  Jiscodazz Member Username: Jiscodazz Post Number: 43 Registered: 02-2007 |
Does anyone know the lowdown with the Woodbridge Estates as well as the town houses on the corner of Trumbull and Canfield? Seems like nobody is buying them and especially on Canfield, they're kind of looking like shit(ie tall grass, graffiti, etc...) . I've heard rumors about lawsuits as well as unhappy customers and contractors. What's the deal? | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 90 Registered: 08-2006 |
I was at Woodbridge Estates yesterday, they are actually selling well, especially the condos. They also have only 7 more single family lots to sell. They are waiting for the ok from HUD to demolish the "townhouses" across MLK and further develop over there. As for the ones on Canfield--Bonnie Bridge or whatever, we tried to see the model there, but no one was around or answered the phone. The sales agent at Woodbridge Estates said the developer of Bonnie Bridge has been trying to sell the project but there just isn't interest in the modular-look. It really is an eyesore in the neighborhood in its current state! | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 1912 Registered: 06-2006 |
I was checking out their website the other day and they seemed like they were priced WAY too high for being in Detroit http://www.woodbridgeestates.c om/index.cfm?method=OurModels seriously...these are single-family homes in a city that's school district is in shambles, and school districts are often the most important issue for people looking to raise a family in a particular area... I wasn't aware that they weren't selling, but if that's the case I'm not surprised after seeing the pricing | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 1913 Registered: 06-2006 |
"They also have only 7 more single family lots to sell." Really? The website shows closer to 20 single family lots still available, which is about half the total...unless I'm reading it wrong, or unless they haven't updated their site... | ||
Meaghansdad Member Username: Meaghansdad Post Number: 77 Registered: 07-2007 |
I agree with thejesus, No one with a family is going to purchase a single family home for the price that these are listed at, in addition to paying 20-30k a year for private school. Doesnt make sense. | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1236 Registered: 10-2003 |
TJ; pay attention. mack said those are the ones that ARE selling. i can confirm that. as for bonnie bridge, i think only one of four has sold. i have the impression that they are waiting for the other three to sell before they construct all of the other ones along trumbull. | ||
Dialh4hipster Member Username: Dialh4hipster Post Number: 2147 Registered: 11-2004 |
Yeah, everyone always keeps their websites meticulously updated, so it must be accurate ... | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 91 Registered: 08-2006 |
The SALESMAN said they had 7 SINGLE FAMILY lots left, plus space for two more spans of condos--which he said are selling very fast. | ||
Bumble Member Username: Bumble Post Number: 312 Registered: 11-2004 |
And salesmen never lie. So there. | ||
Innercitydoc Member Username: Innercitydoc Post Number: 55 Registered: 09-2006 |
The problem with Woodbridge is the price considering the square footage and the fact that you must buy your own refrigerator, washer/dryer, stove, and garage opener. You're better off looking at one of the crosswinds developments. | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 92 Registered: 08-2006 |
That was exactly what I was getting at Bumble in citing the source of the info. The salesman also was really selling the place on historical detailing. If you want historical detailing go buy a bigger sturdier house in Woodbridge Historic District, not Woodbridge Estates. On the plus side the taxes are 70% reduced for 15 years under NEZ. As for whether people would move there, I was looking with my mother-in-law who is considering Detroit or Houston to be close to family. She liked Woodbridge Estates, but could buy twice the home for that price in Houston. | ||
Jfried Member Username: Jfried Post Number: 1040 Registered: 11-2003 |
The reality is that there are many current city of detroit residents whom, despite all it's problems, still want to live in the city. Many of these people also would like to purchase a new "luxury" home but haven't had many options in the past. While I would much rather live in an older, historic home, you have to admit that Woodbridge Estates have many great amenities, the greatest probably being location (just outside of downtown, wsu, midtown, and immediate highway access). The homes are expensive, but are priced similarly, if not less than comparable subdivisions many of these people would be moving to in the burbs. | ||
Monahan568 Member Username: Monahan568 Post Number: 171 Registered: 04-2004 |
woodbridge estates is a section 8 development. no not the single family home but the townhouses. so all of the crackheads and drug dealers and ho's ect.. that moved out of the old section 8 housing across mlk will now be your new neighbor. so you pay 200,000 for a house and the guy next door is paying 163 a month that is why the devlopment is failing. according to the developer they only hope to lose 5 million on the entire project by they i mean the federal gov't. the high rises are also section 8 for seniors only as well as the the new senior center on mlk. why do you think they finished those to projects because they could receive federal money as soon as they rented them out. (Message edited by monahan568 on August 23, 2007) | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 252 Registered: 09-2006 |
I have some pix on flickr.com, I can post the URLs here if anyone's interested. | ||
Quozl Member Username: Quozl Post Number: 1297 Registered: 07-2005 |
Post 'em Waxx. | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 462 Registered: 03-2007 |
not true, only a certain percentage of woodbridge is section 8. several section 8 tenents told me they were rail roaded out of the developement with a higher co-pay per month on the rent. | ||
Jiscodazz Member Username: Jiscodazz Post Number: 44 Registered: 02-2007 |
I heard the same thing about the Section 8 housing. I guess they're really selective about who the let in. Although, the whole "mixed income" idea seems kind of flawed in a city like Detroit where "gentrification" isn't even close to being problem. | ||
Croweblack Member Username: Croweblack Post Number: 44 Registered: 02-2007 |
"not true, only a certain percentage of woodbridge is section 8. several section 8 tenents told me they were rail roaded out of the developement with a higher co-pay per month on the rent" This is not possible. Sec 8 housing is based upon your gross income per month. The feds set how much the apartment is. You pay 30% of your monthly groos income(with some deductions--kids etc) for your rent. The property cannot ask for a higher co-pay. As far as paying 200k for a house and being surrounded by ho's and crackheads--The idiots that buy "lofts" all over Detroit are slowly finding out why there property values are tanking. (they were overly inflated anyways due to out of state investors who had no idea what they were getting into) | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1245 Registered: 10-2003 |
