass and marble addition in 1951. The Federal Reserve moved out of the building in 2004 and it has been vacant ever since. Rock Ventures plans to renovate the 176,000-square-foot structure and keep it as office space.

Source: Dan Gilbert, chairman of Quicken Loans
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Steel skeleton for the Auburn Apts goes up in Midtown

Model D Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The steel skeleton of the Auburn apartment building is starting to rise up from the project's newly finished footings in Midtown.

The apartment project at the corner of Cass Avenue and Canfield Street will bring 58 new apartments to the Wayne State University area by this fall. The $12 million project will also bring spaces for up to 11 businesses on the ground floor of the three-story building.

"The steel will be erected throughout the next two weeks," Peter Van Dyke, a spokesman for the Auburn, wrote in an email. "The Auburn is still on schedule, with the estimated completion date as the end of this October."

Downtown Detroit-based The Roxbury Group is developing the building. The 58 living spaces will feature both studio and one-bedroom apartments with rents starting at $675. They will feature French balconies, individual parking spaces and two shared outdoor common spaces; one with glass garage doors and a built-in outdoor fireplace.

The Auburn will also feature groundfloor retail spaces. A grant from the Ford Foundation will allow the developers to offer them to would-be entrepreneurs a lower point of financial entry. The 11 first-floor spaces will be reserved for independent retail only.

Source: Peter Van Dyke, a spokesman for the Auburn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Peacock Room renovation brings transparency to crowd sourcing

Model D Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Crowd sourcing has become a double-edge sword in Detroit. The innovative funding tool can be both beneficial (Hatch Detroit and The Detroit Institute of Bagels) and controversial (Robocop and Jack Detroit). Rachel Lutz believes crowd funding projects need more transparency, and she's following that up with the renovation/historic preservation of the space for The Peacock Room.

"I have some strong ideas about crowd sourcing to come up with start-up funds," Lutz says. "If you are having a hard time pitching an investor for a small amount of money, maybe you should rethink what you're doing."

Midtown-based The Peacock Room is a boutique in the Park Shelton that features apparel, accessories and gifts, along with upscale consignment and resale items. While she was preparing her space last year, Lutz stumbled upon the details of the Crystal Dinning Room for the building's original occupant, the Wardell Hotel.

Lutz has since worked with the city and Preservation Wayne to preserve the details of the historic space. She coordinated a crowd sourcing campaign with Preservation Wayne so the nonprofit makes sure whatever money is raised goes toward the preservation of the room, and not toward building her business.

"This space will be here long after the PR ends," Lutz says. "I wanted to make sure people who were contributing were contributing toward the neighborhood."

Lutz describes The Peacock Room's innovative partnership with Preservation Wayne as a way to bring order and expectations to crowd sourcing. In turn, it makes investors feel more invested in the venture and the social entrepreneurial aspect of it.

"How are you going to be accountable to how that money is spent?" Lutz says. "If you raised $5,000 from Aunt Bertha you have to look her in the eye on Thanksgiving."

Source: Rachel Lutz, owner of The Peacock Room
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Blue Cross Blue Shield continues downtown move, renovates facade

Model D Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Evidence of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's move to downtown is starting to pile up as the nonprofit begins moving 1,200 more workers into the Renaissance Center today and aims to renovate the exterior of its office building across Jefferson Avenue.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan took over most of the office space in Towers 500 and 600 of the Ren Cen (the smaller ones just east of the main structure) last year as part of its plan to consolidate much of its Metro Detroit workforce in downtown Detroit. The health-insurance provider is creating an urban campus between its new offices in the Ren Cen its headquarters a few blocks away. More than 6,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield employees will be working on its campus by the time the move is finished later this year.

"One of the things we're really excited about is our employees are really happy to be here," says Tricia Keith, vice president, corporate secretary & services for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has been renovating the offices on its new urban campus to create a vibrant, walkable area between Greektown and the Detroit River it's branding the Blue Path. The non-profit has rebuilt the Jefferson entrance to Ren Cen Towers 500 and 600, making it more aesthetically pleasing and pedestrian friendly.

The health-insurance provider is also renovating the exterior of its smaller office buildings at the corner of Jefferson and Beaubien Street next to the DuMouchelle Auction Gallery. The building that serves as a base for 800 of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's IT and business-intelligence workers. The plan calls for renovating the ground floor exterior, installing more windows and adding lighting. The idea is to make put more eyes on the street, making it pedestrian friendly and to turn it into a gathering place for employees.

"We think it is the linchpin of our united campus downtown," Keith says. "We're trying to get our employees to embrace the city and our architecture is helping us do that."

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan expects to finish moving its employees into the Ren Cen and renovating the ground floor of its IT building by this summer.

Source: Tricia Keith, vice president, corporate secretary & services for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Eastern Market begins work on Shed 5 renovation

Model D Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Eastern Market has begun renovating Shed 5 with an eye for not only improving customer experience but also creating a dynamic space for culinary entrepreneurs.

"It's a pivotal project for us because because it allows us to improve three critical areas of the market," says Dan Carmody, president of Eastern Market Corp, which manages Eastern Market.

Shed 5, the northernmost enclosed shed in the market, will undergo a complete renovation from its concrete floors to its roof. The new shed will have radiant heat in the floors, energy efficient windows and doors, new bathrooms and a new roof. The core systems of the building (electric, plumbing, etc) will also be replaced.

Eastern Market will also create a plaza in the area between Russell Street and Shed 5 and a community kitchen inside the shed. The shared-use Community Kitchen will expand the market’s role in providing food and nutrition information, and encourage greater use of the market as a place for civic and community events. It will also serve as an incubator for specialty food businesses. Today Eastern Market provides space for about 50 niche food businesses, which is up from none a few years ago.

Eastern Market has been extensively renovating its infrastructure over the last few years. It recently spent $9.3 million renovating Shed 2 (the open air shed on the southern end of the market) in 2008 and Shed 3 (the enclosed shed between Sheds 2 and 5) in 2010. Carmody says Eastern Market Corp will next look to renovate other sections of the market away from the main sheds when the Shed 5 project is complete.

"We have a couple of different ways we could go," Carmody says. "The next step is to strengthen the Gratiot end of the market."

Source: Dan Carmody, president of Eastern Market Corp
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Eastern Market building set to become creative, mixed-use space

Model D Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A new redevelopment project in Eastern Market plans to bring a variety of uses together, including restaurant/retail, office space and fish farm.

Urban Life Development, the Eastern Market-based development firm behind the FD Lofts at Eastern Market, plans to transform the vacant Detroit Waterboard Building into a mixed-use development features space for a restaurant/retail businesses, creative office space and a fish farm focused on raising tilapia.

"Eastern Market is a food district," says Robert Heide, president of Urban Life Development. "This just seems like an interesting mix of uses to bring under one roof. We will continue to be a leader in showing how old buildings can be reused so they are an assett to the neighborhood."

