Detroit’s Commercial Property Transactions Lower Than National Average

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Nationally, commercial property transaction volume broke records last year. But in metro Detroit, that was not the case. Last year wasn’t a bad year for property deals in Detroit; there were $1.9 billion in sales across 3,678 deals. 2021 was the fourth-highest year since 2006. Low cap rates, inflation hedging helped to fuel the surge in commercial acquisitions. Property buyers are expecting appreciation in the next few years. Rent growth in multifamily apartments and the industrial, warehouse and distribution sectors are also adding to value growth.

 

 

Michigan’s Foreclosure Numbers Highest in the Country

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Michigan has the highest number of foreclosures than anywhere in the country, according RealtyTrac. However, experts say this isn’t a sign of a worsening housing market. Michigan’s 2022 January figures represent a 622 percent increase over the totals in January 2021. The big leaps are due to the ending of moratoriums that kept foreclosures from moving forward. Wayne County had the bulk of foreclosure activity, and most of those were old foreclosures that were in the process a long time. According to the vice president of RealtyTrac, Michigan’s backlog is moving faster than in other states. He expects that it could take several months before the backlog is cleared out, but that the figures are not a cause for concern.

 

 

Rezoning Proposal Heads to Ann Arbor City Council

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Ann Arbor’s Planning Commission voted to recommend City Council approve the rezoning of 68 properties along State Street and Eisenhower Parkway into a new high-density development zone. The proposal would rezone 226 acres by Briarwood Mall and allow downtown-style development to occur, transforming the area into a mixed-use neighborhood. According to City Planner Alexis DiLeo, the proposed rezoning could potentially add hundreds of homes to the area.

 

Royal Oak Neighbors and School District Oppose Pot Businesses

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 On Tuesday, the Royal Oak City Planning Commission will vote on two special land use permits that would allow the city’s first recreational marijuana facilities to put down roots. Proponents of the controversial vote believe that Gatsby Cannabis Co. and Royal Treatment sites will blend well with existing commerce and neighborhoods. The opponents question if the decision would pose disruptions to nearby schools and neighbors. Gatsby Cannabis Co. is near Oakland Schools Technical Campus-Southeast, and Royal Treatment is in a residential area, near a mixed-used industrial area with a large number of single-family residential homes. The Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson sent out a “Call To Action” email to the parents of more than 600 students concerning the Gatsby Cannabis Co.

 

 

 

Northville Downs Property Sparks Heated Exchange

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The Northville Planning Commission met for 3 1/2 hours to discuss The Downs planned development’s preliminary site plan. The meeting ended with a motion to table the discussion until the commission’s next meeting on February 15. The commission’s contract with the Northville Community Center, where the meeting was held,  expired at 10:30 p.m. The meeting included a 23-minute presentation by city planner Sally Elmiger, an approximately 70-minute site plan presentation by Hunter Pasteur, a 32-minute period when commissioners asked clarifying questions to the developers and roughly 48 minutes of public comment regarding the site plan. Hunter Pasteur CEO Randy Wertheimer addressed the commission and stated that ending the meeting without a vote was unacceptable. Commissioners countered that more time was needed for further discussion.

 

 

Google Joins Ford as Founding Member of Michigan Central

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Technology giant Google announced on Friday that it will be part of the mobility district at the former Michigan Central Depot in Corktown. Ford has emphasized that the campus will be a collaborative district where other companies will work on mobility products and services. Google’s involvement will focus on workforce development for local high school students and job seekers. It will also provide cloud technology for Michigan Central’s mobility projects, including a new Code Next Lab to teach computer science to high school students. Google is also partnering with local nonprofits to offer a career 3-6 month certification designed to equip participants with skills for in-demand fields. Ford will recognize the certificate and consider program graduates for jobs.

 

 

 

 

Michigan’s Last Kmart Store Has New Owner

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The site of Michigan’s last Kmart store near Battle Creek has a new owner. B. Riley Real Estate bought the former Kmart for an undisclosed amount. Prior to the store’s closing, it was a strong retail performer. That, coupled with the future growth of Marshall’s market and the planned Megasite development initiative attracted the buyer. The 86,479 square-foot building is in the Marshall Plaza shopping center and less than three miles away from Marshall Megasite, an industrial development. The developer plans to bring a mix of national retail tenants to the site.

Bedrock CEO Shares Ways to Attract Innovative Talent to Detroit

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According to Bedrock CEO, Kofi Bonner, Bedrock has an opportunity to grow a globally significant innovation district in the heart of Detroit. The Detroit area has the land, talent and necessary capital to sustain growth. Bonner cites advantages in next generation technologies that impact mobility, defense, clean energy, cybersecurity, fin tech, agricultural science and life science sectors. Over the last ten years, Rocket Companies and other finance and technology companies distributed throughout the Bedrock portfolio have completed the first phase of a “business-led” downtown district. The next growth phase will emphasize attracting special units of higher education, advanced global research institutions and technology labs, as well as contain programming to build close relations between scientists, companies and startups.

 

 

 

Rochester Community Schools To sell Historical Administration Building

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Rochester Community Schools is selling a 4.43-acre parcel of land and a 133-year old historical building. The RCS Administration Building is a three-story structure that contains 89,716 square feet of gross building area. Purchase proposals must be submitted in writing by 5 p.m. on March 28. The original building was built in 1889. The last renovation of the building took place in 1988. A community committee studied options for the future of the building and its artifacts. The committee determined the process a prospective buyer will follow to bid on the property, and it’s also focused on identifying artifacts for preservation.

 

 

Union Street Space Listed for $7.5 Million

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Mario Kiezi, owner of the former Union Street Detroit restaurant and the Midtown Liquor & Deli store, has listed the property for $7.5 million. He has listed it with O’Connor Real Estate. He originally envisioned converting it into a grocery store. Those plans may still come to fruition as two regional grocers have recently toured the building. The two-story building is situated at Woodward Avenue at Willis Street. The first floor has had various commercial uses in the past, and the top floor has been empty since the 1960s when it was used for eight residences.