North Corktown’s 30 new homes to be finished by end of the month

The first phase — 30 single-family homes — of the Greater Corktown Development Corp.’s infill development in North Corktown will be completed by the end of February. Keegan Mahoney, GCDC’s housing development director, expects them all to be occupied by the end of March.

Already, eight of the new homeowners have moved in and one of them, Greg Baise, couldn’t be happier. “It was a long time coming, but it was definitely worth the wait,” he says. “Everyone’s really impressed when they visit my house. I can’t wait ‘til there’s 30 more south of Temple.”

The homes are built on standard city-width lots with garages that are accessed from the alley, which means that they preserve the urban grid of the neighborhood. There are five distinct models that range in size from 1,300 to 1,724 square feet. The homes are clad in hardyplank — pressed concrete boards that resemble wood and can be painted — and there are several distinct color palates that the homebuyers can select from. BVH Architecture designed the project and the General Contractor is Allied Building Service Co.

The homes, which cost each $160,000 to construct, were available for purchase to moderate-income individuals and families at a range of $91,000 to $98,000 depending on the model. Additional construction funding came from National City Bank, Charter One Bank, Detroit LISC, City of Detroit Community Development Block Grants and the Empowerment Zone.

The second phase is expected to get under way later this year.

Sources: Keegan Mahoney, housing development director, Greater Corktown Development Corp., and Greg Baise, North Corktown resident