Catalyst - April

Upscale hotel “Temple Detroit” coming to the Cass Corridor in 2020 PAGE 12

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FOR THOSE REDESIGNING DEVELOPING & CREATING A NEW DETROIT APRIL 2019

Rainy Days

in Detroit: How architect Rainy Hamilton helped build Detroit PAGE 12

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It’s a New Day in Detroit!

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elcome to Catalyst, a new digital-only publication dedicated to those who are redesigning, developing, and revitalizing Detroit. Published monthly, Catalyst is geared towards ensuring an inclusive ‘new Detroit’ economy and will effectively deliver insights to help anyone looking to do business in the Southeast Michigan region connect with the resources that enable them to grow their business, build capacity, and solve the challenges that impact the way they operate. While the new publication will span the efforts of the entire industry, it places special focus on minorities who are trailblazing a new economy. Each issue will be a wealth of information about the individuals, issues and projects that are making waves in the region while giving readers a unique glimpse into the lives of some of the major players.

CONTENTS 8 Monroe Blocks

coming to Downtown Detroit in 2022

10 Detroit’s Midtown

Catalyst isn’t just about big personalities and multimillion-dollar deals. It is our mission to educate the community about the influx of opportunity and enable the city’s underserved to participate in the economic mainstream.

Luxury boutique hotel, luxury condominiums, multi-family housing, retail and more

Over the next few months, we will be developing additional programming to complement the editorial content you’ll find in Catalyst. For those looking to improve their understanding of the evolving economy and how to prosper in it, we will launch a series of educational seminars, professional networking opportunities, and training events focused on topics such as access to capital, tools, programs, and more.

Hotel 12 Upscale “Temple Detroit”

Sponsored in part by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Catalyst will assuredly become the best way to keep up with the pulse of the quickly evolving Detroit development industry.

coming to the Cass Corridor in 2020

Hiram E. Jackson, Publisher Real Times Media

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Tanisha Leonard

www.catalystdetroit.com Powered by Real Times Media

4 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com

President RTM360

Editor Patreice A. Massey Designer Raymond Allen

Staff Writers Branden Hunter Trevor W. Coleman

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How architect Rainy Hamilton helped build Detroit

A

By Branden Hunter

rchitect Rainy Hamilton Jr., FAIA, NOMA, grew up in the area of Joy Road and ­Wyoming in Detroit. And if you know anything about the present-day Joy Road area, the 48204-zip code is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the nation. Hamilton spoke of a nicer time in his old neighborhood during the 1960s, when the crime rate was not as high, the lawns were manicured, and the streets were lined with elm trees.

“Joy Road and Wyoming, and Tireman, when my family moved into the neighborhood when I was 6 or 7-years-old, was all white,” said Hamilton. “It was a large Jewish population in that Joy Road, Oakman area then and I was the only African-American at Barton Middle School, that I could recall. My father would walk halfway to the school to greet me and walk me home and he told me that since I was the only African-American student among the white students, he could easily pick me out of the crowd.”

“That neighborhood was beautiful in that day.

Over the years, the neighborhood has declined, as a lot of neighborhoods in Detroit have. It’s a different world over there now. There are a few stable blocks and others are in disrepair. It’s really sad.”

Hamilton would love to see his old neighborhood restored to the days of his childhood, growing up on Roselawn Street. That has been his vision for all of Detroit for the past 24 years, as principal of Hamilton Anderson Associates. Ever since his mother bought him a model train as a child and he first studied

catalystdetroit.com | April 2019 | catalyst 5

drafting at Charles Drew Middle School, then architecture at Cass Technical High School in 1974 and the University of Detroit Mercy, Hamilton wanted to be a builder of Detroit.

“That has been my goal and dream my entire life,” said Hamilton. “What I am thrilled about right now, is that we’re actually building new neighborhoods in Detroit. And that has been my thought process all my life; how can I take the lessons and skills that I learned at the University of Detroit School of Architecture and use those skills to improve my own hometown of Detroit. It’s really been fun rebuilding Detroit one house, one block, and one neighborhood at a time.”

