The owners of Schvitz Detroit have acquired a former convent of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth on the city’s east side for most of the 20th century.
Set within the Banglatown neighborhood that occupies both Detroit and Hamtramck, “The Convent” as it’s being called contains four floors of usable space, including more than 20 private rooms that will be used by independent practitioners in art, graphic design, massage, acupuncture, meditation, and more.
The former chapel and communal areas will provide space for special events, music recitals, dinners, art openings, and other community-based activities.
“My wife and I were both educated by Polish nuns at an early age, so this endeavor already holds a lot of spiritual depth for us,” says Paddy Lynch, proprietor of Schvitz Detroit that was established in the 1930s as an urban health club and bathhouse.
“Over time, we expect The Convent will take on multiple identities: an art incubator, wellness center, gallery, event space, and ultimately a community that supports and promotes the work of Detroit artists and healers. We believe that artists and wellness practitioners are critical to our society’s health and vitality and wish to showcase their emergence in all that we do.”
Invest Detroit is financing the $300,000 purchase of the building at 13301 Mound Road. Additionally, the Strategic Neighborhood Fund, a partnership between Invest Detroit and the City of Detroit focused on neighborhood improvements, is providing an additional $100,000 to the project.
The shared goal with Schvitz Detroit is to enrich and expand on neighboring projects, such as the transformation of a school building into affordable housing.
John Patrick at Clyde Realty represented the buyer and Erica Jeffries at North American Real Estate represented the seller in the three-month-long commercial transaction.
The Convent will host an official open house in October. Until then, follow the building’s evolution at @convent_detroit.
For more information on Schvitz Detroit, visit Schvitz Detroit.
