A project for the redevelopment of the Studebaker Detroit Service Building at Milwaukee Junction in Detroit has begun. The historic building will be redeveloped into an adaptive reuse development featuring 161 affordable (or workforce housing) units.
The area median income (AMI) range for all the flats is 60 to 120%, with the majority falling under 80% AMI. 87 one-bedroom, 71 studio, and 3 two-bedroom loft-style apartments will be included in the development dubbed Piquette Flats.
190 on-site parking spaces will also be rearranged as part of the US$38.2M project. A fitness center, lounge, communal rooms, and a dog wash are available as amenities for residents. There will be laundry on every floor.
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Funding for the Studebaker Detroit Service Building redevelopment at Milwaukee Junction
The Piquette Plant Museum is next to the Studebaker Detroit Service Building which Albert Kahn designed. The 108,000-square-foot, four-storey skyscraper at Piquette Avenue and Brush Street was built in 1920. It served as a support structure for the nearby Studebaker factory.
According to a press release, the building was used for document storage and some office space before it became largely unoccupied in 2017. It thus qualifies for federal historic tax credits because it is located in the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District.
12-year tax abatement for $3 million and brownfield tax increment financing for $2 million from the City of Detroit were granted as additional funding. Another contribution was a $7 million low-interest loan from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Additionally investing in the project is Michigan State University.
The project’s architect is Kraemer Design Group, while PCI One Source Contracting is the general contractor. This project’s work is anticipated to be finished in the summer of 2024.
