$14 million New Center Development at Woodward and Baltimore

[gumby]

UPDATE: May 2019 Completion Nears


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Original Thread Post:

Cannot believe this went unposted here for 3 days. We are slipping guys.

Peter Allen, president of Ann Arbor-based mixed-use urban developer Peter Allen & Associates, and three investment partners have purchased a building, have another under contract and are trying to buy the remaining buildings on the block between Milwaukee and Baltimore avenues for a redevelopment project that would add new apartments, retail and office space to that area of New Center.
Allen — also an adjunct faculty member of the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning for more than three decades — said he and three former students have purchased the building at 6408 Woodward Ave. two months ago and have the corner building at 6402 Woodward Ave. under contract with the city, with plans to close on the deal by early October.
The developers would add a third floor to the building at 6402 Woodward for a configuration with first-floor retail and 12 second- and third-floor apartments. At 6408 Woodward, the group would have first-floor retail, second-floor office space and three floors for 36-44 apartments. All told, the project would bring 48-56 new units to the market.
Construction is expected to begin on the $14 million project in the fall, with completion by the time the M-1 Rail project is completed in 2017, Allen said.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...oodward-in-new

[gumby]

Looks like M-1 might be paying dividends already.

[emu steve]

Looks like M-1 might be paying dividends already.

Don't say that to B'ham1982. Lol.

It has been my experience in big cities that development follows mass transit stations.

They generally seem to be magnets for the development, be it commercial or housing.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Certainly a number of folks on this site, as well as Midtown, Inc., have been saying that the New Center is "the next big thing." Maybe its happening sooner rather than later.

I would not want to see the hardware store or the gay bar displaced.

[gumby]

Certainly a number of folks on this site, as well as Midtown, Inc., have been saying that the New Center is "the next big thing." Maybe its happening sooner rather than later.

I would not want to see the hardware store or the gay bar displaced.

I too would hate to see existing businesses displaced, especially the Hardware store.

[DetroitBoy]

certainly a number of folks on this site, as well as midtown, inc., have been saying that the new center is "the next big thing." maybe its happening sooner rather than later.

I would not want to see the hardware store or the gay bar displaced.

"tonight's the night!"

[detroitbob]

"tonight's the night!"

thanks for posting this, DETROITBOY...Andy was a legend as was the Woodward under his management. Of interest, the bar was originally owned by the family that owned Mr. Mikes. They sold it to the brothers when Mr. Mikes relocated to Woodward and Piquette. The Woodward had, for years the dual personality of lunch spot serving great burgers and fries to the New Center crowd from the GM and Fisher Bldg. along with Campbell Ewald and many other long gone business and then gradually morphing into a gay bar in the late afternoon. There was certainly some crossover business to be sure---but the Woodward never tolerated phobic comments or remarks by either side. I always felt they ran a very honest bar, poured drinks at a fair price---as far as I knew never "substituted" liquor on a call brand pour and put out of hell of a burger and great steak cut fries. Along with the NORMANDIE BAR at 2nd and W. Grand Blvd, one of the great spots in New Center.

[DetroitBoy]

thanks for posting this, DETROITBOY...Andy was a legend as was the Woodward under his management. Of interest, the bar was originally owned by the family that owned Mr. Mikes. They sold it to the brothers when Mr. Mikes relocated to Woodward and Piquette. The Woodward had, for years the dual personality of lunch spot serving great burgers and fries to the New Center crowd from the GM and Fisher Bldg. along with Campbell Ewald and many other long gone business and then gradually morphing into a gay bar in the late afternoon. There was certainly some crossover business to be sure---but the Woodward never tolerated phobic comments or remarks by either side. I always felt they ran a very honest bar, poured drinks at a fair price---as far as I knew never "substituted" liquor on a call brand pour and put out of hell of a burger and great steak cut fries. Along with the NORMANDIE BAR at 2nd and W. Grand Blvd, one of the great spots in New Center.

If only the walls in that place could talk, there would be stories no one would believe. Maybe those rich folks living in their nice new condos will look out the patio door and see Andy's ghost paying them a visit!

[detroitbob]

If only the walls in that place could talk, there would be stories no one would believe. Maybe those rich folks living in their nice new condos will look out the patio door and see Andy's ghost paying them a visit!

True indeed!...as someone cried out one night at last call after some sort of laison échoué, "this is the stuff of soap operas"!

As they also owned the Milwood Apartments, right across the parking lot, many a customer of any persuasion would become tenants in fact the Millwood earned the nickname "Heartbreak Hotel" LOL.

[innercitydoc]

Just waiting for the naysayers who say New Center isn't ready for new retail

[douglasm]

emu steve.....

That's the way it has worked in Portland, and it appears that Seattle is going to follow that trend.

[Zacha341]

I live not far from all of this and while Woodward being torn up is a pain, the whole area is better from the development, and growth overall.

[emu steve]

Another development activity in the area:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...rnoon-20150825

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Another development activity in the area:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...rnoon-20150825

I was wondering what the current status of that building was; this Detroit News article mentions that it has been vacant since 2012 after a fire. Nice to see another vacant building will be rehabbed.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...ents/32349755/

[emu steve]

I was wondering what the current status of that building was; this Detroit News article mentions that it has been vacant since 2012 after a fire. Nice to see another vacant building will be rehabbed.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...ents/32349755/

"The 66-year-old Casamira Apartments building at 680 Delaware is in a historic district of Detroit’s resurging New Center neighborhood and has been vacant for three years after a fire damaged part of the fourth floor, Johanon said.
The building sits in a neighborhood where demand is rising for additional apartment rental space as construction of the nearby Woodward light rail project nears completion, she said."

Another statement about the effects of M-1 rail.

[Lowell]

May 2019, Restoration and renovation of the corner of Woodward and Baltimore nears completion. The decades-long abandoned properties have been transformed into residential lofts. Around the corner from the White Castle sign, a larger residential development is midway through completion. Rail lines of the recently launched light rail Q-line, linking this New Center location to Downtown Detroit, appear in the foreground.

[Hypestyles]

very cool. hopefully more developments like this in the near future.

Looks like the property website here-

https://www.baltimorestation.city/ap...it/floor-plans

[SammyS]

Wow, almost $2,500 for 1,000 sqft. That’s downtown prices.......at least it was about a year ago.

[archfan]

It will be interesting to see if the land in that area gets expensive enough that White Castle sells out for an apartment building.

[middetres]

It will be interesting to see if the land in that area gets expensive enough that White Castle sells out for an apartment building.

White Castle already leased out one of its two drive-through lanes to Huntington Bank, so the bank can have a drive up ATM to compliment its new branch in Baltimore Station.

If the city would waive the onsite parking requirements, White Castle could sell off part of its property and still remain. Can you tell I like White Castle and don't want to see them leave? LOL

[Honky Tonk]

It will be interesting to see if the land in that area gets expensive enough that White Castle sells out for an apartment building.

I hope not. I can't live without that taste.