Ann Arbor Construction updates

[DetroitMan]

‘We do have a housing crisis.’ Ann Arbor OKs 12-story high-rise development

Citing a need to address a housing shortage caused in part by the University of Michigan’s growth, City Council voted 9-0 on June 20 to approve special planned unit development zoning and a site plan for a 12-story, 733-bed tower.

“We do have a housing crisis and the status quo is not acceptable,” Mayor Christopher Taylor said. The project at 721 S. Forest Ave. is called Verve Ann Arbor and is expected to cater to UM students with 228 near-campus apartments ranging from studios to six bedrooms. Plans also include ground-floor retail space.

The city’s Planning Commission voted 6-2 in March to recommend council approval, but the city’s planning staff recommended denial, arguing it’s out of scale with the neighborhood, next to the Washtenaw/Hill Historic District where there’s a 30-foot height limit and not consistent with the city’s comprehensive land-use plan. With council’s OK, the project can happen and the apartment tower can stand more than 135 feet taller than what would have been allowed to be built under the previous zoning.

The high-rise will replace Forest Place, a five-story, 1960s-era apartment building.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...velopment.html

[DetroitMan]

196-unit final phase of Beekman on Broadway development gets Ann Arbor’s OK

City Council voted 10-0 Monday night, July 17, to approve the third and final phase of the Beekman on Broadway development, OK’ing Chicago-based Morningside Group’s revised plan to build more rental housing instead of condos.

Morningside’s previously approved plan for the site included an 86-unit condo building, but that’s been scrapped. The additional 196-unit apartment building now approved will take shape next to two other apartment buildings already constructed on the site in recent years. The first one brought 254 new apartments and the second one added 286. Morningside’s Ron Mucha has said the unit mix for the third building will be similar to the first two with an emphasis on one-bedroom units and studios, plus some two-bedroom units.

The monthly rent for a roughly 435-square-foot studio at Beekman on Broadway can vary from $1,975 to $2,100, while one-bedroom units go for $1,990 to $2,555 and two-bedroom units go for $2,500 to $3,235, according to prices listed at BeekmanOnBroadway.com. There also are 15 affordable housing units reserved for people with incomes up to 60% of the area median income and the third building will add six more.

Parking also is reduced, officials noted.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...arbors-ok.html

[DetroitMan]

Ann Arbor council gives 9-0 initial OK to 8-story State Street development

Council voted 9-0 Monday night, Aug. 7, to give its initial OK to rezone an entire neighborhood block of houses and apartments slated to be demolished to make way for the much denser and taller SouthTown project at 1601 S. State St.

The project aims to bring about 216 new apartments, plus office and retail space, along the east side of State Street between Stimson and Henry streets. “I’m really excited to see this go forward,” said Council Member Jen Eyer, D-4th Ward. The rezoning of roughly 1.7 acres from R4C to C1A/R with conditions comes back to council for final approval Sept. 5, when there will be a public hearing.

“This will allow considerably greater density on these parcels,” said Council Member Lisa Disch, D-1st Ward, noting the project is in the central area of the city, proximate to the University of Michigan campus.

Disch said she’s heard strong community support and there’s considerable excitement about the project, which she noted also includes plans for childcare space and sustainability features.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...velopment.html

[subterranean]

I think it's wild that it takes a city council vote to change a property's land use designation in a quasi-judicial (non-legislative) matter. That is firmly within the purview of a planning commission here, unless it's a protected class of land in the rural area that we call "resource lands".

[Rizzo]

At what point will it be time for LRT? Parcels adjacent to the Ann Arbor railroad have densified considerably. Soon there will be new freshman dorms. And a better connection to the athletic campus to north campus is warranted.

[DetroitMan]

What’s that on Ann Arbor’s Packard Street? ‘Urban luxury apartments’ coming

The 72-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail space that has had city officials excited is now advancing, marketed as “urban luxury apartments” with modern finishes.

Passersby on Packard Street just south of Fraser’s Pub may notice the large fenced-off site has been cleared of the smaller commercial building that once stood there and site prep work is underway for vertical construction to begin.
Few details of the project have changed since it went through City Council for approval in early 2021.

