Officials break ground on La Joya Gardens in SW Detroit
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit city officials celebrated the beginning of the La Joya Gardens development in Southwest Detroit.
On Friday, officials joined the Southwest Detroit Business Association and Cinnaire Solutions to break ground on the mixed-use, mixed-income building on W. Vernor Highway. The $24 million development will feature 47 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments. Forty-two of those units are reserved as affordable housing for residents earning 30% to 80% of the area median income.
The building will also include 6,000 square feet of retail space and 1,500 square feet of community space on the ground floor.
It is the latest project supported by the Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF) in partnership with the city and Invest Detroit.
"In neighborhoods across Detroit, the Strategic Neighborhood Fund is helping us build new affordable housing and bringing new life to our historic commercial corridors like West Vernor," Mayor Duggan said in a statement. "For years, this key corner has been an empty lot, but thanks to SDBA, Cinnaire Solutions and the SNF, it will once again be thriving and a beautiful place for Detroiters and small businesses to call home."
The building is expected to open next summer.
Officials began the development process in 2018 with a six-month "participatory design" phase with residents and local businesses voicing their opinions on the design, type of businesses and community services.
The name "La Joya" was chosen by residents during the community engagement process.
"My six policy priorities include housing and equitable development, so I am thrilled to be here today to celebrate the groundbreaking of La Joya Gardens. Projects like these are what transform our neighborhoods," said Council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero in a statement. "When we leverage funding to invest in real estate that becomes an affordable home to residents and provides opportunities for a small business owner to realize their dreams of a brick-and-mortar location, we all win."
