New Harbortown Apartment Building Rendering Disappoints

Since the rendering was released two days ago, architecture enthusiasts around town have been feeling rather down about Harbortown. One tipster went as far as to write in saying, "That's Rather Hideous!" What you are looking at is the proposed Harbortown Riverside Apartment building that The Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority tentatively approved this week. It will be a 140-unit "upscale" apartment building; they say and will cost $18 M to build and that the A.F. Jonna Development firm in Bloomfield Hills is responsible. Apartments would range from one to three bedrooms with rents from about $1,100 to $2,200 per month. As for that exterior, it certainly lacks character but it's pretty much on par with other recent new apartment construction in Detroit (like The Auburn). Which is not to say we're ok with it, but that we generally expect to be more excited by redevelopment of old gems when it comes to this city's housing stock. Our review is a resounding, "meh," and a call for someone to redevelop The Book already!

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