The 104,000-square-foot building at 1565 Erksine is "very unoccupied" in Heide's words. His firm hopes to spend about $7 million to completely renovate the structure. The first order of business will focus on bringing 45,000 square feet of commercial space online for the fish farm, which will feature a closed-loop water system so the tilapia can be raised in a controlled environment.

Heide also plans to turn 30,000 square feet of the building into a creative office space that stresses loft-like features and flexibility. Another 20,000 square feet will be focused on space for restaurant and retail businesses. Heide also hopes to make the structure as green as possible.

"We hope to incorporate some renewable energy aspects, like wind turbines," Heide says.

Construction is set to begin in the second quarter of this year. It will take 12-24 months to complete the project.

Source: Robert Heide, president of Urban Life Development
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Gilbert plans office space, retail and lofts for new Woodward acquisitions

Model D Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dan Gilbert's entrepreneurial empire continues to grow in Downtown Detroit, helping the central business district evolve with the purchase and planned renovation of three more buildings on Woodward Avenue just south of Grand Circus Park.

Gilbert is moving Quicken Loans headquarters and a variety of his other businesses to downtown Detroit, while recruiting other firms to move or open up offices downtown. The most recent achievement is the opening of the Madison Theatre Building, an incubator-like building that serves as the home of a number of growing start-ups and established creative-based businesses.

Gilbert has now acquired most of the line of buildings on the east side of Woodward between John R and Grand Circus Park. The most recent acquisition include the Lane Bryant, Arts League of Michigan and Wright-Kay buildings. His commercial real-estate firm, Bedrock Management, plans to turn them into a combination of retail, loft and office space that will mirror the style of the Madison Theatre Building redevelopment.

"It's an open office environment," says Jim Ketai, managing partner of Bedrock Management. "It's very collaborative. It's a great open office feel."

The Wright-Kay Building, at the corner of John R and Woodward, is the signature structure of the block. The circa 1891-structure will be transformed into ground floor retail below a combination of office spaces and lofts. The 45,000-square-foot Lane Bryant Building, 1520 Woodward, will become primarily office space above retail. The Arts League of Michigan Building, six stories with 43,000 square foot at 1528 Woodward, will also offer a mix of retail and office space.

Bedrock plans to emphasize the retail-portion of the redevelopment as part of its overall plan to reinvigorate downtown with more foot traffic and human energy. The office space-part of the redevelopment will also play a similar role.

"We figure its a great place to start the revitalization with retail and office space," Ketai says.

Gilbert's companies now control 1.8 million square feet of space and nearly 2,750 parking spaces in Detroit's Central Business District. He plans to turn the section of Woodward between Campus Martius and Grand Circus Park into a Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurial district that is now being branded as Webward Avenue.

Source: Jim Ketai, managing partner of Bedrock Management
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Beal Group renovates 31 homes in Hamtramck, Brightmoor, Highland Park

Model D Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Most of the headlines featuring the Beal Group focus on its big downtown projects, such as the Broderick Tower redevelopment. But the Ann Arbor-based firm is also making a big impact renovating dozens of houses in Hamtramck, Brightmor and Highland Park.

Beal Group is renovating a dozen homes in Detroit's Brightmor neighborhood, 11 more houses in Hamtramck and eight single-family homes in Highland Park. The projects, paid for with neighborhood stabilization funds from the federal government, will turn the houses into energy-efficient affordable housing that will be sold to local residents.

"Our product is high-end but we're not selling them to high-end buyers," says Stewart Beal, president of Beal Properties, a subsidiary of the Beal Group that is handling the renovations. "We're selling them to people in the community, often someone who is going from a renter to a homeowner."

These homes are foreclosed properties that have reverted to the Michigan Land Bank. Beal Properties renovates these historic structures, the ones in Highland Park are craftsman-style bungalows in the city's historic district, into buildings with a 5-star energy efficiency rating. That includes Energy Star appliances, insulation and energy-efficient core systems. Between $50,000 and $100,000 goes into each home.

Beal expects to wrap up the renovations by March and have them all sold before the end of the year.

Source: Stewart Beal, president of Beal Properties
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Detroit Bagels aims to turn long vacant Corktown building into new home

Model D Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Detroit Institute of Bagels plans to take a longtime vacant building in Corktown and turn it into its home this year.

The 1-year-old company was founded by brothers Ben and Dan Newman out of their house in Corktown. The business was inspired by Ben's urban planning studies at the University of Michigan and his love of quality bagels. He thought good businesses like a bagel shop, he couldn't think of a good local one in the city, would help fill up the city again.

"I thought it would be a great way to put some of the vacant properties to use and employ people," Ben says.

The brothers have built the business up with catering events and selling their bagels in Eastern Market. Now they have purchased a single-story commercial building at 1236 Michigan Ave. The 1,700-square-foot building has been vacant for decades and needs a complete gut rehab. The brothers hope to complete the rehab this year and open the space up as their retail location.

"We have to update everything, the electrical, the plumbing and the roof," Ben says. "And we have to open a bagel shop."

Source: Ben Newman, co-founder of the Detroit Institute of Bagels
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Starwood Hotels signs on to David Whitney building redevelopment

Model D Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Another one of downtown Detroit's vacant skyscrapers is getting a breath of fresh air now that Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has signed onto to the redevelopment of the 19-story building overlooking Grand Circus Park.

"Assuming all of our financing and tax credits come together on time, which they are, we plan to start construction in the first quarter of 2012," says Mike Damitio, senior vice president of development for Trans Inn Management, which is heading up the development with The Roxbury Group.

The national hotel chain selected the David Whitney building to open one of it's Aloft hotels, a boutique hotel that emphasizes "forward-thinking technology, and the vibrant social atmosphere." Aloft Detroit will feature 136 "loft-like rooms" with industrial design elements, a bar and 6,600-square-foot fitness center open 24 hours. It's set to open in July of 2014.

The Roxbury Group and Trans Inn Management are redeveloping the David Whitney Building into a mixed-use structure that features ground floor retail, hotel on the middle floors and apartments on the top floors. The skyscraper, designed by Daniel Burnham of New York City's Flatiron building and Union Station, opened in 1915 with spaces for retail and offices for doctors and dentists around its majestic interior atrium. It has been vacant for years until recently when the Roxbury Group began breathing new life into with things like Model D's Next Big Thing event earlier this fall.

The redevelopment of the David Whitney Building will serve as the cap on a reinvigorated line of skyscrapers overlooking Grand Circus Park. The Kales and Madison Theatre buildings have been redeveloped into loft and office spaces in recent years. The David Broderick Tower, on the other side of the intersection of Woodward and Park avenues, is also being rehabbed into a combination of retail, office and apartment spaces.

Source: Mike Damitio, senior vice president of development for Trans Inn Management
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Rehabbed Newberry Hall set to open in January in Midtown

Model D Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The final touches are being put on the newly renovated Newberry Hall, the latest in a long line of residential renovation projects in Midtown, prepping it for a January opening.

