Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Approves Plans for $19 Million in New Investment

The Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (DBRA) has approved brownfield tax incentive plans for four projects, representing a potential redevelopment of $19 million in the city of Detroit. The projects include restoration of an architecturally significant structure on East Jefferson; an arts center focusing its services on children and senior citizens; new housing units and restoration of two historic town homes in southwest Detroit; and support facilities for the Samaritan Center. The brownfield plans for the projects include proposed Michigan Business Tax credits of $2.25 million.

Brownfield tax incentives are tools to redevelop blighted, functionally obsolete or contaminated properties. Eligible brownfield properties can earn Michigan Business Tax credits, and may be reimbursed for costs such as remediation, demolition, infrastructure and site preparation activities from tax-increment revenues generated by the project.

Book House Building Redevelopment. Shelborne Development, doing business as River Plaza Square, is rehabilitating the architecturally significant Book House Building at 8445 East Jefferson as well as its former carriage house. Shelborne Development is planning to move its company offices into the Book House Building and to renovate the carriage house for rental space.

Samaritan Wellness Center. Ford Health & Wellness Center is planning the last phase of the redevelopment of a health campus at Conner and Shoemaker Streets on Detroit’s east side. This phase of the project includes renovations to create recreational facilities, community rooms, a catering kitchen, dental offices and ten treatment rooms.

Creative Arts Center. Creative Arts Center, LLC, an entity of Southwest Housing Solutions, plans to renovate the former Detroit Police Third Precinct headquarters at 2802 W. Vernor Highway and convert it to a neighborhood arts center focused on serving youth and senior citizens in southwest Detroit.

Scotten Park. Southwest Housing Solutions, acting as Scotten Park LDHA, LP is also planning to build approximately 40 new units of rental housing and will rehabilitate two historic town homes to create an additional nine rental units in southwest Detroit. The project covers 64 parcels of land between Fort and Toledo Streets west of 16th Street.
As a group, these four projects show how Detroit is moving forward into a new economy with a greater emphasis on creativity and growing service industries.