  Mrsjdaniels Member Username: Mrsjdaniels Post Number: 167 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 70.237.162.155 |
Plugging an important gap in Detroit's waterfront development, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's administration has selected a $193-million proposal to build 480 condominium units on a site where a cement silo stood for decades. The project will be known as @water Lofts, pronounced "Atwater" after the street that runs through the parcel. Local developer Dwight Belyue said his project will include about 43,000 square feet of shopping as well as the condos and parking. He said he expects to begin construction this year and have the first units ready for occupancy by fall 2007. "The market on the riverfront is still wide open," Belyue said. "We just think it's a great opportunity. We think the market is so great we're going to have a lot of pre-sales, a lot of activity." The mayor said the project is "another example of the excitement that is currently taking place on our riverfront. As a native Detroiter, Dwight is playing a key role in our efforts to create the Next Detroit." The selection of Belyue's proposal, disclosed to the Free Press on Friday, caps a series of announcements in recent weeks that, if carried out in full, will see several hundred new residential units along the riverfront in the mile east of the Renaissance Center along with shopping and other amenities. Combined with construction this year of more of the city's RiverWalk, a waterfront promenade to run from the Ambassador Bridge to Belle Isle, the announcements mark a stunning reversal of years of abandonment and neglect of the riverfront, which for much of the past 150 years was dominated by industrial uses. "It's really long overdue," Belyue said. "We're one of the few cities to have our riverfront underdeveloped." Belyue said his condos would be in three buildings in three different phases. Units will average around 1,400 square feet, with prices averaging in the upper-$300,000 range. Those prices may be beyond the reach of many residents of Detroit, a city with the highest poverty rate among major cities in the nation. But Kilpatrick and his aides have been adamant that the city needs to use riverfront development to bring a middle class back into the city, and to increase property values and the tax base. Kilpatrick's aides also were attracted by the preliminary design for Belyue's plan, which depicts an urban-style project that they believe will enliven the waterfront district. "This is exactly what we wanted," said Peter Zeiler, a staff member at the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. involved in the selection. The process of choosing Belyue's plan began last fall, when Kilpatrick's administration sought proposals to redevelop several parcels of city-owned land on the east riverfront. Some of the parcels were part of the land seized by the administration of former Mayor Dennis Archer for a casino district that never happened. Three other parcels were sites where cement silos stood for decades. In February, Kilpatrick's development team selected two teams, one headed by local industrialist and sports hero Dave Bing, the other by Pittsburgh developer Charles Betters and his partner, Detroit native and football star Jerome Bettis. Those teams will build retail and residential projects on two of the parcels, known as Chene East and Chene West. Belyue's site, known as Atwater South and Atwater North, consists of about 9 acres on either side of Atwater roughly between Riopelle and Rivard. In addition, General Motors Corp. recently selected a Chicago-based development group to build residential units, retail, and other development on acreage that it owns immediately east of its RenCen world headquarters. With so many riverfront projects announced in such a short time, some market-watchers have wondered whether there is sufficient demand for all the planned residential units. But Ray Parker, a local investor and real estate consultant who is not involved with Belyue's group, said the recent riverfront projects seem more real than a lot of other plans over the years that went nowhere. Among other reasons, the city has almost finished demolishing the three cement plants that stood for decades, and the groups selected to build the new projects all have track records of success. "We've all been burned over the years by things never coming to fruition. But we're seeing progress now. The announcements so far, we all feel pretty optimistic that they're actually going to happen," Parker said Friday. Belyue's Belmar Development Group, for example, has built residential units in the Brush Park district north of downtown and is active in the city's midtown area. Belyue's team includes a Seattle investor, Michael Dunne, who has worked with him on several projects in Detroit. Hines Interests, a Houston-based development company that built the One Detroit Center skyscraper in Detroit and manages the Renaissance Center for General Motors, is also expected to be involved in Belyue's team. Rossetti Associates, a Birmingham-based architectural firm that designed the Compuware Corp. headquarters and the Palace of Auburn Hills, designed Belyue's project. With three teams now selected for the city-owned riverfront land, Kilpatrick's aides will begin negotiating actual development agreements with the Bing, Betters-Bettis and Belyue teams. Crews are expected to begin preparing the utilities and doing other preparatory work on some or perhaps all of the sites by this summer. Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or e-mail him at gallagher@freepress.com  | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 2884 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.79.123.191 |
No pictures of Peter Zeiler? Will this impact Staples? Sarcasm aside, this is a fantastic vision for an area long over-due for redevelopment. | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 900 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
I agree Jams. This sticks out at me...
