UCCA | University Cultural Center Association

University Cultural Center Association

NORTH CASS NEIGHBORHOOD

Institutional Development

		Children's Center In 2002, the Children's Center celebrated the completion of the new Paul D. Marsh Programs Building, a three-story, 24,000 sq. ft. building that will house its programs. The Children's Center also developed a pocket park at the corner of Alexandrine and Cass (Address: 79 W. Alexandrine). Total Investment: $5 million.

		Detroit High School for the Arts Construction of the new school broke ground in spring 1999. Plans included an 800=seat auditorium, 200-seat music hall, recording studio, practice rooms and state-of-the-art computer labs, printing and telecommunications technology. The school opened in January 2005 (Address: 123 Selden). Total investment: $122.4 million.

		Orchestra Place Phase I, consisting of the new 175,000 sq. ft., Detroit Medical Center Headquarters, a 700 car parking structure and sculpture court, was completed in Decemeber 1997. Phase II, the expansion of Orchestra Hall named The Max M. Fisher Music Center, provides essential patron amenities, performer support areas, a new education center and a second 550-seat performance hall. The new facility opened in fall 2003 (Address: 3663 Woodward). Total investment: $80 million.

Commercial Development

		Dell Pryor Gallery Originally located in Detroit's Harmonie Park, the Dell Pryor Gallery found a new home in Midtown at the corner of Cass and Willis (Address: 4201 Cass).

		Detroit Artist's Market The Detroit Artist's Market has completed renovation of their gallery space at the end of Forest and Woodward (Address: 4719 Woodward). Total investment: $370,000.

		Motor City Brewing Tap Room This seven year-old microbrewery opened a tap room in a recently completed addition. This cozy space is interwoven with art, cafe tables, and a second floor balcony (Address: 470 W. Canfield). Total investment: $200,000.

		Slows Express and Catering Renovation of an historic one-story building on Cass and Alexandrine is now underway for Slows Express. This location will be an extension of Slows Bar-BQ restaurant that will act as a commissary kitchen as well as provide catering services, take-out sales, and a private meeting area. Slows Express will be open in 2011.

		Woodward Garden Block Development The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded a $19 million Section 108 Loan Guarantee for the redevelopment of a Woodward block located between Mack and Warren. The $19 million will be distributed accordingly across four phases of development: Phase I: South Parking Structure - a 302-space parking structure that can be accessed from W. Alexandrine. Financing for this phase closed in late 2008 and construction was completed in 2009. Phase II: Blue Moon and New Commercial - involves the rehabilitation of a two-story historic building, 3961-65 Woodward; and the consturction of a three-story, 23,772sf commerical structure, where the first floor will house retail space and the upper two floors will be used as office space. Financing for this phase closed late 2008 and construction is expected to be completed in 2010. Phase III: Garden Theater - a 28,369sf historic theater, located at 3919-33 Woodward, will be renovated for a music venue. Commerical space will front Woodward on the ground floor and part of the second floor will be used for conference space and suites for concerts. The third floor will house offices. The project anticipates the use of New Markets Tax Credits. Phase IV: Woodward Garden Apartments - involves the construction of a mixed-used building where the first floor and mezzanine level will offer 17,200sf of commerical space and the second through fifith floor will contain approximately sixty apartments. The devleopers are pursuing a FHA 220 Loan and a NMTC allocation for the project.

Housing Development

		70 W. Alexandrine This historic building will be renovated into 89 market rate rental apartment units and commercial space. Total planned investment: $20 million.

		434 W. Alexandrine Renovation of this historic apartment building at Cass and Alexandrine is complete. The project converted the interior space to 12 loft-stle condominiums. The base unit is $140,000. Total investment: $1.9 million. All units have been sold.

		477 W. Alexandrine This historic building and carriage house will be renovated into 6 rental housing units. Average unit size is 1,400 sq. ft. Total investment: $500,000.

		55 W. Canfield The conversion of this 3-story industrial building into 30 for-sale lofts are priced on average at $180,000. Construction was completed in summer 2008. Lofts have been converted to for-lease and are currently fully occupied. Ground floor commercial space still available.

		3525/3531 Second Renovation of two, three-story, 2,650 sq. ft. buildings is ongoing at 3525/3531 Second Avenue. These two early 20th century brick homes will be converted into 5-flats as market rentals. Total project cost: $125,000.

		449 W. Willis Renovation has begun on this historic building, which will create 4-market rate residential units. These for-sale units will range from 800-1,600 sq. ft. and will feature original architectural details.