Hamilton’s work is all over Detroit and you probably did not know it, from Detroit School of Arts, Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, Chene Park Amphitheater, Chrysler House, Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, Little Caesars Arena, Orleans Landing, Hudson’s Block, Harmonie Park, Paradise Valley, and hundreds of other buildings, homes, spaces, parks, and other designs in the Detroit area. He still lives in Detroit, in the University District near his alma mater and has headquartered his business in Paradise Valley on Randolph Street, well before downtown Detroit was the place to be. Hamilton Anderson Associates and its namesake have been a staple in Detroit for decades and they do not plan on abandoning the city.

“

It’s really been fun rebuilding Detroit one house, one block, and one neighborhood at a time.”

“Detroit is my home,” said Hamilton. “I have aspirations and visions that it can be a better city. I think we are still behind, although we’ve made tremendous progress over the last 10 years, but we still have a lot of vacant property and dilapidated buildings throughout our communities. It saddens me to see the plight of Detroit, when we have so much to offer. We’re on an international waterway, we have one of the largest ports in America, and we have a lot of growth potential. I know Detroit like the back of my hand and I want to be a part of its growth for another 25 years.”

African-American architects account for only two percent of the total population of licensed architects working in the United States. When Hamilton was in grade school, he did not see any African-American architects or designers come to career day. It is not a sexy profession, but it is an important one, especially with so much development going on in Detroit and around the country. When it is his time to put the T-square down, he hopes that others that look like him and come from where he comes from will build where he left off.

“African-Americans are still greatly underrepresented in this profession,” Hamilton said.

“The growing women community of architects seem to be outpacing the rest of the minority population of architects in the world, but we are still less than 2 percent. I think it’s important that we get more African-Americans involved, then we can design our own communities. When there is not a lot of design talent, often times, people will look outside of the community for the talent. I think it’s important that children and adults are introduced to the profession so that we can continue to make a significant impact on the world and our own neighborhoods.”

6 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com

Renovation of

Saint Rita Apartments A Physical and Psychological Lift to the Neighborhood

L

By Trevor W. Coleman

ost in all the hoopla last Tuesday over the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announcement of a $1.6 billion ­investment in the repurposing the ­current Mack Avenue Engine Complex into a vehicle assembly plant was an equally joyous announcement the next day by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, even if it didn’t quite carry the cache of a billion dollar investment project.

No doubt about it, the FCA announcement with its potential for 5,000 jobs was another huge win for the city. But Mayor Duggan’s standing on the steps of the Saint Rita Apartments with various local officials celebrating the opening of the newly renovated apartments as an affordable housing unit should not be underestimated in its value to the community as well.

You see, the $7.2M development project and 31,467 square-foot, six-story building, was once vacant and uninhabitable for many years. And the building itself, located just north of Midtown off of Woodward Ave. at 35 Owen St. in

Detroit was elegantly reconstructed featuring 26 one-bedroom, state-ofthe-art, 750-square-foot units. Its hallways were impeccably restored with detailed tile work and imported marble from Greece.

Other amenities include a community room, computer lab, library, and a common laundry room. And the century-old, six-story Georgian Revival red brick apartment is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The historic rehabilitation project will provide housing and support services for Detroiters experiencing homelessness, with a preference for homeless veterans and individuals and Detroit residents with special needs.

And the owner of the building; Central City Integrated Health will provide on-site supportive services and assistance for apartment residents to not only maintain their housing status but also to help them positively contribute to the community.

“After 100 years from its creation, the historic Saint Rita Apartments are being brought back to life, not for the wealthy, but for those most in need,” said CCIH President and CEO Ryan Lepper. “We have diligently worked to ensure that these individuals can live

(continued on page 15)

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edrock has broken ground on its 1.4 million square-foot Monroe Blocks project situated on two city blocks at the corner of Monroe Street and Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit, one year after commencing construction on what will be Michigan’s tallest building on the former site of the JL Hudson’s department store.