The former nurses school at the corner of Willis and John R was designed by Elijah E. Myers (who also designed Michigan's State Capitol building) and opened in 1898. Zachary and Associates rescued it after years of neglect and near demolition with a design hand by Quinn Evans Architects. It's about to open as a 28-unit apartment building that provides a high-end living environment by combining both historic preservation and green building.

"People are going to love living here," says Diane Van Buren, who works in sustainable planning at Zachary and Associates.

There is a long laundry of green features throughout the project, chief among them are geothermal heat, energy star appliances, blown-in insulation, an ultra-energy-efficient elevator and sky lights. The developers even used recycled hardwood floors salvaged from a disassembled house in Hamtramck in the lobby restoration of Newberry Hall. The biggest gold star for tree huggers is the reuse of a historic building, and recycling many of the architectural touches that set it apart.

The developers kept and rebuilt the original windows, including the leaded glass on the first floor. Many of the original bricks were recycled back into the building, often featuring stamps from the original manufacturer. The main lobby's wood paneling and coffered ceilings were also restored, creating a substantial 'Wow factor' for everyone who walks through the building's front door. All of these factors have ensure that each resident has a unique living experience.

"Every one of these units is different," Van Buren says.

An open house will be held between 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Newberry Hall, 100 E Willis. For information on the event and development, send an email here.

Source: Diane Van Buren, who works in sustainable planning at Zachary and Associates
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

New Meijer store set to replace Old Redford High School

Model D Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Meijer plans to replace the old Redford High School in Northwest Detroit with one of its big-box stores, providing a prime example of demolition with a plan in the Motor City.

The former Detroit Public Schools high school's architecture served as a staple of the the Old Redford, Grandmont, Rosedale Park and Brightmoor neighborhoods at 21431 W Grand River Ave since it was built in 1924. It graduated a number of notable national personalities, including George C Scott before it closed in 2007.

The current development plan calls for razing the empty 1 million square foot school to make way for a new Meijer big-box store. The $22 million project will feature a retail, grocery and garden center. The Michigan Economic Development Corp provided brownfield tax credits worth $3.3 million from the state and $6.5 million from local government entities.

"In that respect it's a good thing there is a redevelopment plan," says Karen Nagher, former executive director of Preservation Wayne who now works consulting for historic redevelopment. "But I wish there would have tried to find a way to put retail and office space in there."

A common lament among Metro Detroit's preservation community is that many of the region's historic structures are razed with no plan to redevelop the property, leaving an urban prairie of blighted vacant lots. Some closed Detroit Public Schools buildings with remarkable historic architecture have fallen by the wayside in this way, including the historic Cass Tech building. The redevelopment of the old Redford High School building represents a move toward demolition with a plan for these sorts of structures.

Source: Michigan Economic Development Corp and Karen Nagher, former executive director of Preservation Wayne
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Windows go up in Broderick Tower, project set for fall '12 opening

Model D Tuesday, December 06, 2011

A very visible representation of the rebirth of the Broderick Tower is going up this week, new windows.

The 35-story high-rise overlooking Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit has been undergoing an extensive renovation by Motown Construction Partners (the Beal Group is a key player in that venture) since earlier this year and is on schedule to open in September.

"The windows will be in very soon because we will be turning the heat on in the building," says Stewart Beal, member of Motown Construction Partners and who will serve as the property manager of the Broderick Tower. "We need the heat on for drywall installation which will begin soon."

The Louis Kamper-designed structure opened in 1928 as the second tallest building in Michigan, housing mainly offices and ground-floor retail. It went vacant in the 1980s and has become one of the city's iconic ruins before Motown Construction Partners began rehabbing the building into a combination of ground floor retail, office space and 125 apartments.

Beal opened up leasing for the Broderick Tower in early November and already has rented out 25 of those apartments. Those leases include the three pricey penthouse apartments that go for $5,000 a month. Beal says about half of all the leases so far are from people working on Quicken Loans-related ventures. He is also planning on having a by-appointment-only showing of the building to perspective tenants on Saturday.

For information on the Broderick Tower, click here.

Source: Stewart Beal, member of Motown Construction Partners and who will serve as the property manager of the Broderick Tower
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Detroit Renailed finds new ways to reuse fine wood from old structures

Model D Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Deconstruction has become a cause dejour for Detroit's environmentalist and historic preservationist sets, but a certain aspect of recycling old buildings has really caught their attention lately. The wood. Specifically, reclaiming the 100-year-old wood that came from old-growth trees in Michigan.

"That means it's slow growth wood that has been around for hundreds of years, so it's very strong," says Karen Nagher, former executive director of Preservation Wayne who is also one of the organizers behind the new Detroit Renailed Competition.

Detroit Renailed aims to find innovative new uses for this heart wood that is generally in buildings that predate 1930. Too often this valuable and beautiful wood ends up landfills as these older structures fall by the wayside in Detroit. The competition is looking for proposals from artists and building professionals on how best to stop wasting this valuable resource.

"This wood is just fabulous stuff," Nagher says.

The WARM Training Center, Sugar Hill Gallery, Zachary &Associates, Henry Ford Community College and Hamtramck Community & Economic Development Department have teamed up to make Detroit Renailed possible. Enteries for proposals are due by Dec. 16 and the winners will be displayed at the 71 Garfield building in Midtown in February.

For information, call (313) 831-6100 or click here.

Source: Karen Nagher, former executive director of Preservation Wayne
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Blue Cross Blue Shield opens pedestrian friendly entrances at Ren Cen

Model D Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The last pedestrian barrier around the Renaissance Center has fallen now that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has opened its new pedestrian friendly entrance at its Ren Cen offices.

The Ren Cen has traditionally been an island of office space in downtown squeezed between Jefferson Avenue and the Detroit River with a couple of large concrete berms and parking lots thrown in for good measure. That began to change when General Motors took over the iconic office complex for its headquarters a decade ago, rehabbing the Ren Cen's People Mover stop, opening up its Jefferson front to pedestrians and kicking off the riverfront rebirth by rehabbing its section of Detroit River river walk.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has followed in those footsteps by recreating the Jefferson frontage of Towers 500 and 600 into a pedestrian friendly entrance similar to the Ren Cen's main front door. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is concentrating its employees base in downtown, moving thousands of employees into short towers of the Ren Cen.

"We'll have well over 6,000 people going into that campus on a daily basis," says Tricia Keith, a vice president with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "We wanted to create that campus feel."

Blue Cross Blue Shield is creating an urban campus between its headquarters building a few blocks north of the Ren Cen and its new offices there. The health insurance non-profit recently finished moving workers into Tower 500 and expects to finish work on Tower 600 in January and finish its move shortly after.

Source: Tricia Keith, a vice president with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

ArtPlace grants spur localism in Midtown

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Major grants to several of Midtown's leaders in creative development, including MOCAD and Tech Town, will use art as an engine for economic growth and local place-making.

