Brush Park Archives

Mapping Downtown Detroit Construction

2018/09/05 By Jared Hoffman 2 Comments

Overview of construction projects in Downtown Detroit, shown in red.

The city of Detroit is enjoying a construction boom right now, especially in Midtown and Brush Park. But Downtown Detroit is undergoing its own transformation, including new hotels, apartments, and office buildings. Let’s check out the biggest construction projects below.

Monroe Blocks

A 35-story office building and 482 new residential units spread across multiple buildings will be constructed in the mostly vacant blocks adjacent to Campus Martius. Groundbreaking is expected to begin at the end of this year and is supposed to be completed in 2022. After demolishing the two buildings at 1000 Farmer Street and 815 Bates Street, the National Theatre will be the only remaining structure on the construction site. While there has been much discussion over whether or not the theatre’s facade will be maintained and integrated into the Monroe Blocks project, no official comment has yet been made by Bedrock LLC.

Detroit City Club Apartments

The 288-unit apartment building will feature units between 400 and 1,700 square feet, a theater, a restaurant, outdoor terraces, a pet shop, and a market. Sitting on the site of the former Statler Hotel, City Club Apartments is set to open in November.

Little Caesars World Headquarters

The nine-story building on Woodward Avenue between The Fillmore and the Fox theaters is in the later stages of construction, and it will hold 700 Little Caesars employees once it opens. The pizza chain is installing 102 14-foot pizza-slice-shaped windows, each weighing 1,000 pounds, on the front of the building.

Rendering of Hudson’s Site development. Courtesy of Bedrock Detroit.

Hudson’s Site

A million square feet of retail, office, residential, and public space will fit in what will be the tallest building in Michigan. The 800-foot tower will contain 330-450 residential units and a skydeck with the best view of the city and surrounding areas. A market and office space will anchor the smaller building, and over 700 parking spaces will be underground.

Fail Jail

Crain’s Detroit reports that demolition on the unfinished jail will continue throughout the summer and into the fall and will require both above- and belowground work. Although there are no official reports on what will be constructed on the 15-acre site, it’s safe to assume based on Gilbert’s past projects that a mixed-use development containing residential units, restaurants, and retail space will be present.

Joe Louis Arena and Parking Structure

The City of Detroit must demolish the arena, and crews will begin at the beginning of next year. The 9-acre site sits crammed between the Cobo Center, the Detroit River, the Lodge Freeway, and the Lodge exit ramps. Nevertheless, the location is still valuable riverfront property in a city that is developing fast. Possible redevelopment ideas include “a 24-story residential tower, an expansion of Cobo Center and parking with about 2,000-4,000 spaces.” The city is also trying to create a more open framework for the area, and they’ve thrown out the idea of demolishing the Exit 1A ramp from the Lodge Freeway, the Cobo parking ramp on Congress Street, and the parking garage pedestrian tubes that connect to Cobo. The city also hopes to reinstate the street grid and build more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly infrastructure.

Chemical Bank Headquarters

Chemical Bank announced it’s moving its headquarters to Downtown Detroit. Michigan’s largest bank will build a 20-story tower at 2047 Woodward Avenue, just across the street from The Fillmore theatre, and will create 500 jobs in the city. The building will contain retail space and parking as well as offices for the bank. Chemical Bank was founded in Midland, Michigan in 1917. The bank will retain all of its staff in its Midland location, and they will expand the current downtown office at 333 Fort Street until they complete the new headquarters. The new building is expected to be 400,000 square feet in size and may even include luxury condominiums. Not much is known at the moment, but check back for more updates as they roll in.

Shinola Hotel

The Shinola Hotel spans eight floors, 130 rooms, and 16,000 square feet of food, beverage, and retail space. The building at 1400 Woodward and the Singer Building are being renovated, and new buildings on Woodward Avenue and Farmer Street are currently under construction. The boutique hotel is slated to open later this year.

Mapping Brush Park Construction

2018/08/31 By Jared Hoffman 1 Comment

Rough boundaries of Brush Park in yellow with construction projects highlighted in red.

