A long-vacant 1860s building at the corner of Bagley and Trumbull has been transformed into a new destination for small businesses and remote professionals. The 5,636-square-foot development combines the careful rehabilitation of the historic structure with a newly constructed side-lot addition, creating a vibrant new anchor in Corktown.
The project introduces four ground-floor retail tenants—Stoned Cold Nails, Boro, Catalogue, and Sonic JuJu—all Detroit-based small businesses. Three of the four are first-time entrepreneurs, further strengthening the local pipeline of business ownership.
Upstairs, the building debuts the first location of Ballpoint Offices, offering 18 private, customizable offices designed for small businesses, sole proprietors, and remote employees. Interested tenants can schedule tours at ballpointoffices.com or by emailing leasing@ballpointoffices.com.
The project is a collaboration between Inkwell Partners and Ballet Real Estate, both Detroit-based small businesses with a shared commitment to community revitalization. Inkwell Partners, known for restoring vacant multifamily buildings, is expanding into mixed-use development with this project. Ballet Real Estate previously led the transformation of 1701 Trumbull, which brought three apartments and six woman-owned small businesses to life across the street.
“We pride ourselves on carefully restoring historic buildings throughout Detroit’s neighborhoods, and this one was particularly exciting because of the opportunity to further help the Bagley-Trumbull intersection become a bustling hub for local businesses,” said Ryan Zampardo of Inkwell Partners. “We’re excited to be a part of the Corktown community and look forward to finding other projects in the neighborhood in the future.”
The redevelopment team also included Infuz as architect and Huntington Construction as general contractor. Financing was made possible through investor equity sourced via the federal Opportunity Zone program and debt financing from Invest Detroit.
This project reflects a broader vision for Corktown’s continued growth—honoring the past while creating opportunities for the city’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
