New Construction at 8900 Gratiot

[1953]

A few weeks back I noticed stakes in the ground along Gratiot near I-94 on the city's east side...then the appearance of what looked like an alley...and now: a building is rising with a zero-setback design! A little googling founding out that the property at 8900 Gratiot is going to be a big, beautiful, old-school building. Anyone have any details [[like who is behind this, if any tenants are signed, etc.)?

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17160846/8900-Gratiot-Ave-Detroit-MI/

[bartock]

A few weeks back I noticed stakes in the ground along Gratiot near I-94 on the city's east side...then the appearance of what looked like an alley...and now: a building is rising with a zero-setback design! A little googling founding out that the property at 8900 Gratiot is going to be a big, beautiful, old-school building. Anyone have any details [[like who is behind this, if any tenants are signed, etc.)?

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17160846/8900-Gratiot-Ave-Detroit-MI/

I've noticed this as well, and was fairly shocked to see the zero-setback. It's cool. Don't know about tenants, but the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance is behind it...these are the same folks behind On The Rise Bakery and that awesome building OTR is located in on McClellon near Gratiot. Very promising.

[Danny]

The developers have laid the foundation on 8900 Gratiot Ave. since last summer. But putting up a new full line fancy "Grosse Pointesque" retail strip in the almost black and blighted east side [[Cacalupa) Detroit ghettohood is very risky! Still a lot of violent crime and robberies are a constant plague everywhere in Detroit. I hope it works. It's like planting a apple tree in burned out desolate forest.

[hamtown mike]

Ballsy to say the least.

Bravo to the developer for stepping up.

Does history reward those who are first to act?

[Bham1982]

Wow, that's a really nice rendering. I hope it looks like the ad.

Why is this being built? This is about the worst neighborhood anywhere in Michigan, so I don't think we're talking market demand here.

[bartock]

Wow, that's a really nice rendering. I hope it looks like the ad.

Why is this being built? This is about the worst neighborhood anywhere in Michigan, so I don't think we're talking market demand here.

The bones of this building are up and it certainly is a zero-setback. As for that neighborhood, I don't think it is AS bad as the Gratiot corridor north of I-94. The area I mentioned before with On The Rise Bakery is just up the street, and there are several new homes. Everything is relative, of course.

This is simply a grassroots effort. Here is an older article from Crain's that - toward the end - talks about the same people that are doing this project, and their ambitious plans. They are basically just going about their business rather quietly.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-slow-comeback#

[MidTownMs]

Wow, that's a really nice rendering. I hope it looks like the ad.

Why is this being built? This is about the worst neighborhood anywhere in Michigan, so I don't think we're talking market demand here.

It may not be the best neighborhood in Michigan but it definately is not the worse...you could at least give them credit for having the guts to do something...anybody can sit back a criticize someone's else idea...at least they are doing something instead of just talking.

[Hypestyles]

what is "zero setback design"

[milt721]

what is "zero setback design"

No parking lot in front.

[Gistok]

what is "zero setback design"

Quickly answered... building comes up to the sidewalk... no sea of parking in front of building...

[1953]

I hate to say it but last time I went by this spot and saw the lumber up for the walls I thought to myself, "how is that lumber not stolen or set fire to?"

[Bham1982]

It may not be the best neighborhood in Michigan but it definately is not the worse.

I would say that this neighborhood [[Gratiot Corridor, Lower East Side of Detroit) is about the worst neighborhood in Michigan, or if not, very close to the worst.

Even for Detroit city standards, the East Side has the worst problems [[highest crime, highest poverty, most abandonment, etc.), and the central portion of the Gratiot corridor is basically the worst part of the East Side. Gratiot is easily the most troubled of the major Detroit radials.

So that's why I'm curious who's bankrolling this. This is basically the least likely spot one could possibly find for market-rate, pedestrian oriented development.

This stretch of Gratiot makes Grand River/Greenfield look like the Champs Elysees, and even the strip malls are mostly vacant on GR/Greenfield, to say nothing of street-level stuff.

[MidTownMs]

I would say that this neighborhood [[Gratiot Corridor, Lower East Side of Detroit) is about the worst neighborhood in Michigan, or if not, very close to the worst.

Even for Detroit city standards, the East Side has the worst problems [[highest crime, highest poverty, most abandonment, etc.), and the central portion of the Gratiot corridor is basically the worst part of the East Side. Gratiot is easily the most troubled of the major Detroit radials.