Rough boundaries of Brush Park in yellow with Brush Park construction projects highlighted in red.

The greater Downtown Detroit area is evolving rapidly. The Little Caesars Arena and the Mike Ilitch School of Business have spurred on construction along the Woodward Corridor, and multiple skyscrapers are under construction or planned in the heart of downtown. Restaurants and shops are opening every week, and the demand for new housing units in the area is skyrocketing. Fortunately, the small neighborhood of Brush Park just north of downtown is transforming from a largely forgotten collection of fields into the next hot housing market.

Brush Park is roughly bounded by I-75, Mack Avenue, and John R Street. Of its 138 acres, roughly 28% is currently under construction or planned for construction of new residential units. We’ll take a look at the specifics of Brush Park construction below.

Bedrock Detroit LLC projects

City Modern is a 24-building, 410-unit project under construction over more than half a square mile between John R Street, Edmund Place, Brush Street, and Division Street. Another Bedrock project in the planning stages just east of City Modern will transform the old Brewster-Douglass housing projects site. The real estate development firm is planning to begin construction in the summer of 2019, and the project includes 648 apartments and 265 for-sale units along with retail space and a hotel.

City Modern project. Courtesy of Bedrock Detroit LLC.

112 Edmund Place LLC and Brush Park Properties LLC projects

Developers 112 Edmund Place LLC and Brush Park Properties LLC have proposed construction of three new buildings just west of City Modern on the northwest corner of John R Street and Alfred Street. The developers are still hammering out plans, but three-story townhouses and a seven-story residential building feature.

City Growth Partners and American Community Developers projects

Developer City Growth Partners has two projects currently in the planning stage. The Brush House is a five-story project containing 178 rental units, 15,660 square feet of retail, and underground parking. Construction at 2994 Brush Street will begin in September 2019. Brush 8 will be comprised of eight, four-story luxury townhouses at 3119 Brush Street. American Community Developers is working at 2994-2968 Brush Street on a plan for 180 residential units and retail space.

Midtown West Development Creating 335 Units

2018/08/24 By Jared Hoffman 1 Comment

Rendering of Midtown West project, looking from the north. Courtesy of VolumeOne Design Studio LLC.

A huge residential development on the west side of Midtown, Detroit is planning for ground breaking in spring 2019. Bounded by the Lodge, Selden Street, 3rd Avenue, and Brainard Street, the 7 acre “Midtown West” site will contain 335 residential units comprised of 175 for-rent and 160 for-sale units. PDH Development Group LLC is leading the $77 million project, and VolumeOne Design Studio LLC and Studio Libeskind are handling the architectural design and master planning of the project.

Construction

The site, which rivals the 8.4 acre City Modern project under construction in Brush Park, will rise in two phases. Phase One includes construction of 167 units and 8,000 square feet of retail space. The first phase will also include an acre of open public space. Phase Two includes the remaining 168 units. Thirty-five rental units will be “reserved for residents making no more than 80 percent of the area median income.”

Rough boundaries of street extensions (in grey) and new buildings (in green).

The site currently sits on the Wigle Recreation Site previously owned by the City of Detroit, and the project will extend 4th Street, Brainard Street, and Tuscola Street to better connect the residences. PDH Development Group purchased the site from the city for $1.8 million, and the project will create 11 permanent jobs. The project will also create 200 construction jobs, and more than half of these jobs will go to Detroit residents.

Design

Studio Libeskind is handling the design for most of the Midtown West project, but VolumeOne Design Studio LLC will design the small portion east of 4th Street between Selden Street and Tuscola Street. This development joins a growing list of large new construction projects in the Midtown area, including Bedrock’s 400-unit City Modern project and 900-unit Brewster-Douglass project in Brush Park. Similarly, two smaller construction projects are taking shape in Brush Park.

