Here's a look at some of the news we're following this week in Detroit.
The East Tower of the Masonic goes up for sale
Ever wanted to own a piece of the largest masonic temple in the country? The East Tower is now up for sale for $9 million. This section does not include the concert halls or ballrooms, but the 10 stories equal more than 64,000 square feet of space. The East Tower has been vacant for a couple decades, and could be used for a hotel, housing, retail, or some sort of mixed-use space. It's listed through Lambrecht Realty. Detroit News (paywall)
Midtown building on Woodward for sale
A building that was formerly home to Union Street in Midtown is up for sale for $7.5 million, since the owner has been receiving unsolicited offers for the past year. About a year ago, the building made news when there was talk of adding a grocery store to it. That's still on the table, according to owner Mario Kiezi. They have had regional grocers walk through the property recently. The storefronts have been active for years, but not the second floor residential, which has been empty for decades. It's listed through O'Connor Real Estate. Crain's
The difficulty of small-scale development in Detroit
Detroit isn't short on properties to rehab. But for residents who want to renovate, numerous obstacles get in the way. Chase Cantrell digs into why it's so difficult. Undervalued properties in Black neighborhoods, access to financing, and now increased labor and material cost are hindering potential rehabbers, and cash investors keep snagging properties. Cantrell notes that there are classes people can take to help navigate the system, and rehab money could be coming to Detroit from the American Rescue Plan Back. Hopefully, it ends up in the hands of those wanting to improve their own neighborhood. Outlier Media
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