Detroit Development News

Ferndale contemporary art gallery The Butcher's Daughter is moving into the Auburn in Midtown this May after four years in its previous Ferndale location. "We had looked for about a year for the right property," says Butcher's Daughter Director Monica Bowman. "Eventually I met Sue (Mosey) and she got me involved in the Auburn. It was heaven-sent."
 
Another Ferndale business, Treat Dreams, was intended for the space but the decision was made not to move forward, leaving the space available for someone else to snag. Bowman saw it as the opportunity she had been waiting for. "We had always intended to (move) to Detroit. It is literally like a dream."
 
Auburn developers the Roxbury Group are building out the space according to Bowman's specifications down to details like placement of outlets and light switches, an added wall, and special lighting accommodations. "They went all out. It's like your imagination coming to life," she says.
 
The Butcher's Daughter is moving from a very small second-floor space that was not handicap-accessible and didn't easily invite foot traffic, things that Bowman felt were hindrances to her business, into this 1,200-square-foot space with tall ceilings. The new, larger space allows Bowman to show more works, larger pieces, and expand her programming in ways she couldn't in her previous location.
 
The Auburn was a particular draw because of its proximity to all of the major cultural institutions of Midtown as well as other galleries like Dell Pryor and Re:View. It is also home to design-focused home décor and gift stores Hugh and Nora.

"I can't imagine not having my business here," Bowman says. "It's so centralized and integrated. It's a nice community to really add to what's already going on."  
 
Bowman plans on opening in May.
 
Source: Monica Bowman, Director of The Butcher's Daughter
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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There was an abundance of major downtown development news in the last week. Here is a quick review of some of the biggest projects and purchases announced.
 
• Dan Gilbert once again seems to be on a building-buying spree, most recently adding the 44,000-square-foot Vinton Building at 600 Woodward to his real estate portfolio. This just a week after closing on 1001 Woodward, a 275,000-square-foot building. This brings the total number of residential and commercial downtown Detroit buildings owned by Rock Ventures LLC, Gilbert's umbrella holding company, up to 17, in addition to several more parking structures and surface lots. Gilbert now controls more than 2.9 million square feet of property in downtown Detroit.
 
• In downtown building news not related to Dan Gilbert, Village Green, a privately-owned metro Detroit-based apartment owner and operator, purchased the 338-unit Millender Center Apartments. The complex will undergo renovation work and a rebranding in the next year under its new ownership.
 
• The $279 million renovation of COBO Center is about halfway completed and is both on-schedule and on-budget. The third and final phase is scheduled to be complete by January 2015.
 
• The Whitney Partners, the development team comprised of the Roxbury Group and Trans Inn Management's Lifestyle Boutique Division, have kicked off construction of the $82 million David Whitney Building mixed-use renovation including 105 residential apartment units, a 136-room Aloft Hotel, and ground floor retail.
 
• Perhaps the splashiest development news from last week came, once again, from Dan Gilbert at a gathering of some 400 business and civic leaders and members of the press. At the two-hour briefing, Gilbert shared his overall master plan for downtown retail development, which included official announcements of retail businesses opening (Moosejaw has committed to a multi-year lease; Papa Joe's Gourmet Market will open in a 15,000-square-foot space inside the First National Building), as well as Gilbert's personal vision for placemaking strategies (among them sidewalk cafes, pedestrian walks, and dog parks).

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You may have seen the new vinyl banner that reads "Coming Soon!" with the Bagger Dave's logo that was hung over the weekend at 1224 Randolph Street next to the recently-opened Buffalo Wild Wings in Greektown. While the restaurant is still a long way out from opening, Southfield-based Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc. is moving forward with plans to open this as a Bagger Dave's despite some unforeseen setbacks.
 
After the lengthy Buffalo Wild Wings renovation that soared into the millions ($3.5 million for the renovation work alone; $5 million when factoring in other opening costs like purchasing equipment), Diversified is now focused on Bagger Dave's. This will be the first Bagger Dave's in Detroit and the fifth in metro Detroit. There are 12 locations total in Michigan and Indiana, and seven are planned to open this year.
 
