Development News: Brush Park, Herman Kiefer Updates

It's great to see the interest from developers in the Brush Park, city-owned parcels, but not surprising considering the existing development and arena development in the area and the prime location.

What I'm really interested in seeing is what the finalist's development plan is for the Herman Kiefer site. I am more than a little surprised any responses were received on the site considering it's massive and falls out of the Detroit's prime neighborhoods of interest. This is the kind of spreading of development outside of the prime neighborhoods that many have hoped would follow from the concentration on development in downtown and Midtown. Definitely good news...

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-in-brush-park


Brush Park:

"In Brush Park, Gilbert's Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC is one of nine bidders seeking the city's approval to redevelop a portion of the 100-acre-plus neighborhood.

Steve Rosenthal, principal with Bedrock, said in a statement emailed to Crain's that the proposal provides an opportunity for the company and its affiliates to use their expertise and resources "to ensure this project is successful."

He said other partners, including investors, advisers and other individuals and organizations, would be involved if awarded the RFP."

Herman Kiefer:

"Eric Larson, founder, president and CEO of Larson Realty Group LLC, said his Bloomfield Hills-based company was one of two to submit proposals to redevelop the health complex — which first accepted patients as a hospital in 1911 — off Taylor Street west of the Lodge Freeway.

However, his company was not the finalist, he said.

He proposed a "conservative" redevelopment that had a data center in its first phase and then multifamily and retail space for a "mixed-income" demographic in the second phase.

Roach said in regard to Herman Kiefer, the RFP process is complete and the selection process is under way. He declined to name the developer the city is in discussions with."

It would be very exciting to see some of the development proposals get off the ground. Especially in Brush Park.

This is the type of area where a developer interested in going BIG could transform the area.

It would be much, much harder to see the area re-develop one house at a time. Who wants a beautiful refurbished house located next to a field of weeds, etc. [[see the Crain photo of 205 Alfred).

BTW, I think those 'Debby Downers' or 'prophets of doom', etc. here are missing the big picture. There is real momentum.

We have seen big progress in CBD/downtown, Midtown, north of the Fisher with the arena and related development, and now the other side of Woodward is going to get some TLC.

For those who doubt the value of the new arena, I'd say that East of Woodward revitalization will prove to be a big spin off development.

Isn't it interesting that next month [[I think) work will begin [[in earnest) on the arena site and bingo, Gilbert shows interest in property across from the arena. Coincidence? I think only someone with a 'negative' agenda would not couple what is happening with the arena area and what could happen in Brush Park.

Gilbert is accustomed to dropping big bucks on buildings. In the Brush Park area money will make a much, much bigger splash. He could do for Brush Park what he did downtown.

[[Next can he do anything about the cold and snowy winters? Just asking. Lol.)

There is a real pattern of revitalization here. This whole area on 1/1/2020 could look a lot different. :D

The parcels mentioned are 8.4 acres. Brush Park is 100 acres.

That means over 90% is not included in the discussion. Lot of other work to be done there.

I suspect the initial development of 8.4 acres will be significant and set the tone for the next phase in Brush Park...up to and perhaps including some continuity to the Brewster-Douglas area. Expect the Rec Center which includes the core of the old Ginsberg library building to redeveloped also.

What Brush Park doesn't need is duplicates of the Woodward Ave condos. It needs new structures that project the architectural heritage of Brush Park with care that it doesn't end up being a theme park pseudo-Victorian mess.

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Originally Posted by emu steve

The parcels mentioned are 8.4 acres. Brush Park is 100 acres.

That means over 90% is not included in the discussion. Lot of other work to be done there.

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Brush Park is over 300 acres.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by emu steve

This is the type of area where a developer interested in going BIG could transform the area.

It would be much, much harder to see the area re-develop one house at a time. Who wants a beautiful refurbished house located next to a field of weeds, etc. [[see the Crain photo of 205 Alfred).

BTW, I think those 'Debby Downers' or 'prophets of doom', etc. here are missing the big picture. There is real momentum.

We have seen big progress in CBD/downtown, Midtown, north of the Fisher with the arena and related development, and now the other side of Woodward is going to get some TLC.

For those who doubt the value of the new arena, I'd say that East of Woodward revitalization will prove to be a big spin off development.

Isn't it interesting that next month [[I think) work will begin [[in earnest) on the arena site and bingo, Gilbert shows interest in property across from the arena. Coincidence? I think only someone with a 'negative' agenda would not couple what is happening with the arena area and what could happen in Brush Park.

Gilbert is accustomed to dropping big bucks on buildings. In the Brush Park area money will make a much, much bigger splash. He could do for Brush Park what he did downtown.

[[Next can he do anything about the cold and snowy winters? Just asking. Lol.)

There is a real pattern of revitalization here. This whole area on 1/1/2020 could look a lot different. :D

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He won't be able to do much about the weather. I've tried a hibachi up here to warm up Can-a-duh, it just fizzed out.

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Originally Posted by Wheels

Brush Park is over 300 acres.

