Charlevoix’s New Ordinance Inhibits Blight
/in Northern Michigan /by Tracy WillisCharlevoix City Council has approved a property maintenance code to address declining properties before they reach blight status. The international Property Maintenance Code Ordinance is designed to supplement the Dangerous Buildings Ordinance. According to zoning administrator Jonathan Scheel, the city didn’t have any type of property maintenance code to prevent a building from becoming dilapidated. The new code will give the city the ability to intervene and require deteriorating structures to be corrected before they become unfixable issues.
Habitat for Humanity Awarded Grant Monies
/in Northern Michigan /by Tracy WillisMichigan’s Habitat for Humanity received a $2 million federal grant. The grant will cover home repair needs for 160 low-income families. Grant funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Healthy Homes Production Grant Program. It’s part of $104 million plus awarded from HUD to 60 nonprofit organizations and government agencies. With the addition of this grant, Habitat for Humanity will increase its current repair program by 50%.
City Ordinance Supports Construction of Accessory Dwelling Units
/in Northern Michigan /by Tracy WillisCharlevoix’s city officials are searching for solutions to the area’s affordable housing shortage. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are small outbuildings that can be used for a variety of purposes, from guest apartments to home offices. At a January 10 meeting, Charlevoix’s planning commission recommended approval of regulations that would make ADUs easier to build in residential areas. The ADUs increase property usage in residential districts, provide extra space for families, and allow space for multi-generational homes that support familial caretaking. They create income sources when they serve as rentals. The accessory units also increase property values.
Adrian Mall Proposal Includes Mixed-Use Redevelopment
/in SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisAn Adrian Mall proposal aims to redesign the mall into a mixed-use facility that will include multifamily residential housing, anchor business tenants, and different options for retail and dining establishments. A church and self-storage units are also planned. The Adrian Planning Commission hasn’t voted on the proposal yet, but they’ve entered into discussion about the pre-application presentation. Some commissioners expressed optimism toward the presented ideas. An important part of the project is to demolish the water-damaged and mold-laden portion of the mall. Both conditions caused the mall to be condemned two years ago.
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Historic Detroit Hotel Sold
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisHotel developer Oxford Capital Group LLC and hedge fund Taconic Capital Advisors LP purchased the Westin Book Cadillac hotel in downtown Detroit. They assumed the $77 million in commercial mortgage-backed securities debt owed by the Ferchill Group. They’ll complete the $16.5 million tower renovations over the next two years. The property will remain open throughout the renovation. According to the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the PA 255 tax abatement is critical the project. It freezes the property taxes at pre-improvement levels after the building has been renovated. Without it, the project would not have gone through.
The Mid Project Faces Another Delay
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisThe Mid project, a four-acre development in Midtown, was scheduled to begin in the third quarter this year. The project is now expected to begin in the second quarter of 2022. A spokesperson for the project said that the delays are due to the impact of the pandemic on the industries and components that support the project. The proposal aims to bring two high-rise buildings and other mixed-use development to the north of Detroit’s Whole Foods Inc. store. The project’s two planned phases will both begin in the second quarter. They will include about 300 co-living units, multifamily residential housing, retail space, and a hotel.