Two 14-story high-rise apartment buildings proposed for downtown Ann Arbor
Editor's note: The number of total units in the developments has been corrected.
Ann Arbor’s housing boom isn’t over yet.
The city’s Design Review Board received preliminary design plans this week from developers for two separate downtown apartment projects: one located above Pizza House restaurant on Church Street and one on East Huron Street.
A rendering of the proposed development for 401 and 413 East Huron Street in downtown Ann Arbor
Rendering by Humphreys & Partners Architects
A rendering shows the proposed East Huron Street development, located across the street from Sterling 411 Lofts and the under-construction The Varsity project
Rendering by Humphreys & Partners Architects
One project, located on the northeast corner of East Huron and North Division streets, calls for a 14-story, 213-unit high-rise that would target young professionals, graduate students and upperclassmen, according to the plans. Plans call for two main towers with an inset upper level garden and courtyard.
The second project, located on Church Street near the University of Michigan campus, is proposed by Pizza House restaurant owner Dennis Tice and Minnesota-based The Opus Group.
The 14-story, 83-unit project would be built next to and over a portion of the existing Pizza House restaurant at 618 and 624 Church St. The project calls to demolish the existing two-story residential structure on the site south of the existing restaurant. It includes one and two bedroom units and a rooftop plaza.
The units would be marketed to those “with a connection to the University of Michigan,” according to the plans.
The Huron Street project would replace a vacant, 10,300-square-foot building, a house and the former Papa John’s pizza store, which closed earlier this month in preparation for the development.
According to an AnnArbor.com report from Sept. 6, Connecticut-based real estate firm Greenfield Partners is under contract to purchase the property at 401 E. Huron St. from a Zahn family trust. The group purchased the adjacent vacant building at 413 E. Huron St. in June for $4.5 million.
Representatives from Greenfield Partners have not returned multiple requests for comment.
According to the plans submitted to the city, the developer of the project is Georgia-based Carter, which has been “engaged by the owner to develop and oversee the property.”
The building, which would be located in the city’s D1 zoning district, would be 150 feet tall.
It would have 3,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, with 149 underground parking spaces in addition to 14 surface parking spaces for retail and visitor use.
The units would be a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom apartments. Amenities would include a fitness center, pool, community gardens and business center.
The building would be located adjacent to Sloan Plaza Condominiums and across East Huron Street from Sterling 411 Lofts and the under-construction The Varsity development.
A rendering of the proposed development above the Pizza House restaurant on Ann Arbor's Church Street
Rendering by J Bradley Moore & Associates
The possibilities for the Pizza House property gelled in 2010, when Tice, along with local developer Peter Allen, started marketing the property as a development opportunity. When Tice expanded his restaurant in 2006, he put a foundation system in place that could support the weight of additional floors above.
Allen, who brokered the deal between Opus and Tice, said Tice's ownership of the restaurant property and business will remain, while Opus is purchasing the air rights above the existing building.
The architect for the project is Ann Arbor-based J Bradley Moore & Associates in association with Ann Arbor’s Meier Architects.
The building would be between 140 and 150 feet tall, Allen said. It's located in the city's D1 zoning district.
According to the plans, parking would be provided off-site in an agreement with Ann Arbor’s Downtown Development Authority via its “contributions in lieu” provision. Allen said they have submitted an application to the DDA to request 40 parking spaces, and they hope the majority of them will be located in the Forest Street parking structure.
The 14-story development would abut the Zaragon Place high-rise, which is on East University Street, and is located two blocks west of the 14-story Landmark development.
"(Opus is) going to do one and two bedrooms, which is very complementary to what's there," Allen said. "This would fit very nicely."
Under the city’s design review process, developers are required to submit preliminary design plans to the Design Review Board prior to applying for site plan approval. City ordinance requires a meeting with the board, but implementation of its suggestions is voluntary.
The projects are expected to go before Ann Arbor’s Design Review Board at its Oct. 17 meeting.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
snapshot
Sun, Sep 30, 2012 : 4:11 a.m.
So what's the DDA "in lieu" mean? Is that where the DDA gives property owners tax dollars away to the entities of their choice with no accountability to taxpayers? That's what they call democracy in Ann Arbor?
Cathy
Sat, Sep 29, 2012 : 11:57 a.m.
