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Rendering of Elton Park in Corktown
Soave Real Estate

Mapping Detroit’s construction boom

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Rendering of Elton Park in Corktown
| Soave Real Estate

Detroit is seeing a resurgence in construction that hasn’t taken place in decades. And while we’ve heard much about the skyrocketing cost of construction, building continues on dozens of huge projects across the city.

Since our last update, we’ve seen the following projects finish or near completion: B. Siegel’s on Livernois, Baltimore Station 1, James Place Lofts, the Element Hotel at the Metropolitan Building, Atwater Beach, the Shinola Hotel, the Farwell Building, the Corner.

That said, we still removed projects from the list that have stalled or seem unlikely to finish, like the Packard Plant, Stone Soap Building, and Meijer’s mixed-use building on Jefferson Avenue.

Some of the largest developments, both underway and in the planning stages, can also be found on our transformational developments map.

Did we leave out a project you’re looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments section.

Note: Developments are ordered from west to east.

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Fitzgerald Revitalization Project

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The Fitzgerald neighborhood near the University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College is undergoing the most ambitious neighborhood project in the city. Led by Century Partners and the Platform, the Fitzgerald Revitalization Project originally called for the renovation of over 100 homes, but only 13 are expected to be done by the end of summer 2019.

It hasn’t all been as slow as expected, as the greenway, park, meadows, and home boarding and demos have been hitting their target marks. This is one we’ve been following for a while and will continue to do so.

Gordie Howe International Bridge

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Ground officially broke on the American side of the Gordie Howe International Bridge last summer. When completed in 2022 or 2023, it will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America and rise higher than the Renaissance Center. The authority managing the project recently negotiated $14.9 million in neighborhood infrastructure spending package for residents, on top of the Bridging Neighborhoods Program.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge which is a curved suspension bridge with angled arches and a multitude of metallic cables. The bridge stretches out over trees and a body of water. Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority

Core City Redevelopment

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The area around the Quonset huts at True North has seen lots of new construction and buildings open over the last year. Developer Prince Concepts has created a unique district containing food, retail, art studios, a park, and residential space in new and old buildings at the intersection of Grand River and Warren avenues. There’s still a little construction left, with lots of potential for future expansion.

An overhead view of two buildings and shipping containers around a gravel park Photo by Chris Miele

Henry Ford Hospital Cancer Center

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The Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion, a six-story, 187,000-square-foot facility designed by SmithGroupJJR broke ground last summer across from the Henry Ford Hospital in New Center. Henry Ford Health Systems has bought and cleared a lot of land in the area, and this center will be part of a larger 300-acre expansion and neighborhood redevelopment.

Tall glass building with a floating walkway connecting it to the main hospital Henry Ford Hospitals

The Boulevard

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Led by The Platform, this $53.2 million mixed-use project near the Fisher Building will bring 231 new apartments to New Center. Construction of the six-story development is well underway and should be wrapping up soon. Many commercial tenants have been announced as well.

Michigan Central Station

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Ford Motor Company acquired and has plans to renovate Michigan Central Station for around $740 million into the centerpiece of a mobility-focused campus in Corktown. Offices and perhaps residential will go into the tower, and the grand hall will be open to the public. So far, most of the work has involved securing and weatherizing the building. Ford also said the station would be powered by renewable energy.

Expect the redevelopment in this area to take up to four years.

Drawing of a lit up train station in the background Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

North End Residential

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Develop Detroit is close to finishing work on rehabbing and building new homes in the North End. The first phase of the project will see the rehab of seven homes and construction of 12 new homes in the North End, and 11 rehabbed homes in Grandmont-Rosedale. Develop Detroit has plans to add up to 40 homes in phase two. A few homes have already gone up for sale, with many more expected in the near future.

A street with a row of houses. Each house has a lawn in front of it. There is a person with a stroller walking on the street in front of the houses. Courtesy of Develop Detroit

Pistons Training Facility

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The Pistons now call the Little Caeasars Arena home and they’ll soon have a new practice facility a couple miles away. Located near TechTown, the new building will have a training facility and corporate headquarters for the Pistons; a sports medicine, treatment, and rehab facility managed by Henry Ford Health System; and public spaces for community relations activation, networking receptions, and team-hosted events. Ground broke last fall and it’s expected to be open in 2019.

A building that has a sign that reads: Detroit Pistons. Rendering by ROSSETTI

Major work has been taking place this summer at Chroma, where The Platform is turning the “Illuminated Mural” building into a mixed-use project with a food hall. It’s expected to cost $16 million and to be completed by the end of the year.

A tall brick building with a rainbow mural on the side. Rendering courtesy of the Platform

Hilberry Gateway Performance Complex

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Right in the middle of Midtown, Wayne State is building a $65 million performing arts center. Construction on the Hilberry Gateway Performance Complex should start soon, with the renovation of an existing theater and the addition of a large performing arts facility. To make way for the complex, the historic David Mackenzie House had to be moved about a city block.

A performing arts building. There are columns on one half of the building. Wayne State University

The Selden Corridor Initiative

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Work is well underway at the Selden Corridor Initiative in Midtown, which includes rehabbing older buildings for a Barcade, a brewery training program, and a large coworking space. 14 single-family eco-homes are also being built. This project is led by Midtown Detroit, Inc.

In the foreground is a street. There is a row of houses in the distance. Midtown Detroit, Inc.

Elton Park

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Construction of Elton Park is ramping up in Corktown, with lots of new construction on vacant land and redevelopment of the old Checker Cab building into apartments. Led by Soave, the development will have ground-floor retail and a variety of rental units.

A building with a red awning and a street with cars. Courtesy Soave Real Estate

Cultural Center Redesign

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Though it’s still a ways from starting (and is expected to take 10 years to complete), we wanted to include the major redesign of the Cultural Center on this list. After a lengthy judging process, a design team was chosen this June to undertake the project, which could cost between $75 million to $85 million.

Among the many features in “Detroit Square,” there will be an east-west green space connecting the district from Cass Avenue to Brush Street, two ecological buffers on the north and south containing vegetation and “seasonal effects,” a promenade that wraps around the district with sculptures, and a stage for artists and others to perform during large events.

The Mid

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At $377 million, multi-building development the Mid will be the largest project north of Mack Avenue since the 1920s. Current plans for The Mid call for the construction of a 225-room hotel, 60 for-sale condos, 180 apartment units, a 12-story “co-living” tower, and 100,000 square-feet of retail space across 3.8 acres. It’s expected to break ground in September.

In the foreground is a courtyard where people are walking. Surrounding the courtyard are buildings. Two of the buildings are tall skyscrapers. It is evening and the sky is purple and blue. Courtesy inFORM Studio

Cambria Hotel

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Earlier this year, Choice Hotels International announced it will be redeveloping a 90,000-square-foot downtown building into the 154-room Cambria Hotel. Troy-based Koucar Management, which worked on two other downtown hotels, will oversee the Lafayette Boulevard project. It’s slated to open sometime in 2020.

Rendering of a brick and steel building against the sunlight with “Cambria” written in big block letters Choice Hotels International

Little Caesars World Headquarters

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Work is close to finishing at the nine-story Little Caesars World Headquarters, across from the Fox Theatre and Comerica Park—though there’s been some trouble installing the “pizza-slice” windows facing Woodward at the $150 million office building. While overall District Detroit has been a dud, Olympia did break ground on a $40.9 million Sports Medicine Institute next to the recently finished Mike Ilitch School of Business.

A row of city buildings with a park in the foreground. Photo by Michelle & Chris Gerard

Chemical Bank Headquarters

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Demolition of the Michigan Mutual Liberty Annex downtown will soon take place to make way for Chemical Bank’s new 20-story headquarters, designed by Detroit-based architecture firm Neumann/Smith. The new, $104 million high-rise is expected to take roughly two years to construct and will eventually house ground floor retail, approximately 300 parking spaces, and more than 500 employees.

