By: David Muller
DETROIT, MI – The Roxbury Group says a five-story development it has planned atop a 10-floor parking garage at 150 Michigan Ave. will offer “unobstructed views” of downtown Detroit.
The development firm, which has been behind high-profile Detroit projects such as the ongoing redevelopment of the David Whitney Building and the completed Auburn in Midtown, was given preliminary approval from Detroit’s Downtown Development Authority on Wednesday to move ahead with plans for the development.
It still needs approval from City Council, but city support shown to the development so far – including from Mayor Mike Duggan –indicates that little stands in its way at this point.
The $22 million project calls for 80 market-rate apartments. There will be one, two and three-bedroom apartments averaging 916 square feet. The units will have 9-foot ceilings, with floor- to-ceiling panoramic windows. Several units will have balconies.
Built on top of the existing parking garage, the apartment project would be the first new residential construction completed in Detroit’s Central Business District since the third tower of Riverfront West was complete in 1992. Construction is expected to begin near the end of this year and be complete in late 2015.
“We are grateful to the DDA Board and to George Jackson and the entire DEGC team for their continued vision and persistence in seeing this important project through.” Roxbury Principal David Di Rita said in a statement following DDA approval.
“We see the Griswold as a critical component of the larger redevelopment of the West District and builds on the current momentum in Capitol Park.”
The Griswold was first proposed by The Roxbury Group in 2007 as a condominium development, but plans were cancelled as the housing market soured. For the renewed development, Detroit-based Kraemer Design Group has been named architect and Walbridge is the construction manager.
The Roxbury Group got DDA approval on Wednesday alongside another downtown Detroit apartment project: The DDA also gave the nod to Village Green Holdings LLC to build Statler City, a 200-250-unit development that would be built over the wedge between Washington Boulevard and Park Avenue where the Statler Hotel once stood across from Grand Circus Park. The project calls for retail at ground level along Washington Boulevard. Developers said they want to complete the $30-35 million project in 2016.
Detroit-based Kraemer Design Group, PLC (KDG) is a leading, high-end architecture, interior design and creative firm with nearly 20 years of experience in historic renovation and comprehensive architectural consulting. Serving the commercial, multi-family residential, hospitality and retail industries, KDG combines highly technical industry experience with unparalleled creativity to produce exclusive design solutions. For more information, visit www.thekraemeredge.com.
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