MOCAD's $350,000 grant from ArtPlace America, a groundbreaking collaboration of 11 foundations, seven federal agencies and the National Endowment of the Arts, will help renovate the museum's internal offices and public exhibition spaces. Over at Tech Town, the new FAB Lab, which received $90,000 in support from ArtPlace, will offer creatives shared access to specialized and expensive equipment, like 3-D printers, computer-controlled machine tools, industry-leading software and electronic workbenches. Another element is workshop space for the city's roster of woodworkers, photographers and metalsmiths.

Local economic development can come in many forms: more visitors, more spending, more investment, more development, improved brand, more jobs, more income, more jobs for artists, more income for artists," says Carol Coletta, president of ArtPlace. "MOCAD develops local talent by expanding their exposure to art and art buyers, among the other benefits named above. Tech Town is specifically designed to explore how local artists can be supported in the development of their businesses and practices."

Coletta says economic development is traditionally oriented around what she calls "bagging the buffalo" -- that is, securing a big-name employer to move central operations or factories to a city. ArtPlace believes that attracting and retaining local talent is the result of deploying local assets, particularly the arts. Midtown Detroit's significance as a creative corridor and hub for economic activity made locating three ArtPlace grants, worth $1.8 million, within a relatively small district.

"Until you get enough intensity in the area, it is hard to support great places," Coletta says. "That’s why it makes sense to focus so many efforts on one location in Detroit. Then its success can spill over into other areas."

Source: Carol Coletta, president, ArtPlace America
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Rosa Parks foundry building erupts with incubator, retail activity

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

For Scott Griffin and Angel Gambino, the co-owners of Corktown's newest business and retail incubation space, redeveloping the old foundry at 2051 Rosa Parks Blvd. "provides a greater context for the neighborhood, increasing and enhancing the visibility" of Detroit's oldest neighborhood.

The Lincoln Brass Works foundry made bullets during World War II -- Griffin calls the 100,000 sq. ft space "an extraordinary example of classic Detroit industrial architecture." The building's eccentric layout, with options ranging from small offices to large, dramatic spaces, makes it perfect for the mixed-use environment envisioned by the owners, who hail from New York. In the six weeks since Gambino and Griffin purchased the building, they've spent their time erasing the improvements the previous owner made to the building. While the previous owner had normalized the spaces into typical office cubicles with carpeting and dropped ceilings, Griffin says they're focused on "undressing the building so the classic architecture shines."

That eye to design has paid off. Griffin says Loveland Technologies, Curbed Detroit and the new Huffington Post have all rented offices inside the foundry. Corktown Cinema is launching its re-imagination (courtesy of Big F Deal) of the art house theater in the building, which Griffin says, "is a tremendous boost to the nightlife in the neighborhood and the greater community." And while he's mum on the details, he says they're negotiating almost 20 office and retail leases in the next week.

Source: Scott Griffin, co-owner
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

North End Studios shine a light on E. Grand Blvd.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

The artist-run collective behind North End Studios has quietly created a hub for sculptors, painters, music producers and bands on W. Grand Blvd. near New Center. Housed in a 100-year-old building with three stories and a tremendous pedigree (it was designed by the architectural firm owned by Albert Kahn), North End Studios has rented out all but two of its offices and studios. On a recent Saturday, a film crew heaved equipment through the lobby, a producer successfully recorded a new band in his second-story studio, and artists wandered the halls looking for conversation.

Two second-story studios in the collective are still available for as little as $250/m. The third floor is a gallery that showcases the works of the 20-or-so rotating members. But it's not just rent they're after -- community members help paint the walls and preserve the building's architectural touches.

North End Studios currently rents the building. "We've had a lot of scares," says Craig. "People have wanted to buy the building -- it was all over the internet." Two prospective buyers even told her, "Sorry to crush your dreams." She says they're putting together a contingency business plan, with lots of optimism for the future. "We could turn it into a contemporary urban artists' vault," she says. "We could have a collection, we could do shows, do workshops, do exhibits, and there's so much space here that we could keep art here permanently. That's really where our business model is headed."

It's hard to miss the North End building -- it's home to the Illuminated Mural designed by CCS grad Katherine "Katie" Craig, who's all of 27 years of age. The vivid public piece is, says Craig, "blasted with colors that stream down from the sky like falling tears." Light boxes and a sensory garden that's under construction are helping transform the parking lot next to the building into a bonafide community space.

Interested in grabbing one of the final spaces in this DIY creative hub? Contact North End Studios here. It's located at 2937 W. Grand Blvd.

Source: Katherine Craig, co-founder, North End Studios
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Grants, Kickstarter and a lot of hard work bring art park to Lincoln Street

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Down at the newly-imagined Lincoln Street Art Park, bridging New Center and Woodbridge, the Oct. 29 dedication ceremony will be both a celebration of local funders and believers, and a chance to find out what lies ahead for one of the city's most exciting new community spaces.

The Lincoln Street Art Park is a collaborative project between Detroit Synergy, Recycle Here! and Midtown, Inc., funded with the help of a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (not to mention 44 art-lovers who ponied up Kickstarter funds to help make the park a possibility). This community space, designed by James Willer on land donated by Recycle Here!'s Matthew Naimi, will feature plenty of recycled and re-imagined materials, not to mention the works of Lincoln Street Art Park's founding artists -- Marianne Burrows, Amanda Box, John Suave, Lindsay Harnish, Sarah Gavie, Carl Oxley III, and graffiti artists Fel3000 and BrownBag -- from murals and paintings to sculptures, and even a garden of wishes.

"Lindsay Harnish did this installation/exhibition at Figment on Belle Isle this year, where she made this handmade paper with wildflower seeds in it, and invited people to write wishes on the paper," says Michelle DiMercurio of Detroit Synergy, who serves on the park planning team. "Then, for Figment, she strung them up on a tree, so she had a tree of wishes. So we took the wishes, and we actually planted them in the garden."

The dedication ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 29 kicks off at 4:30 p.m., though the bonfire will last till 10 p.m. Make sure to drop by for hot apple cider, s'mores and the inside scoop on plans for the park's second phase of development.

"It's a chance to do something permanent and have that be something that people can enjoy," says DiMercurio. "And it's a way to establish connections between the neighborhoods," she says, noting that the Lincoln Street Art Park is a "connection point" between many other local green spaces, like the Woodbridge Community Garden, New Center Park, Anna Scripps Park and Sprit of Hope. "It's connecting dots on the map that are about a mile and a half to two miles apart, so it makes this little chain of green spots throughout the neighborhoods."

Click here to RSVP to the dedication on Facebook.

Source: Michelle DiMercurio, Detroit Synergy
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Hubbell Fund mini-grants give a helping hand to Midtown entrepreneurs

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Colin Hubbell, who passed away in 2008 after a battle with cancer, was more than a Midtown developer. He was one of the neighborhood's first champions, a true urban visionary who understood that small business owners would help remake the Midtown district into a true community. And, given his experience working in city administration, his consulting and mentoring were invaluable to new entrepreneurs unfamiliar with Detroit's workings.

