from “le détroit” · the strait
The first phase of Henry Street Apartments has opened in Detroit's Cass Park, part of an $80 million effort turning six historic buildings into 170 apartments, nearly half of them affordable.
The first residents are home at Henry Street Apartments, and a century-old corner of Cass Park is coming back to life.
Olympia Development of Michigan and Cinnaire Solutions celebrated the opening of the first phase of Henry Street Apartments on October 8, another milestone in The District Detroit. The buildings sit in Cass Park.
Phase one brings online two residential buildings, Bretton Hall at 439 Henry and The Claridge at 459 Henry, plus Ralston Commons at 447 Henry, a former bowling alley rebuilt into a residential amenity and community center. At 9,000 square feet, Ralston Commons includes a fitness center and a dog wash.
When it's complete next summer, Henry Street Apartments will include 170 renovated apartments across six historic residential buildings constructed between 1900 and 1922. Nearly half of the units, 49%, will be offered at affordable rates for households earning between 30% and 60% of Area Median Income.
For the affordable units, studios start at $550 a month and one-bedrooms at $589, with other restricted units ranging up to $1,179. The remaining buildings open in stages, with the final openings in May 2027.
"Detroit's growth should mean more quality housing choices for people at different income levels," Mayor Mary Sheffield said. "Henry Street is bringing historic buildings back to life and creating homes where residents can be part of this neighborhood's future."
The $80 million project included roughly $12 million in state and local gap financing, plus conventional financing. It was made possible through loans from Fifth Third Bank and Bank of America, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, American Rescue Plan Act funds from the City of Detroit, HOME funds from the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan, and Michigan Community Revitalization Program assistance.
The federal money came with its own paperwork. The city's combined environmental review for the project is on file as "NOIRROF - Henry Street," the step that had to clear before the ARPA and HOME dollars could be committed.
Ilitch Companies says it has invested more than $2.3 billion across 22 projects in the city.
The buildings are tracked on Detroit's HomeConnect portal, where Bretton Hall is listed as "Bretton Hall - Henry Street 9% Apartments."
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