Washtenaw County developments to watch in 2024
Media Mention
Originally Published in Ann Arbor News
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – Construction of new affordable housing projects, the transformation of a vacant shopping center and movement on other developments long tied up in court all could be on the docket in Washtenaw County for 2024.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of 18 Washtenaw County projects to keep an eye on in the new year, from developments currently in the approval pipeline to those that are well on their way to being completed already. The list does not include projects in the city of Ann Arbor.
As with any development proposal, nothing is a guarantee, but here’s what to keep tabs on this year.
Affordable housing projects abound in Ypsilanti
Three projects promising units reserved for residents with below-average incomes are in various stages of completion in Ypsilanti.
Furthest along is Huron Vista and The Residences at Huron, dual developments bringing a combined 308 affordable apartments for seniors and families on land off Clark Road, with construction getting underway early in the 2023 season.
Meanwhile, developers behind a 46-unit project near Depot Town, named Dorsey Estates, said in a December update to Ypsilanti officials they were completing an environmental assessment to remove contaminated soils necessary for residential construction at the site, located at 220 N. Park St. The project’s planned for-sale houses offer the promise of affordable homeownership for those unable to compete in Washtenaw County’s increasingly pricey market.
And finally, a fire-damaged apartment complex near downtown, at 206 N. Washington St., hasn’t yet given way to a new affordable project from nonprofit developer Avalon Housing, but the development has needed city approvals and a city tax break making it possible.
A new lease on life for vacant Walmart Supercenter in Ypsilanti Township?
After more than three years of lying vacant, a former Ypsilanti Township Walmart Supercenter building could be reborn as a sizeable self-storage facility under a plan from a California-based developer purchasing the surrounding Roundtree Place Shopping Center off Ellsworth Road.
The proposal has yet to go before officials for review, but the township has been working cooperatively with the purchaser to fill the empty space and plan for its future, MLive/The Ann Arbor News reported.
Could the second time be the charm for a Saline lot near downtown?
After trying once with another developer whose project sputtered after initial site work, Saline leaders appear to have found a winner for a city property at 207 Monroe Street.
Developer Livonia Builders has city permission to proceed with a 20-home proposal that could provide new options for younger, first-time buyers. If all goes according to plan, the first houses will be occupied by the end of 2024, developers say.
Dexter condos near Mill Creek spark debate, but project advances
Depending on who you ask, The Pelham, a proposed four-story condominium development near downtown Dexter, is either a disruption of the city’s natural beauty or a much-needed infusion of housing within walking distance of a slew of local businesses and a boon to the restoration of the Mill Creek.
Amid the contrasting feedback from city residents, Dexter leaders OK’d preliminary plans for the project in November. It will have to go through a final review process before proceeding to construction.
Ypsilanti-area school could be sold, knocked down for new recreation center
Condemned and boarded up, the former Cheney Elementary School on the border of Superior and Ypsilanti townships is primed to change hands, with a sale from Ypsilanti Community Schools to Washtenaw County near a reality.
County officials have pegged the site as the future home of a long-discussed eastern county recreation and community center, powered by millions in already assembled funding. The first step? Demolishing the old school building, they say.
Car dealerships presenting a model for sustainability under construction outside Ann Arbor
As the year wound down, preparations began on a site set to host a string of luxury auto dealerships along Jackson Road in Scio Township, just west of Ann Arbor.
Included in the development is an “electric vehicle park” offering chargers aimed at residents and I-94 travelers, complementing all-electric buildings designed to meet net-zero carbon emissions targets.