Detroit's Brush Park May See Redevelopment
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A historic Detroit neighborhood that now stands largely vacant may soon be in line for redevelopment.
The city, which owns most of the vacant property in the Brush Park district, is seeking ideas by Feb. 5 from developers to build housing on almost 9 acres, according to the Detroit Free Press. The city also wants to redevelop some vacant 19th-century mansions. The city expects to make a decision later in February.
The city hopes to capitalize at a time of demand for residences downtown and in Midtown. Previous efforts to develop Brush Park failed because of the poor economy and low demand.
Brush Park is located near Comerica Park, Ford Field, the Fox Theatre and Detroit RiverWalk. It's home to many notable buildings, such as the Frederick Butler House, Albert Kahn House, Elisha Taylor House and Hudson-Evans House.
"I think it's probably one of the most desirable places to live in Detroit," Jim Marusich, manager of real estate development for the city's Planning & Development Department, told the Free Press.
The downtown area has a shortage of residences, said Austin Black II, a real estate broker.
"The inventory is so low in the downtown area, and the demand for for-sale housing is growing," he said.
"The important thing is that it's a high-quality for-sale product, not cookie cutter," Black said. "People are willing to pay for either the right location in the neighborhood and/or a high-quality unique housing product."
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