DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[subterranean]

Look at those warm tans under the gloomy Detroit sky. Better get a happy light, Anthony et al.

[DetroitSky]

Miami-based investment firm buys Detroit property, plans new office

A Miami-based international real estate investment firm purchased a building and a handful of properties near Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood, planning to locate an office and co-working space there.

Spider, a group that oversees companies including Spider Investments and Spider Ventures, controls around 200 units in Detroit, in single family and multifamily properties. Now it's looking to make its presence more public, aiming to renovate a building at 4264 Grand River Ave. and house a small office there, said Alejandro Eskenazi, corporate vice president.

Spider is also making architectural plans for rehab of an 11-unit, two-building multifamily property west of Detroit's New Center, near the Motown Museum and Rosa Parks Boulevard. Eskenazi said he expects the 2019 Marquette St. redevelopment to finish around March and was not yet able to estimate a project cost.

[DetroitSky]

City releases RFPs for two Villages developments

The first RFP is calling for the rehab of eight duplexes which will house 16 mixed-income rental units. These duplexes are located throughout the Islandview neighborhood between West Vernor and Charlevoix.

The second RFP is looking for developers to build multi-family residential closer to West Village in Islandview, plus rehab two existing duplexes. This land covers 11 vacant parcels on Townsend Street and two vacant parcels on Sheridan, and the vacant duplexes are on Townsend.

[DetroitSky]

Build Institute wants to bring affordable co-working space to Michigan Avenue

Detroit entrepreneurship academy Build Institute is seeking a relationship with Ford Motor Co. as it plans an "affordable" co-working space on Michigan Avenue in Corktown.

The nonprofit, which spun off this year from fiduciary Downtown Detroit Partnership, is looking to raise $50,000 through crowdfunding platform Patronicity to help fund a new headquarters.

It has signed on as a tenant of The Corner, a $30 million mixed-use development at the old Tiger Stadium site.

Plans to Expand Detroit's Motown Museum Get $500,000 Boost

DETROIT — The Motown Museum's expansion plans are getting a $500,000 boost.

The grant from the DTE Energy Foundation was announced Monday by Robin Terry, CEO and chairwoman of the museum . The money will help support the development of an education and community engagement space at the museum for young artists that also will house the museum's summer camp programs.

[The North One]

Bedrock released some conceptual renders for what they plan to do with the Gratiot site, aka fail jail.

• 7.2 acres
• Mixed Use Developement

After plans fell through to construct a new Wayne County jail at 1400 St. Antoine St., new plans call for the development of a multiple facility, mixed-use site on the 7.2-acre property. The property is bound by Gratiot Avenue to the northwest, the Chrysler Service Drive to the northeast, Clinton Street to the south and St. Antoine Street to the west.

http://www.bedrockdetroit.com/property/gratiot-site/

[DetroitSky]

Wow! I like that they're going to introduce two new streets to make the site into four separate blocks. That green space will make a nice park area for Greektown. It's also nice to see a rendering with the I-375 boulevard worked in. Makes it a little easier to visualize how that project could end up.

[LMich]

Though, I do notice the concept is from at least a few months back, you know, before they changed the design of the Hudson Block & Tower. Also, the boulevard-ing of 375 would begin south of Gratiot.

Yeah, I like the breaking up of the block and the open space. Hopefully, they do some architecture and a site plan that's a bit more unified. I feel like a lot of architecture is trying a bit too hard/trying to do too much, and this concept strikes me as that.

[seabee1526]

It's nice to see a plan for that area. I like it.

Who owns the 2 wedges next to Grand Circus Park between Adams / Washington, Park Ave. / Clifford? What prime spots to build on...

[Warrenite84]

I too like the boulevard re-do and the superblock broken up. The park looks good overall. I would prefer a collection of Vancouver like mid-rises with 3-5 story podiums and towers in the 15-25 story range. Downtown has many buildings in the 5-7 story range. I guess I'd hate to see CBD settle for stubby buildings on the periphery.