"He was really helpful with assisting people in small businesses -- he really valued that," says his wife, Trish Hubbell, who began the Hubbell Fund to honor his passion for assisting entrepreneurs.

Carrying on that legacy, the Hubbell Fund announced its latest mini-grants to Midtown area entrepreneurs, contributing primarily facade improvements to several local businesses. People's Records, 14 East and Thistle Coffee Shop all received grants for new signage; security doors will be funded for the Art Center Music School. Bike racks will be built for visitors to the Park Shelton building; employees at Source Booksellers will receive the money to purchase an internet software and hardware system; These are just a few of almost a dozen grants currently being administered by the Hubbell Fund, with several more grants in the works for 2011.

Hubbell says her husband wouldn't be surprised by the current wave of entrepreneurs staking their claim on Midtown's soil. "This is what Colin kept emphasizing -- you need to get a critical mass, you can start to create buzz, and create a demand," she says. "People really miss community, and small businesses are all about serving your local community."

The Colin Hubbell Fund is currently accepting donations. Find out more about how you can help here.

Source: Trish Hubbell, Hubbel Fund
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

DPS delivers three new buildings and substantial renovations to kick off 2011-12 school year

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Thousands of DPS students began the 2011-12 school year in brand-new or extensively renovated facilities, thanks to the completion of a major phase of the district's $500.5 million capital improvement program authorized by a taxpayer bond, Proposal S. Since 2000, DPS has built or renovated 40 buildings -- one-third of its current educational properties.

"The program, which including 10 new schools or major renovations this fall, allowed us, in several cases, to consolidate two or three badly outdated, under-utilized structures into a brand new state of the art facilities, and in other cases to modernize existing schools to accommodate 21st century learning styles," says Jennifer Mrozowski, executive director of communications for the district. "We are also making safety enhancements throughout the district's buildings."

DPS debuted three new schools this year. At the Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School at 3200 E. Lafayette, the $46.4 million build emphasizes a science, technology, engineering and math curriculum, with state-of-the-art upgrades like a media center and cyber cafe.

In Southwest Detroit, young students began another year of school at the new Amelia Earhart Elementary Middle School overlooking Clark Park on Scotten Street; while students from three Brightmoor area schools will be housed under one roof at the Samual Gompers Elementary Middle School on Burt Road.

"The new and remodeled schools, while built in an extremely cost-efficient manner, are designed to provide our students with the same types of facilities you'd find in the suburbs or in private school systems," says Mrozowski, "including features like black box theaters, light-filled classrooms, modernized media centers and dance rooms."

The district has until 2012 to spend the remainder of the Proposal S bond money on DPS building improvements. Still in the works, Mrozowski says, are four more projects, in addition to the 14 renovations or new constructions completed since 2010.

"The district is rebuilding Mumford High, Finney Crockett High, Mackenzie Pre K-8 and Munger Pre K-8," she says, "constituting a major upgrade to our facilities and one of the biggest public works projects in neighborhoods throughout the city."

Find out more about the DPS district-wide improvement plan here.

Source: Jennifer Mrozowski, executive director of communications, Detroit Public Schools
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Public art meets the sporting life at the Squash House

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

The newest redevelopment project from Power House Productions, Squash House, is turning the corner from conception to a new Crowdrise fundraiser.

Sculptor Graem Whyte hopes to raise $15,000 for the first round of renovations to the house at 13133 Klinger, which will be transformed into a neighborhood meeting place devoted to the pleasures of friendly racquet competition. Whyte says he hopes to build a "rec center that encourages the community to interact a little more through friendly competition and a community garden dedicated to squash varieties." Solar panels and rainwater collection systems will make the structure green-friendly, as well. Whyte says the Squash House hopes to open its doors by September 2012.

Substantial renovations are needed to re-imagine the Squash House from abandoned to activated. Holes in the roof will need to be patched, and the home's rafters need some work. He also plans to rebuild the back walls and replace the roof in the back section of the structure.

Given Whyte's art background, Squash House will incorporate fine art into function.

"We want to treat the house as art, as a sculpture, and we want to emphasize the space of the house. It's not going to be a literal squash court," he says. "It will be playable, but a little warped. There will be some sculptural add-on components and we'll warp some surfaces as well."

And in the spirit of other Power House renovations, the basic plans will be open to input from members of the neighboring community.

"We want it to happen organically," Whyte says. "It's going to be a process, as with the other Power House projects. We want it to develop at the right pace."

Check out the Squash House's fundraising drive on Crowdrise; become a fan of Squash House on Facebook; or learn more about Power House Productions.

Source; Graem Whyte, founder, The Squash House
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Young Nation's creation -- a new outdoor art gallery in Southwest

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Neighborhood members, kids, local service providers and artists will debut The Alley Project (TAP) Gallery, a permanent outdoor exhibition space dedicated to aerosol street art, on July 4 in Southwest Detroit.

The alley, which is located between the streets of Avis, Falcon, Elsemere and Woodmere, is now covered in murals, crafted by local artists and youth alike. Through a partnership with a Master's of Architecture class headed by Will Wittig at University of Detroit-Mercy, neighborhood kids worked to transform a residential garage into studio art space and gallery, dubbed Studio Luevanos. Two abandoned lots adjacent to the alley were purchased and cleaned. They now host outdoor modular canvasses, reconstructed patio furniture and a bicycle rack (built by an area bike club and metal artist from 555 Gallery with locally salvaged materials).

Erik Howard is the director of Young Nation, a Southwest youth and community development nonprofit. For the past year, he's coordinated efforts to bring TAP Gallery to fruition. It was funded in 2010 through Community + Public Art Detroit (CPAD), a partnership between the Skillman Foundation and College for Creative Studies (also underwritten by the Kresge and Chase foundations). Howard emphasizes that, beyond the art, TAP Gallery's mission was to create a participatory project for the community and its stakeholders.

"The stakeholders are involved in all phases of the decision-making," he says. "Neighbors, youth, service providers and artists were all involved together, and they all learned enough about each other and what's important to each other, to make informed decisions. They all learned about design, about architecture, and about art."

Utilizing the outdoors for gallery space, leaving it open to the public and the elements, was another important aspect of TAP's vision, Howard says.

"This product is a living, breathing art environment, and it exists in an area that has a high incident of vandalism, on purpose," he says. "Part of the risk, of course, is that the things which are put up are temporal. That's okay, because what we tried to design from our process is an organism that can survive in that environment."

Street art was the hook for the youth members of Young Nation, who were given the responsibility to help design and curate the outdoor gallery. Each young leader worked in concert with graphic designers, architects, street artists and fine artists, to help stimulate learning and form relationships with professionals in the fields of art and design.

"What interested them was the street art," Howard says, "but then we use that as a bridge to the wider world of art, in general."

