Detroit’s Eastern Market district will see more residential property – 30 loft-style units anticipated for completion in the spring of 2022.
The Atlas Lofts, a $7 million project, will be located at 1440 Gratiot Ave., a six-story building on the southern edge of Eastern Market. Originally constructed in the 1920s, the building was home to Atlas Furniture Co., and the design is expected to blend the history of the neighborhood with modern architecture. The renovation is expected to begin early next year.
Rossetti, a Detroit-based architectural design and planning firm, is leading the project.
“We are delighted to breathe new life into this building by transforming it into a uniquely Detroit living experience,” says Matt Rossetti, president of Rossetti. “The design celebrates the maker aesthetic at the crossroads of industrial design, automotive, and machinery, blending the elements of Detroit with modern modularity. Material selection will highlight historically significant details such as wood, brick, and steel to reflect an eclectic industrial mix.”
The 30 units will range in size from 360 to 1,300 square feet. Four ground-floor units will range in size from 630 to 1,000 square feet, ideal for small businesses. Firm Real Estate is the developer.
“This adaptive reuse effort will focus on completely restoring the exterior of the building, in particular the Gratiot façade, to its original grandeur,” says Michael Leinweber, vice president of construction for Firm Real Estate. “The interior of the building as well as its systems will see a complete renovation, with upgrades that conform to modern code, health, fire, and safety requirements. The work required is significant, as the building has not received any proper maintenance work or updates in several decades.”
The developer is working with Detroit- and Michigan-based businesses for the project. It will also include affordable units in alignment with the city of Detroit’s goal of developing more diverse affordable housing in neighborhoods across the city.
Rossetti’s portfolio includes mixed-use, entertainment, hospitality, and urban planning properties. Its Detroit projects include the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center, Ford Field, and more. National projects include the Miami Dolphins Training Facility, the USTA National Tennis Center in New York, and the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Ohio.
