Ruined Landmark Transformed into Affordable Housing

Mayor Mary Sheffield joined Detroit Landmark Development on May 19 to cut the ribbon on Weston Hall, a restored 1924 building in Detroit’s Virginia Park neighborhood that now holds 47 all-affordable apartments. City officials said the project reopened a structure that had sat vacant for nearly 20 years and had fallen into severe disrepair before redevelopment began. WXYZ reported the building survived the 1967 unrest and later stood empty for more than two decades before Detroit Landmark Development bought it about five years ago. Detroit Landmark Development says Weston Hall is the city’s first all-affordable “smart” residential building. The apartments include studios and one-bedrooms, and the company says residents can control features such as locks and lighting from their phones. A Detroit Home Connect listing shows the property at 2211 Pingree with an open waitlist and rents ranging from $825 for studios to $1,060-$1,400 for one-bedrooms, depending on the unit. (detroitmi.gov) ### Which Detroit landmark was restored? Weston Hall, built in 1924, is the building at the center of the project. WXYZ reported the Virginia Park property sat vacant for more than 20 years and had no roof when the restoration effort began. Ed Fowler, a co-founder or partner at Detroit Landmark Development, told WXYZ: “It had no roof, wasn’t occupied 20 years prior, right, but we took on the challenge.” (detroitmi.gov) MLive reported Fowler said the company bought the building from the city for less than $50,000 after decades of vacancy and disrepair. The city said the completed redevelopment now provides 47 units of affordable housing in the historic neighborhood. ### Who is supposed to live there? City officials said Weston Hall is intended for residents earning between 50% and 80% of area median income. (wxyz.com) The city’s May 19 announcement described the building as “all-affordable” and said the apartments were developed for local residents rather than market-rate tenants. Detroit Home Connect says voucher holders can also apply and, if they have a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, income requirements do not apply in the same way because rent is based on income. (mlive.com) The Weston Hall website says the building is about eight minutes from downtown Detroit and includes in-unit washers and dryers, stainless steel appliances and private parking. Those features are part of the pitch Detroit Landmark Development and city officials have made that affordable housing can include newer amenities. ### How did the renovation involve Detroit workers? More than 200 Detroit residents received hands-on job training while working on the building, according to the city. (detroitmi.gov) The May 19 city release said the trainees came through programs including the Emerging Industries Training Institute, the Center for Employment Opportunities, Detroit Training Center, Flip The Script by Goodwill and Detroit At Work. (thewestonhall.com) Amber Simpson, a project manager who worked on Weston Hall, told WXYZ the experience gave her skills in electrical, plumbing and HVAC work that she did not have before. The city said Simpson and Olen Womble later used those skills to launch their own firm, Day Rose Holdings LLC-General Construction Co. ### What makes the project “smart” and affordable at the same time? (detroitmi.gov) Ed Fowler told WXYZ the “smart” label refers to devices such as smart dimmers and smart locks that residents can control with a cellphone. The city said the building combines those features with below-market rents for households within the targeted income bands. (wxyz.com) Rocket Community Fund is also part of the model. Beth Sorce, the fund’s senior director of housing stability, told WXYZ the building will report on-time rent payments to credit bureaus as a credit-building tool intended to reduce financial risk for tenants. ### Where can residents look for the next step? Detroit Home Connect lists Weston Hall at 2211 Pingree with an open waitlist and directs prospective renters to apply through the city’s affordable housing search platform. (wxyz.com) The listing shows studios and one-bedroom units and says applications are open. The city’s May 19 announcement said Mayor Sheffield, Detroit Landmark Development and Rocket Community Fund were among the named participants in the opening. For residents, the next milestone is leasing: the public listing is already live, and the waitlist is the place the city directs applicants to start. (detroitmi.gov) (homeconnect.detroitmi.gov)