In New Center [[now considered apart of Midtown), there's a vacant apartment building on 59 Seward St. a mere couple of blocks just north of where M-1 rail currently ends.

LC Consultants is in the process of closing a deal to buy the building and rehab it into a senior citizens complex with 98 units. The rehab is estimated to cost $30 million part of which will be covered by public housing and historical tax credits.

LC Consultants and Kathy Makino Leipsitz, president of Detroit-based Shelborne Development Group Inc, are also in talks to buy 3 other apartment buildings on Seward and rehab them into market-rate apartments with some affordable units.

Though Sue Mosey of Midtown, Inc. says that with the size of 59 Seward St., the number of affordable units will negatively impact the area and won't help to bring retail into the area. Though in reality, it will more than likely just limit what type of retail will move into the area [[it's not like senior citizens are big cash spenders).

However, the developers of 59 Seward argue that market-rate apartments aren't economically viable for this building and they would need to charge $2,000 per month for rent. Which itself lends the question that should gentrification be allowed to spread into Detroit's neighborhoods or should this area be relatively kept affordable? Should 59 Seward be a senior citizen's complex or market-rate with some affordable units?

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...dtown-concerns