Corbu has been dead nearly 60 years, yet his legacy of hideous rectangle high-rises remains strong in Ann Arbor, at least in the proposed Huron/Division buildings. The last thing we need is more buildings that look like 50s housing projects or big-city jails.
zags
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 2:44 a.m.
It's interesting that some commenters here are clamoring for returning student rentals back to single family homes. Where were you when AA lost the 5 houses on S Fifth? Those houses may have been a little rough on the outside but they all had elements on the inside worth saving. You should check out some of the items salvaged by Materials Unlimited. They even have written up the histories of these houses. I would much rather look at an older home that has preservation potential if not by my generation but one in the future than be stuck with those ugly bland **cough, City Place** type of unimaginative and character challenged plastic boxes that replaces it.
PhillyCheeseSteak
Wed, Oct 17, 2012 : 12:30 p.m.
How could anyone have done anything about City Place? In the end, it came down to a vote by City Council. If memory serves, it was Councilman Kunselman who cast the deciding vote and he's not up for re-election.
whatsupwithMI
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 1:57 a.m.
Look, AA exists to part temporary and ignorant prisoners^H^H^H students from as much cash as possible. If you want quality of life, either set up a 3 story beer bong, or move, depending upon your inclinations.
Wolf's Bane
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 1:36 a.m.
Too bad that A2 will just get uglier.
David Frye
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 12:20 a.m.
I love the idea of this project in general and was expecting to like it in particular based on the headline, but I have to admit, my first reaction on seeing the architectural rendering was: "[Expletive deleted}! Could it possibly be any uglier?" I hope the designers revisit this one. Density is great, the more the merrier, I'm all for it. But is a little bit of architectural beauty too much to ask for?
Townspeak
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 8:28 p.m.
Love it, build, build, build. Huron is so bland and empty. Used to be Ann Arbor's main street. Keep them coming and build. I think AATA should put their building there, and not clog up the interior streets like it does presently.
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 5:55 p.m.
Huh, more half empty buildings? Can't wait.
justthefactma'am
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:08 p.m.
UN Agenda 21 at work, allowing out of town developers to build high-rise monolithic monstrosities under the guise of greener living, but really to be lining the pockets of developers and municipal coffers. Meanwhile they are destroying the property of current downtown residents and creating a housing project (Cabrini green) atmosphere in our small city. .Great video on how agenda 21 is designed to eliminate individual freedom in our society http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YccTUy96vI&feature=player_embedded
Blue Marker
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 8:06 p.m.
Yeah, you lost me at "Cabrini Green". C'mon man, I happen to know for a fact Zaragon 1 & 2 as well as 411 Lofts used local contractors, workers and suppliers (of which I'm one) when they were built. They were all built using the LEED system for green buildings. Does everything have to be a conspiracy?
JRW
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 1:37 p.m.
The building would be located adjacent to Sloan Plaza Condominiums and across East Huron Street from Sterling 411 Lofts and the under-construction. Good luck with your new "views" if you are living in the Sloan Plaza or the Sterling lofts once these new high rises are built. Grim. These new high rises are far too tall and A2 is turning into high rise haven, totally destroying the quality of life for residents.
whatsupwithMI
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 1:59 a.m.
Who says quality of live for townies matter? This town is made of and caters vagrants-with-funding (students).
foobar417
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:48 p.m.
Too tall for what? How are they destroying quality of life? Lots of people live in high rises facing high rises. And those cities include some of the wealthiest, most desirable cities in the country.
Veracity
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:41 p.m.
These highrise buildings will cost a mint to build and, therefore, require leasing rates of $1000 and more as we have experienced with recently completed student residential buildings. With the University of Michigan intending to reduce class size the "high price" student housing will become saturated likely in the near future. At that point new construction will fail financially and bankruptcy could create a white elephant in the middle of our city. Is there anyway that this situation can be avoided? Furthermore, while new construction offers the opportunity for the DDA to increase revenue via new TIF payments, the DDA and City Council have been regularly returning TIF payments to developers as reimbursement of site development. Has city government determined how growth in student housing should proceed and when curbs need to be imposed.
foobar417
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:46 p.m.