Located in the heart of Detroit’s Central Business District, the Monroe Blocks development will restore density and vibrancy to a site that has been vacant for decades.

A distinctive blend of accessible open spaces, destination restaurants and retail, modern office space, and residential options, Monroe Blocks is the very definition of a “live, work, play” master planned development.

Monroe

Blocks coming to Downtown Detroit in 2022

By Banden Hunter 8 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com

Drawing on its location at the intersection of several important districts within the downtown core, the Monroe Blocks incorporates intelligent urban and landscape design strategies to deliver new pedestrian thoroughfares, public open courtyards, and inspiring architectural elements.

Plans for the massive project include the first high-rise office tower to be built downtown in a generation, as well as more than an acre of open space, nearly equivalent to the size of the adjacent Campus Martius Park.

“Monroe Blocks will serve a purpose much larger than just providing much needed office and residential space to downtown Detroit. It will be a magnet for excitement and activity on a previously dense and vibrant site that has been underutilized for decades,” said Dan Gilbert, Chairman of Bedrock. “The world’s most innovative professionals and companies demand an environment that inspires and has a positive impact the surrounding area. Monroe Blocks places ample open space

and cutting-edge technology at the literal center of the city, while offering a new landmark gathering place for Detroiters and visitors alike.”

The development is slated for completion in 2022 and will fill in the final missing piece surrounding Campus Martius Park where some of Detroit’s most well attended events take place, from tree lighting and ice-skating to dining and outdoor concerts.

“Breaking ground on Monroe Blocks represents another major milestone in Detroit’s resurgence and continues the momentum that is being felt across the city,” said Governor Rick Snyder.

“Knowing that success for Detroit leads to success for Michigan, I am excited to see the start to another important project that is vital to connecting districts in the downtown area.”

A rendering of the new Monroe Blocks project courtyard.

Some of Detroit’s most iconic buildings also face the park, including the historic First National Building and the Chase Tower (also known as The Qube), designed by Albert Kahn.

“For decades, it seemed like all we saw in this town were buildings going vacant and buildings coming down,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Now there is historic preservation taking place everywhere you look, and demand is so strong we have new skyscrapers about to rise. The Monroe block and Hudson’s block projects will fill major holes in our downtown and transform our city’s skyline for generations to come.”

Following an international search, Bedrock worked with Danish architecture firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen based in Copenhagen to design the

project alongside renowned Detroit-based firm Neumann/Smith Architecture.

Blocks project square.

The team imagined a master plan that re-introduces historic alleyways and public access points, while prioritizing the public realm both outdoors and in each structure’s ground floor.

Connect the surrounding downtown districts through intelligent urban and landscape design strategies. Restore a variety and density of uses to the heart of downtown with iconic office and residential space. Create new vibrant open spaces mixed with retail, food and entertainment for all to enjoy.

Monroe Blocks is Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s first U.S. project.

“Monroe Blocks is a project with a striking sense of place that connects people and spaces on a physical, social and cultural level,” said Kristian Ahlmark, Partner and Design Director at Schmidt Hammer Lassen. “New pedestrian thoroughfares reintroduce openness and urban porosity that this area of downtown Detroit has been missing for decades.”

A rendering of the new Monroe

The design of the Monroe Blocks was guided by three design principles:

The groundbreaking took place on Monroe Blocks Block A, the block located at Campus Martius and Monroe Street. Block A represents roughly two-thirds of the project and will be anchored by a 35-story glass and terra cotta office tower offering a combination of large floor plates, tall ceiling heights and access to sunlight currently unprecedented in Detroit.

The structure is designed to be Detroit’s first WELL Certified building, placing emphasis on health and well-being through dozens of criteria related to light, air, water, fitness, nourishment and more. Sustainability is a priority throughout [Monroe Blocks], with the buildings on Block A seeking LEED certification.

Block A will also contain a 17-story, 148-unit residential building and a total of 66,000 square feet of retail space designed to attract signature shops and restaurants.

