February 2025 Review
It was a cold one, let's heat it up with some development news
It’s been a bit weird start to the year. It’s colder then it’s been the last couple of years, there’s some uncertainty with the markets, but Detroit developments are still serving up some new exciting things to discuss. If you follow me on Twitter, make sure to check out my new page on Bluesky, I’m going to try to post there as well.
Downtown Retail
Lower Woodward continues to grow as a commercial district that has the ability to showcase local and national business alike, becoming a home for Detroiters to do everyday shopping and a destination for tourists.
Apple Store
At long last, it has been confirmed that the tech giant is bringing one of its famed stores to downtown Detroit. Long speculated, the store still does not have a confirmed location, but it’s been highly likely for a while that the targeted spot is a Bedrock owned building that formerly housed Madewell, Detroit is the New Black, and Le Labo. All three stores were closed or moved elsewhere which, at the time, seemed like a move to free up prime retail real estate for a highly sought after client. After a year or so of speculation that Apple would be the tenant, it appears were closer to realizing that with the recent announcement.
You’ll get the one-off person that will lament the opening as just a store for overpriced goods, but the truth is that about 58% of smartphones in the US are iPhone, iPads make up about 52% of tablets, with Apple adding another 16% of the PC market share with various Mac products. So not needing to drive out to Somerset, Twelve Oaks, or Briarwood to get your phone, tablet, or computer serviced is going to be a huge win for a lot of Detroiters. Plus, the stores often serve as an attraction as they have a distinct modern design with products on full display for customers to try out.
Gardner White
The Michigan based furniture retailer is opening up a first of its kind store in the old Under Armour location, dubbed “GW HOME”. Spanning three floors and 15,000 square feet, the store will represent the furniture dealers venture into a more urban format that we’ve seen many retailers try out over the past few years. This also marks Gardner White’s first store in Detroit in roughly forty years, and a return to the downtown where they were founded in 1912.
For a strip full of mostly apparel stores, it will be nice to have something like a furniture store (Woodward Throwbacks did have a store near Capitol Park, but that has recently relocated). It’s long been a complaint that while there’s luxury stores and bars, there’s few places for residents near downtown to get everyday things they need. I can’t be sure how Gardner White HOME will handle a small format, likely with most things being sold for delivery, but it will still be great to have options downtown. Additionally, it would be great if they added some more home goods like linens to give people a place to quickly grab things they need around the house.
Free People
Probably a bit lesser known, but Free People is joining retailers along Woodward Ave, opening in what used to be Busted Bra Shop. An Urban Outfitters Brand, Free People specialized in women’s clothing and is what I’d consider a mid-price point, so it’s always good to add more options up and down the main drag.
Townhomes Denied Again
A site in Virginia Park has had its redevelopment blocked again, thought the developer has vowed that they will continue working with the Historic District Commission (HDC) to find a design that works. On what was formerly a parking lot for a hospital, developer Shahin Mustafa of Barr Properties has proposed 21 modern townhomes to fulfill an RFP the City of Detroit put out a few years back. The RFP called for high quality residential or mixed use and provided conceptual designs that included townhomes and apartments. The RFP did, however, include the caveat that the site was within the New Center Area historic district and the development would require approval from the HDC, and that’s where things have gone poorly for the developer.
Back in 2023, they proposed a 32-unit apartment complex that was sent back to the drawing board by the HDC due to issues with massing and size. Ms. Mustafa then returned with the current iteration, downsizing from 32 units of apartments and changing the setup to a townhome style development. Barr Properties received a denial from the Historic District Commission for a variety of reasons, including the massing, building materials, roof shape, and overall environment of the neighborhood.
I’ve written a bit on the Historic District Commission before, like them or hate them, they wield a lot of power in decisions like this, and developers have to work on getting approval if they want their plans to go forward. Mustafa has vowed to come back with a changed design and return to the Commission to seek approval.
Rising Buildings
Although they may have been announced and broken ground a while ago, multiple large-scale developments around the city have begun to rise from the ground with elevator cores and steel framing. When it comes to following development, you always want to see cranes in the air and although the Hudson crane came down this past winter, it looks like we’ll see some new cranes coming up this spring.
If you drive down the Lodge, you’ll see the huge Henry Ford Health development start to take shape. On the east side of the highway, you may see steel beginning to rise for the 335,000 square foot research center being development in conjunction with Michigan State University, replacing a former surface parking lot. This new building, in conjunction with the existing Pistons Performance Center, the redevelopment of Henry Ford One, and multiple planned apartment buildings, is planned to create a new district to support the healthcare system and expand Henry Ford across M-10.
If you take the Grand River exit and head towards downtown, you’ll see the start to the University of Michigan Center for Innovation behind to rise from the excavated hole in the ground. While there’s still much to go before the planned 2027 opening, you can now see the elevator cores peak over the fencing along Grand River and start to shape the planned 200,000 square foot building. Along with several cranes on site, the building will continue to grow over the summer and create some much-needed infill along Grand River, especially with the University opting to buy more land across the street for a proposed parking structure.
Supposedly, there may be more to come with this development. At the most recent CBO Update meeting for the District Detroit developments, it was told that a residential complex to go along with the Innovation Center will be the next building to break ground, and it could come as soon as this summer. This would mark a huge step forward in the development of the area behind the Fox Theater that’s been a long time coming, but we will see what happens.
If you continue traveling south to the Detroit River, you’ll see another tower rising next to Huntington Place (formerly TCF Center, formerly Cobo Hall). In the works for a while and announced last year, a new JW Marriot will continue to climb into the spring and summer, complimenting the recently completed Residence at Water Square, and look to be completed in time for the 2027 Final Four. Sterling Group is developing the nearly $400 million hotel which will add 600 rooms to the downtown area and serve as a connected hotel to the convention center. The apartment building next door quietly went up fast, and I expect the hotel to do the same given how far along it already is.
