29 May Development notes: Conners Creek, Shapero Hall, palm trees in Detroit?

Source: Curbed Detroit

One large property we’ll hear more about in the next few years is the site of the old Conners Creek Power Plant. It sits along the Detroit River on the east side of the city, and DTE is expected to send out an invitation-only request for proposals next month, according to the Detroit Free Press. This one will be a redevelopment puzzle: should developers tear it down or offer adaptive reuse plans?

Google Maps

The 75-acre site sits near the Edison Boat Club and the McMansions at the Morgan Waterfront Estates. June’s Drinks x Design meet-up will take place at the Edison Boat Club and discuss adaptive reuse. Guests must register for this one.

More on the DTE property here. Any thoughts on what you’d like to see at this site across from Belle Isle?

We’re going to see a lot of changes to the areas around Lafayette Park soon, including the demolition of Shapero Hall. Crain’s reports that developer Amin Irving has plans to build a new development with two buildings—one 12 stories and one five stories. The development would have 314 apartments and 60 for-sale condos. This current plan is expected to break ground next spring.

Google Maps

The building is owned by Dennis Kefallinos, and in 2014, his development group Boydell had plans to create micro-apartments from the old Wayne State pharmaceutical school. That obviously never materialized.

Crain’s also reports on a few other nearby developments:

• The Friends School site will be called Pullman Parc and include 148 apartments and 80 for-sale condos. Expect a ground breaking late this year or early next year.
• The Platform is expected to break ground on the Joe Muer site across from Eastern Market next spring. Plans call for two buildings with retail and residential.
• Develop Detroit will break ground in about a year on a large residential project at Gratiot and Russell. Expect 253 apartments, 25,000 square feet of retail, and over 300 parking spaces.
• The Meijer mixed-use development previously reported could break ground in October this year.

The city may feel tropical with the blast of hot temperatures and humidity, but is it the right place for palm trees? Many noticed a few planted near Grand River and the Lodge last week; the new flora are courtesy of the neighboring Motor City Casino & Hotel.

Now you can find us under the palm trees! The perfect vacation is right down the street!

A post shared by MotorCity Casino Hotel (@motorcitycasino) on May 22, 2018 at 9:59am PDT

A spokesperson from the casino tells Metro Times, “Our local landscaper said ‘how about some palm trees?’ and we thought it would be awesome. Our branding from a marketing standpoint is “a million miles away, right down the street” so it’s sort of an escape, like teleporting away.”

The trees will be moved during the winter months, of course.

Maybe we can look at this as the Ilitches adding something besides parking to an empty lot.

Do you have a development story we should cover? Hit us up on the tip line.

Original Article
Curbed Detroit