Nearly a century after Eastern Market first opened, the neighborhood became home to Detroit's first sanctioned loft development. Legalized by the city in 1985, these exotic living spaces were meant to "accommodate tenants who might want to live and conduct business in the same space," and were already happening illegally downtown, Crain's reported at the time. Chances are, you've already been inside the building. The first loft development in Detroit happened right above Supino Pizza and Russell Street Deli.
The historic structure was falling apart at the time, and ownership decided that converting the upstairs to lofts (rather than offices) was the only way to justify the repair costs. Here's the basic info reported by Crain's in 1985:
Rent: $600-$1,200/month
Size: 800-1,700 square feet, with wide-open layouts.
Amenities: All units had skylights and "200 square feet of enclosed storage space above each kitchen."
They were originally called the A. Jacobs Lofts, but today exist as the Rocky Peanut Lofts. More info on the project can be found at the links below.
· 1985: Eastern Market building owners have lofty plans [Crain's]
· Lofty idea gave Eastern Market something to build upon [Crain's]
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