So that's why I'm curious who's bankrolling this. This is basically the least likely spot one could possibly find for market-rate, pedestrian oriented development.

This stretch of Gratiot makes Grand River/Greenfield look like the Champs Elysees, and even the strip malls are mostly vacant on GR/Greenfield, to say nothing of street-level stuff.

Are you basing this on statistics or is this your opinion?

[bartock]

Bham - for the third time, it is the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance. Check the AOD site. Read the article cited above for some information. I wasn't aware that the Gratiot Corridor, Lower East Side of Detroit was a neighborhood, but talk to police or folks around there and the neighborhoods north of 94 along the Gratiot Corridor are generally considered palpably worse. Plus, that area isn't at all as empty as you are suggesting...you are describing swaths of Van Dyke north of Harper, or Harper east of Gratiot to the airport possibly; you could also be describing some areas between Gratiot and Jefferson over there, but that is much too big of an area to describe as one neighborhood. Streetfront retail on a well-traveled thoroughfare that many folks shortcut from downtown to 94 to avoid traffic snarls is not a bad idea...and depending on the retail, with the A of D name tag on it there will be foot traffic from the neighborhood AND those who would otherwise drive by on their way back to the suburbs. That is what happened to On The Rise. Having reformed, screened, ex-cons living in the rooms above, like with OTR, has provided stability and security to the McClellan building. That is likely the thought with this as well.

[Detroit Stylin]

Are you basing this on statistics or is this your opinion?

Rightness of his opinion that's all a hard liner from Oakland County needs!

[MidTownMs]

Bham - for the third time, it is the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance. Check the AOD site. Read the article cited above for some information. I wasn't aware that the Gratiot Corridor, Lower East Side of Detroit was a neighborhood, but talk to police or folks around there and the neighborhoods north of 94 along the Gratiot Corridor are generally considered palpably worse. Plus, that area isn't at all as empty as you are suggesting...you are describing swaths of Van Dyke north of Harper, or Harper east of Gratiot to the airport possibly; you could also be describing some areas between Gratiot and Jefferson over there, but that is much too big of an area to describe as one neighborhood. Streetfront retail on a well-traveled thoroughfare that many folks shortcut from downtown to 94 to avoid traffic snarls is not a bad idea...and depending on the retail, with the A of D name tag on it there will be foot traffic from the neighborhood AND those who would otherwise drive by on their way back to the suburbs. That is what happened to On The Rise. Having reformed, screened, ex-cons living in the rooms above, like with OTR, has provided stability and security to the McClellan building. That is likely the thought with this as well.

The Neighborhood is called Gratiot Woods

[detroitsgwenivere]

This area is definitely NOT the worst neighborhood in the city. Ask any Detroiter who lives here.

Everytime I drive by this development I smile. And the church is doing this?! For once I have nothing smart assed to say.

We have to start somewhere, and for that area, this just might be it!

[bartock]

The Neighborhood is called Gratiot Woods

I couldn't tell, from B'Ham's description, what neighborhood was being talked about! But I didn't know that it went that far south from McClellan. Thanks.

[Bham1982]

Are you basing this on statistics or is this your opinion?

Unlike the other folks defending this neighborhood, I'm basing this on stats.

The poorest, highest crime, most abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit are generally located on the East Side, and are especially located on or near Gratiot, from Van Dyke to 7 Mile.

And the nitpicking folks [["No, there's one block on Davison that's worse") are basically confirming my point. This neighborhood is very bad, in a city with no shortage of bad neighborhoods.

[MidTownMs]

This area is definitely NOT the worst neighborhood in the city. Ask any Detroiter who lives here.

Everytime I drive by this development I smile. And the church is doing this?! For once I have nothing smart assed to say.

We have to start somewhere, and for that area, this might just be it!

Thank you...as I said previsouly it's easy to sit back a call a neighborhood the worse and do nothing...rather than trying to do something to help improve it...then criticize the people who do;.

[stasu1213]

Unlike the other folks defending this neighborhood, I'm basing this on stats.

The poorest, highest crime, most abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit are generally located on the East Side, and are especially located on or near Gratiot, from Van Dyke to 7 Mile.

And the nitpicking folks [["No, there's one block on Davison that's worse") are basically confirming my point. This neighborhood is very bad, in a city with no shortage of bad neighborhoods.