I see this argument all the time and it makes no sense to me. Let's imagine the following scenario: the builders rush in and oversaturate the $1000 / month market (which as private property owners, they have every right to do, as history would teach us, usually happens). Rents fall to a reasonable level. $800 / month? $500/ month? Doen't really matter. Whatever the market will bear. Some fraction of the deals were overleveraged and can't make money. The investors on that deal lose their shirts and the building is bought out for pennies on the dollar or foreclosed. Doesn't really matter. Very quickly someone else buys the building for a fraction of what it cost to build. (80%? 60%) Doesn't really matter. Then they rent the building at market rates. Key point: None of this matters to the citizenry, except that the market determines how much in tax money the building contributes to the city based on its SEV. In other words, unless the building is sitting empty, it doesn't matter to the city whether the original investors made a good investment or not. And there's no way the buildings will sit empty, once the market determines the proper rents.
Elijah Shalis
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:13 p.m.
We need more sky scrappers in this city, just make sure they are green friendly and look good. Just don't built Domino's Leaning Tower of Pizza.
Nerak
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:13 p.m.
The Pizza House building looks OK -- but like almost every other new downtown tower recently built. But the Huron Street project -- the density is fine, but it's plug ugly! This corner cries out for an outstanding signature building with a ton of street presence. One that relates to the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood and actually complements Sloan Plaza. Graceful, interesting architecture is needed, not Chinese mega-block "style."
brian123
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:17 p.m.
Preach on brother! Love the density and scale, but the actual building designs leave so much to be desired. Uggh.
say it plain
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 10:48 p.m.
Nailed that architectural analysis I think!
regularjoe
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:10 p.m.
It's obvious that some of you like RUKiddingme have no idea how the student rental real estate dynamic operates. How many of those rental houses do you think will cease to to be income properties? How about zero. Student rentals come on the market all the time but they are almost never listed because they get sold immediately. There is always a high demand for income properties in the student ghetto because, guess what, they're income properties! They make money! And consequently, they cost a lot more to buy than a similar non-rental house that's not located 5 minutes to the diag. Who wants to pay twice as much for a house only to live next to beer pong world headquarters? It's like building your dream house next to a working farm and then complaining about the smell from the neighbors. It sounds like a romantic idea, returning those houses to non income property status, but guess what? Most of those houses have always been a rental anyhow. Have you noticed the two houses on State St this summer? One house got a third story while the other was raised to add a full basement. You don't do that unless the rental market for houses is really strong. Furthermore, kids like living in houses. It's fun. And cheaper than a $1000 bed in a high rise. Yeah, kids like to have parties. They like to sit on porches and and have their neighborhood "feel" just like you grownups do. It's hard to throw the football around on the street when you live on the 14th floor. s far as the "rat trap" comments go, I remind you that the city inspects all rental houses whether it's a 6 bedroom or a one bedroom, every 2 years or so. If you have a problem with a supposed "dump", then your real beef is with the city. I bet most of you haven't driven down Oakland, S.Forest, Church or E. U in years. It's actually nicer than than you would think. A lot of money has gone into those properties recently. It's not the Old West Side, but it never will be.
zags
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 2:18 a.m.
I can show you several in the Old West Side that are fire/rat traps as well.
lorayn
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 8:43 p.m.
i don't know what %% of the rental houses near campus are in good condition. But i have seen plenty of rat traps where repairs were not done, etc.
RUKiddingMe
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 1:15 p.m.
You are right, Joe, that it's unlikely, but as I said, there's always hope. Baby steps. My hope is that with enough competition, landlords will see a dip in the usualley-guaranteed-pot-of-gold that is the student rental, despite how terrible a shape it's in. If it becomes slightly less of a guarantee that they can shove 3 kids into every bedroom at $500 - $600 per kid every semester, and they still have to fix (albeit shoddily and cheaply) the damage the kids do, maybe it would be to their advantage to take a big sale and move on. Kids DO like houses, but perhaps if they have choice between $1000 for a new apartment with a pool and hot tub and exercise room and a 2-minute walk to class, or $1200 for a beat down house with beer bottles slammed into the drywall and a 15-minute walk, maybe fewer would be willing to pay out for the house. MAYBE. And you are absolutely correct that the beef IS with the city. If I were a landlord, I wouldn't wan to put the money into making a house nice when I just have to do it all over again every semester either. I've seen landlords sell, just not often, and sometimes just to a new landlord. Again, HOPE.
sandy schopbach
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 10:59 a.m.
