New 50 unit development @ Cass & Canfield

[kathy2trips]

That's why I favor using judicious tax breaks for these type of new buildings.

Sure, but they should be architecturally sympathetic to the area. No more CVS-like McBuildings, please.

Examples of new [[built since 2000), period-compliant construction that I've seen "up-close and personal" here and here. Here and here, too.

[kathy2trips]

Good news...also good to see [[in that Crain's article) that a rehab of the Book house at Jefferson-Burns will be happening.

A Louis Kamper gem, built in 1911. This is great news, indeed!

[canuck]

Though not crazy about the style of architecture, as opposed to older more finely modeled buildings, I give a big thumbs up to the idea of street level businesses and money from the Ford Foundation to attract start-ups. Wayne state should learn from this project. Also affordability for residents will help recover lost density. There seems to be more thought about neighborhood building the old fashioned way, which Detroit sorely needs to rebuild. Remodeling good blocks of residential commercial streets should come next.

[StubbyStone]

Did this project die out? Has anyone heard anything as of late?

[p1acebo]

Did this project die out? Has anyone heard anything as of late?

I haven't heard anything more about it but I have seen the work they started on it if it is the construction I am thinking of. They already have the base and seems like the first level is being put in place.

[StubbyStone]

i actually live across the street, but it doesn't seem like much is going on there?

[leady106]

The one story building on Cass and Canfield have been demolished. Is the Auburn apartment project officially under way? Has anyone heard about the status of the Forest Arms renovation?

[Pcm]

It sure has.

[Joseph C. Krause]

What a quick demolition. No love lost on that building, either.

[ismoakrack]

"No love lost on that building, either."

Hell no lol. Rumor mill states there is a groundbreaking ceremony planned for the first full week in September.

[NorthofNormal]

Leady, I was talking to someone from Midtown, Inc. [[or whatever the former UCCA is being called now) and she said that they were getting close to movement on the Forest Arms. They've got a new roof up, the stairways and the facade stabilized, and are working on getting private financing so they can get started. The plan is to renovate/update the apartments, keeping them about the same size and number, and adding more retail space on the ground floor. Apparently, and I hadn't heard this before, the owner had wanted to sell the land to Tim Horton's--with the implication that the Forest Arms would be knocked down--and talking him out of that took a while. I didn't hear anything about a date for completion, or even start of work, but it sounded hopeful.

[French777]

Tim Hortons is moving into 'The Union @ Midtown' across from Old Main. At Cass&Warren.

[casscorridor]

Good news for the corner of Cass and Canfield!! I'm guessing it will be completed by next August, in time for 2012 fall semester.

LOL @ owner of Forest Arms trying to sell to Tim Hortons -- exactly the kind of arrogance and insanity that has plagued Detroit for years. Remember that this is also the guy that has been suing Motor City Brewery over having a few parking spots in his MASSIVE parking lot.

Glad that Tim Horton's settled on a Cass & Warren location. I also saw Byblos is suppose to open there, which is confusing to me. They are leaving their current spot, where there are basically no restaurants, and moving to a place where there is already plentiful middle-eastern food available... La Pita across the street, Epicurus around the corner, and Harmonie Garden two blocks away. Good to have concentrations of businesses, but gee wizz, spread the felafel around!!

[eastdetroit48224]

Yea Cass Corridor you are soo right, the owners of the Forrest Arms bought the building, put on a new roof only to sell it to Tim Hortons...

I know the real plan was to put a TH on the first floor, Borders on the second and Meijer on the third floor. Home Depot backed out of the top of the building.

Do you think that Tim Hortons would put a facility on a one way street? Where do you get your facts from...

[casscorridor]

Yea Cass Corridor you are soo right, the owners of the Forrest Arms bought the building, put on a new roof only to sell it to Tim Hortons...

I know the real plan was to put a TH on the first floor, Borders on the second and Meijer on the third floor. Home Depot backed out of the top of the building.

Do you think that Tim Hortons would put a facility on a one way street? Where do you get your facts from...

Umm... I was responding to a previous post. It does seemed far fetched but this is Detroit.

[stinkytofu]

Umm... I was responding to a previous post. It does seemed far fetched but this is Detroit.

Haha...wtf? He just kind of attacked you for no reason.

