DTWNews

Construction for Detroit’s new City Club Apartments is now underway, and the project promises to provide a true sense of luxury — not unlike an updated version of the opulent hotel that once stood in the same location for 90 years.

The Statler Hotel, with its 800 rooms and sense of affluence, was once one of the top places to stay in Detroit. Harry Houdini, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Jerry Lewis were among the hotel’s most notable guests. Built in 1915, the hotel later fell into disrepair and was finally demolished in 2005. Now, the City Club Apartments development will take its place.

While around 31% of renovating households choose to remodel a single room during a given project, the City Club complex will be a much more massive undertaking. The complex is expected to span seven stories with 288 residential units. Plus, it’ll have more than 10,000 square feet of retail space, which will include a restaurant, a theater, a pet shop, a fresh market, and outdoor terraces. Its location makes it convenient to Detroit’s venues for sports and entertainment, as well as the QLINE and People Mover.

Although the construction industry eliminated more than 40% of its workforce between 2006 and 2011, there’s been some recovery since then due to a more favorable economy. When Detroit emerged from bankruptcy protection in 2014, the rental market started to heat up — thus the need for renovations and, eventually, new builds. The City Club Apartments project seemed far-fetched at that time and it took longer to begin construction than anticipated, but it looks as if the apartments will become a reality soon enough.

That said, living there won’t be feasible for everyone. The project is going to cost around $70 million to complete, for one thing. And while there’s no news yet as to how much the units will cost to rent, it’s likely to be in the thousands every month. However, 20% of the complex will feature affordable apartments, with some duplexes, penthouses, and townhouses thrown in the mix.

According to the developers, the sky is the limit for this project.

As City Club Apartments Chairman and CEO Jonathan Holtzman told Daily Detroit, “Why can’t an apartment community combine great design, green sustainability, pet friendly, with special bathrooms, kitchens and closets. Why can’t you have rooftop terraces that have a vegetable garden.”

If the floor plans for the units are anything to go by, it seems like renters can have it all — even a “sexy bath” (yes, that’s actually what the press kit says and is mentioned in the blueprints for Ann Arbor City Club Apartments, which were built by the same company). There’ll even be a “bark park” for pets, an indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub, a 24-hour fitness center and 24-hour concierge, and more.

Currently, there’s a six-month wait for apartments in Detroit’s downtown and mid-town areas. It’s estimated that the City Club Apartments will be ready for move-in by November 2018. Although that seems like an ambitious timeline, it’s clear that Detroit residents are in need of housing. Whether they’ll be able to actually afford these units — or will even want all the bells and whistles — is another story.