Young Nation will celebrate the opening of TAP in coordination with the Falcon Street Block Club's annual 4th of July block party, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. A dedication of the outdoor gallery and live demonstration painting will coincide with all the happenings of the block club bash -- food, volleyball, music and activities for kids.

Visit TAP on Facebook to check out pictures and learn more.

Source: Erik Howard, Lead Artist and Youth Coordinator, Young Nation
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Woodward Windows project brings visual magic to M-1

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

An empty storefront makes for great canvas. Four unused storefront windows on the 1400 to 1500 block of Woodward Ave. (between Grand Circus and Campus Martius parks) are seeing second life as part of a makeshift outdoor gallery space.

The artistic adornments are a new project launched by Royal Oak's 323 East Gallery and Mike Han of Street Culture Mash. Han says they hope to expand the Woodward Windows movement to every empty storefront window along the downtown corridor.

"We want to activate a lot of those spaces," Han says. "Those sidewalks are beautiful, so eventually, we want to do events, so we can have something of a block party."

More than a party, it's also an innovative marketing strategy for the vacant retail spaces, which are owned by the Farbman Group. "Eventually, tenants will find their way in there," says Han of the effect Woodward Windows can bring to downtown's commercial district. "That's the nice thing about the artwork. It's been drawing a lot of attention. People start talking about those spaces again."

He's hoping to use his relationship with Farbman to secure more windows for potential paintings, and says the real estate development company has been "amazing" to work with.

"It's something that they're interested in, too, because if more people are on that block, it's better for them," Han says.

Four local artists' work are currently displayed, including famed graffiti artist Kobie Solomon, Fel 3000, Malt and Sintex.

"RIght now, we're seeing if we can get some sort of business model for it, because we really want to compensate the artists for their time and their work," Han says. He adds the duo are exploring the idea of opening a pop-up gallery space in one of the empty storefronts, so featured artists will be able to sell their work to passersby.

Source: Mike Han, Founder, Street Culture Mash
Writer; Ashley C. Woods

AIA architects design a new Detroit

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

From May 17 thru May 24, the American Institute of Architects' Detroit Urban Priorities committee (AIA-UPC) will present its second series of events under the mantle of "Detroit by Design," which is bringing volunteer architects together with community stakeholders and local officials to present new ideas for recreating a city of the future.

May's series of "Detroit by Design" focuses on urban centers, and a free exhibit open to the public through June at the Adam Strohm Hall of the Detroit Public Library holds the work of 90 submissions from designers and teams throughout the world. The exhibit opens May 17 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

"What surprised me most is designers and other people outside Michigan seem to be very interested in Detroit's shrinkage and they are watching closely how Detroiters address it," says Lawrence Tech associate professor Joongsub Kim, who is leading the "Detroit by Design" series. "Some of the notable ideas are a new urban center based on old ideas focusing on residential areas, a futuristic urban center in downtown Detroit, an incorporation of urban agriculture into a high rise urban center building in downtown Detroit, among others."

In addition to the exhibit, "Detroit by Design" will also host a series of roundtable discussions and lectures in the Explorer Room of the Detroit Public Library on Tuesday, May 24. Kim says the events have been coordinated with Marja Winters, co-project director of the Detroit Works Project, and he hopes some of the ideas generated from the series will take seed in the DWP's planning. Other featured speakers include Kate Doughdrill of Detroit SOUP, David Dixon of Goody Clancy (an architectural firm which helped rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina) and Power House artist and activist Gina Reichert.

"We both believe that this event helps promote cross-fertilization between design and other fields and residents' participation in the process, and also bring design awareness to the communities," Kim says. "While we have focused more on promoting the opportunities for a constructive dialogue, we will be discussing how the ideas generated from the entire event can be presented to the Detroit Works Project in a mutually beneficial manner."

FInd out more about AIA Detroit here.

Source: Joongsub Kim, Chair, AIA Detroit Chapter Urban Priorities Committee
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

Park District, East Boston Edison streetscapes win mini-grant funding

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The city's Park District and Arden Park- East Boston Edison Historic District are big winners of mini-grants to spiff up neighborhood entrances along the main artery of Woodward Ave.

The last round of the 2010 Streetscape Grant Program is organized by the Woodward Avenue Action Association (WA3) through funding from the Federal Highway Administration's National Scenic Byway program. Five neighborhoods along Woodward. from Berkley to Arden Park Blvd., received grants to build benches, trim bushes and more.

"The purpose of the mini-grant program is to award quality projects that enhance the physical appearance, pedestrian function and heritage of Woodward in a way that all complements another," says WA3 Executive Director Heather Carmona.

The Arden Park-East Boston Edison Historic District won $7,000 to restore the historic entry gates at Woodward Ave. Over the years, natural deterioration and the occasional automobile ding have added some wear and tear to the decorative brick walls and historic gates ,which flank the main entrance to the neighborhood. WA3's Jason Fowler, who manages the program, dates the gates back to at least the 1920s.

The Park District (located along Woodward Ave. between Six Mile and Eight Mile Roads) also won a $15,000 beautification grant. Fowler says the funds will be primarily used for light hole banners along the main entrances to the Park District along the intersections of Woodward and Six Mile, Seven Mile, and Eight Mile Roads.

"There is a certain historical aspect, since the first paved road in the country was between Six and Seven Mile Road on Woodward," Fowler says, "so we may want to do something with that. That's just one reason why Woodward Avenue is so historic, and that's why we're here. So historic, and so unique."

This is the first year that WA3 mini-grant funds were eligible for spending on implementation, not just design.

Source: Jason Fowler, Economic Development Program Manager, Woodward Avenue Action Association
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

$1.9M in energy grants available for Woodward corridor buildings

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Grants worth $1.9M are currently available for energy efficient improvements in privately owned buildings in the Woodward corridor through a program called SmartBulidings Detroit. It's funded by $10 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Economic Development Corporation of the CIty of Detroit (EDC) is accepting applications for grants and loans totaling $100,000 for eligible energy-saving projects. The program area extends from the Detroit River to Seward, between the Lodge Freeway and I-75.

In general, any improvements suggested in an assessment are eligible for grant money: from geothermal systems and solar panels to insulation, glass replacement, and lighting systems. The funds are limited to 40 percent of total eligible project costs and applicants must leverage grant funds 5:1 with money from other sources.

"SmartBuildings Detroit is encouraging businesses to invest in energy saving updates to their properties," says Scott Veldhuis, SmartBuildings Program Manager. "We are offering a combination of grants and loans to eligible businesses, and we are also expecting them to make substantial financial commitments themselves, which should pay off in energy savings over the long term."

More information about the SmartBuildings Detroit Program and how to apply for a grant or Green Fund loan are posted here.

Source: Scott Veldhuis, SmartBuildings Detroit
Writer: Ashley C. Woods

50-unit, mixed-use The Auburn apartments to be built at Cass and Canfield in Midtown

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Detroit's Roxbury Group, in partnership with Invest Detroit, is developing The Auburn at the southeast corner of Cass and Canfield. The building will have 50 one-bedroom apartments, four studios and nine retail units. It is named after the car company that once had a dealership on the site.

