For several weeks now, we've heard talk of Selden Standard, yet another new business coming to midtown Detroit. But it wasn't until today that we could put a facade with the name. Behold, these two storefronts on Second Avenue and the lot to the north will be transformed into a new restaurant that Andy Hollyday, former Executive Chef at Michael Symon's Roast, is starting with his business partner Evan Hansen. To the south. Midtown Detroit is working on renovating the adjacent park. That's a lot of action all at once for the sleepy area across from Honest?Johns. We sat down with Hollyday and Hansen last week for more details.
If the storefronts above have not stood out to you in the past, you are not alone. The buildings' most interesting architectural feature used to be the fact that they had no roofs. Google maps still shows them in a roof-less-ness state. But the current owners, Paul Howard and Scott Lowell, put roofs back on there shortly after purchasing the building in the summer of 2011. The two businessmen, partners in the popular downtown jazz club/bar, Cliff Bell's, as well as the popular Wayne State/all people watering hole, The Bronx Bar, did some other basic work, but have been waiting for the right tenant to transform the place.
Enter Andy Hollyday, who left Roast last June to start his own venture. He and Hansen signed a lease for the spot and are working with architects Tadd Heidgerken and Kristen Dean on the Selden Standard design. (The team worked on Slows To Go and Astro Coffee, and their firm is Et Al. Collaborative) Construction is set to begin in the fall and they're working towards opening in mid-2014. The casual neighborhood restaurant's design is all tables, no booths, with a bar at front and an open kitchen. There will be a patio in the back (one of the building halves is shorter than the other), and the lot to the north will be parking.
The two buildings are a former dry cleaner/church (yes, that actual combo) which have been vacant since roughly 2006. Howard recalls that the church tenants were actually evicted which meant the pews ended up on the street. You can now visit them at Bronx bar.
· Want Grease? Chef Andy Hollyday's Got You Covered [Eater Detroit]
· Two More Midtown Buildings Show Signs of Development [Curbed Detroit]
· Et Al. Collaborative [Official]
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