A former Catholic school building near Hamtramck has completed its redevelopment. The formerly vacant Transfiguration School is now home to 19 new apartments.
The $7.2 million project came about as a partnership between the City and the Archdiocese of Detroit. Ethos Development and Cinnaire Solutions were picked by the Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department (HRD) to lead the development.
The apartments, mostly one-bedrooms with a couple two-bedrooms, are renting as affordable. Residents with incomes of 0% to 50% Area Median Income will be able to use project-based vouchers through the Detroit Housing Commission, so no one will pay more than 30 % of their income in rent. The affordability is guaranteed for 45 years.
“Transfiguration Place Apartments will provide much-needed affordable housing in Campau/Banglatown and offer Detroiters a beautiful place to call home,” said Julie Schneider, director of HRD. “Our department is committed to ensuring that development in our city creates equity and opportunity and that our city’s neighborhoods are welcoming, inclusive places for all. We look forward to continuing to fully support all developers who share that mission with us.”
The project isn't part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund, but sits in Campau/Banglatown, a neighborhood that's part of the program. Nearby Conant Street has recently undergone a streetscaping project, and Jayne Park has seen many improvements.
The two-story school building dates back to 1926 and served as the congregation’s church until 1950. The school closed in 2005, then was leased by a charter school. The school is part of a six-building complex that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.
