We're getting Urbanize Detroit off the ground here and excited to be a new source for development and urban planning news in Detroit. Do you have any tips? Feel free to reach out at detroit@urbanize.city. Here's what's been happening this week.
The Old Wayne County Building is still looking for a tenant, and a new name?
You have to appreciate the Old Wayne County building for its sheer persistance. It's always looked so much older than any building near it. The landmark has sat vacant for a decade, and new owners revamped it over the last few years. It still needs a tenant, though. Kirk Pinho at Crain's reported that the new owners briefly rebranded it as "The Randolph" before realizing the building across the street was called "The Randolph." So now they'll market it as 600 Randolph Street. We still like the sound of the Old Wayne County Building, and hope that a large tenant can see the beauty in the old gem.
The Old Wayne County Building Photo via Shutterstock
Gabriel Houze opens as hospitality residence
Barbat Holdings has completed the renovation of what they're calling Gabriel Houze on Michigan Avenue downtown. DBusiness reports that Sonder USA Inc, a hospitality group, is now leasing for short stays. A quick search on their site shows that you can rent a room in Gabriel Houze for about $91 a night with in-suite laundry and a kitchen. The building has 125 furnished rooms, with a gym on-site. Sonder is not a hotel, not an Airbnb, but a middle ground developed by an entrepreneur in 2013 and now a different option for a short-term stay in downtown Detroit.
Business changes along Woodward
A new store will move into the John Varvatos space in the Wright-Kay Building on Lower Woodward. Grayson Clothiers, which sells golf and activewear, will be opening this month. They had previously set up shop in the First National Building.
Further down into Midtown, everyone's been talking about the potential end of Union Street, and the grocery store that could take its place. The thought of a Trader Joe's in that space is appealing to many. Pair that with the possibility of a discount grocer in the new SoMa development, and we might have some options soon.
Land dispute halts Greenway
The Joe Louis Greenway will provide a 28-mile pathway around Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, and into Dearborn in the near future. Construction on some of the greenway was supposed to start this spring, but now there's a dispute over who owns the land. Whether it's the city or the company who's claiming it, it looks like the greenway will be delayed again.
