Brightmoor is losing an abandoned building in exchange for a rehabbed one with 23 units of affordable housing that will be heated and cooled by a geothermal system.
Not too shabby.
The building is located at 23230 Fenkell just off of Telegraph. "We chose this building primarily because it is a gateway into the Brightmoor neighborhood," says developer Tim Celovsky of Capacity Development LLC. "Coming into the neighborhood, the first thing you saw was abandoned...we're treating it kind of as a entry point into the neighborhood."
Last week, 18 wells were drilled to a depth of 300 feet. Next up, PVC pipes will connect the wells to each other and to the building. Interior construction will start next, and Celovsky hopes to start moving people in by the end of the year.
Capacity is partnering on the project with Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Development Corporation, which facilitated access to grant dollars, including $100,000 from the Kresge and Enterprise foundations for sustainable building measures, including the geothermal system. "This will be an affordable building for 45 years -- installing geothermal allows tenants to save 30 to 35 percent off of utility bills," says Celovsky. "It does cost money [up front], but it's saving us money in the long run in operational costs."
One of the building's unique features will be an exercise room called the Fred Flintstone room because it will be powered by residents using the equipment.
The building's one- and two-bedroom apartments will range in size from 650 to 950 square feet.
Source: Tim Celovsky, Capacity Development LLC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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