Historic Detroit School To Get New Life As Sleek Residential Complex

DETROIT (WWJ) -- A century-old Detroit school will be gaining new life as what officials are calling a "modern and sleek" residential project.

Mayor Mike Duggan was on hand for the groundbreaking of the $10 million project Monday at the St. Charles school on the city's east side, which has sat vacant for decades. It was snapped up by developer Banyan Investment for $50,000. Previously, the building was sold in 2014 for $1,000.

Now, the St. Charles Residence on Townsend Street and St. Paul Street will be a redevelopment of the original school that was built in 1912. Units will range in size from 894 square feet to 1,640 square feet.

Residents can expect to move by May 2018 with additional phases planned for more units. The project is meant to be a jumping off point for the revitalization of the West Village area.

It will be one of the largest developments in Detroit outside of the Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods.

According to the Detroit News, units in the development are slated to have "high ceilings, large windows and an abundance of outdoor space."

As an added bonus, the mayor of Detroit lives nearby.

"We have a vision of the neighborhoods in Detroit that we can rebuild this city in a way that is unique," said Duggan. "We've seen this so many times before, a school closes and scrappers come in. ... In this case Aamir (the developer) said there is value here, and we can restore it."

The project is expected to take about 12 months.