[English]

Haha...wtf? He just kind of attacked you for no reason.

Happens all the time on DYes, unfortunately. It's a quirk of Web 1.0 that will soon end as the social media age continues forth... if people know who you are, you're more accountable for your words.

[English]

Good news for the corner of Cass and Canfield!! I'm guessing it will be completed by next August, in time for 2012 fall semester.

Yep -- I am surprised by how quickly the Union @ Midtown went up. It will do wonders for foot traffic & just human presence in the area during the evening and early night hours this fall. Maybe some of the retail on and around Warren will consider later evening & Sunday hours, too... that was always the kicker when I lived on campus a decade ago.

Glad that Tim Horton's settled on a Cass & Warren location. I also saw Byblos is suppose to open there, which is confusing to me. They are leaving their current spot, where there are basically no restaurants, and moving to a place where there is already plentiful middle-eastern food available... La Pita across the street, Epicurus around the corner, and Harmonie Garden two blocks away. Good to have concentrations of businesses, but gee wizz, spread the felafel around!!

I saw that this evening, and am pretty annoyed that Byblos won't be as close to the office. Hope something else goes into their space.

Any word on whether anyone's interested in the retail space on the first floor of the new WSU garage on Forest? Also, I've been curious about the [[oft-vandalized) building on Cass kitty-cornered from the Avalon block. Any idea what that is/will be? The business owners I've asked don't seem to know.

[stinkytofu]

Breaking ground on Tuesday...

http://www.freep.com/article/2011090...ortage-Midtown

[RaumVogel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKCnH...eature=related

[Autoracks]

beats an overgrown field but the design is pretty ugly

[French777]

I walked by this morning and they were already digging up the pavement. A large tent has been set up on the side, which I assume is for the groundbreaking ceremony this afternoon.

[casscorridor]

50 new residential units is great, and 300 planned by Midtown Inc for the area in the next three years according to the Freep article. But what is especially important is the 11 retail spaces-- that is going to be huge, and will attract additional residential and commercial development. There is also a new three unit retail building the next block down, on the corner of Cass and Willis. This is going to more than double the amount of retail space in that two block radius. That is going to be a lot more foot traffic-- people just strolling and shopping and taking in the street scene. It will be one of the few places in the city to do this besides Saturdays at Eastern Market. These apartments will fill up instantly with students who want higher-end housing that isn't currently available in Midtown, and the retail spaces will be occupied by mix of chain and independent businesses catering to the growing population. Now the the empty lots north of here on Cass need to be filled in, to create a solid street wall of buildings and businesses and activity typical of functioning cities.

[Detroit Stylin]

I walked by this morning and they were already digging up the pavement. A large tent has been set up on the side, which I assume is for the groundbreaking ceremony this afternoon.

What time is the ground breaking? I will try to get some pictures from down there...

[Pcm]

I'm surprised no one posted this yet today.

September 13, 2011 2:33 PM
Building planned for Midtown to have 58 residential units, retail space

By Daniel Duggan

Construction is set to start on a $12 million retail and residential building that will occupy a block at the southeast corner of Cass and Canfield avenues in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood. The 56,000-square-foot building will have 58 residential units and 11 retail spaces.
"We view this intersection as a 'main and main' of sorts," said David Di Rita, a principal with the Detroit-based Roxbury Group, the company developing the building. "It's going to tie the phenomenal things that have been happening to the north, the things in the west and even now to the south, all together."
Leasing for the project will start this year, with occupancy targeted for the fall of 2012. The one-bedroom units will start at $675 a month.
Sue Mosey, president of Midtown Detroit Inc., said the development will start to address the demand for residential space in Midtown.
"We really need housing in our supply chain," she said. "This is a new product that is going to appeal to a wide range of groups."
The project is funded through a range of sources; JPMorgan Chase & Co., Midtown Detroit, Invest Detroit and Virginia-based NCB Capital Impact, along with grants and tax credits from the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority, the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Detroit Brownfield Authority, the New York-based Ford Foundation and the city of Detroit.
George Jackson, president of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said the projects layered with many financial sources are needed — for now.
"We hear a lot about projects like this, and how they're layered," he said. "I look forward to the day when we don't need that."



http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...l-units-retail