JC Reindl

Detroit Free Press

A Target store could anchor a planned retail, commercial and residential project at Woodward and Mack in Midtown Detroit, near the popular Whole Foods, according to development sources.

The entire development would fit on a 9-acre site that has a long-shuttered muffler shop and American Red Cross buildings.

It would feature a newly constructed 25,000-square-foot anchor store at the corner, plus 25,000 square feet of retail space and restaurants. That extra retail and restaurant space would mostly line Woodward, but would involve a small 5,000-square-foot retail building on Mack where there is now a parking lot, according to the project's preliminary site plans.

The development also could have a new 560-space parking deck and potential space for a new hotel, offices and student housing.

Details of the still-unnamed project were revealed Thursday during an International Conference of Shopping Centers event in Novi at the Suburban Collection Showplace. Multiple development sources at the conference identified national retailer Target as the project's possible anchor tenant. Target has been opening small-store concept stores in certain urban markets, most recently in Chicago.

A development and leasing agent for the project, Matthew Haran of Howard Schwartz Commercial Real Estate, said the project could get under way as early as next year and open in 2018. He would not comment on whether Target is looking to open a store there.

"There are no deals signed here, (but) I can tell you that we are still exploring the merchandising mix for the retail tenancy," Haran said. "This is going to be a pretty premier micro development."

Asked for comment, a Target spokesperson told the Free Press that the retailer doesn't "have anything to share" at this time regarding a Detroit store.

Adam Nyman, a representative for the project's developer, Birmingham-based Professional Property Management, confirmed that his company recently purchased the development site, but declined to discuss details. “We are not at a point yet where we can really divulge much," Nyman said.

A Red Cross representative could not be reached Thursday afternoon.

Contact JC Reindl: 313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@JCReindl.