Because of the old infrastructure on this block, construction has been delayed as they have been working with DTE to bring electrical power over to the building. Michael Ansley, president and CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc., hopes construction will start this summer and be completed in October.
 
The short, narrow building was built as a bank in the late 1800s. Only 18 feet wide, the lower floor will seat roughly 60 while the second-floor bar will seat another 70. One of the building's key features is a skylight that extends the length of the building on the second floor that the bar will sit directly beneath. "It's going to be really cool," says Ansley. "We're really excited to get (this project moving forward)."
 
The building has already been completely gutted. In addition to retaining the skylight, they will also be restoring the building's limestone façade and preserving the historic front window. This renovation is expected to cost about $1 million.
 
Though it has previously been reported that Diversified might move its corporate offices to the third floor of the Buffalo Wild Wings, the company will no longer move forward with those plans.
 
Source: Michael Ansley, president and CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc.
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Up until a couple of weeks ago, "Sky Bar" was a bit of a misnomer, what with the bar and lounge being located on the ground floor of the David Stott Building in downtown Detroit.
 
"We are in the process of a rebranding," says Marshal Simons of Impakt Digital, community manager of SkyBar & Lounge. "When the owners first opened they were new at the bar industry and wanted to get in on the ground level of Detroit" … so to speak.
 
Owner Lynn Kassotis, president of the Florida-based real estate company CID Investments (which owns the building), fell in love with the art deco architecture of the 37-story David Stott Building and was drawn to the space on the 33rd floor, but because of issues with the sprinkler system they were not able to get a liquor license and open in the upper-floor space initially. They now have a 180-day temporary approval of occupancy as they complete the final necessary repairs, and are currently open on Fridays and Saturdays offering unparalleled 300-degree views of downtown Detroit and the Detroit River.
 
Prior to opening they completely stripped the 33rd floor space down to the studs and totally restored it with a granite and marble bar, tile floors, and three private rooms including a plush library with leather chairs and an oak bookcase. One of the rooms is also designed as a cigar lounge with the proper air filtration system, though they have not yet been approved for the cigar licensing.   
 
The ground floor space, which has been the bar's home for a little over a year, is now undergoing a half-million dollar renovation and expansion which includes a new stage built in partnership with WDET. They hope to have this renovation completed in the next few weeks. There will be live music downstairs on weekends while upstairs will be more relaxed with music played over their internal speaker system. Both floors will continue to offer an upscale environment for drinks and small plates.
 
Source: Marshal Simons of Impakt Digital, community manager of SkyBar & Lounge.
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Clothing and accessories shop Johnny Rags (formerly known as "Rags") has relocated from its previous downtown Detroit space at Broadway and Grand River to a brand-new location at 440 Congress.
 
The store moved late August but the owners waited until last Friday to celebrate their grand re-opening, wanting to display some fresh product with a fresh new look. "We wanted to wait until we had spring items to showcase," says co-owner Bliss Cureton.
 
After eight years in the previous location it was time for them to move on. Cureton and her business partner John Mangrum knew they wanted to stay downtown, and already they have seen a significant increase in business with their new proximity to Greektown and the central business district. "Women walk over on their breaks from Blue Cross, the GM Building, Greektown… It's just a better spot altogether."
 
Cureton describes the new store as being a little bit of southern California in Detroit. The space is very open with many windows that allow plenty of natural light. At approximately 1,400 square feet, the new store is much larger than the old store (which was further segmented into three separate rooms). The color scheme is an L.A.-cool aqua compared to the previous two-tone beige. The overall look and vibe is drastically different and, Cureton feels, greatly improved.
 
Rags has been open in different locations including Southfield and Dearborn since 1994. Originally opened by Robert Allen Grumet ("RAGs"), longtime employees Cureton and Mangrum took over the store four years ago.
 
Johnny Rags offers casual men's sportswear, designer jeans, T-shirts, and "funky" leather jackets year-round. For women the focus is more on interchangeable pieces that transition from day to evening for women ages 20-60.
 
