University Commons-Palmer Park Investing Guide

Here's Model D's guide to investing in University Commons area. Also check out our guides to moving to and visiting the neighborhoods.

There is an old adage, “money follows money.” Consider the incredible concentration of wealth to be found in the University Commons area, which takes in such stable middle-class communities as the University District and Green Acres, the upper-middle class neighborhood of Sherwood Forest and the tony Palmer Woods. Add in two golf courses, two institutions of higher learning, and close proximity to the Woodward corridor suburbs, and there’s practically a big bulls-eye on any investor’s map centered at Fairfield and Seven Mile.

Livernois transformation

University Commons is seeing a level of investment not present in the area since the early-to-mid 20th century — when the area was first built. In the 1950s-’60s, Livernois between Seven and Eight Mile Roads was Detroit’s premier uptown shopping district. While the “Avenue of Fashion” isn’t quite what it once was, it still remains an attractive neighborhood commercial corridor.

Take that base — mostly-intact commercial storefronts and tree-lined sidewalks — add in stable residential neighborhoods and active partners, and you begin to see a commercial revolution along today’s Livernois. For the past few years, Northstar Community Development Corp. has facilitated the University Commons Organization, which has brought individual business owners, churches and smaller business organizations together into a cohesive group. The city has joined in via its Office of Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization, providing façade grants to several businesses along the corridor. University of Detroit Mercy’s Detroit Collaborative Design Center is able to provide technical assistance to the program, creating a team of community groups, government and academia that is proving to be a potent combination.

Charlie Jackson, UDM’s Government and Community Relations Coordinator, explains the university’s commitment to the project: “This is important to the business owners, and we consider these business owners to be neighbors of ours. And, as a fellow business in the area, [we are aware of the] interdependency that exists in a business district.” Northstar and UDM are currently transitioning administration of University Commons Organization from the former to the latter, and will be establishing the business association’s own separate nonprofit 501c3 status.

The city has further committed to the concept of a pedestrian-oriented business corridor by beginning construction of a boulevard that will remove travel lanes and slow traffic. Jackson says, “[The boulevard] could add increased foot traffic that will be a little spark to grow business.”

University Common Association’s overall goal is a simple one, Jackson says. “[It’s] the idea of, in an American city, a city this large, people can come to a ‘main street’ to satisfy their needs, to buy their groceries, to find a restaurant to eat at — without having to trek 15 miles away.”

Adding more homes

Green Acres is a sliver of a neighborhood nestled into the southwest corner of Eight Mile and Woodward—if you drive down either road across the intersection’s bridge, you’d never know it was there. It’s a very stable, well-maintained community with very little vacant land. That fact made the long-vacant parcel of land at the corner of Woodward and Woodstock Drive, just one block south of Eight Mile, stand out all the more to neighborhood resident Michael Griggs. He purchased the land and through his company, The Griggs Group, is developing 14 townhouse units and two single-family houses on the lot. One of the single-families is built and occupied, three of the townhouses are nearing completion, and another row of five townhouses will soon break ground. “The townhouses start at $280,000 and we have five or six pre-sold already,” says Griggs.

Just a mile down Woodward, lining Palmer Park, is a clustering of truly stunning apartment buildings. Although most are in good condition, it is currently not a high-rent district. So why is 1001 Covington, a 1926 Albert Kahn being converted to 16 condominiums starting at $168,000? “This area has so much potential,” says City Living Detroit’s Austin Black. He notes the building’s proximity to Palmer Park and its golf courses, La Dolce Vita restaurant, Woodward, downtown, and the northern suburbs as amenities that make this type of transition sensible. Black foresees more of the apartment buildings in the area going condo in the near future, which will add stability to the area.

Northstar digs in

The area south of UDM has not prospered over the last several decades as have the neighborhoods to the north. Northstar CDC, originally called REACH, formed back in 1986 to address the need for economic stimulus in this area of University Commons. They have developed Pilgrim Village Apartments, Pilgrim Meadows Senior Apartments and San Juan Square Townhomes along Puritan, and are currently constructing 45 scattered site infill single-family homes in the quadrant bounded by Belden, the Lodge freeway, Livernois, and Puritan. These income-qualified homes include one-car attached garages and range in price from $380-810/month, depending on the renter’s income and the size of the home. Fifty more homes will comprise Phase Two. Northstar’s president, Donna Harris, notes that the Hamilton Anderson Associates-designed homes “really blend in with the existing houses.”

Northstar is now headed into their first for-sale project with the development of the 40-unit Titan Pointe, which will be built on the north side of Puritan in the shadow of UDM. Twenty-four of the units will be income-qualified, and will sell for $100,000; the remaining units are priced around $150,000. As with the condo conversion of 1001 Covington, the development of for-sale units in an area that is primarily rental is generally a solid step in stabilizing a community.

As a whole, University Commons has all the ingredients that comprise a solid community in which to invest: a largely stable residential community, an organized and motivated commercial district, and partners of all stripes working together towards even brighter days ahead.

Directions to University Commons-Palmer Park

From the East:
Take I-94 West toward Detroit and merge onto I-696 West via Exit 229 toward Lansing. Continue to I-75 South via Exit 18 toward Detroit/Toledo. Take the M-102 exit, Exit 59 toward 8 Mile Rd. Stay straight to go onto South Chrysler Dr and turn slight right onto 8 Mile Rd. Turn slight left onto 8 Mile Rd. West/MI-102 W. Make a U-Turn onto 8 Mile Rd. West/MI-102 W. Turn right onto Livernois Ave. and arrive in University Commons-Palmer Park.

From the North:
Take Woodward Ave South and turn right onto W 8 Mile Rd. Stay straight to go onto 8 Mile Rd W/MI-102 W. Make a U-Turn onto 8 Mile Rd. W/MI-102 E. Turn right onto Livernois Ave. and arrive in University Commons-Palmer Park.

From the West:
Take I-96 East and take the Davison Ave exit, Exit 186B. Merge onto Davison W and turn left to stay on Davison W. Turn right onto Livernois Ave. and arrive in University Commons-Palmer Park.

From the South:
Take I-94 East toward Detroit and take Exit 215B for M-10 on the left. Merge onto John C Lodge Fwy/MI-10 N and take the exit toward Livernois Ave. Stay straight to go onto John C Lodge Fwy. Turn right onto Livernois Ave. and arrive in University Commons-Palmer Park.

Take I-75 N toward Detroit and merge onto I-96 West via Exit 48 on the left toward Lansing. Merge onto I-94 E toward Port Huron and take Exit 215B for M-10 N on the left. Merge onto John C Lodge Fwy/MI-10 N and take the exit toward Livernois Ave. Stay straight to go onto John C Lodge Fwy and turn right onto Livernois Ave. Arrive in University Commons-Palmer Park.

All Photographs Copyright Dave Krieger