In total, Monroe Blocks will offer 847,000 square feet of office space, an estimated 482 residential units and

(continued on page 15) catalystdetroit.com | April 2019 | catalyst 9

Luxury condo, retail, hotel development planned for

Detroit’s Midtown — By Branden Hunter —

A

new mixed-use development is coming to Midtown Detroit, with 3750 Woodward Avenue LLC, announcing plans for, The Mid, located at 3750 Woodward Ave. The nearly 3.8-acre development will include a luxury boutique hotel, luxury condominiums, co-living housing, multi-family housing, retail space, parking and interwoven public spaces for community, resident, and visitor engagement. At a total investment of $310 million, the initial phase of The Mid is slated to open to the public in December 2020.

Inspired by Midtown’s music, art, history, and culture, The Mid is located at the epicenter of Midtown’s bustling corridors, melding the City’s Central Business District with New Center. The Mid aims

10 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com

to bring together the community and residents from a mul backgrounds to experience all that Midtown has to offer.

“There was a real opportunity in Midtown to address a nu community needs, from housing and retail, to inclusive publi creating a walkable, ing, uplifting spac Shane Napper, deve manager, 3750 W Ave, LLC. “The Mid ambitious project wi tinctive personality d to celebrate the co and give visitors to a memorable Detroi ence.”

Residential oc rates in Midtown exceed 98 percent. the demand for mo ing in the area, The provide 250 multi-fa idences, including a able housing comp few hundred co-livin

and 60 high-end luxury condos to accommodate the unprecedented and growing demand for various types of housing with state-of-the-art amenities.

A centerpiece of the project will be a 228-room luxury boutique hotel by an award-winning hospitality brand to be announced in early summer. The 216,000-square-foot hotel will include a dining venue and cocktail lounge with menus curated by award-winning chefs.

“This transformational project is another example of the continuing high-level of investment and activity in Midtown,” said Sue Mosey, executive director, Midtown Detroit Inc. “We’re excited to welcome The Mid because it will add so much to the area – housing, needed services to residents, create more traffic for existing businesses, and serve as an attraction to patrons frequenting Midtown’s thriving food and entertainment district.”

“What’s really distinctive about The Mid is the vibranIn addition to a luxury boutique hotel, The Mid will feacy of the project,” said ture up to 100,000 square Paul VanDevender, manfeet of retail space ranging 3750 Woodward Avenue LLC aging director for CBRE from small, neighborhood has assembled a project development team in Detroit. “The range of businesses to a grocery rehousing options, retail and that includes: tailer, catering to both the community spaces have Midtown community and Broker of Record/ Owner’s Representative: CBRE been approached with an the residents and patrons imaginative design that Master Developer: Rockford & Real Estate Interests, LLC within the development. we hope will become a More details will be reMaster Architect: inFORM central point in Midtown, leased on retailers as plans inspiring people to meet Pre-construction Manager: Walsh are solidified. up at The Mid. It will be Lead Attorneys: Kotz Sangster The development will a reflection of the energy also include a 744-space Parking: Rich and Associates and innovation that can be parking deck. felt throughout Midtown Civil Engineers: Hennessey Engineers today.”

Groundbreaking on Hotel & Condo Architects of Record: DLR The Mid is expected this Visit TheMidDetroit.

Interior Design: Curioso summer, creating 1,800 com for more details on construction jobs and 400 Condo Brokers: Max Broock The Mid as they become permanent jobs. available.

ltitude of

umber of ic spaces welcomce,” said elopment Woodward is a very ith a disdesigned ommunity the area it experi-

ccupancy currently To meet ore house Mid will amily resan affordponent, a ng units,

catalystdetroit.com | April 2019 | catalyst 11

Upscale hotel “Temple Detroit”

coming to the Cass Corridor in 2020 The 190,000 square foot property will host 100 hotel rooms, 70 residential units and 3 culinary & mixology venues. This is the first development of 7 additional projects to be announced in the months to come.

