DETROIT (WWJ) -- A new mixed-use development officially opened Thursday in Detroit's New Center area, marking the neighborhood's largest new development in more than three decades.
The Boulevard Apartments, at the corner of Third Avenue and West Grand Boulevard, offer 231 new housing units, plus some retail space to the quickly growing New Center neighborhood.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says the development is something he thought he'd never see in that neighborhood.
"The beauty of this is just remarkable. But what it means to the city, that this neighborhood’s getting 231 new housing units, is tremendous," Duggan said.
"There wasn’t much going on here," Duggan said of New Center. "The idea that somebody would need to build 231 new residential units in the New Center to accommodate people who want to move in shows how far the progress is being made."
The $60 million project, developed by a group called The Platform, sits on the site of an old surface parking lot for the Henry Ford Health System. Peter Cummings, CEO and executive chairman of The Platform, says they bought the space from Henry Ford and "turned it into a productive property with new housing, retail and well-concealed parking."
The 231 units range in size from 530 square-foot studios to 1,100 square-foot 2-bedrooms. All units come with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and walk-in closets, as well as in-unit laundry setups.
Most units have balconies that look out at the city or sit over the building's interior courtyard.
Rent prices range from $950 to $2,700. Officials say 20% of the units are set aside for affordable and low-income housing.
Amenities at The Boulevard include a fitness center, a lounge, courtyard green space and a "barbecue terrace."
The 356,000 square-foot building features 17,5000 square feet of retail space, which currently includes an Orangetheory Fitness and a Beyond Juice, according to the Detroit News.
Duggan says the new facility is one of several upgrades to the New Center and Midtown areas in recent years, including the Pistons' Performance Center and several other projects by The Platform.