Entries by Tracy Willis

Landmark Trees To Be Cut For Ann Arbor Subdivision

In an 8-3 vote, Ann Arbor City Council has agreed to the controversial Concord Pines development. National homebuilder, Toll Brothers, will cut down hundreds of landmark trees to develop a 57-home luxury subdivision. Some argue that the development is not in keeping with Ann Arbor’s sustainability goals. The 30+ acre site includes land owned by […]

Fairlane Town Center and The Mall at Partridge Creek Change Management

Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn and The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township are now being managed by Syracuse, N.Y.-based Spinoso Real Estate Group LLC. Spinoso is marketing the two malls for lease. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Partridge Creek was under financial stress when Starwood Capital Partners defaulted on a $725 million loan […]

Inadequate Housing Plagues Detroiters

A new report from the University of Michigan estimates that 90,000 Detroiters live in inadequate housing. The study found that residents of color, rental tenants, people with children and those who earn less than $60,000 annually are impacted the most. The study considers housing inadequate if it has major problems with electrical needs, furnace or […]

Riverfront Hotel Plans Pivot to Apartment Development

The Detroit-based City Growth Partners LLC has scrapped its plans for boutique hotel rooms in a Detroit riverfront development. The $136 million vision for the property now includes 478 apartments instead of an original 360 apartments and 120 boutique hotel rooms. The revised number of apartments will make it one of the largest new multifamily […]

Self-Storage Real Estate Sector Is On Fire

The self-storage industry has rebounded from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. As people make room in their homes for remote job environments, the home sales market drives an increase in storage needs. Restaurants and offices look for places to stash extra furniture to accommodate social distancing needs. The demand for self-storage is high. […]

Development Team Buys Auburn Hills and Canton Township Sites

The development team of Farmington Hills-based Friedman Real Estate and Southfield-based General Development Co. has bought 40 acres of land in Auburn Hills for $3.7 million and 18 more acres in Canton Township for an undisclosed price. This is the same team behind the Oakland Technology Park in Auburn Hills. The team plans to build […]

Detroit Metro Municipalities Flip to Renter Communities

Inkster, Pontiac and Auburn Hills were once communities where the majority of residents were homeowners. According to U.S. census data, analyzed by the apartment search website RENTCafé,  the municipalities have shifted to become majority-renter communities. Port Huron and Hazel Park are close to having more renters than homeowners, too. The changes occurred in each city […]

Troy Property Sells for $34 Million

A Baltimore buyer, the Continental Realty Corp., has purchased Oakland Center and Oakland Square for $34 million. The property at 14 Mile and John R roads is across from Oakland Mall. It totals 392,000 square feet and is 87% leased by tenants that include TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, DSW, Michaels and […]

Michigan Renters & Landlords Still Wait For Relief

Nearly two-thirds of metro Detroit residents are still behind on their rent or mortgage, despite the millions of dollars in federal funds that have been sent to provide relief. Many face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months. Michigan allocated $425 million through the end of September through the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance program. […]

InvestNext Raises $4.3 Million In Venture Capital Financing

InvestNext Inc., a software firm backed by Detroit billionaire Dan Gilbert, has closed on a venture capital financing round to the tune of $4.3 million. The company’s software goal is to help investors and fund managers keep track of pertinent details and documents involved in real estate investments. Hyde Park Venture Partners, Detroit Venture Partners, […]