High Rise Development Begins Construction On East Jefferson

DETROIT, MI – Metro Detroit developer The Platform moved forward Wednesday with plans for a $50 million project on East Jefferson near Belle Isle. The proposed mixed-use development will occupy space now taken by a long-closed Big Boy restaurant whose parking lot was used more recently as a weekly farmers market.

The developers began demolition of the old restaurant at 7033 E. Jefferson, paving the way for an eight- to 10-story building that will house shops and residential apartments. Located in Islandview, the lot is prime real estate directly across from the Douglas MacArthur Bridge leading to Belle Isle.

Specs for the new development include:

• 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail
• On-site parking.
• 240 Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments

The Platform says 20 percent of those units will rent at affordable housing rates. In a release, Dietrich Knoer, president and CEO of the Platform, said that the developers hope to transform their part of the neighborhood.

“Our vision for this major residential development is one that is both transformational and contextually sensitive,” Knoer said. “We look forward to engaging with our neighbors and community stakeholders about future programming and what they’d like to see come to Islandview.”

Architects on the project include Detroit’s Hamilton Anderson and a California company, wHY. The developers expect to host a groundbreaking in late 2018, and for the building to be fully operational and ready for commercial and residential tenants in 2020.

Photo via The Platform.