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Mapping all the developments in and around New Center

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One neighborhood that has been changing dramatically over the last couple years is New Center. And it’s set to change even more in the near future.

Anchored by the Fisher Building, new construction and renovations that feature a broad mix of residential and commercial projects are well underway in seemingly every corner of the district. For this map, we also included projects in nearby areas like Milwaukee Junction and Northwest Goldberg.

Note: Developments are listed from west to east.

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Lee Plaza

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Could Lee Plaza get redeveloped? There have been many attempts over the years, but none have succeeded in reviving the extravagant Art Deco building. The city released an RFP in December looking for developers for the long-vacant 15-story building. In February 2019, the Roxbury Group announced that it would restore the building into 180 new residential units at a cost of $50 million. We’re still taking a wait-and-see approach.

Motown Museum

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In September 2019, the Motown Museum broke ground on phase one of its $50 million, 50,000-square-foot expansion. Expect a new theatre, recording studios, interactive exhibits, and meeting spaces to turn the museum into a bigger attraction for tourists, music lovers, and residents. It also recently opened the Dancing in the Street Park to host public events.

Patrons gather outside as a children’s band plays music on an outdoor stage in front of a glass atrium and two brick homes. Courtesy Motown Museum

Henry Ford Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavillion

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Henry Ford Health System has cleared a large area across from its hospital on West Grand Boulevard and is currently building the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavillion, which will be connected to the hospital with a skyway. It’s part of a larger 300-acre expansion in the area. It’s expected to be finished in 2020.

HFHS also signed a Letter of Understanding with a community group to help with local hiring.

A multi-story glass building with a long glass walkway. There’s a boulevard in front with cars driving in either direction. Courtesy of Henry Ford Health System

Holden Block

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Philadelphia-based Grasso Holdings is undertaking several projects near the Lincoln Street Art Park. One already completed is a small commercial building, the Holden Block, which opened last summer at a cost of $2.3 million. Plans are currently being developed for a five-story mixed-use building across the street. A local group negotiated the first private community benefits package in the city for the project.

Rendering of a triangular-shaped four-story building which is part of NW Goldberg Developments in Detroit. Courtesy of Grasso Holdings

The Boulevard

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Construction of this 231-unit apartment building finished late in 2019. Built by the Platform at a cost of $60 million, it’s the first major residential development in the neighborhood in a generation. Its 356,000 square feet is spread across six stories, plus 330 underground parking spaces. The building has 17,500 square feet of ground floor retail—tenants include a Comerica Bank branch, Orangetheory Fitness, and Beyond Juice.

Aerial view of a long, six-story apartment building with an interior courtyard. Nadir Ali/The Platform

WJBK-TV Studio

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Development partners Northern Equities Group and Lutz Real Estate Investments recently bought this building from 1956 that once housed a TV studio for $2.6 million. No plans have been released so far, but the Georgian Revival structure is currently available for lease.

Aeriel view of a two story brick building with a satellite dish on the roof. It’s surrounded by other tall buildings. Photo by Chris Gerard

Wellington Square

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The Louis and Paul Kamper–designed Seward Hotel recently opened as the Wellington Square Apartments, which offers affordable housing for seniors. Shelborne Development led the renovation of the 11-story building just off of Woodward Avenue.

Albert Kahn Building

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The former office building is being redeveloped into The Residences at the Albert Kahn, 206 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units plus ground-floor retail at an estimated cost of $69.2 million. It’s on track for a 2020 opening.

It’s being developed by Lutz Real Estate Investments and Northern Equities Group, who also own the WJBK Studio building across the street.

Pistons Performance Center

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The Detroit Pistons and Henry Ford Health System opened their new performance center in October 2019. The 185,000-square-foot, four-story facility houses the new headquarters for the Detroit Pistons, performance technology and equipment for the basketball team, a Plum Market, a Blink Fitness, and a sports medicine and rehabilitation center. It was built at a cost of $90 million.

Lakeshore Global Building

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In 2018, The Platform purchased the 11-story Lakeshore Global Building with plans to update the building and fully lease it. They also purchased four acres of surface lots nearby for future development.

Courtesy of The Platform

Industry Innovation Center

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Wayne State University is working to build an “Innovation District” near TechTown. In 2018, the university purchased the NextEnergy Center, now called the Industry Innovation Center, and has worked on site activations nearby. It also built a new data center at the corner of Cass and Antoinette for its Computing & Information Technology department.

Wayne State University

Industrial Lofts

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Optima Aegidius Group, based in Germany, bought several industrial buildings on 2nd Avenue and York Street in 2017 with plans to convert the structures into lofts and retail space. Planning and permitting was expected to take around a year, but the projects have yet to be completed.

Photo by James Tumey

Woodward Grand

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This Midtown Detroit, Inc. building has been steady getting renovated and filled with tenants over the last couple years. A $7.5 million investments brought 10 apartment units, office space for the non-profit support organization Co.act Detroit, and restaurant space for Baobab Fare.

Midtown Detroit Inc.

F. W. Woolworth Store

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Very little is known about plans for the former Woolworth building at the southwest corner of Woodward and Grand. In 2017, it was reported that Grasso Holdings was under contract to purchase the building with potential plans to build a 20-story high-rise. No major work has taken place at the site since.

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6001 Cass

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The Platform has redeveloped this Albert Kahn–designed building that formerly housed WSU’s Criminal Justice Department. In September 2019, it was announced that WeWork would open its third location in Detroit at the building and occupy the majority of the 130,000 square feet.

The Platform

Baltimore Station 1 & 2

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Baltimore Station 1, which opened last spring, brought 23 residential units and over 10,000 square feet of retail space to the redeveloped Woodward Avenue building. Right behind it will be the new-build, 115,000-square-foot Baltimore Station 2. According to the Platform’s website, the firm developing both buildings, it has a winter 2020 completion date.

Photo by Nadir Ali

Cass & York

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Right next to Cass Cadillac, The Platform had planned to bring $30 million worth of high-end condos to New Center. However, high construction costs have put the project on hold.

Courtesy of The Platform

Another high-profile development just outside of New Center involving The Platform. Chroma, in the building with the Illuminated Mural, will be a creative center with have retail, event space, a food hall, and more. Redevelopment is underway and expected to be finished in 2020.

The Platform

Rebuild Group

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The marketing firm Rebuild Group recently opened up their new offices in this redeveloped Milwaukee Junction building. The 10,000-square-foot, two-story building will also have a first floor restaurant tenant.

Photos courtesy of Rebuild Group

Method Development Block

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Real estate firm Method Development purchased five buildings totaling over 100,000 square feet on this city block, which it plans to redevelop for $20 million. The firm has announced few concrete details, but expect plenty of mixed-use structures, with lofts, office space, ground-floor retail, and some outdoor public space as well.

Rendering of a cement play area in Milwaukee Junction redevelopments in Detroit with lots of landscaping surrounded by several brick and cement warehouse buildings. OOMBRA Architects

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Lee Plaza

Could Lee Plaza get redeveloped? There have been many attempts over the years, but none have succeeded in reviving the extravagant Art Deco building. The city released an RFP in December looking for developers for the long-vacant 15-story building. In February 2019, the Roxbury Group announced that it would restore the building into 180 new residential units at a cost of $50 million. We’re still taking a wait-and-see approach.

Motown Museum

In September 2019, the Motown Museum broke ground on phase one of its $50 million, 50,000-square-foot expansion. Expect a new theatre, recording studios, interactive exhibits, and meeting spaces to turn the museum into a bigger attraction for tourists, music lovers, and residents. It also recently opened the Dancing in the Street Park to host public events.

Patrons gather outside as a children’s band plays music on an outdoor stage in front of a glass atrium and two brick homes. Courtesy Motown Museum

Henry Ford Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavillion

Henry Ford Health System has cleared a large area across from its hospital on West Grand Boulevard and is currently building the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavillion, which will be connected to the hospital with a skyway. It’s part of a larger 300-acre expansion in the area. It’s expected to be finished in 2020.

HFHS also signed a Letter of Understanding with a community group to help with local hiring.

A multi-story glass building with a long glass walkway. There’s a boulevard in front with cars driving in either direction. Courtesy of Henry Ford Health System

Holden Block

Philadelphia-based Grasso Holdings is undertaking several projects near the Lincoln Street Art Park. One already completed is a small commercial building, the Holden Block, which opened last summer at a cost of $2.3 million. Plans are currently being developed for a five-story mixed-use building across the street. A local group negotiated the first private community benefits package in the city for the project.

Rendering of a triangular-shaped four-story building which is part of NW Goldberg Developments in Detroit. Courtesy of Grasso Holdings

The Boulevard

Construction of this 231-unit apartment building finished late in 2019. Built by the Platform at a cost of $60 million, it’s the first major residential development in the neighborhood in a generation. Its 356,000 square feet is spread across six stories, plus 330 underground parking spaces. The building has 17,500 square feet of ground floor retail—tenants include a Comerica Bank branch, Orangetheory Fitness, and Beyond Juice.

