New Live/Work Lofts Coming to Midtown, East of DIA and College for Creative Studies

[JonWylie]

https://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news...ative-studies/

Nailah, a historic and new residential and commercial developer, has gained approval by the City of Detroit for a new commercial/residential project called Petit Bateau, located in the Midtown Art Center District of Detroit.
One of the last developable parcels in the Midtown Cultural Center Art District, the Petit Bateau project will be comprised of six buildings and 92 residential units including townhomes, apartments, work/live units, and loft/office spaces. The main level retail can be configured to a tenant’s specific needs.

[masterblaster]

This a really, fantastic project, another potential win for Midtown. I love the 3 different types of residential buildings included in this project, each with its own distinct architecture and massing.

One thing I would change would be to locate the commercial/retail space to front/overlook Peck Park. The addition of businesses and more residences overlooking the park could lead to aesthetic and functional improvements to the park and even the addition of programming/events. Make it a true asset for the Art Center area.

More renderings can be seen here: https://www.petitbateaudetroit.com/about

[Richard]

Those are becoming all the rage where I am at also,who would have ever thought that you could actually build something that had living space above working space and retail shops would even be feasible.

Hopefully it will draw more into the city,what is counter productive is the farm bureau offering 3% down,3% interest,low docs and up to 120% LTV to encourage people to leave the city and move rural.

[Gistok]

This development is named after Julio Bateau... a Haitian immigrant to the USA, who basically started Midtown residential development when no one else would touch the area 20 years ago.

Bateau is largely responsible for restoring and adding in-fill residential to that historic street, and doing so in a way that was complementary to the architecture of the surviving mansions on East Ferry.

A 2007 article about Julio Bateau [you can navigate the paywall by waiting 10 seconds for it to disappear]...

https://www.builderonline.com/land/d...r-of-a-dream_o

In many ways Julio Bateau is to Midtown what Chuck Forbes is to the Theatre district.

[masterblaster]

This development is named after Julio Bateau... a Haitian immigrant to the USA, who basically started Midtown residential development when no one else would touch the area 20 years ago.

Bateau is largely responsible for restoring and adding in-fill residential to that historic street, and doing so in a way that was complementary to the architecture of the surviving mansions on East Ferry.

A 2007 article about Julio Bateau [you can navigate the paywall by waiting 10 seconds for it to disappear]...

https://www.builderonline.com/land/d...r-of-a-dream_o

In many ways Julio Bateau is to Midtown what Chuck Forbes is to the Theatre district.

Thanks for sharing. I have never heard of this gentlemen, but without his vision and tenacity and dedication and persistence, Ferry Street might not have been saved. This guy needs to be WAY, WAY more celebrated in this area. We've heard of Joel Landy, but why have not heard of Julio Bateau?

[Hypestyles]

February 2017, a more recent article about Mr. Bateau:

https://www.blac.media/people-places...ng-development

https://nailahcommons.com/

[Hermod]

Those are becoming all the rage where I am at also,who would have ever thought that you could actually build something that had living space above working space and retail shops would even be feasible.

Hopefully it will draw more into the city,what is counter productive is the farm bureau offering 3% down,3% interest,low docs and up to 120% LTV to encourage people to leave the city and move rural.

For years in Detroit, business blocks were built with retail/office onm the first floor and residential on the second floor. The business owner would live upstairs from his work. When he became successful enough, he would buy a house and then rent out the living space above the store.

A startling old idea!

[Jason]

In my understanding, in Japan, the typical single family residential zoning can have small commercial stuff with it, by right. So pretty much anywhere over there, if you want to open a hair salon or a small store or something in your house you can.

Over here the way we built our cities makes it hard to do that. If you live in a typical residential area you wouldn't expect your neighbor to start a cafe in their house, and most people would find it disruptive. But it's possible to design developments/neighborhoods so that it can work just fine.

[bust]

For years in Detroit, business blocks were built with retail/office onm the first floor and residential on the second floor. The business owner would live upstairs from his work. When he became successful enough, he would buy a house and then rent out the living space above the store.

A startling old idea!

My great-grandparents had a Detroit 1-storey corner store. A family of 7 managed to live in back.

Needless to say, live-work spaces are by no means something only for poorer classes. I know many from the middle and upper middle classes who've managed to scrap together living in work places illegally, or who have temporarily made it possible to do so when necessary. It's a thing.

My wife and I couldn't comfortably fit workplaces where we live today, so we rented across the street. Our marriage could not have survived the past year {and more} without it.

In my humble opinion, upon first glance, this could be one of the best projects yet proposed for Brush Park.

It's not clear to me how these live-work spaces will work out-- There are few details. I'm a little skeptical they'll be affordable for most people-- but let's hope.