The developer behind a long-in-the-works project on the site of a former city-owned rec center is seeking $8.28 million in brownfield financing.

The $55 million-plus first phase of Midtown West is expected to begin next year and bring a unique 175-unit building to the former Wigle Recreation Center site in Detroit bounded by Selden Street to the north, the Lodge Freeway northbound service drive to the west, an alley west of Third Street to the east and Brainard Street to the south.

It is to have eight studio apartments, 125 one-bedroom units, 38 two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom apartments, according to the brownfield plan submitted to the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. About 7,000 square feet of first-floor retail is anticipated as well.

The document says 20 percent of the units will be affordable to those making 50 percent or less than the area median income.

The project was first revealed in April 2017 and was to be 335 residential units, with a mix of for-rent and for-sale residences. Construction was to begin last fall and was later bumped to this spring.

Studio Libeskind, based in New York City, and VolumeOne Design Studio LLC, based in Detroit, are working on the project. I last wrote about it about 18 months ago when Studio Libeskind was hired.