Earlier this year, Eastern Market Partnership hired Dietrich Knoer, formerly of The Platform LLC, to run Eastern Market Development Corp., the partnership's development arm.


"From Midtown to downtown to Corktown, there is a market push for those three general areas and Eastern Market has been sort of left behind in that," said Craig Willian, vice president of real estate for Develop Detroit Inc., one of the developers working on Eastern Market area residential buildings.


Among the projects in the works, according to the Detroit City Council document:


• Cincinnati-based Pivotal is working on a two-phase, 100-unit project consisting of both workforce and senior housing, with affordability levels at 30% to 70% of the federally-designated Area Median Income, a federally designated figure that is controversial because it includes suburban incomes and therefore skews upward what is considered affordable to residents of a city that is one of the poorest in the nation. Crain's has previously reported that at least some of the housing would go on St. Aubin St.


• Harper Woods-based American Community Developers is working on an affordable and workforce housing project aimed at households earning 40% to 120% of AMI. The project would also include 4,000 square feet of commercial space. Half of that would be reserved for minority-owned businesses. ACD declined comment.


• Economic Growth Corp., a Rock Island, Ill.-based developer, also is working on another project several years out. The conceptual vision is for housing for refugee farmers.


• Develop Detroit, a nonprofit developer, continues to work on a housing project aimed at residents earning 30% to 80% of AMI. Willian said the project in the district's south end along Gratiot Avenue would include 78 units as part of an approximately $20 million first phase, and another $35 million to $40 million would be spent on a second phase with 136 units. Construction on the first phase could start early next year, contingent on solidifying financing.


• Firm Real Estate, run by Sanford Nelson, continues to work on a 25-unit redevelopment of the Atlas building on Gratiot Avenue. That project was announced in September 2020 but has not yet started. Crain's emailed Nelson seeking details.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...-housing-units