Officials gathered in Midtown this week to open a new mixed-use residential building with veterans in mind. The Freelon at Sugar Hill, along John R Street, has 68 new residential units, with 14 specifically for veterans who have experienced homelessness.
The apartments for veterans will be offered at 30 to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), and because of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s HUD-VASH (VA Supportive Housing) voucher program through the Dingell VA Medical Center, veterans will not pay more than 30 percent of their income. Trough a partnership with Interior Designers Coalition for Change, these units are fully furnished.
Additional units will be offered for those making up to 80 percent AMA, with the rest offered at market-rate.
The building includes a 160-space parking garage, 11,900 square feet of retail space, and amenities for residents including a workout room, community lounge, and outdoor green space. It also includes an extension of the green alleyway between Garfield and Forest.
The $38 million development was led by Develop Detroit and the Preservation of Affordable Housing and designed by renowned architect Phil Freelon, who designed the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington and Atlanta's National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Freelon died in 2019 and this was one of the last projects he worked on.
“At Develop Detroit, we believe in high quality housing for all,” said Sonya Mays, president and CEO of Develop Detroit. “This development not only will become home to Detroiters of all walks of life, but is also one that reflects the needs and desires of our neighbors in the community. We are also proud to be serving our city’s veterans and to be adding affordable housing to Midtown.”
