I have been, for quite some time, immensely committed to the improvement of community development and economic empowerment. My vision still remains and more than ever, I see the importance of growth in the City of Detroit.

Some 24 percent of Detroit tenant households were headed by someone at least 60 years old in 2017. That is according to a new analysis of Census data from real estate research and listings site RENTCafé.

Last spring, Develop Detroit announced plans to build new homes and rehab older homes in the North End and Grandmont-Rosedale. 

Numbers released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that more Detroiters are working today than any point in time since the national economic decline in 2009.

The most recent statistics are from May 2018, which show 227,894 Detroiters were employed, up nearly 1,700 from April and up 21,326 since January 2014, when Mayor Mike Duggan took office.

The long saga of the failed jail site on Gratiot Avenue is nearing its resolution. Wayne County announced today that it has a tentative deal with Dan Gilbert’s Rock Ventures to build a four-building criminal justice facility. Rock Ventures will also get the Gratiot site its wanted for over a year.

While plenty of construction is underway downtown right now, one block in particular has seen a big transformation in the last year. Anchored by 1400 Woodward, the Shinola Hotel will take up much of the block between Grand River and John R. Buildings have started taking shape along the back side of the block on Farmer Street (over surface parking lots), so we’re doing a quick check-in of the progress.

One of the areas up for development in Detroit with the biggest potential is the 160-acre site of the former State Fairgrounds. The area could serve as a great connection between Detroit and the suburbs to the north, but development has stalled over the past few years. 

What will be the fate of the Joe Louis Arena site? For the last few years, we believed a 30-story hotel would replace the hockey arena. Times have changed since Detroit’s bankruptcy, and now the creditor wants to reconsider the plans.

When Olympia Development announced the construction of the Little Caesars World Headquarters at Woodward and Columbia a couple years ago, part of the plan was always to create a restaurant and retail destination on Columbia Street. It looks as if those plans are coming along.

One of the most anticipated developments opening in 2018 is the Shinola Hotel—a collaboration between Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock and Shinola. The construction of the hotel involves renovating the building at 1400 Woodward, plus the Singer Building nearby, and the demolition plus construction of new buildings along the block.

Donna Butts remembers one of the moments that sold her on the idea that there was a sustained rise in the number of multigenerational households. As executive director of Generations United, a nonprofit that promotes intergenerational living, she was called to do an interview on the topic for a Louisiana radio station a few years ago. 

City Council member Scott Benson tells Curbed that the interim Historic Designation was replaced with a Historic District study, which gives them the same level of protection that the designation would give them. The HDAB meeting is October 12 and these buildings should be on the agenda.

The third Greater Downtown Residential Market Study has just been released by the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), in collaboration with Invest Detroit and Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc. How is the greater downtown area doing in terms of demand and need for housing? With increased units available over the past few years, we’ll need more to meet demand in the coming years.

More bike lanes are coming to the city and another one of our very wide roads will be going on a diet.

MDOT is hosting an open house for the public to give an overview on what’s to come for Grand River Avenue from Cass Avenue to I-94.

Let’s take a minute to think about adaptive reuse, specifically with schools. Last year we visited St. Vincent in Corktown, which has been converted to offices for small businesses. We’re keeping an eye on the Cooley Reuse Project, which hopes to convert Cooley High into a community space in northwest Detroit. 

We’ve seen more construction in the last few years in Detroit than we’ve seen here in decades. Much of that has been focused on the downtown core, although it’s slowly starting to move out into the neighborhoods. Two new reports highlight the growth over the past seven years and what we can expect in the future.

Home to Sydney Bogg Chocolates for decades, this Woodward storefront is an unusual listing. It’s located near Seven Mile, across from Palmer Park and near Dutch Girl Donuts. But this listing isn’t just offering an old storefront - it’s a bundle that includes the retail space, two apartments above, two lots, one vacant house, and some vacant lots. 

For the past few weeks, we've been following the adventures of Sam and Tim on Detroiters, which is now airing on Comedy Central. Tim and Sam run an advertising business and make really terrible, but absolutely hilarious commercials. They also love Detroit, which is almost its own character on the show.

This week, the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) revealed its plans for the first Sustainable Urban Agrihood in the North End.

Wait, an agrihood? It’s an alternative neighborhood growth model, positioning agriculture as the centerpiece of a mixed-use development. There are some agrihoods around the country, but in rural areas. This is the first within a city.