By Patreice A. Massey 12 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com

sbe, a leading international ho develops, manages and opera global hospitality brands, has an of Temple Detroit, a House of Or laboration with developer Byzant partners Christos Moisides, Dav Gretchen Carhartt Valade. The $ the first hotel to be signed follow ment of the House of Originals troit, slated to open in June of 20 hotels rooms and 70 residential u sbe restaurant and mixology / nig project will be designed by awar ture firm McIntosh Poris Associa itz Design, Lenny Kravitz’ interio based in New York.

“I am very proud to announce Originals deal in Detroit and also p

for over a decade, the soul of Detroit called me back and has aligned me with this creative team, pooling our talents together to develop Temple, a House of Originals Hotel,” said Christos Moisides, Partner of Byzantine Holdings. “We have a blend of local and international talents including Lenny Kravitz and Kravitz Design, Sam Nazarian and his first-rate lifestyle hotel and hospitality company, sbe, along with local architect McIntosh Poris, Rockford Construction’s national expertise from its Detroit office and financing led by Detroit based Chemical Bank” The developer is collaborating with architecture firm McIntosh Poris Associates alongside Kravitz Design to complete the 190,000 square foot 1920’s Albert Kahn designed building. The 8 story property features 100 hotel rooms and suites with 70 residential units across from the historic Cass Park. Since the 1920’s on, auto barons, athletes, musicians, and factory workers all intermingled in this dynamic part of Detroit called the Cass Corridor. Anchored by several major venues within a 1 mile radius, the property is 2 blocks from Little Caesar’s Arena (home of Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons and top concerts), Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers), Ford Field (Detroit Lions), and CBD (1 mile). The Cass Corridor, where the hotel development is located, is in transition as part of Detroit’s revival and is expected to be transformed into a sports and entertainment district with several mixed use developments proposed. Temple is the perfect blend of the renewed Detroit that has not forgotten where it came from - it perfectly represents sbe’s mission to create properties with a bold spirit that challenges and inspires.

ospitality group that ates award-winning nnounced the debut riginals hotel, in coltine Holdings and its vid Sutherland and $72 million project is wing the announcedebut. Temple De020, will feature 100 units in addition to a ghtclub venues. The rd-winning architecates alongside Kravor design company

with incredible entrepreneur, Christos Moisides and his partners David Sutherland and Philanthropist and retired Carhartt Chairwoman, Gretchen C. Valade,” said Sam Nazarian, Founder & CEO of sbe. “I am also thrilled to collaborate again with my close friend Lenny Kravitz and his design firm to develop this historical property, bringing our full circle sbe lifestyle experience to Detroit.”

e our first House of proud to be working

“Growing up in Detroit, I spent my youth in the bars and music venues of this colorful city. Living in LA

Temple will offer guests award-winning mixology and culinary experiences, in addition to DJ’s, live music and entertainment available in the Subterranean Club and exclusive Vault Bar. Other amenities include the rooftop pool and lounge which offers stunning skyline views of Detroit and a luxurious full-service spa. Indoor and outdoor event spaces are available throughout the property as well.

“Detroit is a special place with a fascinating history. My connection with the city has been through the decades of music created there. In recent years, I have also become interested in Detroit as a city being reborn. It’s very satisfying for me, as a result, to work with Christos Moisides, who has a true love for Detroit and a passion for its success as a city,” said Lenny Kravitz, Founder of Kravitz Design. “He has assembled a great team and I am pleased to be able to offer my energy and ideas to the success of the Temple Hotel, as well as Detroit. I am excited to collaborate with sbe on this project as I’ve enjoyed working with my good friend Sam Nazarian and his team in the past.” sbe introduces Temple to the House of Originals brand collection which also includes the Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London, 10 Karakoy in Istanbul, and the Shore Club in Miami Beach.

The House of Originals is a collection of luxury hotels that are individually special to the city in which each resides. These inspiring properties are recognized as trailblazers, setting a standard of hospitality and experience that makes every hotel iconic in its own right. For every hotel in this collection, there is an undying spirit and promise of originality.

