Michigan Locations

Jefferson-Chalmers Neighborhood Now Part of FEMA Flood Plain

The Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood has been prone to flooding for years. The neighborhood is bordered by Clairpointe Street, Jefferson Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park, and the Detroit River. Due to climate change, rising water levels in Lake St. Clair are spilling over into the Detroit River causing residents to experience regular flooding with no permanent infrastructure fix in sight. Raising the seawall in Jefferson Chalmers by almost 2 feet would solve the problem, but the multi-million dollar cost and the private property ownership along the Detroit side of the river complicate matters. While FEMA does not look at a community’s infrastructure to determine its flood hazard status, it may change that practice, according to the regional flood insurance liaison for FEMA’s Region 5 in the Midwest.

Director of Planning and Development Engages Neighborhoods in Revitalization Efforts

The director of Detroit Planning and Development, Antoine Bryant, thinks of Detroit as a “city of neighborhoods.” He has reached out to residents to talk about blight, flight and a lack of investment in neighborhoods that have felt left behind while Detroit’s downtown and community corridors have gained attention. Bryant has intentions to grow Detroit with projects that preserver architectural history and value the input of neighbors. In an effort to avoid building up downtown commercial sectors first, Bryant intends to engage neighborhoods as part of the revitalization process. His primary goal is to connect with residents in all of Detroit’s 200 neighborhoods while working through challenges with food deserts, vacant land and safety. 

Slow Pace Continues for Hudson Site Project

Dan Gilbert’s Hudson site project broke ground in December 2017. The original plan intended the tower to be taller than the RenCen, but even after the downsizing of its planned tower, it’s a long way from being complete. According to experts, it takes about four to five years to build big skyscrapers in the U.S., yet the Hudson site development is moving slower than recent projects in Chicago with higher towers. The pandemic’s negative impact on the demand for office space, more hotel rooms and more luxury apartments may be factors in the slow pace of construction. According to Mayor Mike Duggan, people who have office buildings are rethinking the amount of office space they’re using. Convention business has also been impacted. Downtown hotel occupancy was 36% in September, 34% drop from the previous year. The $900 million-plus project had an original completion date of summer 2022. 

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Downtown Detroit’s Office Workers Slow To Return

Although downtown Detroit’s housing market and visitors bounced back from the COVID slump of 2020, Detroit still has a ways to go to reach pre-pandemic activity. According to the Downtown Detroit Partnership, the number of downtown office workers is still drastically reduced as a result of the pandemic.  In 2019, the median number of workers during the week stood at 70,629. In 2021, that number was down 75%.  Some employers are gradually bringing employees back to the office.

Spring Homebuying Season Accelerates

The metro Detroit housing market is off and running in the spring homebuying season. Redfin is reporting that almost 3/4 of homes on the market in metro Detroit are receiving multiple offers. Buyers are offering well above list price, free occupancy for sellers who are waiting for their next home purchase, and appraisal guarantees. Some are even paying closing costs. First-time home buyers and those financed with government-backed loans are at a disadvantage.

Metro Detroit Celebrates It First New Department Store In a Decade

Bucking the trend of department store closings, the first department store grand opening was celebrated this weekend. It is the first in more than a decade. Von Maur’s new store at The Village of Rochester Hills officially opened this weekend. It is the retailer’s first new store since 2008. The new Von Maur store is located at 400 N. Adams Road.

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