Deputy Mayor Melia Howard, along with City, State and Federal officials, joined with Corktown residents on Wednesday, March 19, to throw the first pitch, and celebrate the opening of Left Field, a $22 million residential development at the former site of Tiger Stadium that will bring affordable housing options to one of the city’s fastest growing neighborhoods. Left Field is part of the city’s sweeping Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) Greater Corktown transformation plan following years of planning and community engagement.
Left Field, built by American Community Developers (ACD), is the first of a two-building development that is expected to have a total of 113 apartments. 80 percent of the units in Left Field are reserved for households earning between 40 percent to 80 percent area median income (AMI).
The first phase of Left Field consists of studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment and townhome units across two buildings. Left Field contains 48 affordable units, 28 of which will be set aside for households at or below 40 percent AMI. Rent for these units starts around $710 a month for a one-bedroom. Two units are set aside at 50 percent, or about $840 a month for a one-bedroom. Additionally, 29 of the 48 affordable units will have rental assistance limiting the tenant-paid rent to 30 percent of household income.
The project is the first phase of the HUD CNI housing plan. The City received a $35-million HUD CNI grant in 2021 (and supplemented in 2023) that will support the creation of hundreds of housing units with a wide array of affordability and options throughout Historic and North Corktown. The work, led by the City’s Housing & Revitalization and Planning & Development teams, will ensure Detroiters of all backgrounds and incomes will be included as the neighborhood continues to see rapid development and escalating rents.
“We saw, even before the redevelopment of Michigan Central was announced, that Corktown was booming and that was going to result in growing rent pressures for a lot of long-time residents of the neighborhood,” said Mayor Duggan in a statement. “So, we secured the HUD Choice Neighborhood Grant, which is helping us to build 600 new affordable housing units in Corktown so residents won’t need to worry about being pushed out. Today, thanks to our partners at ACD, 48 families on the lower end of the income scale are living in a beautiful new building on one of the most spectacular sites in the city.”
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring affordable housing options to the old Tigers Stadium site,” said Jerry Krueger, president of American Community Developers, Inc. “We’re thrilled that we were entrusted with this opportunity and we know that this will be an asset to the community for many years to come.”
Left Field was funded in part by an award of $1.5 million in Low-Income Housing Credits (LIHTC) from MSHDA. The development also received a $1 million HOME/ CDBG loan from the City. Citizens Bank is the equity investor through City Real Estate Advisors and Citizens Bank also provided the construction loan for Left Field.
“Left Field is a testament to what’s possible when strategic investment meets strong collaboration. MSHDA is proud to support this transformative development, ensuring that as Corktown grows, longtime Detroiters can remain at the heart of the city,” said Chad Bensen, MSHDA Director of Development. “With over $1 billion invested in affordable housing in Detroit over the past five years, we remain committed to creating vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods where all residents have access to safe, quality housing.”
Left Field sets stage for next phase of Corktown affordable housing plan
As part of the Corktown HUD Choice strategy, the 87-unit HUD-assisted site known as Clement Kern Gardens will be razed and rebuilt. When it was built in 1985, the 9-acre site was isolated from the surrounding community with berms and fencing, and streets were cut off. Under this plan, the street grid will be reconstructed to better connect the neighborhood. As Clement Kern Gardens is redeveloped by American Community Developers, Inc. (ACD), current residents who want to stay in Corktown will be given priority to move to Left Field and future developments in the Corktown Choice plan.
Once Clement Kern Gardens is redeveloped, those residents who moved elsewhere during development can either stay in their new homes or choose to move to the rebuilt Clement Kern Gardens site. Most importantly, existing Clement Kern Gardens residents who qualify will continue to pay rent based on their income, and their housing needs and status will be prioritized throughout the Greater Corktown HUD Choice project. Work at Clement Kern Gardens is expected to begin in May of 2025.
The CNI plan also calls for a new economic empowerment center to be built upon the former site of the Owen School in North Corktown.
“The Choice Neighborhoods grant has been a game-changer for Detroit, allowing us to take bold steps in ensuring that longtime residents can remain in the communities they’ve helped build,” said Julie Schneider, Director of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department. “Left Field is a prime example of how we’re using this funding to create deeply affordable, high-quality housing in neighborhoods experiencing rapid growth. By leveraging this grant, we are not only preserving affordability but also fostering inclusive development that keeps Detroiters at the heart of Corktown’s transformation.”
More than $1.2 billion has been invested in affordable housing in Detroit over the past six years as part of a massive effort to ensure that longtime Detroiters of all income levels can live in any neighborhood they choose.
More information on the Corktown Choice Plan can be found at https://detroitmi.gov/departments/housing-and-revitalization-department/strategic-plans-reports-and-data/choice-neighborhoods