Starting April 4, Johnny Rags will host "Champagne and Shopping" events every Thursday with deep in-store discounts 3-7 p.m.
 
Source: Bliss Cureton, co-owner of Johnny Rags
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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826michigan, a nonprofit dedicated to helping students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills that also owns and operates the Liberty Street Robot Supply and Repair in Ann Arbor (along with their own writing lab), has expanded its reach from Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti into Detroit.
 
"We've always had in our minds as an organization to work in the city of Detroit," says Amanda Uhle, Executive Director of 826michigan. "It wasn't the right time in the early years when we were establishing ourselves, then in 2011 our board members did a strategic plan and found we were not only stable but ready to grow."
 
Over the last year and a half the organization has been working on expanding into Detroit and has started offering programming in the city. Last October, they received funding from the DTE Energy Foundation for the first year in Detroit. "We have a deep commitment to the city," says Uhle. "We wanted to start when we were ready and could sustain our work (here)."
 
Currently located in a temporary office in the Model D house at 4470 Second Avenue in Midtown, 826michigan is building its volunteer base as well as relationships with the city's public schools and libraries. 826 programming is mostly on-site at these institutions, though they do hope to have their own retail space and writing lab similar to what they have in Ann Arbor in the next 12 to 18 months.
 
826 programs are currently offered in three Detroit public schools. In five years they hope to double their reach from 2,500 to 5,000 students, half of those in Detroit. Volunteer training sessions are held every fourth Tuesday of the month from 5:30-6:30 p.m. starting this week at the Model D house, where people can learn more about the program and meet the staff.
 
Source: Amanda Uhle, Executive Director of 826michigan
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Detroit's MotorCity Wine, currently at 608 Woodward Avenue on the second floor above Foran's Grand Trunk Pub and Foran's Deluxe Diner in downtown Detroit, is relocating this fall to the space currently inhabited by the Express Bar (pictured) in Corktown. The new address will be 1949 Michigan Avenue.
 
Owners David and Melissa Armin-Parcells have acquired this space and are currently working on the liquor license transfer, a process they expect will take five months under new laws established by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission that expedite the process of a license transfer. They will take that time to do some cosmetic remodeling at the new location.
 
"(The Foran's space) was always intended to be a temporary location for us to build our brand and build our capital," says David Armin-Parcells. "It's worked out well for us; we have no complaints. We love the space. We created a vibe that's totally unique. The new place will be different but equally lovely."
 
The new space is 2,000 square feet, effectively double what they currently have. It also includes a large outdoor patio that doubles their indoor capacity, which they plan on making "the best patio in the city." The bar also has its own parking lot with plenty of spaces, alleviating the biggest issue they have in their current location.
 
The new MotorCity Wine will open first as a wine bar; the retail sales license will come a little later. "Basically the core of our plan will be the same -- good value wines, interesting small family producers, a lot of organic and biodynamic products." They will also continue to host musicians and DJs and will expand their kitchen offerings.
 
They will continue to operate in their current location through the summer and welcome any pop-up concepts (sans alcohol) in the new space for the interim period. Contact David on the MCW site to inquire.
 
Source: David Armin-Parcells, co-owner of MotorCity Wine
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Another iconic Detroit building, the former Pontchartrain Hotel, will breathe new life later this spring after sitting vacant since 2009.
 
The Pontchartrain will soon re-open as a Crowne Plaza, an upscale hotel property owned by the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG). Ohio-based Stephen Berry Architectural Design is the design firm working on the project. The firm specializes in hotel projects nationwide, many of which are IHG properties. The firm has also worked with the previous two owners of the Pontchartrain.
 
Stephen Berry says that the new design concept for the 25-story, 371-room hotel will be sensitive to the building's 1965 modernist design. The vaulted ceiling of the lobby will be completely re-finished with gold and silver leaf. The restaurant and lounge spaces will be totally re-imagined with copper leaf accents, new fixtures and décor.
 