Aerial view of a long, six-story apartment building with an interior courtyard. Nadir Ali/The Platform

WJBK-TV Studio

Development partners Northern Equities Group and Lutz Real Estate Investments recently bought this building from 1956 that once housed a TV studio for $2.6 million. No plans have been released so far, but the Georgian Revival structure is currently available for lease.

Aeriel view of a two story brick building with a satellite dish on the roof. It’s surrounded by other tall buildings. Photo by Chris Gerard

Wellington Square

The Louis and Paul Kamper–designed Seward Hotel recently opened as the Wellington Square Apartments, which offers affordable housing for seniors. Shelborne Development led the renovation of the 11-story building just off of Woodward Avenue.

Albert Kahn Building

The former office building is being redeveloped into The Residences at the Albert Kahn, 206 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units plus ground-floor retail at an estimated cost of $69.2 million. It’s on track for a 2020 opening.

It’s being developed by Lutz Real Estate Investments and Northern Equities Group, who also own the WJBK Studio building across the street.

Pistons Performance Center

The Detroit Pistons and Henry Ford Health System opened their new performance center in October 2019. The 185,000-square-foot, four-story facility houses the new headquarters for the Detroit Pistons, performance technology and equipment for the basketball team, a Plum Market, a Blink Fitness, and a sports medicine and rehabilitation center. It was built at a cost of $90 million.

Lakeshore Global Building

In 2018, The Platform purchased the 11-story Lakeshore Global Building with plans to update the building and fully lease it. They also purchased four acres of surface lots nearby for future development.

Courtesy of The Platform

Industry Innovation Center

Wayne State University is working to build an “Innovation District” near TechTown. In 2018, the university purchased the NextEnergy Center, now called the Industry Innovation Center, and has worked on site activations nearby. It also built a new data center at the corner of Cass and Antoinette for its Computing & Information Technology department.

Wayne State University

Industrial Lofts

Optima Aegidius Group, based in Germany, bought several industrial buildings on 2nd Avenue and York Street in 2017 with plans to convert the structures into lofts and retail space. Planning and permitting was expected to take around a year, but the projects have yet to be completed.

Photo by James Tumey

Woodward Grand

This Midtown Detroit, Inc. building has been steady getting renovated and filled with tenants over the last couple years. A $7.5 million investments brought 10 apartment units, office space for the non-profit support organization Co.act Detroit, and restaurant space for Baobab Fare.

Midtown Detroit Inc.

F. W. Woolworth Store

Very little is known about plans for the former Woolworth building at the southwest corner of Woodward and Grand. In 2017, it was reported that Grasso Holdings was under contract to purchase the building with potential plans to build a 20-story high-rise. No major work has taken place at the site since.

Google Street View

6001 Cass

The Platform has redeveloped this Albert Kahn–designed building that formerly housed WSU’s Criminal Justice Department. In September 2019, it was announced that WeWork would open its third location in Detroit at the building and occupy the majority of the 130,000 square feet.

The Platform

Baltimore Station 1 & 2

Baltimore Station 1, which opened last spring, brought 23 residential units and over 10,000 square feet of retail space to the redeveloped Woodward Avenue building. Right behind it will be the new-build, 115,000-square-foot Baltimore Station 2. According to the Platform’s website, the firm developing both buildings, it has a winter 2020 completion date.

Photo by Nadir Ali

Cass & York

Right next to Cass Cadillac, The Platform had planned to bring $30 million worth of high-end condos to New Center. However, high construction costs have put the project on hold.

Courtesy of The Platform

Chroma

Another high-profile development just outside of New Center involving The Platform. Chroma, in the building with the Illuminated Mural, will be a creative center with have retail, event space, a food hall, and more. Redevelopment is underway and expected to be finished in 2020.

The Platform

Rebuild Group

The marketing firm Rebuild Group recently opened up their new offices in this redeveloped Milwaukee Junction building. The 10,000-square-foot, two-story building will also have a first floor restaurant tenant.

Photos courtesy of Rebuild Group

Method Development Block

Real estate firm Method Development purchased five buildings totaling over 100,000 square feet on this city block, which it plans to redevelop for $20 million. The firm has announced few concrete details, but expect plenty of mixed-use structures, with lofts, office space, ground-floor retail, and some outdoor public space as well.

Rendering of a cement play area in Milwaukee Junction redevelopments in Detroit with lots of landscaping surrounded by several brick and cement warehouse buildings. OOMBRA Architects