Instead of 118 bedrooms, it’s now expected to have 119, and the retail square footage has been adjusted slightly — with one space now planned to be 2,366 square feet and the other 1,192 square feet, said project architect John Myefski. Plans still call for 84 surface parking spaces for cars behind the building. As of now, 70 of those are planned for residents, and 14 for retail use, Myefski said.

There also will be bicycle parking.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...ts-coming.html

[deja vu]

"Urban luxury"!?! What a novel concept. other developers should take note!

[Rizzo]

Yeah I really don’t know what “luxury” is anymore. It seems to get confused with on trend. The first test of multi unit “luxury” housing. Close the door and if you can hear people in the hall or next door, it’s not luxury. The rest is subjective and a matter of taste. Though the architect of record is very experienced in many luxury residential projects in Chicago.

[DetroitMan]

164 affordable apartments planned on former auto dealer lot on Ann Arbor’s west side

A 164-unit affordable housing development is planned on the former Chrysler auto dealership lot at 2060 W. Stadium Blvd.

City Council voted 10-0 Monday night, Aug. 21, to approve tax breaks for the project planned by The Annex Group, which aims to provide housing for people with an average household income at or below 60% of the area median income.The developer is expected to apply for low-income housing tax credits through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, which would result in a mortgage on the property.

With City Council’s approval of a $1 annual payment-in-lieu-of-taxes arrangement for each housing unit, the development would be exempt from property taxes. No site plan for the project has been submitted yet, said Brett Lenart, city planning manager.

Colliers International has had the 2.32-acre 2060 W. Stadium Blvd. property listed for sale for $3.95 million.

Council Member Dharma Akmon, D-4th Ward, said she’s thrilled to see the start of a plan to develop “this old abandoned car lot that I feel like I’ve been staring at for I don’t know how long, hoping that it would be housing.”

While it’s just outside her ward, she passes by it often, she said.

“It’s just great that somebody’s planning to put affordable housing there and just to see something in our TC1 district,” she said, referring to new high-density zoning for the corridor.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...west-side.html

[DetroitMan]

Ann Arbor OKs $6.2M deal to set stage for downtown affordable housing

Ann Arbor officials have OK’d a $6.2 million transaction to put a prime piece of downtown real estate into the hands of the city’s Housing Commission.

Transferring ownership of the city-owned parking lot at 350 S. Fifth Ave. — the former YMCA property next to the Blake Transit Center — sets the stage for a potential mixed-income, twin-tower housing development, though the commission still needs to line up a development partner and secure financing.City Council voted 10-0 to approve the sale of the property to the commission on Aug. 21.

The move has drawn questions and criticism from some community members who are concerned the city is depleting $5.2 million of its affordable housing millage funds and $1 million of its federal stimulus funds to essentially sell the land to itself, since the commission is part of city government.

City officials said the funds will be used to pay off about $5 million in debt the city owes on the property, while the remainder will help fund other city initiatives.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...e-housing.html

[deja vu]

I know the updates on here are somewhat sporadic and there isn't a real rundown for this thread to help track things, but can we all just stop and take a moment to appreciate the sheer quantity of new housing that is currently being built / proposed in Ann Arbor? Just from the last few pages of updates, there are literally thousands of new units in the works (thank you DetroitMan for posting a majority of the recent updates and for keeping this thread alive)

2900 S. Main St. 42 units
Church Street Townhomes: 108 units
2520 and 2540 Pontiac Trail: 600 units
Sears site at Briarwood: 350 units
LV Collective / 711 Church St: 350 units
2050 Commerce Drive: 252 units
Vic Village South: 127 units
A2 Collaborative / N Maple Rd Proposal: 79 units
Owl Creek Apartments Expansion: 135 units
Broadway Park West: 90 units
415 W. Washington St: 157 units
Verve Ann Arbor: 228 units
Avalon Housing / Kerrytown Development: 63 units
212 Miller Ave: 7 units
333 E. William St: 206 units
Northside Corners : 150 units
Beekman on Broadway: 196 units
SouthTown project at 1601 S. State St: 216 units
Packard Row: 72 units
The Annex Group / 2060 W. Stadium Blvd.: 164 units
350 S. Fifth Ave (potential mixed-income, twin-tower housing development): Qty. yet TBD, but easily 200+ units.

That's ~4,000 units, and I'm sure we're missing some. Plus, that's not even counting the thousands of new / replacement on-campus units that UofM has in the works, not to mention several hotels also.

