Historic building, Hudson's site get apartments

Two major projects will bring another 321 new residential apartments to the heart of downtown Detroit.

First, new details emerged Wednesday about businessman Dan Gilbert's plans for the Hudson's Building site downtown, including that his project there will include 250 residential units.

In the second, developers of the historic but derelict Metropolitan Building at 33 John R got the go-ahead for their $23.2-million renovation, which will create 71 market rate apartments and about 2,500 square feet of retail and commercial space on the first two floors.

Detroit's Downtown Development Authority voted Wednesday afternoon to approve the latest versions of the development plans for both of the projects.

Together, the two projects will add to the growing roster of new residential sites in the greater downtown in response to the influx of young professionals working in the district. Rents have been rising rapidly due to the rising demand; developers of the Metropolitan project said their rents would approach $2 per square foot for a 700-square-foot unit, or about $1,400 a month.

Among the new details revealed at the DDA meeting about Gilbert's plans for the Hudson's site: Besides the 250 residential units, the project will include 225,000 square feet of mixed-use space, either commercial or retail and including "programmed civic space," plus 900 parking spaces.

By Dec. 31, Gilbert's Rosko Development, an affiliate of his Bedrock Real Estate Services, will submit to the DDA a final development and financing plan for the site. Construction should begin by April 1, 2016, and see "substantial completion" by April 1, 2018.

The renovation work at the Metropolitan Building brings a happy ending to one of downtown's long-time eyesores. Built in 1925 and known as the Jeweler's Building for its roster of jewelry merchants, the neo-Gothic tower, designed by the firm of Weston and Ellington, has stood empty since 1977. In recent years, the facade was deteriorating and the building was in danger of demolition until this new project came along.

The team doing the work, known as Metropolitan Development Partners, secured the building in recent months as part of its agreement with the DDA, thereby winning praise for their efforts Wednesday. DDA board member Melvin Hollowell said, "This was a building that was a danger to the public and they've done an outstanding job."

David Blaszkiewicz, president and CEO of Invest Detroit and a DDA board member, said the Metropolitan was "clearly an architecturally significant building for downtown Detroit."

Tony Sabo and Eric Means, partners in the development group, said the remaining renovation work at the Metropolitan should take about a year.

Contact John Gallagher: 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @jgallagherfreep.