I seriously in all honesty hate to be this guy, but:
A couple observations:
In Detroit, supply for homes outstrips demand. Over one in five homes is currently vacant.
Given the eras of surviving housing stock [[1910s - early 1950s, mostly), the living space is relatively small [[900 - 1500 sq ft), aside from a few formerly posh areas like IV, SF, PW, etc. Nowadays a McMansion in Macomb Township is at least 2000 sq. foot for today's, *ahem* discerning buyer.
...would it not make more sense to rehab existing vacant homes and then turn currently vacant parcels into something like [[saleable) greenspace? I mean, rather than adding to an oversupply [[at least in areas outside of the 'green zone').
I love small spaces, but never fully understood this "build shit that is kinda different for some reason" in a market like Detroit's, other than it is cute and hip. My disclaimer is that I fully understand that demand is entirely different at, say, Canfield and Second [[build whatever) compared to say, Linwood and Davison[[may God have mercy upon your immortal soul). Unfortunately, the proverbial Linwood and Davison is still most of the city, where they're building this stuff, and where demand is nonexistent.
I'm worried that it will end up like this:
http://www.detroiturbex.com/content/...nte/index.html. Oh, how I remember that.
I mean, why do we do this shit? It is like the trolley to nowhere.