Bye Bye Big Boy: Detroit Restaurant Razed To Make Way For High-Rise

DETROIT (WWJ) - Work begins Wednesday morning on a new high-rise apartment building in Detroit.

The old Big Boy restaurant on Jefferson Avenue across from Belle Isle will be razed to make way for the $50-million high-rise tower.

Developers say the 8- to 10-story building will bring retail space along with some 240 apartments to Detroit's Islandview neighborhood. Some of the apartments will be provided at below-market rent for qualifying tenants, too.

Construction on the tower itself begins next fall with completion in 2020.

The property was acquired by The Platform developments in March 2017 after its previous owner decided to close the Big Boy restaurant that had occupied the site for 50 years.