East Warren Corridor Revival Continues with Redevelopment and Expansion of Long-Vacant Arthur Murray Building

October 30, 2025

The long-vacant Arthur Murray building on Detroit's East Side is being transformed into 32 apartments and commercial space as part of the city's Strategic Neighborhood Fund initiative. This redevelopment project in the East Warren-Cadieux corridor represents a deliberate effort to extend reinvestment beyond downtown Detroit into neighborhoods that have experienced decades of disinvestment. The development will feature affordable housing at multiple income levels, with units designated for families earning between 60 and 100 percent of the Area Median Income, alongside 8,000 square feet of commercial space for community organization Activate Detroit.

Who is affected

Detroit families seeking affordable housing, specifically households earning 60-100% of Area Median Income
Long-standing homeowners and residents of the East Warren-Cadieux corridor
Activate Detroit, the neighborhood-focused organization occupying commercial space
Real Estate Interests, LLC (developer led by CEO Emery Matthews)
Local entrepreneurs who will utilize the commercial space
Residents across ten neighborhoods designated under the Strategic Neighborhood Fund
Detroit's East Side communities that have historically been bypassed by downtown investment

What action is being taken

Real Estate Interests, LLC has broken ground on converting the Arthur Murray building into 32 apartments and community space
The development is designating apartments at layered affordability levels (six units for households at 60% AMI, thirteen units for 61-80% AMI, and remaining units for up to 100% AMI)
8,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space is being created for Activate Detroit
The Strategic Neighborhood Fund is pooling philanthropic, public, and private dollars to invest in housing, small businesses, and public infrastructure

Why it matters

This project addresses a longstanding concern among Detroiters that revitalization efforts have concentrated downtown while neglecting neighborhood communities. For the East Warren-Cadieux corridor specifically, which has experienced decades of disinvestment despite community pride and resident perseverance, this redevelopment provides tangible proof that investment can reach areas that need it most. The layered affordability approach is significant because it aims to prevent displacement of current residents while still accommodating growth, and the inclusion of commercial space for community-driven organizations demonstrates a commitment to building local ownership and wealth that remains within the community rather than extracting it.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle