It’s wasn’t a building for the architectural ages, but it is a sign of activity at some prime real estate along Woodward and Mack Avenue in Midtown.
An old Tuffy auto service center that has been vacant for years has been demolished in preparation for a retail development that will break ground in 2018 or 2019, Howard Schwartz Commercial Management confirmed Wednesday to Daily Detroit.
The tenants of the new complex have not been confirmed at this point and we’re told it’s still very early stages.
Previously, speculation swirled among local media that a small format Target was going into what could be one of the most desirable corners in the city.
It is a prime location for development across the street from the busy Whole Foods, down a short way from the new Little Caesars Arena, and on the same block as a QLINE stop.
Here’s how the brokers describe it:
In the shadow of Whole Foods, Howard Schwartz Commercial Real Estate, LLC. is pleased to present a unique retail leasing opportunity on a in Midtown Detroit. The redevelopment of this 9 Acre city block will provide up to 50,000 SF of retail space with onsite parking.
While home to some of the nation’s finest independent restaurants and retailers, Midtown is anchored by Whole Foods, Detroit Medical Center, Wayne State University, and the soon to be finished Arena District which will be home to the Red Wings NHL team and Detroit Pistons NBA team.
The development opportunity, per a listing on their website, contains nine acres with spaces up to 50,000 square feet. To give you an idea of scale, that’s double and then some the 21,000 square foot Whole Foods across the street.
Included in their red box of development on their website is Wayne State’s Bonstelle Theater. For reference, 9 acres is, give or take the size of the block, three city blocks.
Looking at the plot on Loveland, you can see that both the University of Michigan and Wayne State University own property in the red square, so it might not be so cut and dry. U of M owns the little house like structure in the middle, and the Bonstelle Theatre is the building with the circle dome near the bottom. The large structure near the top is the American Red Cross Michigan Region headquarters.
With all of the activity in the surrounding areas, including being next to the recently completed The Scott and all of what Dan Gilbert and partners are doing in Brush Park, it’s going to be interesting to see what actually ends up happening here, especially with that kind of possible large footprint.
More photos of the demo:
