Michigan Strategic Fund approves support for housing redevelopment in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood

LANSING, Mich.  – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board support for the redevelopment of the former Billinghurst Hotel in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood, adding critical housing with a new, mixed-use development.

“Every Michigander deserves an affordable, quality place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Governor Whitmer. “The renovation of the historic Billinghurst Hotel will create more housing options in Midtown Detroit, including affordable homes that can help lower housing costs for families, while bringing new life to a historic building and creating space for local businesses to grow. Our investments in revitalization and placemaking are helping communities across Michigan breathe new life into historic buildings and vibrant downtowns. Let’s keep working together to grow Michigan’s economy, lower costs, and help families and businesses ‘make it’ in Michigan.”

“Community development is a key pillar in Michigan’s economic development strategy, and this project honors Detroit’s storied past while creating opportunities for housing and contributing to the city’s revitalization,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of the MEDC and MSF Board Chair. “We are grateful to the risk-taking development team for their vote of confidence in The D! We thank Governor Whitmer, the members of the Michigan Strategic Fund Board, the Michigan Legislature, and our economic development partners for their work in creating and funding the economic development tools that support projects like the Billinghurst Apartments.”

OVERVIEW: Located at 69 W. Willis in the Willis-Selden Historic District, the Billinghurst Apartments will add 31 apartments and 4,341 square feet of commercial space. Rents will be targeted at between 60-100% Area Median Income, ensuring affordability for future residents. When complete, the project will generate a total anticipated capital investment of $9,549,589 while enhancing connectivity between Midtown, Downtown, and Brush Park.

In support of the development, the MSF Board approved a $1,839,647 Michigan Community Revitalization Program (MCRP) Other Economic Assistance Loan Participation award. The project is also receiving local support through a 15-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) tax reduction plan valued at approximately $3 million, and the local portion of the Act 381 Work Plan valued at approximately $831,597. The development team is also leveraging Federal Historic Tax Credits and Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Housing Tax Increment Financing.

Led by Detroit developer Scott Lowell, the development team has been a key player in the revitalization of Midtown Detroit and was recognized with the Spirit of Detroit Award in October 2025. The MEDC has previously supported Lowell’s development team on rehabilitation projects in Detroit, including the historic Forest Arms Apartments, which was honored with a 2018 Governor’s Award for historic preservation.

“We've devoted the majority of our lives working to restore and preserve buildings in the city we grew up in,” said developer Scott Lowell. “Finally getting The Billinghurst to the starting line is very exciting, and we look forward to being part of Detroit's continued renaissance.”

WHY IT MATTERS: Built in 1922, the former Billinghurst Hotel is one of the few remaining vacant and blighted structures in Midtown Detroit’s Willis–Selden Historic District. The historic rehabilitation of the Late Gothic Revival building will help preserve the district’s architectural significance, while many other neighboring historic structures have been lost over time.

With a strategic location situated between Wayne State University and Downtown Detroit, the Billinghurst Apartments project will address a strong demand for housing in the area while reactivating a long-vacant historic building.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

“Billinghurst Apartments is a great example of how Housing TIF can support a community’s own priorities for redevelopment,” said Amy Hovey, MSHDA CEO and executive director. “It will bring a once-vacant historic property back into productive use as much-needed housing in the heart of Midtown. It’s exciting to see communities use this tool to preserve the character of their neighborhoods and move forward with projects that might not otherwise be possible.”

“The Billinghurst has been vacant for decades, and there aren’t many buildings like it left in this stretch of Midtown, so seeing it come back is beneficial for the neighborhood,” said Brian Vosburg, senior director of brownfield redevelopment, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. “Nearly a quarter of the units will be reserved for households earning 60 to 80 percent of the area median income, and that affordability holds for the full 30-year life of the Brownfield Plan. Projects like this demonstrate how brownfield tools and PILOT can collaborate to help Detroiters stay in their neighborhoods as they grow quickly.”

“The redevelopment of the Billinghurst is a great example of how we can preserve an important piece of Detroit’s history while creating new housing and bringing renewed investment to Midtown. This project respects the history of the building while looking toward its future, and I’m encouraged to see this investment moving,” said state Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit).

"Congratulations to Billinghurst Apartments, LLC on being awarded significant funding from MEDC and MSHDA,” said state Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit). “Quality, attainable housing must continue to be a top priority for our state. I am excited to see this project come to fruition and provide more housing options for Detroit renters." 

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.