  Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 5234 Registered: 02-2005 |
Building is moving swiftly on Gateshead St. between Mack Ave. and Frankfort where new attached housing for seniors is being constructed. The construction is on an empty field stretching nearly an entire block behind a church positioned closest to Mack. I still have to get a lot of the details on this myself, but I just wanted to point out this infill development which will add residents and a new type of housing to a stable neighborhood. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 3301 Registered: 09-2007 |
^Oh yes, I was wondering what was going up there. I have a relative that lives 2 blocks over. Thanks for the information Mackinaw.  | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1970 Registered: 02-2006 |
Isn't almost all housing in Detroit affordable? Not being snarky, but you can buy good condition in EEV for right around $100,000, or could 2-3 years ago at least. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 5235 Registered: 02-2005 |
Agreed, most of the neighborhoods-- certainly including the one in which we find this new development-- are affordable. I think it's worthwhile at this point to delineate between upscale and affordable new construction, though. Furthermore, economically speaking, it is good to put a label on new development-- if it is increasing the supply of housing at a certain price point that is already common in a given neighborhood-- it will probably suppress home values even further in the near term. I'm going to guess that these will be affordable rentals, which is always a good thing, but I may be wrong. Once these are done, it will be interesting to compare the price tags of these units to the modest homes nearby. I'll see if I can get a photo tomorrow. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 7192 Registered: 08-2004 |
That site on Gateshead is where Calvary Lutheran Church used to be, with the church on the land closest to Mack (behind the Shell Station), while the parish house was on the side of the block farthest from Mack (at Frankfort). Later the church became a senior citizens center for many years, with the open space between the church and parish house used as a soccer field. Both the church (nothing special) and the parish house have been razed to put in 43 senior citizen 1 bedroom residences in a 2 story apartment building with a sloped roof to match the residential character of the neighborhood. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 3054 Registered: 01-2004 |
"but you can buy good condition in EEV for right around $100,000, or could 2-3 years ago at least." Cut that in half. | ||
Wanderinglady Member Username: Wanderinglady Post Number: 57 Registered: 10-2007 |
I think the idea of new, affordable housing is important, especially with senior housing (i.e., access for persons with age-related disabilities). Sure, there is plenty of affordable housing in Detroit, but it's mostly old housing. There are electrical issues, plumbing issues, and issues with things such as adequate insulation (I remember my family's old, drafty post-WWII Colonial in January). To upgrade an old apartment building to adequately meet the needs of today's seniors would likely cost more than new construction. I think this is a case where new is better. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 5236 Registered: 02-2005 |
Agreed. It's important to keep seniors in Detroit because they are taxpayers (who no longer have to worry about things like schools but whose payments will benefit the schools and other things) and great to have in any community. While I think it would be possible to have too many developments like this, which put like with like and make neighborhoods less diverse, they are good in their own right because, like you say, it becomes difficult for seniors (especially on budgets) to maintain older homes. The other thing to worry about is who is going to buy the old homes they're leaving? But I guess that's just basic supply and demand. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 5256 Registered: 02-2005 |
Here is a photo of this development. At the other end the work is at a more advanced stage: there is masonry, with vinyl siding and fake cedar shakes above. Par for the course or better for this part of the city. It's going to be pretty sharp when complete. As Gistok points out, the old church is also gone. I believe this is being developed, at least in part, by Lutheran social services entities. |
