New development will bring 38 affordable apartments to the McNichols/Livernois area

**hybridy** · June-01-21, 01:41 PM

On West McNichols, the site of a vacant building will be transformed into a new mixed-use building. The three-story, 38,000-square-foot 7303 West McNichols will bring 38 affordable housing units and commercial space to the Bagley neighborhood.

The Michigan Strategic Fund awarded the project a $1.25 million loan through the Michigan Community Revitalization Program. The project has also received Brownfield tax abatement funding through the city of Detroit, also approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

https://urbanize.city/detroit/post/b...strategic-fund

Current site:
https://goo.gl/maps/iDmf3PM3UVbigEEb7

**Danny** · June-01-21, 05:18 PM

The new Building looks ugly! and it's going to be at the NW Detroit hood where the businesses been long gone since the early 1990s.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4171...7i16384!8i8192

Needs some to be straight and added some storefronts while you at it.

**Satiricalivory** · June-01-21, 05:42 PM

It's right by Livernois, tons of business in that area and down McNichols. The building looks great. And there's clearly more businesses coming in.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · June-03-21, 01:03 PM

While I wouldn’t say it looks great, it’s a lot better than what’s on the block now.

**Hypestyles** · June-03-21, 02:07 PM

kudos. hopefully this project can break ground and get finished in a relatively short amount of time, so folks can apply for the apartments.

**oladub** · June-03-21, 06:54 PM

"The estimated capital investment for this project is approximately $9,745,297."

$ 9,745,297 divided by 38 units = $256,455 per unit.

"Affordable" to those subsidized to live in these units, helpful to anyone who doesn't want to pay more for labor, not so affordable to taxpayers with their own bills to pay but absolutely lucrative to developers.

**ABetterDetroit** · June-03-21, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by oladub

"The estimated capital investment for this project is approximately $9,745,297."

$ 9,745,297 divided by 38 units = $256,455 per unit.

"Affordable" to those subsidized to live in these units, helpful to anyone who doesn't want to pay more for labor, not so affordable to taxpayers with their own bills to pay but absolutely lucrative to developers.

What isn’t subsidized these days? Farmers, developers, corporations... It is a endless list. Lets not pretend that everyone doesn’t have their hand in the pocket of taxpayers including the last President, Bezos, Musk... When Warren Buffet states that his tax rate is lower than his secretary’s he’s not lying about it. But when that tax money gets spent on ‘affordable’ housing in of all places, Detroit! Now... there is a problem.

Here is an idea. Paying off soybean farmers 30 Billion Dollars bugs me and spending 250K a unit for 38 affordable housing units in Detroit bugs you, so... Lets get rid of all the subsidies, all the write offs, the loopholes and count all capital gains as income, because it is income, and see if we can get ourselves to something that isn’t being manipulated to someone’s advantage.

**oladub** · June-03-21, 10:00 PM

ABetterDetroit, Those would be corporate soybean farmers. Family farms are going extinct. I'm in but if we are all giving each other and corporations subsidies and the music stops, middlemen and the 1% lose. On the other hand, our children won't be saddled with debt created by giving each other free stuff.

I wonder what it costs to build 'affordable' units in California and question why California should be subsidized more per home than Michigan residents. In California, affordable housing is sometimes built, e.g. Marin County, so rich people won't have to pay such high wages to keep necessary workers from being priced out.

I'm not an expert but how do 'affordable' units differ in concept than 'low-income' units like Parkside near Chandler Park? I'm not talking about the quonset huts that preceded Parkside nor the troubled high rise units like Brewster but affordable apartments vs. low-income apartments. Is higher matching income required?

**royce** · June-04-21, 02:04 AM

That's a good location to place those apartments. Across the street are some vacant store fronts that could definitely be developed to meet the needs of the apartment residents. The Fitzgerald/Live-6 Alliance Community Center is a block and a half down as well. The super-wide sidewalk across the street begs for a coffee house or restaurant with outdoor seating. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.

**Danny** · June-04-21, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by royce

That's a good location to place those apartments. Across the street are some vacant store fronts that could definitely be developed to meet the needs of the apartment residents. The Fitzgerald/Live-6 Alliance Community Center is a block and a half down as well. The super-wide sidewalk across the street begs for a coffee house or restaurant with outdoor seating. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.

I agree. Who wants to move into an area that is part ghetto? Put some stores in that area. Otherwise the apt. complex won't sell.

**K-slice** · June-04-21, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

I agree. Who wants to move into an area that is part ghetto? Put some stores in that area. Otherwise the apt. complex won't sell.

I don't understand how the placement of this development is in question. Bagley is a stable neighborhood, and by Detroit standards that's about all you can hope for.

**CassTechGrad** · June-04-21, 09:08 AM

This is just 3 blocks west of one of the best music venues in the city back in the 1960’s. The Chess Mate coffee shop, on the corner of Livernois & McNichols where you could hear some of the best performers play and hang-out for the price of a cup of coffee. A lot of talk today about “change”, well this place changed and how’s that workin’ out?

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**Baselinepunk** · June-04-21, 11:28 AM

This architecture style should be called Neo-brutalist or 21st Brutalism -- same crap recycled as a "new" design. Styling cues are fine but c'mon let's come up with something really bold, inspirational and makes a statement.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · June-04-21, 12:46 PM

What I like about this project, as well as the one at VanDyke and Kercheval, is the idea of getting people to actually live ON the commercial corridor. So much of McNichols is bleak even though some adjoining streets are nice. These corridors are perfect for some upper level housing, just as they used to be.

**royce** · June-04-21, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

What I like about this project, as well as the one at VanDyke and Kercheval, is the idea of getting people to actually live ON the commercial corridor. So much of McNichols is bleak even though some adjoining streets are nice. These corridors are perfect for some upper level housing, just as they used to be.

Agreed. This would be a great strategy for the Avenue of Fashion on Livernois. The focus there shouldn't just be on bringing new businesses to the Avenue. Put some apartments or townhouses on the avenue and create a 24/7 environment. Hopefully the residential development at the corner of Seven Mile and Livernois will be the catalyst for the type of development I'm talking about.