Abandoned Fisher Body Plant To Be Redeveloped

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The Fisher Body Plant No. 21 in Detroit will be repurposed into more than 400 apartments and will include retail space.  Fisher 21 Lofts is a $134 million project that will be up for site approvals later this spring. Redevelopment could start late next year and be completed by 2025. The project would include 433 for-rent apartments. Twenty percent of those would be set aside for below-market rents. It would also include 28,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and 15,000 square feet of co-working space.  The former auto body factory has been abandoned for 30 years.

 

Oakland Mall Sale Expected To Close This Month

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Mario Kiezi, a Troy-based real estate investor and developer, is under contract to purchased Oakland Mall for an undisclosed price. Kiezi’s plans for the mall are unknown.  Letters have been sent to the mall’s tenants informing them of the pending ownership change. Tenants include TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, DSW, Michaels, and Planet Fitness. Once the sale finalizes, it will be the second suburban mall to sell in March. The sale of Fairlane Town Center is also expected to be finalized this month.

 

Ann Arbor City Council Approves Rezoning Efforts

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In an 8-3 vote, the Ann Arbor City Council has given initial approval for the rezoning of over 200 acres around Briarwood Mall. The city-initiated rezoning will need final council approval next month. Its intent is to encourage high-density, mixed-use development with limited building heights determined by the proximity of residential areas. City officials are hopeful that it will lead to a mix of housing and commercial spaces.  The three council members who voted against the proposal view the rezoning as a giveaway to developers and landowners.

 

Downtown Birmingham Office Building Sells for $14 Million

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Farmington Hills-based Bacall Companies LLC has purchased a downtown Birmingham office building and parking deck at 380 N. Old Woodward Ave for $14 million. The company plans to invest $1 million in renovations that will include tenant improvements. Renovations will begin in the next 45 days. The 42,000-square-foot building is 100% leased and is the second key downtown Birmingham office building sold this year.

 

Amazon Fresh Grocery Stores Are Taking Their Sweet Time

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Construction on the Rochester Hills Amazon Fresh grocery store has stalled. In fact, work has stalled on three of the four Amazon Fresh stores in the region, Shelby Township, Rochester Hills and Troy. Construction at the Livonia location continues. Although Amazon has never confirmed it’s opening branded grocery stores in the region, sources point to site plans that were submitted to the four communities over the last year. Sources also believe that Amazon is waiting until early 2023 to open all the locations at once. 

 

 

Washtenaw County Clerk Discovers Racial Restriction Policies

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Washtenaw County’s county clerk, Larry Kestenbaum, has been researching county property records for over 17 years. He has found evidence of racially restrictive covenants all over the county. These policies kept people of color from living in many neighborhoods unless they were in-service for white families. A group called Justice InDeed, along with the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan  have decided to get involved with the project. Together with Kestenbaum’s office, they filed paperwork to officially repeal and replace the 1947 whites-only policy for the Hannah subdivision in Ann Arbor. Although the restrictions haven’t been legal or enforceable for years, repealing them will affirm the neighborhood’s welcoming inclusivity.

 

Fairlane Town Center Sale Expected Soon

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New York city-based company is expected to close next month on the Fairlane Town Center shopping mall in Dearborn. Should the sale fall through with the undisclosed buyer, a back-up buyer is ready to sign a contract and move forward. Fairlane Town Center was built in 1976 and has had financial struggles in recent years. The current ownership is behind on its debts.

 

 

Dearborn Mayor Has High Hopes For Fairlane Town Center

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The Dearborn Mayor hopes to turn the Fairlane Town Center site into the “heartbeat of our city.” Affordable housing and green space are only two of the many possibilities that could reinvigorate the mall. He wants to brainstorm with business leaders to improve the space. Mayor Hammoud envisions an affordable housing project, a public health project, an environmental sustainability project, and a flood mitigation project. He wants to pitch ideas to area developers to formulate a plan that will utilize the available city, county and state resources.

 

 

Lyon Township Approves Plan For Orchard Crossing Development At Erwin’s Property

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The Lyon Township Planning Commission recommended final plan approval for residential components of the Orchard Crossing development on the Erwin Orchards site.  It will create 121 single family homes and 40 duplex homes on 77 acres. The orchard’s operations will continue for now. A pedestrian crossing over Silver Lake Road has not been resolved, and it will be delayed until there’s further development on the orchard operations. The plan includes a paved event center parking lot, a larger bake shop and farmer’s market, a tasting room and a possible drive-thru. The construction of homes will be done in four phases as homes sell, but there isn’t a specific construction timeline.

Detroit’s January Home Sales Up, Southeast Michigan’s Down

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Detroit’s housing market continues to thrive. Sales and prices are rising at a rate unlike others in the metro area. January’s median sales price was almost a third higher than a year ago. Sales are up 3 percent. They’re down in other areas of the region. The number of homes on the market in Detroit is up more than 26 percent. Across southeast Michigan, sales are down 8.8 percent, and listings have decreased 4.3 percent. Supply continues to be lower than the high demand. Homes are selling faster because there are fewer houses on the market, causing buyers to jump on homes quicker.