Whitmer announces state funding for redevelopment of blighted building in North Detroit

(CBS DETROIT) – The site of a vacant building in Detroit’s North End is among those that will be redeveloped through the help of a state of Michigan financing program.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made the announcement Monday on two projects, one each in Detroit and city of Alma in Gratiot County, that will receive support from the state’s Revitalization and Placemaking program known as RAP. Both projects also have been approved for other grants and financing.

The two projects will create a combined 19 residential units and generate over $6.2 million in capital investment, the press release said.

“These investments show how we’re improving quality of life for Michiganders by replacing old, abandoned buildings with new ones that give more Michiganders an affordable place to live or start or grow their own business,” Whitmer said in the announcement.

“We look forward to seeing how these projects bring new life to vacant buildings while improving Detroit and downtown Alma for their communities and residents,” Michele Wildman, Chief Place Officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said in the announcement.

Descriptions of the projects are as follows:

Detroit’s North End

A vacant and blighted hundred-year-old building located at 9301 Oakland Avenue in Detroit’s North End will be redeveloped into 10 residential units and 5,200 square feet of commercial space. The historic building itself will be renovated.

The residential project emphasizes walkability and connectivity to the nearby commercial area, state officials said.

The developer, Stafford House Inc., has already worked in the area on rehabilitation and sale of several single-family homes. This specific project has been approved for a number of local and state financial resources such as grants, matching funds and a PA 210 tax abatement from the City of Detroit that will add to the RAP grant of $507,713.

“This development will eliminate neighborhood blight and address the shortage of affordable housing,” said Lendon Crosby, chairman and president of Stafford House.

Downtown Alma

In the mid-Michigan, the state grant package announced Monday will be used to help create nine new housing units through the rehabilitation of a vacant building at 311 E. Superior St., downtown Alma.

The building is in a National Register of Historic Places district, and the planned repairs include masonry restoration. The property manager is Gemini Capital Management, which currently manages over 100 different rental properties in Isabella and Gratiot counties.

Paula Wethington

Paula Wethington is a digital producer at CBS Detroit. She previously held digital content roles at NEWSnet, Gannett/USA Today network and The Monroe News in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.