First City Modern building opens, will be exclusively affordable housing for seniors

Construction of City Modern—the 8.4-acre Bedrock development bringing hundreds of townhomes, multifamily structures, and others to Brush Park—has been making a lot of progress recently. And the first building officially opened today.

Called The Flats at 124 Alfred, the 54-unit building is exclusively for senior citizens that make between $14,910 to $29,820—or 30 to 60 percent of the area median income. The units are between 600 and 735 square feet, and come equipped with stainless steel appliances and laundry machines. There’s also a fitness center on site, gated parking, and outdoor terrace with pretty impressive views.

Seven people have already moved in and property management is currently accepting applications. All but five of the units are one-bedroom, the rest two-bedroom.

“Just because a person is of low or moderate income does not mean they have low or moderate expectations for their families and children, or low or moderate need for quality in their housing,” Lucius Vassar, senior vice president of Cinnaire, said at a press conference announcing the opening.

Cinnaire helped secure financing for the development along with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The press conference was attended by Mayor Mike Duggan, Councilmember Mary Sheffield, CEO of Quicken Loans Bill Emerson, and others.

124 Alfred was designed by Hamilton Anderson Associates and constructed by Sachse Construction. The building has a very modern look, with a crimson exterior of metal siding, geometrical floor plans, and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows.

The Brush Park neighborhood on the edge of downtown was once filled with mansions built at the turn of the 20th century. But for decades, after the homes fell into disrepair and were demolished, many of its 22 blocks became largely vacant land.