"The lobby and lounge will be very modern and striking. We're really changing the look," says Berry. "(The new design) really gets away from the darkness of the past."
 
The exterior of the building will also see significant aesthetic changes with a whole new color scheme. The face of the building will be neutral beige with green glass. One of the biggest changes includes a new auto-access entrance on Jefferson in IHG's signature plum color, with a white custom-built backlit canopy arcing over it. "It's very colorful. The building was always a monochromatic black and dark gray. Now it will have a whole new look."
 
Significant work is also being done to the second-floor exterior terrace, which Berry describes as a "key feature of the building."
 
Other plans include added ground-floor retail along Jefferson, including a new gift shop concept that internationally-known hotel developer Gabriel Ruiz (who is behind this development) has branded in his hotel chain through North America.
 
Source: Stephen Berry, owner of Stephen Berry Architectural Design
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Not all projects of significance currently happening on Eight Mile are so vast in scope as the Gateway Marketplace or the state fairgrounds development. Since 2008, the Eight Mile Boulevard Association (8MBA), in partnership with the city and the Community Foundation, have been working to improve Eight Mile's "curb appeal" with its Façade Improvement Program (FIP).
 
FIP is a reimbursement program that incentivizes business owners on Eight Mile to invest in their properties and improve their appearance. 8MBA will match what the owners invest up to $10,000, and also provide free architectural design services.
 
This program has helped to renovate over two dozen facades over the last five years, most recently at the Fresh Fish House at Wyoming. The program helps develop a pride of ownership and has also led to the renovation of sites adjacent to those that have participated in FIP. Tim Horton's recently opened a storefront on Eight Mile at Telegraph because of the investment they saw happening on the boulevard.
 
"People want to invest in Eight Mile and in their property," says Tami Salisbury, executive director of the Eight Mile Boulevard Association. "This is a huge business retention tool, and also a huge business attraction tool." 8MBA is doing what they can incrementally to change the perception of Eight Mile so it is seen as more of a connector than a divider. "Without physically changing the landscape we'll never change the mental landscape."
 
Exit surveys conducted by the 8MBA have shown that every single business that participated in the FIP saw an increase in business over the next year.
 
8MBA currently has a record seven applications for the FIP. Two will be selected. In order to qualify, a business must be a member of the 8MBA, have an Eight Mile address, and be able to make at least half of the investment themselves. Design plans must be agreed upon by all participating organizations and aesthetically improve Eight Mile.
 
Source: Tami Salisbury, Executive Director of the Eight Mile Boulevard Association
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Though it has been open since Feb. 19, the new Great Expressions Dental Center in Midtown is celebrating its grand opening this Wednesday, March 20 with an open house from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
 
Great Expressions is a Michigan-based company that has operated for over 35 years, with 50 offices located in metro Detroit alone. The new Midtown office is located in the plaza at 360 Woodward Ave., next to the Starbucks. The interior was totally renovated from top to bottom over three months.
 
"Our CEO was taking a look in the city to see where is the right fit for us," says Ryan Torresan, director of marketing for Great Expressions Dental Centers. "With all of the momentum and growth (in Midtown) it seemed like a good fit."
 
With a large number of students and working professionals in the immediate vicinity of this Midtown office, their schedule for their first month of operation has already been full.

"We haven't seen a shortage of interest," Torresan says, from people who live nearby and were sick of having to drive to the suburbs to see their childhood dentist, and from people who work in Midtown who find it convenient to schedule a dental appointment on their lunch break or after work. They also have options for people without dental insurance.
 
During their grand opening they will have refreshments, lunch provided by Lunchtime Detroit, and oral health aid giveaways. Visitors can also meet the medical staff and tour the office.
 
This is the second Great Expressions Dental Center in the city of Detroit (another location is at 11532 Morang on the East Side). They later plan to also expand into downtown.
 
Source: Ryan Torresan, Director of Marketing for Great Expressions Dental Centers
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Belle Isle has certainly been a hot topic of conversation lately, and it seems like the nation's largest city island park is going to get a little outside help after all.
 
