Rehabbed Newberry Hall set to open in January in Midtown

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.