Rendering of a skyscraper with green glass windows and “Chemical Bank” written in block letters Rendering by Neumann/Smith

City Modern

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Bedrock’s City Modern development will bring over 400 new residences to Brush Park. Carriages houses, townhomes, and senior living options are under construction and some have finished. It will be the largest new residential development in Detroit.

In the foreground is a street with cars. On the side of the street are various city buildings. Photo by Michelle & Chris Gerard

Book Tower

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Work on the $313 million Book Tower restoration is underway by Bedrock. The old skyscraper was power washed last summer, and interior work is starting to pick up. Expect residential, offices, retail, and possibly a hotel in the next few years.

An aerial view of the Book Tower in Detroit. The facade is white with a green roof and multiple windows. Bedrock

Detroit City Club Apartments

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Ground broke in winter 2018 for the City Club Apartments at the old Statler Hotel site at Grand Circus Park. The development will have 288 apartments and penthouses, plus furnished short-term rentals, 20 percent “affordable” apartments, and 400 underground parking spaces. Also expect a gourmet market, a pet store, and a lot of outdoor space.

Detroit Free Press Building

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Bedrock is working on restoring the old Detroit Free Press Building. The renovation, which should be done in 2021, will include office space and a lot of residential units.

A large office building with a parking lot with cars in the foreground. Michelle & Chris Gerard

Hudson’s site

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Ground officially broke in December 2017 at the at the nearly $1 billion Hudson’s site. The development will include a lot of retail, event space, a conference center, and residential. So far, crews have been digging at the site to secure the foundation and build the underground parking deck—it’s yet to build upwards. The most recent update also hinted that the tower might not become the tallest building in Detroit, and there won’t an observation deck.

Various tall glass office buildings on a city block. Courtesy of Bedrock

Monroe Blocks

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Bedrock broke ground on the Monroe Blocks last year, but little has happened since. The whole project is also undergoing another redesign. Eventually, you can expect to see an office tower, new residential, and public space downtown. It’s unknown what will happen to the National Theatre, but community members are hoping to salvage most of it.

In the foreground is a pedestrian plaza with people. On either side of the plaza are various city buildings. Bedrock

Lafayette West

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Lafayette West will bring a 12-story high-rise with 114 luxury rental apartments and attached parking; 200 lofts for rent; and 60 for-sale townhouses, carriage houses, and stacked flats with attached garages. It will also include green space, a fitness center, and a rooftop terrace.

A tall glass building with trees and lawn in front. Courtesy of the City of Detroit

Pullman Parc

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Construction began on the $70 million Pullman Parc residential development this year, which will bring a mix of 81 for-sale homes and 180 apartments to Lafayette Park. Units the first phase, which began selling this spring, are priced from price from $250,000 to over $750,000.

A large brown building with a flat roof. In front of the building are a row of shrubs and a sidewalk. Courtesy of Zoyes Creative Group

Saint Charles Residences

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Banyan is leading the development of the Saint Charles Residences, which will add luxury condos to the Islandview neighborhood. The units in phase one at the redeveloped school are complete. Phase two at the adjacent “Terraces” are expected to be complete in 2019.

A large white building with brown details and trees in front. Courtesy of the Loft Warehouse

Parker Durand

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Construction is expected to start any day on Parker Durand, a four-story, 92,000-square-foot mixed-use development in the West Village. The buildings will be comprised of 92 apartments, ground-floor retail, and 80 concealed parking spots. It’s also gotten significant public and private investment, and half the units are marked as “affordable.”

In the foreground is a street. In the distance are city blocks with various buildings. Hamilton Anderson Associates

FCA Plant

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After acquiring 215 acres of land and securing votes from Detroit City Council, it’s official: the first new assembly plant in Detroit in over 30 years is happening. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plans to invest $2.5 billion in expanding its Mack Avenue facilities—building a new plant and refitting its Jefferson North Plant—which it says will create nearly 5,000 new jobs. Incredibly, tax incentives for the project may exceed $400 million.

An aerial view of a factory and surrounding buildings. The buildings are all very long and are surrounded by parking lots and grassy lawns. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

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Fitzgerald Revitalization Project

The Fitzgerald neighborhood near the University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College is undergoing the most ambitious neighborhood project in the city. Led by Century Partners and the Platform, the Fitzgerald Revitalization Project originally called for the renovation of over 100 homes, but only 13 are expected to be done by the end of summer 2019.