Bham. Why don't you ride up streets such as Fischer, Crane, Rohns, Burns, Iroquois, and Seminole from Gratiot to Mack. You will see how many homes are still standing and occupied. Drive further east and drive up Seymour or Cedargrove from Gratiot to Chalmers. You would see how many vacant lots are in the area. I am not saying that the first area is Grosse Pointe. I am saying that the first area[[built from 1910 thru the 20s) has a greater chance of revival than the later area. My relatives lived in the Van Dyke/ Gratoit area in the 50s and 60s. I think that the area could come back. I was told that the same catholic group that are building up in the area is the one that purchased Mark Twain Library and razed it. They are planning to build something in that spot. I would hope that they build a nice grocery store in that area on Gratiot to compliment the bakery. The grocer would do good where Mark Twain once was. I am glad that they are building on the "up to the sidewalk" concept. That concept would definitely bring back the neighborhood. Does anyone has photos of the Gratiot Corridor in it's heyday.The area between VanDyke to McClellan. I still think about the A&P that was once on Gratiot and Crane. .

[stasu1213]

Unlike the other folks defending this neighborhood, I'm basing this on stats.

The poorest, highest crime, most abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit are generally located on the East Side, and are especially located on or near Gratiot, from Van Dyke to 7 Mile.

And the nitpicking folks [["No, there's one block on Davison that's worse") are basically confirming my point. This neighborhood is very bad, in a city with no shortage of bad neighborhoods.

I thnk that 7 mile road from Livernois to Greenfield had just as manyas if not more crime than Gratoit between Vandyke and McClellan had

[MidTownMs]

Unlike the other folks defending this neighborhood, I'm basing this on stats.

The poorest, highest crime, most abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit are generally located on the East Side, and are especially located on or near Gratiot, from Van Dyke to 7 Mile.

And the nitpicking folks [["No, there's one block on Davison that's worse") are basically confirming my point. This neighborhood is very bad, in a city with no shortage of bad neighborhoods.

I'm still waiting to see those statistics.

[Cooper]

I found the press release online. See the PDFs on the right under "Attachments & Media" for more information:

http://www.cpix.net/jsp/listings/lis...?ID=55_9684929

On October 3, 2011 the Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance [[DCPA) broke ground on a new 25,000 square foot mixed-use commercial/residential building located at 8900 Gratiot in the Gratiot Woods Neighborhood on the eastside of Detroit, between Holcomb and Rohns, three blocks south of the intersection of Gratiot and I-94. Eleven [[11) affordable residential apartments will occupy the second floor of the building. The first floor will offer 11,000 square feet of commercial space.

DCPA is a nonprofit community development organization implementing a comprehensive community development plan for the Gratiot Woods Community, a twenty block neighborhood on the eastside of Detroit. The site is located at the gateway to Gratiot Woods where DCPA has constructed or rehabilitated over [[130) housing units and 12,000 square feet of commercial space since 1997. DCPA has also implemented numerous neighborhood beautification, community organizing, and public safety initiatives in Gratiot Woods.

The new mixed-use building is a vital component of the Gratiot Avenue Redevelopment Initiative, a strategic plan being implemented by DCPA to comprehensively redevelop the Gratiot Corridor adjacent to the Gratiot Woods Community. Phases One and Two of the Gratiot Avenue Redevelopment Initiative entailed the $2.2 million redevelopment of [[3) existing buildings by DCPA located on Gratiot at McClellan, two blocks northeast of the project site. These buildings are now vibrant mixed-use facilities with a total of [[6) loft apartments and 10,000 square feet of commercial space occupied by the Capuchin Monks' "On the Rise Bakery", an Early Childhood Head Start Program, the DCPA Office Headquarters, the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights, and the International After School Program.

The general contractor for the $4.3 Million project at 8900 Gratiot is O'Brien Construction; the architect is Shelter Design Studio. The sources of funding for the project are: City of Detroit HOME Program, City of Detroit Community Development Block Grant [[CDBG) Program, State of Michigan [[MEDC) Brownfield Tax Credits, Opportunity Resource Fund, Invest Detroit Foundation, and Development Corporation of Wayne County.

For more information on the project, call Christopher Bray, DCPA Director of Housing and Development at [[313) 922-1435, ext. 22 or email at dcpal@sbcglobal.net

[wolverine]

I liked what I saw in that elevation drawing. I hope someone can snag some construction shots.