[davidberko]

Originally Posted by Warrenite84

I too like the boulevard re-do and the superblock broken up. The park looks good overall. I would prefer a collection of Vancouver like mid-rises with 3-5 story podiums and towers in the 15-25 story range. Downtown has many buildings in the 5-7 story range. I guess I'd hate to see CBD settle for stubby buildings on the periphery.

yeah, I agree

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by seabee1526

It's nice to see a plan for that area. I like it.

Who owns the 2 wedges next to Grand Circus Park between Adams / Washington, Park Ave. / Clifford? What prime spots to build on...

The west side of Bagley is owned by Olympia so good luck seeing development there anytime soon.

The east side of Bagley currently has a mid-rise apartment building under construction.
https://www.cityclubapartments.com/u...ntown/detroit/

[davidberko]

Has anybody noticed that really tall building to the right of the hudsons in those new renderings for the gratiot site? Don't know if it's just thrown in there or if it's actually gonna be a future proposal...

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by davidberko

Has anybody noticed that really tall building to the right of the hudsons in those new renderings for the gratiot site? Don't know if it's just thrown in there or if it's actually gonna be a future proposal...

To the right? That's the steam power plant.

[Detroit]

Originally Posted by davidberko

Has anybody noticed that really tall building to the right of the hudsons in those new renderings for the gratiot site? Don't know if it's just thrown in there or if it's actually gonna be a future proposal...

Are you talking about the Detroit Thermal stacks? Otherwise, I do not see what you're referencing

[davidberko]

Originally Posted by Detroit

Are you talking about the Detroit Thermal stacks? Otherwise, I do not see what you're referencing

LOL! Whoops. I'm observant ������
There needs to be a skyscraper where those stacks are. Would look amazing and definitely put Detroit well on its way to becoming Delta city

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by davidberko

LOL! Whoops. I'm observant ������
There needs to be a skyscraper where those stacks are. Would look amazing and definitely put Detroit well on its way to becoming Delta city

That steam plant itself isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It provides steam to most of the greater downtown area. There's plenty of parking lots over there though that would look great with some midrises and highrises. The northeast corner of Brush and Gratiot with its wide curved corner would definitely produce some interesting architecture.

[LMich]

New Shinola store opening downtown on Friday

The Shinola Hotel is set to open by the end of the year, and a new retail shop will open at 1424 Woodward this Friday. It will be the 27th brick and mortar Shinola store in the country, at the first hotel for the design brand.

The shop will open at 10 a.m. November 23.

The 1,600-square-foot store will offer a a full lineup of the brand’s items, including the Runwell Desk Clock, the Shinola Hotel Leather Pillow, and the Shinola Hotel Throw Blanket. The free monogramming service will also be offered to guests purchasing journals and leather goods. Custom engraving will also be available for select jewelry pieces.

Jon Zemke

In Woodbridge, vacant townhouses come back to life

A stretch of West Warren Avenue is showing signs of life and soon, occupancy, as a row of townhouses and a duplex finish up renovation. We stopped to talk with owner Jon Zemke about the properties and the work it takes to renovate homes in Detroit.

The properties—the townhouses and duplex—were bought through the tax auction and private sales. Zemke and his wife Kristin Lukowski also own the surrounding land. One notable feature is the TARDIS shared library, which was started by Zemke’s brother Dan.

Jon Zemke

[Docta_Love]

Looks like New Center is getting one of Plum Market's "small format stores" along with the previously mentioned Ally Financial Center location downtown.

I'm very excited with the concept being put forward for the jail site & extra space opened up by the "boulevarding" of 375. As LMich mentioned these are early renderings that don't even include final hudson's site design, hopefully as the project moves forward we will see the design evolve .. definitely trying a bit too hard at the moment.

Plum Market set to open 2 small-format stores in Detroit next year

ANNALISE FRANK
Crain's Detroit Business
November 20, 2018

-Co-founder Matt Jonna sees niche for prepared foods, groceries in Detroit
-Organics-focused grocer to open in Ally Detroit Center, Pistons practice facility
-Ally location downtown to have full-service bar, grab-and-go foods and event space

On its current trajectory, Plum Market would open two Detroit stores by mid-2019.