It hasn’t all been as slow as expected, as the greenway, park, meadows, and home boarding and demos have been hitting their target marks. This is one we’ve been following for a while and will continue to do so.

Gordie Howe International Bridge

Ground officially broke on the American side of the Gordie Howe International Bridge last summer. When completed in 2022 or 2023, it will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America and rise higher than the Renaissance Center. The authority managing the project recently negotiated $14.9 million in neighborhood infrastructure spending package for residents, on top of the Bridging Neighborhoods Program.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge which is a curved suspension bridge with angled arches and a multitude of metallic cables. The bridge stretches out over trees and a body of water. Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority

Core City Redevelopment

The area around the Quonset huts at True North has seen lots of new construction and buildings open over the last year. Developer Prince Concepts has created a unique district containing food, retail, art studios, a park, and residential space in new and old buildings at the intersection of Grand River and Warren avenues. There’s still a little construction left, with lots of potential for future expansion.

An overhead view of two buildings and shipping containers around a gravel park Photo by Chris Miele

Henry Ford Hospital Cancer Center

The Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion, a six-story, 187,000-square-foot facility designed by SmithGroupJJR broke ground last summer across from the Henry Ford Hospital in New Center. Henry Ford Health Systems has bought and cleared a lot of land in the area, and this center will be part of a larger 300-acre expansion and neighborhood redevelopment.

Tall glass building with a floating walkway connecting it to the main hospital Henry Ford Hospitals

The Boulevard

Led by The Platform, this $53.2 million mixed-use project near the Fisher Building will bring 231 new apartments to New Center. Construction of the six-story development is well underway and should be wrapping up soon. Many commercial tenants have been announced as well.

Michigan Central Station

Ford Motor Company acquired and has plans to renovate Michigan Central Station for around $740 million into the centerpiece of a mobility-focused campus in Corktown. Offices and perhaps residential will go into the tower, and the grand hall will be open to the public. So far, most of the work has involved securing and weatherizing the building. Ford also said the station would be powered by renewable energy.

Expect the redevelopment in this area to take up to four years.

Drawing of a lit up train station in the background Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

North End Residential

Develop Detroit is close to finishing work on rehabbing and building new homes in the North End. The first phase of the project will see the rehab of seven homes and construction of 12 new homes in the North End, and 11 rehabbed homes in Grandmont-Rosedale. Develop Detroit has plans to add up to 40 homes in phase two. A few homes have already gone up for sale, with many more expected in the near future.

A street with a row of houses. Each house has a lawn in front of it. There is a person with a stroller walking on the street in front of the houses. Courtesy of Develop Detroit

Pistons Training Facility

The Pistons now call the Little Caeasars Arena home and they’ll soon have a new practice facility a couple miles away. Located near TechTown, the new building will have a training facility and corporate headquarters for the Pistons; a sports medicine, treatment, and rehab facility managed by Henry Ford Health System; and public spaces for community relations activation, networking receptions, and team-hosted events. Ground broke last fall and it’s expected to be open in 2019.

A building that has a sign that reads: Detroit Pistons. Rendering by ROSSETTI

Chroma

Major work has been taking place this summer at Chroma, where The Platform is turning the “Illuminated Mural” building into a mixed-use project with a food hall. It’s expected to cost $16 million and to be completed by the end of the year.

A tall brick building with a rainbow mural on the side. Rendering courtesy of the Platform

Hilberry Gateway Performance Complex

Right in the middle of Midtown, Wayne State is building a $65 million performing arts center. Construction on the Hilberry Gateway Performance Complex should start soon, with the renovation of an existing theater and the addition of a large performing arts facility. To make way for the complex, the historic David Mackenzie House had to be moved about a city block.

A performing arts building. There are columns on one half of the building. Wayne State University

The Selden Corridor Initiative

Work is well underway at the Selden Corridor Initiative in Midtown, which includes rehabbing older buildings for a Barcade, a brewery training program, and a large coworking space. 14 single-family eco-homes are also being built. This project is led by Midtown Detroit, Inc.