Tickets are now on sale for the Orion Music + More festival being held on Belle Isle June 8-9, featuring headliners Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bassnectar, and many more. This is the second year for the hard-rock-centric music festival, which was first held over a single weekend last year in Atlantic City.
 
Seeking a new location for the festival, which is expected to draw in about 30,000-35,000 people per day based on last year’s attendance, the organizers – Austin-based C3 Productions -- approached the City of Detroit about using Belle Isle. Bradley Dick, the city's director of general services (who at the time was also filling in as interim recreation director), worked out a deal with festival organizers that would put money right back into Detroit's parks.
 
As part of the deal, the Orion Music + More festival is to pay a set fee of $100,000 in 2013, $100,000 in 2014, and $250,000 in 2015 which will be funneled directly back into capital improvements for Detroit's parks. Dick's idea was to split this revenue 50/50 between Belle Isle and Detroit's other 100-plus parks so that the economic benefit of the festival is widespread.
 
The City of Detroit will also receive a set percentage of all ticket sales, concessions and merchandise sales. All of this money will be re-invested into the city's parks, and will also provide significant seed money for the city to apply for matching grants, enabling them to turn, say, $200,000 into $400,000.
 
While Orion is on the books for 2013, years 2014 and 2015 are not yet confirmed. The festival has the first right of refusal for the same weekend both of those years and terms and conditions, should they continue in Detroit, have already been agreed upon.
 
As a burgeoning host city for major events, Detroit potentially has its own Lollapalooza/SXSW on its hands with Orion -- a diverse showcase of major artists held once per year. This is the largest music festival to ever be held on Belle Isle.

Source: Bradley Dick, General Services Department Director of the City of Detroit
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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There is a transformation happening in northwest Detroit's Old Redford neighborhood equitable to the grassroots efforts that have pushed along the development on Michigan, Woodward and Cass avenues.

Motor City Blight Busters have been the driving force of development and transformational change in Old Redford over the past 25 years (with $20 million in investments over that time period). John George, founder and president of Blight Busters, has worked tirelessly to find people with similar visions who support each other. "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," says George, whose work has not only included demolishing blighted crack dens but also renovating empty buildings into community spaces. "It's one thing to clear land and walk away but another thing to stick and stay."

Through Blight Busters George met Kofi Royal, founder of Fertile Ground Collective, Old Redford's community garden project which repurposes cleared land to serve the community. Last year he also met Harry Reisig, Executive Director of Replanting Roots, a program serving returning citizens and reintegrating them into society. Replanting Roots will offer long-term in-house fellowships to returning citizens in order to create self-sustaining entrepreneurs.

The three organizations have joined forces to create Farm City Detroit, an ambitious undertaking that will eventually cover two to four acres and include a community garden extending 8-10 city lots, a farmhouse, a farmers market, a renovated apartment building where Replanting Roots fellows will stay, and a year-round production farm.

The first phase starts this month with the acquisition and renovation of the Simon House housing facility, together with the farmhouse, which will serve as an education center for the community. Plans for this year also include tearing down eight more blighted houses in the farm’s path and launching a five-month pilot program for Replanting Roots inside the Simon House.

Farm City will take three to five years to become fully operational, but George (who has been at it for almost three decades) is undaunted. “We’re all starry-eyed dreamers with a passion and a goal to leave this neighborhood better than we found it.”

Source: John George, Founder & President of Motor City Blight Busters
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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After barely seven months of construction, the Sherbrooke Manor apartments in Midtown are hosting a grand re-opening open house this Wednesday (March 13) and are currently in the process of leasing.
 
"We expect (units) to go very quickly," says Lis Knibbe, a principal at Quinn Evans Architects and the developer of the Sherbrooke Manor apartments. "We are so proud of how it came out. It exceeded our hopes."
 
The 100-year-old building was initially opened as six luxury units and was later renovated into 24 low-cost units. Knibbe looked into the building in August 2011 and purchased it in July 2012. She praises the work of the Monahan Company, which handled all of the renovation work. "They worked their butts off, even on weekends."
 
