15 new Detroit developments to be excited about [PHOTOS]

Michigan Central


2001 15th St., Detroit; michigancentral.com
In 2018, Ford Motor Co. announced plans to revive Corktown’s hulking, long-abandoned 110-year-old train station (the last train departed in 1988) as the centerpiece of a planned 30-acre, $950 million innovation campus with retail and public space. Mayor Mike Duggan delivered his State of the City speech from the nearly completed facility in March, and said he expects the automaker to officially move in by July.

Book Tower

1265 Washington Blvd., Detroit; booktowerdetroit.com
Bedrock recently announced the completion of its 7-year, $300 million restoration of the nearly century-old high-rise, which has sat vacant since 2009. The 500,000-square-foot building includes 38 floors with 229 residential units, 117 hotel rooms, co-working space, 52,000 square feet of retail, and plans for three new dining concepts. The before-and-after photos Bedrock has shared are quite stunning.

Target

Mack and Woodward Avenues, Detroit
Department store chain Target plans to open a 32,000-square-foot “small format” store in the city in Midtown in late 2024. (It will be Detroit’s only Target. There used to be one on Eight Mile Road, which opened in 1987 and closed in 2003.) Even though it’ll be significantly smaller than the chain’s typical 130,000-square-foot stores that you’ll find in the suburbs, it’s a welcome addition to a city with few big-box shopping options.

The Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park


1801 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit

Ground broke on this $75 million project last year, which will transform a stretch of riverfront land (where the now-defunct Mo Pop music festival was held for years) into 22 acres of public space that will include playgrounds, basketball courts, an outdoor concert space, wildlife conservation efforts, and more. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2024.

The Development at Cadillac Square (formerly Monroe Blocks)

18 Monroe Ave., Detroit; developmentcadillacsquare.com
Originally projected for completion in 2022, Bedrock’s former Monroe Blocks project has seen delays and has since been scaled down. Original plans called for 814,000 square feet of office space, but a new plan unveiled in February, dubbed The Development at Cadillac Square, now calls for 400,000 square feet. Interestingly, the new design also includes a 2,000-seat concert venue that would reincorporate the ornate facade of the former National Theatre Building, an Albert Kahn-designed vaudeville house and movie theater. In the meantime, Bedrock has used the space to host its “Monroe Street Midway,” an outdoor site that includes public art, a roller rink, and a drive-in movie screen.

Hudson’s site

1208 Woodward Ave., Detroit; hudsonssitedetroit.com
Bedrock’s plan for a skyscraper built on the site of the former J. L. Hudson Department Store has seen numerous delays and revisions. Initially conceived as Michigan’s tallest building and expected to be completed last year, the project has been scaled back to the point where, at 685.4 feet, it will no longer be taller than Detroit’s Renaissance Center. On track for completion by the end of 2024, the development is expected to include 1.5 million square feet of office, retail, hotel, residential, event, and public spaces.

The District Detroit


Between Midtown and downtown; districtdetroit.com
Much has been said about the gulf between what the Ilitches promised their “District Detroit” surrounding Little Caesars Arena would look like (a bustling, tree-lined, walkable downtown with retail) and the reality (basically just parking lots). After already getting some $400 million in tax incentives for the project, the Ilitches’ Olympia Development has now asked for and received $616 million more. The development, if it comes to fruition, would include 10 new and rehabbed buildings, 695 apartments, retail, and hotels.

Joe Louis Greenway


This project calls for transforming a former rail corridor into a 27.5-mile pathway that would connect 23 Detroit neighborhoods, as well as Hamtramck, Highland Park, and Dearborn. Groundbreaking on the $240 million, 10-year project started in 2021.

Gordie Howe International Bridge


gordiehoweinternationalbridge.com
A second international bridge linking Detroit to Windsor has been met with fierce opposition from the billionaire owner of the Ambassador Bridge, but the $4.5 billion project, named after the late great, Canadian-born Detroit Red Wings player, is now underway. Unlike the Ambassador Bridge, the Gowdie Howe International Bridge would connect Detroit’s freeways to Windsor’s, and would also allow for pedestrian and bike traffic. Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

Fisher 21 Lofts


6051 Hastings St., 666 Harper Ave., and 991 Harper Ave., Detroit

Detroit’s hulking former Fisher Body Plant No. 21, abandoned since the 1990s, could soon be reborn as a mixed-use development. The $134 million plan calls for 433 residential units and commercial space. Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

Detroit Food Commons


 8324 Woodward Ave., Detroit; detroitpeoplesfoodcoop.com
This North End-area development, which launched in 2010 and is slated to open later this year, includes a grocery cooperative where members will decide what kinds of food it sells and how it operates. The co-op’s Detroit Food Commons building will be jointly owned by the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network and Develop Detroit, and also promises educational opportunities for nutrition, shared kitchen spaces, and to support local farmers and vendors. In a city with few grocery stores, this development should be a game-changer.

Stanley’s Mannia Café

249 E. Baltimore Ave., Detroit
A long-abandoned futuristic-looking “Googie”-style building that used to hold a Chinese restaurant with ties to Detroit’s hip-hop scene could soon see a new life as a music venue. In 2021, indie music promoter MeanRed Productions purchased the building, vacant since 2013, with plans to transform it into a 780-person capacity concert venue and lounge.

The Heidelberg Project

3600 Block of Heidelberg St., Detroit; heidelberg.org
In 1986, artist Tyree Guyton began fighting blight in his childhood neighborhood by painting colorful polka dots and building whimsical art installations out of abandoned houses using found objects like stuffed animals. After a few clashes with city officials, the Heidelberg Project has since become a permanent fixture of the city and a tourist destination for travelers the world over. The Duggan administration recognized Guyton with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2021, and in recent years the Heidelberg Project has been moving forward with its “Heidelberg 3.0” phase, which includes resident artists, bringing permanent art installations from other artists onto the campus, a Leadership Academy, summer camp for city kids, and other developments.

600 Associates (former Joe Louis Arena site)


19 Steve Yzerman Dr., Detroit; 600associates.com The site of the Red Wings’ former home from 1979-2017 could soon be reborn as a 25-story glass residential tower with 500 housing units. Detroit-based developer Sterling Group acquired the 5-acre site through the city’s bankruptcy, and construction is expected to be completed in 2024.

Big Sean’s movie theater

Sad but true: Detroit only has one first-run movie theater, the Bel Air Luxury Cinema at 10100 Eight Mile Rd. Rapper Big Sean aims to change that. In 2018, he announced plans to open a new multiplex in the city through a partnership with Emagine Entertainment. While its location has yet to be revealed, Big Sean says construction is expected to start in the fall and should be completed in 2024.