I think we really need to take the "If you build it they will come"attitude. I mean think about how great this area wood be. this could spur a lot of developement and new retail. I pray that the shovels hit the dirt this year. In addition, once other's start to see all of the development in this area, they will just have to get into the game as well. Expect a lot of good things to happen. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 385 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.2.191.57 |
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Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 907 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
I love how this riverwalk is incorporated into the riverfront. What is happening on the water is long overdue. Can you imaging a walk from one bridge to the other and catching a water taxi back to your ride...yep I believe after its all said and done we will have water taxis and all types of vendors along the walk. | ||
Alexei289 Member Username: Alexei289 Post Number: 1049 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.61.183.223 |
Says law... Supply creates demand... THat has always been true... Unfortunatly most people in business today operate on the Keynseyan principle of demand creates supply... Supposedly proved true by the production gains during WWII... ... Really the only gain was using production to full capicity and a slurry of new technologies that made alot of people alot of money. Other than that... says law is true. THink about it... who is going to go to the riverfront without this shit being built??? But they will after.  | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 911 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Very nicely stated Alexei289 | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 366 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.136.144.196 |
It's so amazing to see this vision starting to be a reality. The riverfront is a market that is basically untapped. Unlike the sprawling subdivisons that are dime a dozen in SE Michigan. So this area should be less risky in terms of overbuilding | ||
Sknutson Member Username: Sknutson Post Number: 472 Registered: 03-2004 Posted From: 64.139.1.36 |
People will ALWAYS want to live in a riverfront setting. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 361 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Nice thing about the Detroit riverfront, also, is there is no worry of springtime flooding, as there is along the Mississippi and its feeder rivers. We tend to take that for granted, but it is truly a big "plus". | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1237 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.241.205 |
Alexi dares challenge capitalisic fundamentalism! He's a commie! Seriously though, that was very well stated as Broken Main said. And I agree. If one just looks at the housing projects all over the city, these things are selling out at timelines unheard of in the suburbs. I think that makes a good case that the market is greatly underserved in metro Detroit and Detroit specifically. Add to that the fact that this will be on the riverfront and it's almost a license to print money. | ||
Alexei289 Member Username: Alexei289 Post Number: 1051 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.61.183.223 |
... well who can spend money that hasnt been printed right ;)? you cant buy a 400grand condo on the riverfront that hasnt been built... I think once a number of these start being built and selling... you would be suprised at how much MORE goes up around it. Basically its like starting a fire... you have to get a good base first | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 498 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 64.148.228.76 |
Great points all. This has always been how I THOUGHT things worked. Not claiming any genius in this field, but it just makes sense. Bvos comment on the timelines of sales (don't forget pre-sales) of Detroit developments is indeed interesting. I know first hand that there is truth to this. I have had several (3) friends buy into new loft developments, and both were 70% sold before ground breaking. So let's just admit it. Detroit is hot. later - naturalsister | ||
Easydoesit Member Username: Easydoesit Post Number: 9 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 69.246.122.172 |
http://www.miseagrant.umich.ed u/greenways/map.html kinda off topic, but i just felt like posting this.... shouldn't hurt anybody right???? | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 367 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.136.144.196 |
I like this design the best of the proposed developments. Looking the awarded sites I'm starting to think it would've been better to use Chene West as parkland to connect Tri-Centennial and Chene Parks | ||
Futurecity Member Username: Futurecity Post Number: 240 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 70.225.118.227 |
"People will ALWAYS want to live in a riverfront setting." And that is the truth. | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 920 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
We also need to realize the fact that building the riverfront is a new and aggressive try at trying to revitalize this "untapped" area, changing it from industrial to residential and recreational with a Jefferson Ave retail frontage. What the city needs to do is take a serious look at how the Jefferson side is developed and to assure that it evolves into a marketable front. What often comes to mind is that gas station that I have always wondered why the city allowed for a gas station(across from the Blockbuster) to be put at would have been a great gateway to the St Aubin Park. We need new industry and retail in this area. Staples is a start. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1514 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.214.242 |
Chene Park, as a musical venue, is history. Think about it. Would you live 100 yards away from the stage at Freedom Hill, Pine Knob, or Meadowbrook? This will be the distance for folks living in condos at Chene East and Chene West. Then think about shows going on their four to five times a week from mid May to mid September. For residential development to take place on the riverfront it has to be a good distance from Chene Park or Chene Park has to be a good distance from the residential. My money is on Chene Park being moved. For this development, Chene Park won't be a problem. However, for the other two, it will be problematic. (Message edited by royce on March 12, 2006) | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 923 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Thats a good point Royce. I haven't done Chene park in a while so I can't comment on the loudness of the area when the concerts are playing form the outside. | ||
Erikd Member Username: Erikd Post Number: 550 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.242.214.106 |