Sherbrooke now has 14 upscale units featuring granite countertops, energy efficient stainless steel appliances and washer/dryer units in each apartment, refinished original hardwood floors, and historic trim. Common areas feature a sunroom, a central wooden staircase, and leaded glass windows. Six of the units have plaza balconies. Each unit has windows on three sides.
 
"We were able the salvage the whole building," says Knibbe. "You always have high hopes for every building you work on but this one just exceeded everything we could have hoped." Because it was originally built as high-end housing, the building retained its bare bones structure to enable the development team to bring it back to its former glory. "It's such an elegant space and we were able to recapture that elegance of the building."
 
For leasing inquiries, contact leasing agent Michael Martorelli of Center City Properties at 313-782-4056.
 
Source: Lis Knibbe, developer of the Sherbrooke Manor apartments
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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From the Paris of the Midwest to the New Orleans of the North: Detroit is getting a taste of the Bayou with Beignets. 
 
After many years of travelling to the Big Easy and enjoying late-night beignets with chicory coffee at the famous Café du Monde, Michele Pearson and her partner Mark Hausner launched Beignets to bring the dense French doughnut to Detroit. "We just loved the fact that when people were together eating beignets all hours of the night, listening to zydeco, they were happy," says Pearson. "We figured with the French influence in Detroit, why doesn't Detroit have something like this?"
 
They started introducing Beignets to Detroit with a food truck currently operating Saturdays at Eastern Market and at various food truck meet-ups. "From the warm welcome we've been getting from the beignet truck, the opportunity presented itself (to open a store) in Hamtramck, where both myself and (Hausner) have roots," says Pearson, who is also an interior designer and owns the Yoga Suite in Hamtramck. "We want to do what we can to bring business to Hamtramck."
 
Beignets will be located on Joseph Campau next to the soon-to-open Flavor Restaurant. The two businesses are open to each other through their shared wall, and will also share a kitchen.
 
Beignets will serve the namesake pastry as well as chicory coffee (another New Orleans specialty) and regular coffee. The café will be open both early morning and late evening hours to capture some of the nightlife crowd. It will seat 30-40 people with free WiFi, and also has an outdoor patio out back where there will be more café seating and live music during the spring and summer.
 
Renovations are underway inside and Beignets will open by early summer. The truck will continue to operate at local events and farmers markets.
 
Source: Michele Pearson, co-owner of Beignets
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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Trinosophes, a new art gallery and performance space in Eastern Market, has been hosting monthly events for the past few months, but they are now ready for their full-time debut with a grand opening set for this Saturday, March 9.
 
Musician and event producer Joel Peterson and MOCAD Deputy Director Rebecca Mazzei have partnered on this project, which includes an integrated café, gallery and performance space. Peterson had previously been booking shows through the Bohemian National Home, and it had been his intent to find a new space since 2008.
 
"It has been a really long process for us," he says. "We put in the purchase agreement two years ago. We’ve been in there just about a year now getting it all together." The space did not require a full gut and the utilities were all solid, but it was basically an empty warehouse. They’ve spent this past year working on its aesthetic transformation.
 
The 8,500-square-foot space at 1464 Gratiot near Eastern Market was an old spice processing facility before it was the Butcher and Packer Supply Co. It has three storefronts; two will serve as the café and gallery exhibition/performance space, and the third will soon be a second location for Midtown's Peoples Records.
 
The café portion will be completed this spring and will offer free WiFI. Peterson says this will be encouraged as a "hangout space" for people to linger. 
 
There are no immediate plans to apply for a liquor license. "We’re looking forward to being the space that isn’t a bar where exciting stuff happens."
 
Peterson will continue to book the kind of high caliber talent he was known for bringing to the Bohemian National Home, and the gallery will host specific exhibits built around particular artists. It is also accruing a semi-permanent collection as part of the environment, some of which will be for sale "until someone builds enough of a relationship with it to take it home."
 
The first exhibit opens in conjunction with their grand opening this Saturday.
 
Source: Joel Peterson, co-owner of Trinosophes
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg

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