r/Detroit • u/sixwaystop313 • 1d ago
News Detroit grants approval for controversial apartments near Boston-Detroit
https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/2025/04/04/detroit-approval-controversial-apartments-boston-edison-detroit/82874106007/96
u/666EggplantParm Jefferson Chalmers 1d ago
It's like the NIMBYs forget they live smack-dab in the middle of the city
31
u/MrManager17 1d ago
Good! There is absolutely nothing "controversial" about an adaptive reuse, mixed-use project a half a mile from Woodward. Just because a bunch of snooty NIMBYs with sticks up their tushies are afraid of more cars parking on the public street (gasp!) doesn't mean it's legitimately controversial.
52
u/gngrwsbi 1d ago
If they put retail or some sort of coffee shop in there, it would help alleviate the endless hordes of cars by the congregation. Boston Edison used to have several robust commercial districts around it. As a resident, I wouldn’t mind being able to walk to a few things.
25
9
u/No-Lengthiness-7142 21h ago
Same here (B-E resident who wants more walkable retail). I’m happy about this outcome and hope there isn’t another appeal.
24
17
u/ankole_watusi Born and Raised 1d ago
This looks just like every other charming old apartment building that used to exist just the other side of Linwood. (Many are gone now.)
The problem with this one is that it’s on “the wrong side of the tracks”. Or right side, depending on viewpoint. Well, it’s an apartment building like those over there on the wrong side of the tracks…
(The analogy is not that much of a stretch. There was once a street car line.)
14
u/albi_seeinya 23h ago
It's not over folks--the neighborhood group is going to appeal this to the Board of Zoning Appeals a second time. Everyone here on this Reddit thread who is in support of this will have a chance to speak at the future BZA hearing. The BZA approved it before and I think will likely approve it again.
9
u/MrManager17 22h ago
Yup. Which is why BSEED listed nearly four pages of findings in their decision to approve. If appealed, the BZA will likely uphold the approval...which will then be appealed to circuit court. If the circuit court finds that BSEED made appropriate findings (which they did), the approval should be upheld.
14
u/imelda_barkos Southwest 14h ago
Insane that this is required simply to renovate a building
3
u/MrManager17 9h ago
Yup. It starts with the fact that this project requires special land use approval, which requires a public hearing per state law.
Make it a "by right" use and poof no more public hearing requirement, and no need for the city to go through dozens of findings to make a decision which can each be litigated.
12
11
u/saucya Royal Oak 1d ago
My friend rented the apartment above the Motown Mansion’s carriage house. I was always amazed at the state of the abutting neighborhoods and the fact that this building stood vacant over it. Hamilton is a pretty beat-up street and it’s a positive thing to see development on it.
7
u/ballastboy1 23h ago
It isn’t controversial. Stop writing headlines that normalize regressive obstructionists.
14
4
u/Traditional-Sound-56 14h ago
Exhibit A why housing is expensive: This no-brainer of a development (or renovation if you prefer) is considered "controversial."
and in a city that once had 1.8 million people and now has 630,000!
0
u/f_o_t_a Lasalle Gardens 11h ago
I’m curious how many people here own houses. I bought a home mostly because of the neighborhood. That’s what they say when buying a home, location location location. It’s a huge investment. The biggest we’ve ever made. If someone wants to change the location, make it less quiet and more busy, it invalidates the reason we bought here. Because of this, I personally have grown to respect some NIMBY viewpoints.
Now, this building, which is beautiful, has been sitting empty for decades. So it’s hard to argue that it should stay abandoned.
1
106
u/Same-Factor1090 1d ago
nimbys who would rather have an abandoned building rotting at the end of their block rather than have increased foot and car traffic.
Never change, Detroit.