East side residents voiced concerns to the City Council about a $24 million housing project solicited by the City of Detroit along a growing commercial corridor in West Village.
The city issued a request for developers to build housing on an “underutilized” surface parking lot at the Butzel Family Recreation Center and Butzel Play Field. A prior planning study for Greater Villages neighborhoods prioritized continuing commercial growth along Kercheval Avenue and adding affordable housing at the city-owned site.
A proposal from Detroit-based Arrive Community Development and Ethos Development Partners was selected by the city. The plan includes a four-story building with 48 housing units, amenities for tenants, five spaces for retail businesses, a reconfigured parking lot and a new entrance to the park.
Zach Kilgore, executive director of Arrive Community Development, said it’s the first project his nonprofit firm will take on since being founded in January.
Several City Council approvals are needed first, including a land sale and special land use authorization. Kilgore said they will seek a fast track PILOT tax break created by the council to incentivize deeper levels of affordable housing.
A few Detroiters spoke out against the project during Tuesday’s council session, arguing that investments along Kercheval Avenue haven’t benefited longtime residents.
Charlevoix Village Association President Toyia Watts said residents need access to the recreation center, and she’s worried the new housing would displace residents.
Cynthia Perry said projects in the area have catered to white newcomers. Perry said it’s evident in businesses like Barkside, a bar and cafe where visitors can let their dogs play off-leash in a fenced park. Another resident was more concerned with the impact on traffic congestion when the nearby Garvey Academy lets out.
A community input meeting was held later Tuesday evening. Kilgore told BridgeDetroit that he considers it an “anti-gentrification” project aimed at addressing rising costs by creating new, cheaper housing. Retail venues would also be offered at below-market rent for locally owned businesses.
All 48 units are considered affordable for people earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income, which is between $21,210 and $64,640 for a single person.
“Our goal is to have as many units as possible at that lowest level,” Kilgore said. “As we were putting together our proposal for this project, we went to different community groups like GenesisHOPE and the Charlevoix Village Association. The number one thing we were hearing is the want for deep affordability.”
Detroit’s housing and planning departments say the project could add density to the area and preserve affordability as housing rates rapidly increase. In the last five years, the average price for a 1,300-square-foot flat has doubled, rising to $1,400 to $1,500 per month.
Most of the units, 33 total, are one-bedroom and 650 square feet. Kilgore said the intent was to provide housing for single parents with children. It includes nine two-bedroom units and six studio apartments.
Martin White, president of the Historic Indian Village Association, said “density” is a buzzword that would undermine what makes the area one of Detroit’s best neighborhoods. White said the area is safe, well-maintained, walkable and home to families.
White attended the City Council meeting and the evening presentation. He left feeling that there’s plenty of vacant land on the east side that could be used instead of building on the recreation center parking lot.
Five other housing developments are expected to bring at least 280 units in the greater area, including a plan to rehabilitate the former John Gray Library into low-income housing.
City documents state more than $30 million has been invested in the area in recent years.
The project is in a Strategic Neighborhood Fund area that spurred new housing and business investments. The city aligned upgrades to Butzel Playfield in 2019 with $7.8 million in streetscape Improvements along Kercheval and Van Dyke.
Several businesses hold down the Kercheval corridor including Sister Pie, Two Birds, La Fonda, Barkside, Marrow, The Velvet Tower, Heavyweights Barber Shop, Village Parlor, FAIRCLOTH Boutique and others.
This is just another example of the city is allowing developers to get rich with absolutely no benefit to the long term benefit of the city. There is no shortage of units in this area. Show me a feasibility study..C
Chester, it’s being developed by a non-profit. Who’s getting rich exactly?
““density” is a buzzword that would undermine what makes the area one of Detroit’s best neighborhoods. White said the area is safe, well-maintained, walkable and home to families.”
This is a wild take. Density is precisely why the area is safe, well-maintained, walkable and home to families….more density will only continue it down that path. Especially if it is infill and not another massive parking lot. We need more anti-displacement developments like this in the city.
The site plan shown in this article is not the one presented at the meeting. There were neighbors at the meeting that were in support of this project – curious why those perspectives were not shared? Also it was failed to be pointed out that the planning department had options residents could vote on to replace the parking along kercheval…if parking is a concern then that was also missed somehow in this reporting.
I say no housing on Butzel Family center grounds period. Butzel Family center has been servicing the community for years
What about empty residential and commercial spaces already on the street. Stupid project
Once again a decent project is proposed and the NIMBY crowd crawls out of the woodwork to kill it. Just as they did with the COE-II project around the corner. The COE-II developer gave up and what is the result? A Vacant overgrown lot with two dilapidated vacant houses that have been an eyesore for decades. All courtesy of the whiny NIMBY crowd. How about recognizing this proposal as a project that will improve the neighborhood and increase property values? This project should be embraced.