ENOUGH with the skyscrapers already!!! This is not NYC!
say it plain
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 8:10 p.m.
I like your optimism @foobar417, but Austin has the major major benefit of being the state capital! It also has the major benefit of being in an economically diverse state, while MI has been long reliant on cars. It could stay 'quirky' far more easily in the face of greedy landlords than Ann Arbor could manage, as well. Austin is 7 times or more as big as Ann Arbor population-wise. I guess it would be interesting to learn more about how that city grew to its current size...
foobar417
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 11:42 p.m.
I think you just described Austin to a T. It's a college city, plenty quirky, with a thriving, vibrant economy. It's also bigger, probably bigger than AA will grow to, but who knows. There's no reason U of M can't pump out as many new companies as UT Austin. There's no reason AA can't become the Austin of the North. It would be good for Michigan if it did.
say it plain
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 10:46 p.m.
Ah, I think @foobar417 captures the essence of this debate lol... Ann Arbor is thinking it needs to grow grow grow because it is *the* economic engine for MI, because Detroit is dead and awaiting burial. I'm not sure I agree with that as an idea, but I understand how it might be driving some people's opinions. Those who are not into living in pretend NYC, with the restaurant prices and rents that accompany but none of the 'real' stuff that comes with a real big city like NY (such as, services existing mere blocks from people's apartments rather than even "a joke of a bikeride" away lol...real cities would never require that, c'mon!...actual useable public transportation and places to go to with it...many many many jobs....many many many entertainment venues of all sorts, etc...) --*they* miss the Ann Arbor that was a friendly-feeling downtown, quirky little shops and lots less corporate-y and high-falutin'. Road noise happens in downtowns, we should expect that. But the condition of our roads probably makes it much worse than it needs to be! Police presence could also be improved! It seems like our city officials are on the 'economic engine' page and not so much the 'how is it working for the citizenry' page these days.
foobar417
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:55 p.m.
No, a bunch of people who think density is a good thing. The voters approved the greenbelt, which is intended (in part) to impede sprawl. The city council, elected by the voters, approved zoning designed to encourage density. The city council, elected by the voters, continues to explore improved mass transit. A greenbelt, plus zoning that allows high rises, plus improved mass transit is a coherent plan to grow a city in a sustainable fashion. You may not like it, but it's a pretty consistent, well-communicated, voter approved plan for the region. And plus, if not Ann Arbor, where is the economic driver of Michigan's economy going to come from? Detroit?
Tex Treeder
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:33 p.m.
RB: Thank you for that fascinating and yet irrelevant statistic. What surprises me is how many people have initially disagreed with Sandy and me. A bunch of NYC-wannabees, I guess.
sellers
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:27 p.m.
These are high-rises. One can argue the 25 story tower off William is a skyscraper since it "changes the skyline" but these are all within code and heights of other buildings in the D1 area.
R.B.
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:03 p.m.
Ann Arbor is far from New York City; our population doesn't even scrape 200,000 compared to New York City's 9 million.
Tex Treeder
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 11:51 a.m.
Exactly. If I wanted to live in a city like New York, I'd move to New York.
Carole
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 10:37 a.m.
Nope, not for it at all.
AllDownHill
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:33 a.m.
Before the City Council allows anymore highrises they really need to think about what it means to live downtown, in the middle of the city, not in any little touchie-feelie historical enclave or in some fringe suburb. I live downtown, and have for almost 12 years now, and its no longer pleasant. Waste Management starts picking up the trash dumpsters at 6:45 am in the mornings, and they don't care how much noise they make picking them up or putting them down. You can tell that some drivers hate their jobs by how loud they are. You want to file a noise complaint? forget it....the police don't want to deal with it. The truck traffic, and i mean full size semi's, coming through town at 1-2-3 o'clock in the mornings has exploded, and hearing them hit the potholes and bumps in the streets is so much fun. And then of course there are the students. The ones who drive around in their cars with their stereo's blasting. I've watched police cars pass them while the music reverberates off the surrounding buildings. Then there is the dirt and filth. People that let their dogs poop in the tree areas and don't pick up, and exhaust that fills the air during rush hour. People living on the outskirts of town can't SEE the pollution but those of us living in the highrises can. Early morning sunrise shows the effects of too many cars in a too small city. There will be those that will say, "then move".....and that is exactly what i'm doing. I'm packing now and good riddance to living "downtown".
lorayn
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 8:41 p.m.
all down hill -- i have lived in NYC, San Francisco, and Chicago and what you are describing is life in any big city. given the cost of living in downtown A2 I can't imagine anyone living there who doesn't want the pros and cons of downtown living. I'd be willing to live downtown if I could afford it, even if it meant all of the noise, etc. because i'd be able to walk to work, the library, concerts at Hill, etc.
aabikes
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 3:15 p.m.