The project is expected to begin construction next year and is being designed to cater to students and young professionals, with rents in the $600 to $700 range and apartments averaging 600 square feet. "The marketplace, or at least the perception of the marketplace, has shifted," says James Van Dyke of the Roxbury Group. "These are smaller units to keep the price point lower. ... This is not a luxury product, it's an affordable product."

The retail spaces will be subsidized in part with funds from the Ford Foundation, with the intent of keeping the prices at a point that a small start-up can afford. "We're excited to get local, independent retailers in there," says Van Dyke.

The project is the first Midtown new-build for both Roxbury and project architect Kraemer Design Group. Van Dyke says the reason to take the plunge is -- to use a cliche -- location, location, location. "It's a great corner ... it's become kind of 'Main and Main' in Midtown," he says. "It's the center of a lot of stuff."

Source: James Van Dyke, Roxbury Group
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Flower Day is this weekend; Eastern Market's Shed 3 renovations honored as work turns to Shed 5

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Eastern Market's 44th Annual Flower Day is Sunday, May 16. If you've never been, is a treat for the pocketbook and a feast for the senses. Hosted by the Metropolitan Detroit Flower Growers Association and Eastern Market Corp., Flower Day features over a million plants -- annuals, perennials, foliage, shrubbery, trees and more -- from more than a hundred flower growers from Michigan, Ohio and Canada.

While many of the growers are at the market weekly, having a day focused on just plants means a centering of expertise, says Michelle Miering of the growers association. "It gives growers the opportunity to sell their products, and it also helps to enhance the public with more knowledge," she says. "(The growers) talk to customers about how the product grows, how to plant it, what they might be doing wrong and what they're doing right in their garden."

On top of garden shopping, there will be five entertainment stages, a wagon-decorating contest, a Friends of Eastern Market VIP Station with free refreshments and massages (and yes, you can join that day), a children's area, and two free pick-up/drop-off stations to make hauling purchases a little easier. The majority of Eastern Market stores and restaurants are open for business, and there will also be a Taste of Flower Day Food Court.

Flower Day runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is Michigan's largest flower event, drawing 150,000 people a year. "Every single stall at Eastern Market will be filled, ... and there couldn't be a better place to have this event," says Miering. "Without Eastern Market on board, the event wouldn't be so fabulously popular. ... It's historic, it's got its own aura, and it draws some people just for that."

The newly-renovated Shed 3 will make its Flower Day debut. Its reconstruction, which was completed in November 2009, has netted the Eastern Market Corp. a couple of awards: a quality of life award from the Michigan chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a special recognition award from the Construction Association of Michigan.

This momentum is carrying over to Shed 5's modernization, which is next on the organization's agenda. Construction document production and fundraising for that project is underway. Plans call for the construction of a community kitchen that can be used by caterers and other food entrepreneurs.

Sources: Michelle Miering, MDFGA and Kimberly Hill and Randall Fogelman, Eastern Market Corp.
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Celebrate construction kick off for Newberry Hall's 28-unit rental rehab on May 6

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

It's taken 4 1/2 years to get off the ground, but renovation is now underway at Newberry Hall, the former nurses' housing located on John R at Willis in Midtown. Built in 1898, funded by the Newberry family -- major investors in the Packard Motor Co. -- and designed by Elijah Meijer, the architect who designed the Michigan State Capital among several others, the building has "social importance to Detroit and architectural importance to Detroit," says Ernie Zachary of development and finance consultant firm Zachary and Associates. "It's a really important building and to lose this building would be criminal."

Over the past few years, the developer has changed, but the goal has remained consistent: to renovate the structure into housing. There will be 28 rental units ranging in size from 700 to 900 square feet available for $1.30/square foot. Zachary expects construction to take a year.

Federal and state historic and brownfield tax credits -- which are being purchased by Comerica Bank -- are being employed, as is gap financing from the Detroit Investment Fund. "A simple loan with some equity wasn't going to cut it for this project," says Zachary, who credits staffer Amy Anderson with plugging away at the endless forms and legal documents the financing layers required.

A ground-breaking celebration of the renovation is being held on May 6 at 11 a.m. at Newberry Hall, 100 E. Willis. RSVP today, May 4, to University Cultural Center Assoc. at 313-577-5088.

Source: Ernie Zachary, Zachary and Associates
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

University of Michigan's Five Fellows turn foreclosed house into architecture project

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Five University of Michigan architecture fellows, through the help of Design99, purchased the house at 13178 Moran from the city's foreclosure auction for $500 and have turned it into their architectural canvas and a piece of public art for the neighborhood.

Inside the you'll find a Q-Bert-esque staircase, a space called the "Tingle Room," another staircase leading up to a skylight, a removable nook in the back, and the garage drilled with 1,000 holes and jammed with 1,000 glass tubes. Each would require more than 1,000 words for explanation.

"We've collaborated but we have five different projects throughout the house," says Ellie Abrons, one of the fellows.

The four of the five, Abrons, Tom Moran (a coincidence his last name is the same as the street), Meredith Miller, and Rosalyne Shieh, are from other parts of the United States. One, Cathlyn Newell hails from metro Detroit.

As for they house, each chipped in $100 to get it off the foreclosure auction. From the outside it doesn't look like much, just another neglected house, but once inside, it comes to life. It hasn't been rehabbed for humans. In fact, it hasn't been rehabbed at all. It's more of a vehicle to hold their projects.

Typically, UM brings in three architect fellows for a year. They work on projects throughout that year and present them in a gallery. It's mostly conceptual, usually drawings or blueprints. This year, however, they wanted to go full-scale.

"We're not trying to be exploitive to the neighborhood," Moran says. "We don't want to burden the project with that. We're not trying to think of solutions or fix anything here."

Yet, the project has engaged the neighborhood. The fellows all say they've been approached by residents of the block curious to what is going on. "We had no idea how active this block actually was," says Abrons. "It's been an opportunity to get the neighborhood out."

They have since donated the project to Design99 for one dollar. "They still owe us that dollar," says Moran, laughing. The project is ongoing and the fellows will be at UM for two years teaching. Unfortunately the house isn't open to the public but if you catch a fellow at the right time, just ask for a tour.

Source: The Five Fellows, University of Michigan

Writer: Terry Parris Jr.

Progress Report: Windows, insulation, heating and cooling up next at Green Garage

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

The last time Model D covered the Green Garage, back in December 2009, owners Peggy and Tom Brennan were chugging along with their project, transforming a 1920 building that once served as a Model T showroom into a business incubator and green building model. Earth tubes and water cisterns had been installed, most of the ceiling had been removed to showcase the building's bow tresses and a three-season room had been added to the front of the building. They've since installed a Duro-Last roof and cleaned interior and exterior brick and woodwork by a non-toxic process of walnut shell-blasting, and interior wood has been coated with low-VOC Defy.