The success of Temple Detroit also speaks to the monumental growth of sbe’s residential platform with 1,300 branded residential units sold to date, valued at $2 billion, with another $2 billion in the pipeline.

catalystdetroit.com | April 2019 | catalyst 13

The Detroit City Council approved a Development Agreement that will pave the way for significant affordable housing investment across Detroit. Bedrock, in partnership with local developer Woodborn Partners, proposed a mixed-income neighborhood on one of Detroit’s largest vacant properties; the 22-acre former Frederick Douglass public housing site (“Douglass Site”). This projects marks yet another major investment in Detroit’s affordable housing arena.

Detroit City Council approves 900-Unit Mixed-Income Residential Development at Douglass Site

With the proceeds from the $23 million sale, the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) will invest in existing public housing, preservation and renovation of other affordable housing units throughout the entire city, as well as construction job training initiatives for Detroit residents.

“This deal is a win for the entire City of Detroit. First, a long-vacant site adjacent to downtown will finally see redevelopment that will bring quality housing with significant affordable options and more amenities to the neighborhood,” said Mayor Mike Duggan.

“Second, the proceeds from this sale will transform public housing in Detroit by accelerating the preservation and renovation of affordable units across the city, allowing us to keep people in

By Branden Hunter

their homes and provide a higher-quality of housing.”

The site has been vacant since the former Frederick Douglass public housing structures were demolished in 2014.

The site provides a unique opportunity to build a bridge between the Brush Park and Eastern Market neighborhoods, given its location and size, creating a thriving corridor of new housing and public markets. Bedrock and its partners’ proposed master plan is designed to connect this site to surrounding areas while creating a wide range of housing options in the heart of the city.

“The Douglass Site gives us the unique opportunity to create a development that will offer something for everyone and bring a sense of community

14 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com

back to a space with such a rich historic legacy for so many Detroiters,” said Dan Gilbert, Chairman of Bedrock. “Parks, courtyards, retail, affordable housing and for-sale units are all in the mix on this project and we look forward to working with our partners to create a thriving and diverse community with opportunity for all Detroiters to enjoy.”

Bedrock has engaged Jonathan Rose Companies, a nationally respected affordable housing developer, to advise on the development of the affordable housing component of the project, with Rose potentially taking on the affordable housing development role.

“We are so pleased to have been selected by the Bedrock/Woodborn team to help transform this site into a vibrant mixed income community and for Mayor Duggan, the Detroit City Council and HRD’s commitment of resources to make the affordable housing component of the site viable,” said Jonathan Rose, President of Jonathan Rose Companies. “With the Douglass site’s proximity to employment, healthcare and education, and its planned community gardens, we see a chance to create a community that enhances the opportunity potential of the families that will live here.”

St. Rita Apartments continued with the dignity and respect that they deserve as they continue to rebuild their lives.”

In a city where the cost of leasing or buying property for downtown and Midtown buildings like this have skyrocketed over the past decade, CCIH could have probably leased it out for quadruple the rent they will be getting from its low-income tenants.

While it may not compare to a $1.6 billion corporate investment in good paying jobs in Detroit, this was a very important development for the city and its resident for several reasons.

Among them is that it is yet another example of city leadership working collaboratively with corporate and non-profit partners and neighborhoods to identify areas for improvement that will have a maximum impact where city residents actually live, not just where they shop, eat, or do business.

And significantly, the apartment structure itself is tasteful, well crafted, unobtrusive and fits well into the neighborhood. The fact the city was thoughtful enough to essentially engage a developer who practiced a form of “reverse gentrification,” by fixing up neighborhood property and leasing it back to residents at an affordable price is significant.

While only an incremental step in a city with neighborhoods with huge needs, it does send a very positive message to its long-suffering poor, working class and middle-class residents who have hung in there with Detroit through thick

Monroe Blocks continued 117,000 square feet of retail space.

Block B, located at Monroe and Randolph Streets, will be largely residential, and designs are still evolving.