JRW, slow down on the assumptions there my friend! I live downtown and I am neither a student nor homeless. In fact I've been living in a downtown apartment for several years and working a full-time job. I practically gave my car away to a friend because I never use it anymore. I love everything about living downtown, and it really doesn't take much effort to find out where to eat and shop for cheap... Every business you listed I can name non-"disneyland" examples within 1-2 miles of where I live. A comfortable walk or a joke of a bike ride.
JRW
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 1:43 p.m.
Not to mention that there are ZERO services in the downtown area and a car is still necessary. Main street has become a Disneyland strip mall of overpriced restaurants and bars without any real services, such as grocery stores, drug stores, hardware stores, dentists and doctors, etc. It's fantasyland for rich students and their parents. The only inhabitants "living" downtown are students and the homeless, which doesn't make a diverse, vibrant downtown by a long shot.
Halter
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 9:21 a.m.
Valid points about downtown life...in any downtown metropolitan area anywhere...and while you are moving, others thrive on that type of energy and clamor to get in.
snapshot
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 3:54 a.m.
Will they pay property taxes?
Jack Eaton
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
I believe both project sites are within the DDA area. That means most of the tax revenue from the increased value of these properties will be diverted to the DDA's coffers. The diverted tax revenues include the taxes that otherwise would have gone to AATA, the library, our community college, the County and the City. A good discussion of the DDA TIF can be found in this Ann Arbor Chronicle column: http://annarborchronicle.com/2011/06/08/column-taxing-math-needs-a-closer-look/
foobar417
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
Michigan even gives a tax credit for rent (something like 17% last time I checked) to account for the fact that a fraction of your rent is basically going to pay the property taxes on the property.
hootenanny
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 6:41 a.m.
Who is "they"? Residents of these buildings may not pay property taxes to the city directly, but the owner will pay taxes - and that cost will, of course, be incorporated into the monthly rent. 411 Lofts had a taxable value of almost $6 million last year (https://secure.ewashtenaw.org/ecommerce/property/showSummary.do?uniqueKey=09-09-29-107-004@2013), so the revenue from property taxes on these kinds of buildings is pretty enticing to municipalities. Let's just hope that the increased revenue is used for crucial public services like police/fire etc.
anti-thug
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 3:06 a.m.
who can afford this , what students?
Daniel Piedra
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:32 a.m.
Midnight black skyscrapers? This is Tree Town Ann Arbor, not Mordor. How depressing.
say it plain
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.
I love that @Ignatz! The City of (Traffic) Lights indeed!
Ignatz
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
Daniel, This stopped being the city of trees a long time ago. It's the city of lights...traffic lights.
anti-thug
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 3:05 a.m.
its no longer tree town ....its a growing city. also , of all that we known for tress then thats sad, a lot other have tress even new york city.
Joe Hood
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 1 a.m.
Would this building be built by right or are there hoops to jump through?
Lizzy Alfs
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:52 p.m.
These preliminary plans appear to fit in with the property zoning requirements. Both are located in D1 districts and have a maximum allowable height of 150 feet.
RUKiddingMe
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:57 a.m.
Whenever I see more apartment-living housing like this, it gives me hope that perhaps the actual houses might, just MIGHT wind up going to families and people that actually want to live here. One of the saddest things about this town is all the nice houses that have been added on to in quick, cheap attempts to shove one more student in, jerry-built "fire escapes" (often ladders bolted to the walls), and are constantly deteriorating due to student lifestyles and cheap temporary repairs by landlords. If we could get actual residents and families who cared about their homes and enjoyed living in Ann Arbor permanently into these houses, I think it would be wonderful. It's always possible that only something worse than what's already here will happen (e.g. the town bankrupts itself on bullcrap feel good projects and property values get so low that the permanent residents care as little about their homes as the students did), but I see an inkling of hope if the temporary housing demand is sucked out of these great homes and goes to apartments instead.