9 Meatless Places In Michigan To Get Your Vegan On

2018/08/02 By Victoria Tsai Leave a Comment

Courtesy of Detroit Eater

After closing the doors after their final dinner rush, Om café has gracefully bowed out of the vegan/vegetarian culinary game after 33 years. The quaint green space has been a staple piece for those with “animal-friendly” dietary restrictions and will be missed by all those meatless eaters in the metro Detroit area. To bring a little peace of mind to all those mourning the loss of their favorite go-to location- Think313 has compiled a list of other local vegan/vegetarian locations for you to try out.

Chili Mustard Onions – Brush Park

Detroit’s first original vegan Coney Island opens this week, August 1^st. Hoping to bring an alternative to Coney Island lovers, the new restaurant swaps out alternatives for classics such as gyros and coney dogs. Exactly what are these alternatives? Instead of using the classic meat mystery for their dogs, Chef Pete LaCombe will be using pea and soy protein as it’s replacement.

SEVA – Midtown, Ann Arbor

Being their second location after Ann Arbor, the vegetarian hot spot offers options from classic appetizers to Mexican and Asian dishes. Items such as The Beyond Burger are prepared with a plant protein patty to mimic and taste of a real beef option with sustainability and animal welfare in mind. Other options include tempeh, tofu, gluten-free, and vegan options for all their dishes.

Chive Kitchen – Farmington

This location on Grand River offers West Coast and Portuguese influences in their all vegan dishes. Their everchanging menu allows a little excitement for their regulars, so as a warning, what you see one week may not be there the next. The kitchen occasionally pairs up with local breweries to create a unique full course meal for culinary connoisseurs to enjoy in the Metro Detroit area.

Detroit Vegan Soul – West Village, Rosedale Park

Detroit Vegan Soul’s Soul Platter- Courtesy of Detroit Vegan Soul

Bringing soul food to Detroiters since 2012, this vegan hot spot offers different options at each of their locations. The Soul Platter, consisting of mac-n-cheese, smoked collards, maple glazed yams, black-eyed peas, and cornbread, is the plant-based haven for those looking for something to fill your bellies and spirit.

Turmerican – Novi

This vegetarian, Indian style establishment has been serving up all your favorite dishes such as curries and chaat since 2013. What’s better? During the lunch rush, Turmerican offers a fully stocked lunch buffet option that allows you to eat until you drop at your own pace. Tumerican also offers a more “hands-on” option with their platters, asking you to eat this sans utensils.

Neehee’s – Canton

Crisp cubes of Paneer (cottage cheese) tossed around in Manchurian sauce with Thai green chili peppers, sweet bell peppers, and onions. – Courtesy of Neehee’s

Another vegetarian hotspot, Neehee’s offers a variety of street foods, burgers, sandwiches, and authentic dishes popular in the Indian culture. The menu also has a large variety of Indochinese options, swapping their meat options out with items such as Paneer, cauliflower, or tofu.

Cacao Tree Café – Royal Oak

Sitting alongside the railroad tracks in Royal Oak, the modest location offers mainly superfood smoothies, shots, and juices for their passing patrons. If you’re looking for a quick bite, the location also serves up salads and wraps.

The Clean Plate – Shelby Township

The sister location to Cacao Tree Café, The Clean Plate is a casual dining location with similar wraps, salads, and smoothies in addition to soups, plates of pasta, and sandwiches their Royal Oak location does not offer. This vegetarian spot also offers cooking classes to bring out your inner Emeril in the comforts of your own kitchen.

Greenspace Café – Ferndale

Courtesy of Greenspace Cafe

The newest location to hit Metro Detroit was founded by no other than cardiologist Joel Kahn M.D. His passion for healing the heart with the use of a plant-based diet is brought to light at his vegan haven. With a full menu and key, each diner can sort through options suitable for any type of dietary restriction.

By Victoria Tsai
Marketing Analyst at JMJ Phillip Group

Three More Brush Park Developments Announced

2018/07/27 By Jared Hoffman 2 Comments

Rendering of the 178-unit Brush House in the Brush Park neighborhood. Courtesy of Morris Adjmi Architects.