The project is currently going through the brownfield approval process and design is being "taken to the next level of sustainable detail," says Tom. "Our design is solid, but not detailed enough for someone to pound a nail." This process is complicated by the level of efficiency they are working to attain. For example, windows will allow 0.1 air infiltration, be rated 45 R, achieve zero-waste and will last 100 years.

To achieve these standards, Green Garage are working with Detroit-based Kelly Windows to design triple-pane windows that are made from sustainable wood and are low-VOC, a product that will then become commercially available to other Kelly customers. Two prototype widow frames have been installed that are tall and narrow, a design that was common prior to the advent of electric lights. "It lets light go way into the room," says Tom.

Solatubes are being employed to light the main room, and holes have been cut in the roof to allow their installation. One prototype has already been installed and the quality and amount of light it disburses can fool an onlooker into thinking it is an actual ceiling lamp. "From sunrise to sunset, it disburses an even light," says Tom.

A Daikin Altherma three-ton electric heat pump is being installed as a back-up heating unit to the Green Garage's solar panels. It will be placed in an earth room in the basement, which further improves its efficiency -- and is another example of the project's "out of the box" nature, says Tom. "We've really pushed this from when we started, and even when we are done we will keep going."

Last but not least, the Green Alley will break ground on May 17.

Source: Tom Brennan, Green Garage
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

This Old House names The Villages one of nation's best places to buy an old house

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Villages -- a near East Side community comprised of six historic neighborhoods including Indian and West Villages -- has been named one of the 51 best places in America to buy an old house by the editors of This Old House Magazine. And what's good for the neighborhood is good for Detroit, says Kirsten Ussery of The Villages Community Development Corporation. "It makes us feel great because of not only what it says about the beauty of our neighborhood, but it shows that there are still strong neighborhoods in the city, it shows the rest of the nation that Detroit has beautiful neighborhoods,...that Detroit is alive with thriving neighborhoods that people live in."

This Old House designated The Villages "Best Place for a Bargain," citing the neighborhood's more than 17 architectural styles with "intricate woodwork, front porches, and spacious urban yards." It even concludes that this "bargain-hunter's bounty of architectural riches (is) just one reason we're betting on (Detroit's) survival."

Ussery says that The Villages CDC plans on hosting a celebration event later this month and will use the designation in its continuing marketing efforts. And it might be worth picking up a copy of the magazine -- The Villages is one of only six designated communities that made the print edition.

Source: Kirsten Ussery, The Villages CDC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Green Space: Kramer Design Group recognized for green building applications

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Downtown Detroit-based Kraemer Design Group operates from a mantra of "do the right thing," and has incorporated green elements into their designs since the company's inception 14 years ago. As sustainability becomes more mainstream, green materials and willing clients have made it easier for the architecture firm to build green, and the world is taking notice.

Kraemer's design for NTH Consultants Northwood Corporate Center was selected as a Green Building of America award-winning project and will be featured in an upcoming edition of Real Estate & Construction Review - Midwest Green Success Stories. "This was a case of the client coming to us," says architectural designer Brian Rebain, who says that sustainable materials were used whenever possible in the project. "The furniture, fabrics, carpeting, even down to the adhesive and the sealants being used." Low-VOC paint was employed, old-fashioned linoleum stepped in for vinyl flooring and recycled materials were used whenever possible.

The Construction Association of Michigan also honored a project that Kraemer was involved in: the renovation of Strategic Energy Solutions' offices in Berkley, which was given an honorable mention as a Green Project of the Year. The project was awarded LEED Gold certification, which Rebain says was achieved through a partnership between the architect and the client. "The geothermal (they installed) boosted up the LEED-qualifying nature of the project," he says.

As green and sustainable building becomes more and more the norm, Rebain says that the Kraemer staff will continue to push the envelope when it comes to technology and materials. "A lot of what we do is keeping abreast with what's new, what the newest products are, what the best products are," he says.

Source: Brian Rebain, Kraemer Design Group
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Progress Report: Midtown's Green Garage continues to achieve zero-waste rehab

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

The Green Garage is an 11,000-square-foot building located on Second Ave. between Canfield and Prentis that is being renovated into a business incubator and green building model. While that end result is interesting enough, the actual renovation process is itself worthy of note.

Since beginning construction late this summer, interior walls and ceilings, old roofing, insulation and ductwork have been removed. Typical, sure. But what is far from the norm is the fact that every scrap of debris is being reused or recycled. An already difficult task became nearly impossible when Green Garagers attempted to find a place to recycle shingles and plaster, but National Recycling stepped to the plate to remove 21 cardboard crates of debris that was not reusable and is rarely recycled.

In the front of the building a new "three-season room" has been added that will have windows that open out into the community. Bricks were used from elsewhere in the building, so the addition is seamless with the rest of the facade. A roof garden will also front Second when all is said and done.

In the rear, a half-dozen earth tubes poke into the basement, bringing air in through the outside. The distance the air travels through the earth cools it in the winter and warms it in the summer, which means the building's temperature will not be abruptly affected by its circulation.

Two large water tanks have been delivered and will be installed to collect rain water. One will serve the building's gray water needs, the other the community's. Next on the agenda is the installation of a Duro-Last roof and triple pane windows and the cleaning of interior and exterior brick by a non-toxic process of walnut shell-blasting.

Read Model D's previous Green Garage coverage here, and hear about the project in person at the Dec. 16 Speaker Series, which you can sign up for here. Also follow the project at the Green Garage website, where building owners Tom and Peggy Brennan painstakingly document their progress.

Source: Peggy Brennan, Green Garage
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

D-Biz: East Side design firm offers expert eye, updates Pioneer Building

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

WM Studio is a renovation and design firm started by architect Marc Tirikian. Though its focus is mainly residential projects, such as kitchen remodeling, the firm was recently hired to help redesign the 30,000-square-foot Pioneer Building on East Grand Boulevard, so that the former-industrial-building-turned-artist-studios will meet city occupancy standards.

WM Studio was launched in 2002 and operated for 3 years before Tirikian accepted a job with the architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, where he contributed to the design of Burj Dubai and the new NATO Headquarters. He returned to Detroit in 2008 and, once here, saw an opportunity to re-open WM Studio. "I truly believe, truly hope that Detroit will make it's turnaround. And we want to be a part of that when it happens," says Tirikian.

The firm's size, coupled with its experience, make it attractive option for clients, like the Pioneer Building, trying to couple design desires with cash realities. "Because we're a small firm, our overhead expenses aren't that great," says Tirkian. "So our fees are not as exuberant as large firms."

Away from WM Studio, Tirikian serves on the design committee for CEM Business Association, which initiates programs for the beautification of the East Warren commercial corridor. He's currently working on a project to streetscape the district.

WM Studio is located at 4192 Bishop. Call 313-885-7521.

Source: Marc Tirkian, WM Studio
Writer: Ryan Kelly

Architecture : Detroit Development News