Shield's Pizza will to return to its roots in early 2019 with the planned opening of a Detroit location, the first since the original Shield's at Davison and Shield in Detroit.

Known for its Detroit-style deep dish pizza, a new Shield's location is set to open in Midtown in the Maccabees Building at 5057 Woodward across from the Detroit Institute of Arts and near Wayne State University. Shield's co-owner Paul Andoni says he expects a January opening.

“We’re excited to be a part of the whole culinary scene in Downtown Detroit and Midtown,” he said. “The building has great bones and it’s almost turnkey, so we really don’t have to do much.”

Andoni, who owns the Shield's brand with his brother Peter Andoni, says they will make some design changes and work with Ron and Roman architects so there is some consistency with their newly-renovated Troy location, which reopened earlier this month.

This Midtown location has proved difficult for restaurateurs. In late 2012 it opened as an upscale casual American restaurant Maccabees at Midtown and closed after a few years. A Chicago-based restaurant consultant and chef transformed it into Maccabees Traders in 2017 only for it to close a year later.

Andoni is aware that the space inside the Albert Kahn-designed building is a tricky locale because there isn't a lot of parking. He's confident, however, that with an accessible menu — pizza is king, especially on college campuses — and affordable price points that this location will overcome what other restaurant owners have struggled with in the past.

For this Midtown spot, the Andonis are teaming up with family friend Norm Mourad, who will license this location, while the brothers own the Shield's brand.

Besides the revamped Troy restaurant at 1476 W. Maple — which also has a new menu with on-trend appetizers, tacos, prime rib and pasta — there are Shield's locations in Macomb Township and Southfield.

Recently reports have surfaced that Buddy's Pizza is eyeing a Downtown Detroit location not far from this, in the Grand Circus Park area, but the company has made no formal announcement.

mbaetens@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @melodybaetens