$60M mixed-use development in Midtown on track for July opening

What’s happening: The five-story, mixed-use Woodward West development is on track for a July opening, the result of a partnership between several notable Detroit- and Michigan-based design and development firms. Leasing is now underway for the 204-unit apartment building, which also includes 25,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space.

What it is: The $60 million, 188,000 sq. ft. new-build fills the street wall at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Stimson Street in the city’s Midtown district, having gone up on a 1.85-acre, formerly vacant lot. Developers say 20 percent of the 204 apartment units will be “offered below market rate as affordable housing for those with qualifying incomes at 80 percent of the area median income.” Also, a yet-to-be-announced portion of retail space will be offered at below-market rates for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

A rendering of Woodward West. Courtesy of Van Dyke Horn.
One for the home team: Woodward West was developed by the Detroit-based Queen Lillian and The Platform development firms, who tapped a number of Detroit- and Michigan-based companies for the project. These include Hamilton Anderson Associates (architect and interior designer); Sachse Construction (general contractor); Skidmore Studio and Zoyes Creative (brand strategists); Center City Properties (property manager); and Honigman (tax incentive consultant). Additional Michigan-based companies include OHM Advisors (civil engineer); Jaffe (legal counsel); SME (environmental services); and Strategic Energy Solutions (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer).

The nearby N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art is curating art for the common areas.

A model kitchen unit at Woodward West. Courtesy of Van Dyke Horn.What they’re saying: “Our first project team has kept Woodward West’s development on time and on budget which is quite an accomplishment in light of global supply disruptions this past year,” says Peter Cummings, executive chair and CEO of The Platform, project development partner. “The team did solid upfront planning and continuously monitored product availability in order to quickly respond and keep the project on track.”

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