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Okay. The article refers to a part of the neighborhood, ""In Brush Park, Gilbert's Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC is one of nine bidders seeking the city's approval to redevelop a portion of the 100-acre-plus neighborhood.

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Originally Posted by detroitbob

I suspect the initial development of 8.4 acres will be significant and set the tone for the next phase in Brush Park...up to and perhaps including some continuity to the Brewster-Douglas area. Expect the Rec Center which includes the core of the old Ginsberg library building to redeveloped also.

What Brush Park doesn't need is duplicates of the Woodward Ave condos. It needs new structures that project the architectural heritage of Brush Park with care that it doesn't end up being a theme park pseudo-Victorian mess.

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It would be nice to see a good map of the whole area, including the 8+ acres.

Keep in mind that a lot of the neighborhood is actually developed-- along John R, a few blocks close to Mack, and that large subdivision north of the Brewster site near the freeway. Not all 300 acres or even the majority are presently up for sale.

But the fact that there are entire blocks that are empty within that large area makes swift and quality action imperative. As someone has already said, such unkept [[or even 'kept') expanses are not a suitable urban space, and they detract from the nearby nice stuff. John R and some of the side streets by Woodward have some beautiful condos and apartments, but I would not consider them because you only have a semi-functional, semi-safe urban space when you turn 'right,' onto Woodward. If you turn the other direction, you're in Kansas. To say nothing of the safety implications of so much empty space and lack of foot traffic. The city needs to dispense with the land ASAP on the most aggressive development schedule. That said, duplication of Crosswinds' unimaginative, repetitive products needs to be avoided. While they are certainly fine by me and add density and human being to the district, now, 15 years later, we can do better, and some mid-rises and modern looking buildings that constrast with the original Victorian/Richardsonian structures that are left would fantastic.

Good comments, Mackinaw.

I wonder how heavily Gilbert is willing to go into residential real estate? Does he believe that it is imperative that the areas around downtown be revitalized for the good of what he owns inside the downtown?

Will he develop some land himself? Maybe buy additional land and be a land bank [[with the idea that it is better for he, than someone else, to own that developable land)?

Here's a big Herman Keifer update from Dan Austin at the Freep.

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...hood/28893325/

"New York developer and architect Ron Castellano plans to spend at least $75 million — and possibly twice that — to breathe new life into the sprawling Herman Kiefer complex, which shut for good in 2013. The city is taking a deal to the City Planning Commission on Thursday, wrapping up more than a year of negotiations. With its approval, the deal would move to the City Council."


It really sounds like this guy is into this redevelopment.

Apartments, condos, with a community recreation center and a park/pavilion area. Lots of work has to be done, I hope this company is serious. The Herman Kiefer hulk is NOT a gem 'as-is'. But the area could be. It's adjacent to Boston-Edison. The main building needs to be seriously considered as to whether it is even functional to be left intact for renovation. [[a couple of key elevators were finally fixed in 2012. Maybe they can be sold for re-use somewhere.) It may need to be completely carved-out internally if not demolished outright. The new building[[s) all need central air conditioning, that's for sure. Those room-based AC machines weren't cutting it.

If this project actually gets done in the reasonable future, it will be 5-10 years earlier than I would have expected major redevelopment that far outside greater Downtown. Depending upon what ends up being there it could also make the portion of B-E west of the Lodge more attractive--there are some decent houses there, but I think they feel kind of isolated now.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...redo/72779666/

Snippets:

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The Detroit City Council on Tuesday is expected to green-light a land deal paving the way for a plan to redevelop the shuttered Herman Kiefer Hospital complex and largely vacant surrounding neighborhood.

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To achieve that goal, Castellano’s Herman Kiefer Development LLC has partnered with the city on the years-long agreement to save, rehabilitate and creatively reuse the seven medical complex buildings; the former Hutchins and Crosman school buildings; JTPA Nursing school; and about 100 vacant land bank homes in the Virginia Park neighborhood.

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Under the deal, the developer will acquire the property for $925,000 with guarantees it will secure, maintain and weatherproof all vacant buildings and maintain any blighted open space. Efforts to secure the properties are expected to begin immediately upon council approval and put local residents to work.

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The deal outlines required annual investments toward rehabilitation and development. The development team must spend a minimum of $1 million annually for the first five years, and at least $2 million per year in years 6-8.

In addition, by the fifth year — or first deadline — the development team must either ensure that at least 35 percent of the site is in use or have contributed at least $20 million toward the project. By the final deadline in year eight, at least 80 percent of the site must be active or the development group must have achieved an investment of at least $75 million.

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Within 90 days of the land sale closing, the development firm must secure the vacant houses and associated lots. The developer will have a one-year option to purchase the vacant homes if they commit to rehabilitating them within 18 months.

The development team will clean and maintain open spaces by, at a minimum, mowing the lawns and restoring ball fields and courts. It also will agree to program a slate of events and implement a programming and use plan for the site, according to the agreement.

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Now that is quite an ambitious proposal.

Yep It's official. Dan Gilbert annexed Brush Park. He's getting closer to buy and rehabilitate Detroit's inner city ghetto-hoods. He's coming, the growth of Gilberttown!