		469 W. Willis This building has been converted into 7-condominium units priced at $140,000 each. All have been sold.

		The Auburn Detroit’s “Roxbury Group” in partnership with “Invest Detroit” is developing The Auburn at the southeast corner of Cass and Canfield. The building will have 50 one-bedroom apartments, four studios and nine retail units. The project is expected to begin construction next year and is being designed to cater to students and young professional, with rents in the $600 to $700 range and apartments averaging 600 square feet.

		The Blackstone Apartments Located on Second Avenue, the Blackstone building was renovated in 2003. 15 rental units were completed.

		Boydell House This $380,000 renovation project consists of the transformation of a vacant, historic building at 4614-16 Cass into four residential units and commercial space.

		Brentwood Detroit, LLC Redevelopment of the former Brentwood Apartment building will soon begin. The building, located at 487-489 Prentis near 2nd will contain 38 one-bedroom units. The total projected cost of the project is $1 million. Predevelopment work is underway.

		Canfield Lofts Located on Canfield between Cass and Second, renovation of this historic warehouse into 36 for-sale loft condominiums was completed in 1999. Units sold fo an average of $180,000. The total investment cost was $4.2 million.

		Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation (CCNDC) Apartments The Brainard Street Project is now complete and 100% occupied. 120 uints which range from 1,000-1,200 sq. ft. with rental rates of $500-700/month have been built. Construction of these modular units began in summer 2003. Total project cost is $13 million.

		Cass Lofts The renovation of the former Kresge Building has been completed. Lcated on the southwest corner of Cass and Willis, this building has been converted into 7 loft units on the second floor. An 11,300 sq. ft. dialysis facility and 3,500 sq. ft. Veterans Administration Services Office are located on the ground floor. Total investment for the project is $1.9 million.

		Cass/Warren Dormitory Construction Underway Located on Cass Avenue, between Warren and Hancock, this four story mixed-use development will offer 81 residential units geared toward student housing, as well as 6,000 sq/ft of ground floor commercial space. Most units will be one and two bedroom with a few four bedroom suites. Directly across the street from Wayne State’s Old Main, this building will offer close access to campus and local restaurants and institutions in the area.

		Dodge House This $463,000 project will result in the renovation of the historic residence of Horace E. Dodge at 642 W. Forest into 3 rental units.

		Edman Apartment Building Renovation of the Edman was completed in late 2000 and provided size, two-bedroom apartments and one, large lower-level live/work rental unit. The total investment is estimated to be $700,000.

		Forest Arms Located on Second Avenue between W. Forest and Prentis, The Forest Arms is being renovated to its orgininal 74-units and 2-commercial spaces. Total rehabilitation costs will be $9 million.

		Forest Arms Vertical Garden Dearborn-based advertising and marketing company Team Detroit has teamed up with Greening of Detroit and Unviersity Cultural Center Association to construct Detroit's first vertical garden on the structure. The concept makes use of hundreds of garden containers called Woolly Pockets made from recycled pop bottles, which have been hung primarily on the building's Second Ave. facade, with some on the sides facing the rear courtyard and Forest.

		Hancock Square Construction of 12 loft-style condominiums, located on Hancock betwen Cass and Second, were completed in 2001. The base price of the units were $200,000. All of the units have been sold.

		Mahatawa Building This abandoned apartment building was renovated into 12 for-sale units. Total investment for the project is $1,999,000.

		People United As One People United As One (PUAO) has completed construction of a new, 5-story, 40,000 sq. ft. building for residential use on MLK Boulevard between Second and Third Avenues.

		Springfield Lofts This historic Art Deco building is located on Alexandrine between Second and Third Avenues. Built in the 1930s, Springfield Lofts was formerly the Wayne State Mortuary Science Building, and has been converted into 10 loft units ranging in size from 1,649-1,833 sq. ft. Total investment for the project is $2.2. million.

		Stuberstone Lofts Located on the northwest corner of Cass and Willis, this $2.4 million project includes commercial space on the ground floor as well as 13 loft residential units on the second floor.

		Third Street Townhomes Currently under construction, this project will add 11 affordable rental units to the neighborhood. There will be 4-, 3-, and 2-bedroom units ranging in size from 1,065-2,500 sq. ft.

		Venn Manor The renovation of the Venn Apartment building at Cass & Willis was completed in 1999. Condominiums were sold at the average price of $180,000. The total investment in the project: $750,000.

		Waldorf Lofts Renovation of the historic building at 4120 Cass is complete. The property houses four condominium lofts between 2,200-2,300 sq. ft. The base unit price is $240,000. The total project cost is $1 million.

		Warren/Cass Student Housing This privately built residential development will feature 81 units with 140 beds for undergraduate and graduate students in the heart of the Wayne State Campus across from Old Main on Cass Avenue. There will be three retail spaces also constructed in the ground floor totaling 5,800 sq. ft. A pilot zip car program will also be incorporated for the tenants.