The Farmington Hills-based specialty grocer and food service company announced plans a year ago to open a cafe and market this spring in the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center in the New Center area. And earlier this month it said it signed on to open in the Ally Detroit Center skyscraper downtown in the summer.

The two Plum Market Kitchens won't be full grocery stores. The location at the Ally center, owned by Dan Gilbert's Bedrock LLC, will sell "basics" such as condiments, bags of tortilla chips, cut fruits and vegetables, and possibly select seasonal produce, Plum Market co-founder and CEO Matt Jonna said.

Plum Market will enter a restaurant-laden section of downtown without much in the way of grocery options. City Market two blocks east sells some fresh produce. Further east of downtown is Detroit's first Gordon Food Service on Jefferson Avenue and an incoming small-format Meijer nearby.

The city could also see more Plum Market stores in coming years. Jonna said he sees opportunity elsewhere in Detroit to sell prepared food and groceries as more young people choose to live in the city.

"We could have several more Plum Market Kitchens and even a full Plum Market store in the city with the way it's moving right now," he said.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/food-d...roit-next-year

Report: Cobo naming rights in 'negotiation stage'

KURT NAGL
Crain's Detroit Business
November 15, 2018

-Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority moving forward on negotiations
-Cobo GM said authority is in the "nitty-gritty of just finalizing the deal"
-Timeline for the deal has not been set

Cobo Center's regional governing authority began shopping around the naming rights because its annual $5 million state subsidy from taxes on hotels, liquor and cigarettes is set to dwindle to nothing by 2023.

Mayor Mike Duggan has voiced support of the change at the venue, which is named after Albert Cobo, a 1950s-era mayor whose legacy is marked by racially charged housing policies and the demolition of African-American neighborhoods in the name of urban renewal.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...otiation-stage

Plans to expand Motown Museum get $500,000 boost

Associated Press
Crain's Detroit Business
November 19, 2018



The Motown Museum's expansion plans are getting a $500,000 boost.

The grant from the DTE Energy Foundation was announced Monday by Robin Terry, CEO and chairwoman of the museum. The money will help support the development of an education and community engagement space at the museum for young artists that also will house the museum's summer camp programs.

The $50 million expansion will be built around the existing museum, which includes the original studio and famed "Hitsville U.S.A." sign.

The museum has raised $16.5 million since it announced the expansion in October 2016.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/nonpro...t-500000-boost

Downtown Detroit winter markets open with food and drinks, gifts, home decor and more

ANISA JIBRELL
Crain's Detroit Business
November 15, 2018

-Markets open Thursday and run through Jan. 13
-75 percent of the small businesses in the markets this year are run by women
-Approximately 34 small businesses have pop-ups at the market this year



From hand-painted bonbons to specialized gift boxes, more than 30 small business are popping up in downtown Detroit for the winter markets.

The initiative, now in its second year, is led by Bedrock LLC and the Quicken Loans Community Fund.

The markets at Cadillac Square, Capitol Park and the 1441 Woodward Collective, an indoor retail space on Woodward Avenue for returning vendors, opened Thursday and will run through Jan. 13. George Roberts, director of community activation declined to disclosed how much Quicken Loans has invested in the winter markets this year.

New this year in Capitol Park is the Capitol Inn, a cozy pop-up lined with wooden benches and antler chandeliers. The glass-enclosed space will have a bar that will serve gourmet bar snacks, festive cocktails as well as Munich-inspired beer and wine, according to a news release.

Also new this year is the Nostimo Kitchen, a large greenhouse in Cadillac Square offering a vast assortment of Michigan-made food goods from about 15 vendors.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/retail...decor-and-more

[DetroitSky]

^ Plum Market in the Pistons Performance Center was announced a few months back as their first small format store.

I like the look of the one planned for the Ally Detroit Center. Will be nice to have more grocery options downtown, even on a smaller scale.

[Docta_Love]

Ah your right I forgot about that.