The two blocks (Block A and Block B) are bisected by a stretch of Farmer Street that will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning December 17, 2018 and converted to pedestrian-only open space. The converted street complements a spacious courtyard at the center of the development for a total of more than an acre of open space at Monroe Blocks.

In 2017, Bedrock announced four transformational projects that when complete will add more than 3.4 million square feet of office, residential, retail and open space to Detroit’s Central Business District.

Together, these projects represent $2.1 billion in investment and will create up to 24,000 construction and permanent jobs.

Monroe Blocks is one of the largest among the transformational developments, which also include the Hudson’s Site project, the restoration of the historic Book Building and Tower, and a 310,000 square-foot addition to

and thin. Projects such as this send a message that even as the city celebrates large mega projects that draw national and international praise from investors all over the globe; from Lansing to Wall Street, from Italy to London, it has not forgotten the people in its neighborhoods.

And not just the hard working lower and middle-class families who make up the bulk of its residents, but also those who are marginalized but are making an effort to improve their lives.

“As Detroit neighborhoods improve, we have to make sure there is room for everyone, including our most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Thanks to the redevelopment of the Saint Rita and support services provided by CCIH, residents struggling with homelessness, especially our veterans, will have the support they need to transition into a more stable life, employment and eventually permanent housing.”

The renovation of the once-blighted out Saint Rita Apartments is just a few hundred years from Woodward Ave. Its renovation was both a physical and psychological uplift to the neighborhood. By cleaning up the building and making it inhabitable again and ensuring its upkeep with the partnership with CCIH, city leaders have overnight increased the value of that neighborhood property and others on that street. And that is something that could have taken years for homeowners to do.

Most importantly, they have also increased the value of their word with Detroit’s most important investors - its ­residents.

One Campus Martius.

Turner Construction Company, in its capacity as General Contractor for the project, predicts that Monroe Blocks alone require a total of over 11,000 construction professionals to complete.

As economic development continues to heat up downtown, Bedrock is committed to making sure Detroiters are poised to take advantage of the opportunities that arise as a result.

The Quicken Loans Community Fund and Bedrock were lead investors in Mayor Mike Duggan’s effort to revitalize Breithaupt and Randolph Career and Technical schools. These Detroit public schools serve hundreds of youth and adults and provide the technology-based, hands-on education that expands career options.

A rendering of the new Monroe Blocks project residential building.

In November, Bedrock, Barton Malow and Turner Construction Company hosted a massive Ready. Set. Build! career expo at Cobo Center, where over 3,000 job seekers learned about various trades through hands-on demonstrations and video presentations. Attendees met union apprenticeship school directors and interacted with contractors to learn the process

for entering the construction industry.

The two blocks along Monroe Street that make up the development were known historically as Detroit’s first theater district, lined with Italianate stone and brick buildings built between 1852 and 1911. The site was razed in 1990 with the exception of the National Theater, which was designed by prolific Detroit architect Albert Kahn and opened as a vaudeville house in 1911.

The theatre hosted a series of acts after vaudeville went out of fashion, including motion pictures and burlesque.

After finally closing in the 1970s, the theatre remained vacant and open to the elements for over 40 years. During that time the structure incurred extensive and irreparable damage.

Bedrock is committed to retaining the façade of the historic National Theatre and incorporating the magnificent terracotta archway into the development. The façade will be carefully disassembled, cataloged, and relocated to span a pedestrian walkway that will bisect Monroe Blocks. The walkway, which is currently a stretch of Farmer Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic and be a part of the development’s open space totaling over an acre.

Learn more at monroeblocksdetroit. com.

catalystdetroit.com | April 2019 | catalyst 15

IN LOOKING FOR THE IDEAL RESUME, YOU’VE IGNORED THE IDEAL CANDIDATE.

LEARN HOW TO FIND, TRAIN AND CULTIVATE 16 catalyst | April 2019 | catalystdetroit.com A GREAT POOL OF UNTAPPED TALENT.