Two projects including three build sites and 366 residential units are joining the construction boom in the Brush Park neighborhood of Detroit. City Growth Partners is leading the development of the Brush House (178 units) and the Brush 8 (8 four-story townhouses), while American Community Developers, Inc. is developing the Brush + Watson building (180 units). Let’s dive into each site below.

Brush House

Brush House sits on an acre of land at 2994 Brush Street, and the project includes 2 buildings and 178 rental units. The $51.3 million development will reserve 20% for affordable housing at about $900 a month for one-bedroom units. The Brush House will contain 15,660 square feet of retail, and 127 parking spaces will be available underground. Construction will begin in September 2019, and the project should be complete two years later.

Rendering of the Brush 8 townhouses. Courtesy of DEP Designs.

Brush 8

Brush 8 will contain eight luxury townhouses at 3119 Brush Street. The $4.7 million build sits on 9,760 square feet across from the Brush House. ClickOnDetroit reports that “each 4-story townhouse will feature a 1- car garage, a penthouse setback off the street and a private rooftop terrace.” Brush 8 should break ground in March and be complete in early 2020. Washington, D.C.’s DEP Design is aiming to recreate the look of the busy Brush Park of the mid-1900s.

Rendering of Brush + Watson project. Courtesy of Oombra Architects.

Brush + Watson

Brush + Watson will hold 180 residential units, and half of them will be considered affordable at $400-$700 a month. The $46 million development is at 2994-2968 Brush Street, and it includes 8,500 square feet of retail space plus 170 underground parking spaces. The project should break ground in late 2019 and be complete in 2021.

Brush Park Growth

The three developments come at a time of great growth for Brush Park and the surrounding areas. Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock LLC is working on the 410-unit City Modern development and a massive 900-unit development at the Brewster-Douglass site. Likewise, another three-building development is planned for the intersection of John R Street and Edmund Place.

Dan Gilbert Building 900 Residential Units on Brewster-Douglass Site

2018/07/26 By Jared Hoffman 2 Comments

Aerial rendering of the 900-unit project. Courtesy of Bedrock LLC.

Aerial rendering of the 900-unit Brewster-Douglass project. Courtesy of Bedrock LLC.

The Brewster-Douglass projects site, once home to the founding members of The Supremes Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard, is finally seeing development four years after demolishment. Billionaire Dan Gilbert, best known as the Quicken Loans founder and Cleveland Cavaliers owner, has announced plans for the site just north of Downtown.

Brewster-Douglass History

The Brewster-Douglass projects broke ground in 1935 with Eleanor Roosevelt on hand. The six 14-story towers, two six-story buildings, and row houses held up to 10,000 residents at a time. It was the first federally funded public housing for African-Americans, and it stretched five blocks long and three blocks wide. The projects began their decline in the 1960’s and 1970’s. As a result, the city demolished various buildings from 1991 to 2014.

Plans

Bedrock LLC, Gilbert’s real estate arm, is undertaking the $300 million project with Detroit’s Woodborn Partners LLC and New York City’s Jonathan Rose Companies LLC. Just west of the Brewster-Douglass site, Bedrock is working on the 24-building City Modern project featuring 107 for-sale units and 303 for-lease units. The two projects sit just half a block away, but they will totally transform the Brush Park neighborhood.

View of City Modern project in Brush Park (yellow) and the planned Brewster-Douglass development (brown).

The Brewster-Douglass project will include 648 apartments and 265 for-sale units just across the I-75 freeway from Ford Field. The development includes street grid realignment, and there are plans for connections across the I-75 freeway. Crain’s Detroit reports that it’s “expected to include 3.2 acres of public space, 19,000 square feet of retail, another 60,000 square feet of early childhood education space and a hotel with approximately 80 rooms.”

Rendering of the mainly residential development. Courtesy of Bedrock LLC.

A quarter of the units will be affordable housing for those earning 80% or less of the area median income. The remaining units will most likely rent at the market rate of $2.15 per square foot. Construction should start in the summer of 2019, and the first units should be available two years after that.

Think 313