In the foreground is a street. There is a row of houses in the distance. Midtown Detroit, Inc.

Elton Park

Construction of Elton Park is ramping up in Corktown, with lots of new construction on vacant land and redevelopment of the old Checker Cab building into apartments. Led by Soave, the development will have ground-floor retail and a variety of rental units.

A building with a red awning and a street with cars. Courtesy Soave Real Estate

Cultural Center Redesign

Though it’s still a ways from starting (and is expected to take 10 years to complete), we wanted to include the major redesign of the Cultural Center on this list. After a lengthy judging process, a design team was chosen this June to undertake the project, which could cost between $75 million to $85 million.

Among the many features in “Detroit Square,” there will be an east-west green space connecting the district from Cass Avenue to Brush Street, two ecological buffers on the north and south containing vegetation and “seasonal effects,” a promenade that wraps around the district with sculptures, and a stage for artists and others to perform during large events.

The Mid

At $377 million, multi-building development the Mid will be the largest project north of Mack Avenue since the 1920s. Current plans for The Mid call for the construction of a 225-room hotel, 60 for-sale condos, 180 apartment units, a 12-story “co-living” tower, and 100,000 square-feet of retail space across 3.8 acres. It’s expected to break ground in September.

In the foreground is a courtyard where people are walking. Surrounding the courtyard are buildings. Two of the buildings are tall skyscrapers. It is evening and the sky is purple and blue. Courtesy inFORM Studio

Cambria Hotel

Earlier this year, Choice Hotels International announced it will be redeveloping a 90,000-square-foot downtown building into the 154-room Cambria Hotel. Troy-based Koucar Management, which worked on two other downtown hotels, will oversee the Lafayette Boulevard project. It’s slated to open sometime in 2020.

Rendering of a brick and steel building against the sunlight with “Cambria” written in big block letters Choice Hotels International

Little Caesars World Headquarters

Work is close to finishing at the nine-story Little Caesars World Headquarters, across from the Fox Theatre and Comerica Park—though there’s been some trouble installing the “pizza-slice” windows facing Woodward at the $150 million office building. While overall District Detroit has been a dud, Olympia did break ground on a $40.9 million Sports Medicine Institute next to the recently finished Mike Ilitch School of Business.

A row of city buildings with a park in the foreground. Photo by Michelle & Chris Gerard

Chemical Bank Headquarters

Demolition of the Michigan Mutual Liberty Annex downtown will soon take place to make way for Chemical Bank’s new 20-story headquarters, designed by Detroit-based architecture firm Neumann/Smith. The new, $104 million high-rise is expected to take roughly two years to construct and will eventually house ground floor retail, approximately 300 parking spaces, and more than 500 employees.

Rendering of a skyscraper with green glass windows and “Chemical Bank” written in block letters Rendering by Neumann/Smith

City Modern

Bedrock’s City Modern development will bring over 400 new residences to Brush Park. Carriages houses, townhomes, and senior living options are under construction and some have finished. It will be the largest new residential development in Detroit.

In the foreground is a street with cars. On the side of the street are various city buildings. Photo by Michelle & Chris Gerard

Book Tower

Work on the $313 million Book Tower restoration is underway by Bedrock. The old skyscraper was power washed last summer, and interior work is starting to pick up. Expect residential, offices, retail, and possibly a hotel in the next few years.

An aerial view of the Book Tower in Detroit. The facade is white with a green roof and multiple windows. Bedrock

Detroit City Club Apartments

Ground broke in winter 2018 for the City Club Apartments at the old Statler Hotel site at Grand Circus Park. The development will have 288 apartments and penthouses, plus furnished short-term rentals, 20 percent “affordable” apartments, and 400 underground parking spaces. Also expect a gourmet market, a pet store, and a lot of outdoor space.

Detroit Free Press Building

Bedrock is working on restoring the old Detroit Free Press Building. The renovation, which should be done in 2021, will include office space and a lot of residential units.