Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announces $14.5 million in funding for 5 neighborhood development projects
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) announced $14.5 million in funding to support five neighborhood development projects.
The DEGC received the grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) through the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) 2.0 program.
"We are deeply appreciative to the MEDC for this generous grant to move these important neighborhood development projects forward, and to the DEGC for making sure Detroit developers have the support they need," said Duggan. "Each of these projects will take long-vacant buildings and turn them into vibrant neighborhood and commercial corridor anchors."
The city says African American developers are leading a majority of the projects, and the funding is critical to the five mixed-use projects.
"Revitalization and Placemaking 2.0 grants underscore our commitment to the people, places, and projects that are integral to the growth of Michigan's economy," said Michele Wildman, Executive Vice President, Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "Investment in Detroit and communities across the state will help further the creation of vibrant places that attract and retain talent, enable business creation and attraction, increase new housing options, and provide resources for Michiganders and our communities to Make it in Michigan."
The city released the following details regarding the projects the funding will support:
- Broadway Lofts – The Broadway Lofts development will convert three buildings at 1322, 1326 and 1332 Broadway Street into a mixed-use property with 80 residential units and ground-floor retail space. Led by Roger Basmajian, the nine-story building will feature mainly studio and one-bedroom apartments, with at least 20% offered at affordable rates for those earning 60% of Wayne County's Area Median Income (AMI). The project will receive $4.275 million in RAP grant funding to construct approximately 50,934 rentable square feet of housing and 6,626 square feet of retail space.
- Fisher 21 Lofts – The Fisher 21 Lofts project will convert a 600,000-square-foot building into 433 residential units with a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms, plus 26,700 square feet of retail space and 17,685 square feet of co-working space. Led by developers Gregory Jackson and Richard Hosey, 63 units will be income-restricted affordable housing, with 60 at 80% AMI and three, two-bedrooms at 50% AMI. The development will receive $4.750 million in RAP grant funding.
- The Arthur Murray Building – The Arthur Murray Building at 16621-16653 E. Warren Ave. has historical significance as the first franchise location of the Arthur Murray Dance Studio, founded in the early 1950s by pioneering female entrepreneur Doris Eaton Travis. The $14.9 million mixed-use development led by developer Emery Matthews will convert the abandoned 25,242 square-foot building into 32 residential apartments with 7,900 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The project will receive $2.128 million in RAP grant funding for redevelopment effort.
- Jefferson Intermediate School – In 2018, Midtown Detroit, Inc. (MDI) and Invest Detroit purchased the Jefferson Intermediate School located at 950 Selden Street and 960 Frank Street with plans to renovate the building into a multi-tenant office and innovation/co-working space. The $44.4 million project will serve as the new headquarters for Invest Detroit as well as provide space for additional tenants interested in a creative office environment in Midtown. The development will receive $1.425 million in RAP grant funding.
- The Deco – The development at 16703 E. Warren is an 8,000-square-foot, two-story commercial building that has been vacant for several decades along a high-profile Detroit commercial corridor. Led by developers Brandon Hodges and Damon Dickerson, the $4 million renovation aligns with neighborhood priorities around vacancy reduction, design aesthetics and small business opportunities. The project will receive $1.197 million in RAP grant funding to activate the long-vacant structure into six new rental apartments and a ground floor restaurant to be occupied by La Jalisciense Taqueria.