JRW
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 1:46 p.m.
Unfortunately, those gerry-rigged houses with add on fire escapes and other ugly features to accommodate cheap student apartments will live on. Do you think that landlords will tear down the ugly additions once high rises are built and students no longer rent in residential homes that have been butchered? No, the landlords walk away.
Lizzy Alfs
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:48 p.m.
Thanks for these comments, everyone. It's really interesting to think about what has already happened to some of those residential properties (@RUKiddingMe) and the potential moving forward. I'd like to look at whether it's economically feasible to convert a run down student house into a single-family residential home again. @empedocles: Interesting point about the city and state incentives.
Bear
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 3:31 a.m.
RUKiddingMe, that's exactly what I want to say to you when I hear garbage like this: "e.g. the town bankrupts itself on bullcrap feel good projects and property values get so low that the permanent residents care as little about their homes as the students did" This town, whether you take the time to notice or not, is a prosperous town and is no way, no how in any danger of "bankrupting itself" on anything, much less the 'feel-good projects' you so salaciously throw out there, showing your backside in the process. I love this town, It is my home. If you don't like it, please leave and move somewhere where they don't involve themselves too deeply in "feel good projects", like, maybe Novi.
Tom
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:40 a.m.
Amen to that thought. We're looking for our first home right now, and the most prime real estate is student ghetto. We would never want to live around student rentals.
Peter Baker
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:38 a.m.
RUKiddingMe, I totally agree (with the first paragraph at least).
empedocles
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:02 a.m.
I agree that converting the neighboring houses into family homes is the ideal outcome. To make that more likely the city must actually support the idea and help make it feasible to implement. That requires some incentives from the state (tax credits) and from the city (streamline zoning, permits and fee waivers) to induce a rational seller to sell and a rational buyer to buy. Most responses to this idea is that its too complicated, but I say it really isn't that difficult. Irwin and the city need to meet and plan a strategy. Unless there are generous incentives in play it can't happen.
widmer
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 1:04 a.m.
I definitely gave this post a thumbs up. However, I wonder if these apartments would have the opposite effect of what you are hoping, due to the fact that they are bound to push the cost of rent down in the houses around the periphery, thereby attracting even less savory tenants...
lorayn
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:22 a.m.
i do wonder how these new buildings will affect the market for the rat trap rental houses surrounding campus.
Frustrated in A2
Fri, Sep 28, 2012 : 3:24 a.m.
There will always be students who like to have house parties and their own driveway, I'm sure they'll still do ok. I'd think the dorms will continue to do well also.
treetowntenor
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 4:14 p.m.
@Lizzy - That sounds like a great follow-up story. I'd love to see some of the rental houses turned back into single-family homes.
Lizzy Alfs
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:44 p.m.
That's really a great question. I'd like to do a story soon that focuses on that. I wonder if we'll see prices lower on those fringe properties, or if it would even be feasible to convert some back to single-family residential use.
greg, too
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 2:51 a.m.
Hopefully they will price them accordingly to pull people out of those and keep these full. Empty rental towers seem to have a tendency to get dilapidated really quickly. But they look great...I am just hoping that there is enough of a need for them.
Chase Ingersoll
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:08 a.m.
I'll take a new building, built to 2012 code rather than 1912 fire code standards, that includes up to date wiring, SPRINKLERS, wide, emergency lit egress, hard wired smoke detectors, no COUCHES ON THE PORCH, and rent too high for drunks who fall asleep with a lit cigarette. With modern day sprinkler systems the ladder truck will never be used.
sellers
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 12:24 p.m.
Ladder trucks are also used for rescues.
Dog Guy
Wed, Sep 26, 2012 : 11:53 p.m.
What is the delivery date on that aerial fire truck and how high can it reach?
Halter
Wed, Sep 26, 2012 : 11:45 p.m.
Both gorgeous. Lets hope Ann Arbor doesn't squash another couple great looking projects.
hotsauce_gm
Wed, Oct 17, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
Agree, they are gorgeous...
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Sep 27, 2012 : 5:54 p.m.
Gorgeous? Are you out of your head?