I think (hope) a 30+ story tower is inevitable, given this unabated rate of growth and demand.

[deja vu]

Vic Village South is nearing structural completion -






Source: LinkedIn | Lee Ressler, PE

[DetroitMan]

Great visual updates on the construction projects in DT Ann Arbor! Also, I'm glad you started to compile a list of all the projects in Ann Arbor. It's amazing how many developments are underway right now. While this project isn't in Ann Arbor proper, it should help with some of the housing affordability issues in the area.

295-unit affordable apartment complex breaks ground near Ann Arbor

The $76 million Haverhill on Clark development from Lockwood Companies broke ground Wednesday at the southwest corner of Clark and Golfside roads in Pittsfield Township. The project will consist of 295 apartments over two four-story buildings and will include a swimming pool, grilling area, outdoor lounge, electric vehicle charging stations, community room and fitness center, according to a news release. Funded, in part, with more than $34 million in low income housing tax credits from real estate company Berkadia, the development will be targeted at those making between 40% and 60% of the area median income, which is $73,276 for Ann Arbor. Rents at the new Pittsfield Township development for one person would be limited to those making $34,720-$52,080, according to a memo from MSHDA. Two-person households could have incomes of $39,680-$59,520.

Rents are projected to range from $809-$1,137 for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit; $968-$1,333 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit and $1,114-$1,558 for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit.

The development sits within the Ann Arbor school district.

The Washtenaw County market "has had a real shortage of affordable housing," said Mark Lockwood, president and CEO of Lockwood Companies.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...near-ann-arbor

[DetroitMan]

More details on the proposed affordable housing development on the west side that as just approved. Apparently, it could rise as high as 7-stories.


Housing development on Ann Arbor’s west side expected to rise 7 stories

An affordable housing development Ann Arbor is supporting on the city’s west side could rise seven stories, the developer has indicated.

After getting city approval of tax breaks, the developer proposing the project at 2060 W. Stadium Blvd. is now inviting community members to learn more about the plans.

A citizen participation meeting with the development team is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7. It will take place virtually over Zoom. When City Council approved a property tax exemption for the project on Aug. 21, the only details were that it was expected to provide 164 affordable apartments for people with an average household income at or below 60% of the area median income, and the developer, The Annex Group, also is seeking tax credits through the state of Michigan.

The development team’s postcard inviting neighbors to Thursday’s meeting gives more details, indicating the building is planned to rise from five to seven stories tall and contain a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom units.

The postcard includes a site layout drawing and directs anyone with questions or comments to contact local architect Brad Moore at office@jbradleymoore.com.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...7-stories.html

[DetroitMan]

‘You had me at density.’ Ann Arbor OKs 8-story SouthTown development

An eight-story housing development called SouthTown is now approved in Ann Arbor.

City Council voted 10-0 Tuesday night, Sept. 5, to OK the project at 1601 S. State St. that’s slated to replace an entire neighborhood block of houses and apartments.

“You had me at density,” said City Council Member Linh Song, D-2nd Ward, noting the rezoning increases density on the block by about three times what was allowable. It even more significantly increases housing counts from what stands there today: 38 housing units of various types that will be demolished and replaced with 216 new apartments, plus ground-floor commercial space, childcare space and a plaza.

While residents offered mixed opinions about the project during public hearings — some concerned up to 30% of the apartments can be short-term rentals versus housing for longterm residents — council members said it checks just about every box in meeting city goals from housing to sustainability.

“It hits so many of the notes that we’re trying to accomplish,” Mayor Christopher Taylor said. “I ran on a platform of providing more housing of all types,” said Council Member Dharma Akmon, D-4th Ward, adding even people who work in affordable housing agree there needs to be more housing of all types to address what community leaders view as an affordability crisis.

There’s even a need for short-term rentals in the community, said Council Member Jen Eyer, D-4th Ward.

The project, described as two combined buildings, will rise along east side of State Street between Stimson and Henry streets, south of East Stadium Boulevard south of downtown, across from Salvation Army and the University of Michigan Golf Course.

Local developer Prentice 4M, working with Synecdoche Design, is behind the project, which is planned to be all-electric with rooftop solar and geothermal heating and cooling. There will be a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments.

“The SouthTown sustainable energy system will set a benchmark for sustainable building construction and ongoing clean energy production,” said developer Heidi Poscher, explaining there will be a microgrid control system to manage energy loads and optimize integration of renewable energy, providing a level of control almost every other building doesn’t have and allowing disconnecting from the local DTE Energy power grid to operate independently when necessary.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...velopment.html

[deja vu]

^ Nice massing, responding to neighborhood context and yielding a development that is denser than it looks. This will also be the first mass timber project in the city.

[DetroitMan]

Two big projects were announced today, the first is a 12-story, 450 apartment tower that will take up an entire block and the second is a 24-story tower that would replace the old Chase Bank at 125 S. Main. If built, it would be the 2nd tallest building in the city at 290 feet. It's great to see projects like this getting proposed. The A2 skyline will definitely be different by 2030.


High-rise proposed to replace nearly entire Ann Arbor neighborhood block
annarbordevelopment2 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

The city’s Planning Commission is meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12, for a work session, where officials will discuss conceptual plans for a planned unit development spanning 2.7 acres.

The proposal calls for redeveloping the site with roughly 450 apartments in a building ranging from seven to 12 stories, including a large parking garage and amenities such as a rooftop pool terrace, interior courtyard and dog run. Altogether, there could be more than 1,500 bedrooms. The block that would be almost entirely demolished is between Fourth and Fifth avenues and bound by Packard Street to the north and Madison Street to the south. It’s immediately across the street to the north from the old Fingerle Lumber property, where the University of Michigan has plans for a new marching band practice field, while the old Elbel Field site further south is being repurposed for a campus dorm project.
annarbordevelopment1 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr
St. Louis-based student housing developer Subtext is behind the latest development to be discussed Tuesday and describes its proposal as “much-needed modern housing that will help further address the city’s housing crisis and sustainability goals.” It has secured options to purchase the properties.

A project map shows only properties on the northwest part of the block, near the corner of Fourth Avenue and Packard Street, are not included in the development footprint.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...ood-block.html

24-story skyscraper proposed on Ann Arbor’s Main Street
125SMain3 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

The old Chase Bank building at 125 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor could face the wrecking ball as plans are in the works to replace it with a 24-story skyscraper.

The city’s Planning Commission is meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12, for a work session where officials will discuss conceptual plans for a new mixed-use tower rising at the northeast corner of Main and Washington streets in the heart of downtown. The 215,000-square-foot building that’s envisioned would include about 70-55 apartments on floors 17-23, 200 hotel rooms on floors 3-16, 12,000 square feet of restaurant space on floors 1-2, top-floor amenity spaces for residents and hotel guests opening up to a rooftop pool terrace, and below-grade parking. Since it would exceed existing height limits by several stories, the development team is asking city officials to consider the project as a special planned unit development.

125SMain2 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr
New York City-based SHoP Architects Inc. requested Tuesday’s meeting on behalf of owners Hall Gratiot Partners LLC and REalta Capital 125 S Main LLC.

In an Aug. 23 letter, they noted the vacant, five-story bank building there now is in the D1 core downtown zone at a prominent intersection. “We believe this is one of the most important corners in the downtown and activating this currently dormant corner is critical to galvanizing the Main Street corridor,” the proposal states.

While the existing building hasn’t had an active street-level presence even when in use because of its opaque design, the new building would have first- and second-floor restaurant space wrapping around most of the frontages on Main and Washington. Hotel and residential lobbies would be at the southeast corner of the building along Washington Street, where there’s a city parking garage to the east. There would be a drop-off zone in the alley for deliveries and ride-sharing services.
125SMain by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr
The development team vows it would be a high-quality building addressing city goals to increase housing and sustainability, enliven and activate the downtown with visitors and foot traffic to offset the loss of office workers since the pandemic and generate significant economic development through the creation of jobs, new businesses and tax revenue.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...in-street.html

[DetroitSky]

If that Main Street tower gets built it'll be the tallest building in AA by roof height. Tower Plaza is 267' to the roof, and 292' to the top of a rooftop antenna. Pretty exciting!

[Rizzo]

I just hope it ends up a signature building and not some hulking boxy “file cabinet” staring down Main Street.

[deja vu]

Yeah. I'm always a little wary when a development team is so quick to publicize something that is little more than an extruded square. But the fact that SHoP is involved is very encouraging.

That Subtext development / massing rendering further up is pretty ugly too.