to be clear, this is not a section 8 development. a certain percentage of the development is dedicated to subsidized living. this is being done thru the voucher system. as far as other successful mixed income developments one of the most successful in the world is our very own lafayette park. aside from other dedicated units, many people don't realize that the lafayette towers accepted section 8 tenants from the early nineties until a few years ago. [i'll leave all the other ignorant and baiting statements alone.] | ||
Croweblack Member Username: Croweblack Post Number: 45 Registered: 02-2007 |
i'll leave all the other ignorant and baiting statements alone.] I know, I know this is Detroityes not Detroitreality. Sorry. "Man, I am going to invest in a loft. Hell I don't have to live in it. I'll just pay the deposit on it before it is built and watch the value go up and up!" (Please see the ellington) "Hell someone paid a Million dollars for a condo in the BC. Kwame is right I better get in on the ground floor!" 10 to 1 odds there will be a story/study in ten years on how tax credits can go terribly wrong and can actually deflate property values. You can't spur competition by discounting every third investment by 30%. (Message edited by croweblack on August 24, 2007) | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 253 Registered: 09-2006 |
OK,Quozl. Here they are! I hope (everyone) likes 'em. http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1227597761/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1227597421/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1227597009/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1228456954/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1228456642/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1227595787/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1228455752/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1227594693/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1227594369/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1228454564/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1089195667/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1089195311/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1089193237/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057859616/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057858234/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057857842/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057857208/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1056997537/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057850258/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1056991805/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057855574/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1056990103/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057848882/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/t heblacklightstudio/1057841552/ Anyone who has a flickr.com account, hit me up and drop some comments/notes on the pix. These were taken around 9PM so please excuse the dimness in some of the images. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2365 Registered: 07-2004 |
I believe this kind of mixed-use development is called a Hope VI community. Several former "projects" across the country are being torn down and turned into such developments. Chicago has had this mixed-use type of development longer than we have. I'll have to do some research to see if it has been successful or not. BTW, photo #14 shows one of the cheaper homes in Woodbridge Estates. I have to say that it is the ugliest new home design I have ever seen. Please fellow forumers, let me know what you think. | ||
Bagman Member Username: Bagman Post Number: 89 Registered: 06-2004 |
Folks, I live just east of the woodbridge estates across the lodge. 200k for that neighborhood is laughable, they call the same 911 we do and get the same trash pick up as we do. I have noticed that once people started moving in there the amount of glass in the streets has skyrocketed. Looks worse than Willis just west of Woodward after a fri and sat nite of shows at the Majestic. But I guess it will take a while for the new folks moving into the neighborhood to learn not to leave ANYTHING in the car for people to break your window for. Welcome to the city. | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 95 Registered: 08-2006 |
Not sure that 200-300k is 'laughable' per say, but the finishes on the houses seemed really cheap to me. All laminate counters, vinyl floors, low-end carpet, cheap trim work, bottom-of-the-line appliances--in the models no less. Haven't seen all the glass around, Bagman, but I would think condo/homeowners would park their cars in their garages. I have always been pleased with trash service in the city of Detroit, it is the one consistent, reliable service--it'd be nice to have more bulk collections and less garbage tax, but that beef isn't with the guys driving the trucks. | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 254 Registered: 09-2006 |
Well, we've seen what was done to Jeffries and Parkside, I wonder what they're gonna do with Brewster? Herman-Gardens is on the verge of a comeback as well. | ||
Oleosis007 Member Username: Oleosis007 Post Number: 1 Registered: 08-2007 |
They are putting the exact same buildings in at Jeffries and Herman Gardens as we did at Woodbridge. Not sure on the others. Both projects have been bid out to the GC's and are well on their way to closing w/ HUD. Mind you, this process usually takes 1-3 years. I was involved w/ the management on Woodbridge. We were the winning bidder on H.G.'s but turned the job down. We also turned down the Jefferies project. I have seen the plans for both. It really is kind of sad that these greedy developers are throwing up the same buildings all over the city. The least they could do is pay for a new design at these developments. But hey, these are the same guys that made their bread and butter putting up track housing and square brick senior buildings all over the country in the 70's. Why would they change now. On a positive note, Woodbridge was recently awarded a "Builders Choice" award. Which is actually a pretty impressive thing when you look at some of the other communities that have been awarded in recent years. | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1250 Registered: 10-2003 |
no, it's not considered an upscale development. and no, it is not typical of all developments in detroit. since most of the land for the development was provided by former subsidized living there was a requirement to replace some of those units. this development is an approach to get away from the "projects" mentality of subsidized living; eg consolidation and segregation (which obviously was not successful). | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1251 Registered: 10-2003 |
whenever a section 8 development is torn down, there has to be a plan in place to replace most of the units lost. usually, this is a stipulation of redevelopment of those sites (instead of completely getting rid of or relocating subsidized living). newer upscale neighborhoods in the city? any of the newer developments along the river, closer to grosse pointe. i can't remember the names, but those are new construction, priced between $400k and $1.2 mil. also, most of the condos downtown right now would be considered upscale, so i guess you could make an argument that the cbd is becoming an upscale neighborhood... | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1252 Registered: 10-2003 |
no, i'm not thinking of those. one of the developments is called shorepoint village. closer to grosse pointe. | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 466 Registered: 03-2007 |
indian village, palmer woods, brush park, rosedale park |
