HipCityDetroit - What went wrong?

[Lowell]

HipCityDetroit.com was moving very aggressively in the north Brush Park area prior to the 2008 crash. Its signs loudly announced it intentions to renovate some of the existing mansions.



Most striking was its new construction townhouse at the corner of Brush and Erskine. I particularly liked how it quoted the style of the neighborhood with its turrets. Then it stopped.

While the Erskine wing remains incomplete, it puzzles me as to why the finished-appearing John R wing has never been put on the market. Instead it sits as a forlorn weed-strewn enigma.



What's the story and what's the possibility?

[Goose]

hipsters could not afford the cost of these units once the super-expensive renovations were completed????

[401don]

Not to threadjack but why has the rest of Brush Park not resumed development? Are there still many Woodward Place townhomes for sale/in foreclosure? Are the lots being held by various owners making it difficult for a developer to acquire land? I would think the combination of low interest rates and new employees in both the Med. Ctr and CBD who would want to own new would be enough to get things moving again.

[rb336]

Just what we need - modern abandoned buildings

[313WX]

It could have just been a victim of the economy, like a lot of projects.

[gthomas]

So sad, Brush Park has THE most potential out of all our neighborhoods in Detroit. Situated between Downtown, Eastern Market, Medical Center/Midtown, soon to be Red Wing/ Masonic Temple development, and M-1 Light rail, including numerous of new business/retail in all directions. All the areas around Brush Park is developing rapidly and is moving forward. I just don't get it....*sigh*...??? When developed eventually, I will reside in Brush Park.

[wolverine]

What a shame. I thought these would be filled by now.

They kind of arrived at the wrong time. 2009 to now is all about the apartment boom.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Certainly is the type of infill development that I would like to see - IMHO it nicely tries to fit in to this historic area. Would be nice if someone would take it over and finish it.

[rb336]

I do hope someone with deep enough pockets can finish it up

[royce]

I am sure that the real estate crash of 07-08 affected buyers. Also, at the time the developers were asking for more than $300,000 for the units I do believe. Personally, the last three most southern units were the best looking [[one was the model unit one could look at). However, the rest of the units were poorly design. That flat roof unit just south of the corner unit on Erskine and John R was out of place in my view. The ones that were to built on Erskine appeared to have less depth than those on John R. I would have stuck with the look of the most southern units on John R. The beige window treatment looked good with the red brick. The green on the corner unit clashed with the beige treatment. If you're going to use green, then make the other units stand out with a different bright color, yellow, purple, orange, and white. If not, just stick with one color. Well, this has been my two cents.

[ndavies]

It's all about the ability to get financing. It is still currently very difficult, if not near impossible, to get financing for many of the condo and Co-op projects in the city. The financing rules are still very strict in certain areas and on certain types of projects.

It's very hard to sell anything when you're requiring the buyer to show up with cash.