The concerns about demand for these new condos are way off base. Demand for housing is NOT static across the city. Detroit leads the region in both new residential construction AND population loss at the same time. The city is losing thousands of residents every year, but most of the new housing in the city is getting snapped up very quickly. How can this possibly happen? There seems to be a large group of people who think that the entire city is a terrible blight filled ghetto with nothing to offer. High demand for housing in certain areas of the city coupled with low demand in other areas of the city is beyond comprehension for these people. Anything that doesn't fit into the Detroit=bad, suburbs=good mindset does not compute. The concept is not hard to grasp... Demand is low for tore-up housing in run-down neighborhoods that lack a desireable location, quality building stock, strong community groups, etc. Demand is high for up-to-date housing in neighborhoods that have strong communities and offer proximity to the city's business, entertainment, cultural, historical, and riverfront areas. We don't need to abandon capitalism or re-think the theories of supply and demand to justify the construction of new condos on the riverfront. The demand has been there for years, but most big developers were not willing and/or able to take the risk until the land became available and other projects proved the model. | ||
Mind_field Member Username: Mind_field Post Number: 512 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 209.240.205.61 |
Here's a pipe dream idea of mine to open up an entirely new demographic of Detroit riverfront condo owners, upper middle class families. This demographic largely avoids Detroit (living) for now. Create an incredibly prestigious private K-12 school on the riverfront. Make this school the envy of the nation, if not the world. It would blow Cranbrook, Detroit Country Day, University Ligget, and International Academy out of the water. It would even outrank New Trier High School in Chicagoland. Why on the riverfront? Because the riverfront would be more likely to appeal to an upper class suburban family than almost any other area in Detroit. Just a pipe dream though. | ||
Ddmoore54 Member Username: Ddmoore54 Post Number: 285 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 24.247.142.129 |
"@water" That's a ridiculous name. Who wants to pay a lot of money to live at a place with an @ symbol in the name. Just stick to Atwater Lofts. | ||
Motorcitymayor2026 Member Username: Motorcitymayor2026 Post Number: 564 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 24.231.189.137 |
Chene Park is supposed to be moved to Hart Plaza in a redevlopment of that area, and the Chene Park area will be used for more riverfront residential/commercial | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1519 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.214.242 |
Motorcitymayor2026, you and Skulker have both made these statements about Chene Park. My earlier post is based on what Skulker said and some things that I heard from a source I know. Mcm, where did you get your information from? I have not heard an official word from the city yet. | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 937 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.42.79.6 |
Hey Motorcity, where did you get that info from. Reliable source?? Got some links to back it up. Let me in on it. | ||
Motorcitymayor2026 Member Username: Motorcitymayor2026 Post Number: 566 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 24.231.189.137 |
I think I originally got the information from Skulker as well, however, when I interviewed the Kilpatrick Admin. for a high school news article I asked about that, and his Eddie McDonald, his spokesman, said that that was still the goal and that it would begin once the other parcels (such as the @water) were bought and had plans. His concern was also the sound. I will see if I can find some links about it somewhere... Broken, I just tried to send u another email....hopefully this one works! | ||
Huggybear Member Username: Huggybear Post Number: 172 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 69.218.157.100 |
I heard this directly from Mayor Kilpatrick when he addressed a small group before the election, so my guess is that it's an initiative of his office. | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 943 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.42.79.6 |
Motor, I am at home for aminute before going back to work. try kdduncan1965 at yahoo dot com or at comcast.net . Those should work fine. | ||
Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism Post Number: 433 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 70.226.11.58 |
Interesting coincidence of last names ..... hmmm ..... | ||
Llyn Member Username: Llyn Post Number: 1456 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.61.197.206 |
The B and B and B and B brothers? Sorry, obscure Lions reference. Four sites down, three to go... Riopelle North/Central/South. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1861 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.48 |
New waterfront housing developments are not planned for Detroit alone. St. Clair Shores has 2 developments in the planning stages along their Nautical Mile (Jefferson between 9-10 Mile Rd.), a 33 story condo tower at Jefferson Beach Marina (delayed a few times), and a 17 story tower at Miller Marine. These are to complement the 27 story existing tower at 9 Mile/Jefferson. Looks like riverfront/lakefront living is getting more popular. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3318 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
No one should be surprised about Chene Park. I'm pretty sure it was in the riverfront masterplan that the venue would be "moved" to Hart Plaza when they make most of the plaza over with grass. I'm pretty sure this is why they are building Rivard Plaza, too; to kind of replace what will be missed at Chene Park. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1862 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.81.199 |
The only bad thing is that millions were poured into Chene Park, and now I assume that they will be leveling the amphitheatre after removing the canopy. I agree with the move to Hart Plaza, but I just lament all the money that gets wasted in these projects (like the removal of the tinker toys from Washington Blvd.), money that the city cannot afford in these times. Thank God for the Kresge Foundation and others willing to donate money. | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 946 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Maybe I am not understanding this, but they are planning on changing Hart Plaza to Chene Park??? Or are they just going to revamp hart Plaza to accomodate the same venues that Chene did??? | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3323 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
The latter. That's why I put "moving" in quotations. | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 515 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.220.232.189 |
Yeah, @water seems a little silly. What about Atwater Lofts @ the River. Or like was said, Atwater Lofts. later - naturalsister | ||
Wilus1mj Member Username: Wilus1mj Post Number: 50 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 216.111.89.3 |
I think they're going to use @atwater | ||
Spitty Member Username: Spitty Post Number: 439 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 136.2.1.103 |
At least they didn't go all out and call it @H2O, pronounced Atwater. |
