Filling up an empty lot in Lafayette Park, the $42M DuCharme Place development just announced a ground-breaking on June 11. The current timeline imagines tenants moving into DuCharme's 185 apartments early next year. From the very beginning, developers have insisted that the stark design is a nod to the minimalism of the nearby Mies van der Rohe buildings, adding that DuCharme "will find its place amongst the masterpieces of Detroit's urban gems." Thanks, but probably not.
DuCharme is simply another collection of modern, low-maintenance apartment boxes similar to those popping up in Brush Park and Midtown. It's nothing to be ashamed of, but DuCharme's cohesion with the "simple steel and glass structures of Lafayette Park" is roughly on par with a cell phone tower's best impression of a pine tree.
But that's okay, and DuCharme does stand out admirably in other areas. The design packs 107 two-bedrooms, 66 one-bedrooms and 12 studios into four apartment buildings with indoor parking areas on the first level, sparing DuCharme from including an outdoor surface lot. Instead, the grounds will have extensive landscaping—something new buildings rarely splurge for. Of course, there's a sky terrace, a "resort-style" pool, and yes, even a zen garden. Rent is expected to fall between $900 to $1,800 range when leasing begins next year.
· 185 New Apartments Greenlighted in Lafayette Park [Curbed]
· DuCharme Place Press Release [Official]
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