Neighborhood
Tech Town
Address
6001 Cass Avenue
Project Type
Mixed-Use
Construction Type
Rehab
Original Date Built
1920
Date Completed
October 2019
Total Size
120,700 SF
Office
80,000 SF
Retail
25,600 SF
This building was a celebration of the automobile and American ingenuity and design. We can revive that spirit in a way that is relevant today.
6001 Cass is a historic adaptive rehabilitation and reuse of Wayne State University’s Criminal Justice Building. Located in Midtown’s burgeoning innovation and technology district, it provides a fitting office option in a central neighborhood. Additionally, it will feature ground floor retail and a 6,000 square foot gallery dedicated to Wayne State University’s permanent art collection. 6001 Cass is walkable and well-serviced by public transportation and freeways. Detroit’s only Amtrak station connecting the city to Chicago is blocks away. 6001 Cass was built in 1920 by famed architect Albert Kahn as the Cadillac Sales and Service Building and features a magnificent second floor showroom. It was repurposed by Wayne State in the 1970s for their Criminal Justice department. With periods of ill-maintenance, the building bordered on demolition multiple times until eventually vacant.
6001 Cass is part of a larger master plan focused on the intersection of Cass Avenue and York Street that is a mixed-use and mixed-income. It includes apartments over retail at Antoinette and a new integrated parking deck to accommodate parking needs across the development.
Stage of Development ?At the foundation of mentorship is a transparency of knowledge and practice. We choose to share our projects as they unfold – through all parts of the development process.
Pre-Development
A developer sees an opportunity in an existing building or vacant land and tests possible ideas for development to determine if they should commit.
Design
The architect, along with engineers and contractors, collaborate with the developer to create a meaningful plan for construction.
Construction
The general contractor physically brings the design of the architect and engineers to life.
Leasing or Sale
The development is promoted to potential tenants who may be interested in leasing or purchasing available units.
Management
A property-management team manages the on-going daily operations of the development and the tenants.
Re-Financing
The owner may choose to re-finance or sell the developed property.
Photo by Ara Howrani
Courtesy Photo
Photo by Ara Howrani
Photo by Ara Howrani
On Community Engagement: A dedicated community meeting introduced residents to the early master planning of the 6001 Cass the and Antoinette development to gather feedback on the proposed projects. The development, located in and adjacent to the New Amsterdam Historic District, also received community stakeholder support for a historic commission hearing in which project plans were approved.
On Design Excellence: Originally, the vision was for architectural beauty to symbolize the beauty and stability of a Cadillac car itself. Today, the design ambition at 6001 Cass is to restore the building to its former glory while modernizing it to fit the needs of today’s collaborative and private work environments. Retail and gallery programming push the façade of the building to engage with the street.
In the Neighborhood: Henry Ford Health System, Wayne State University, Wayne State Integrative Biosciences Center, College for Creative Studies, TechTown Detroit, Junction440, Next Energy, future Pistons Performance Center, University Preparatory Academy Elementary, University Preparatory Academy High School, Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Fisher Theater, Carhartt Flagship Store, Shinola Headquarters, Motown Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Historical Society, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Michigan Science Center, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, University Prep Science + Math Middle School, Scarab Club, Detroit Public Library
Transit: Bus #023, 042, 016, 080, 089, 851, Q-line Station: Amsterdam; MoGo Station: Second Ave & Burroughs St; Amtrak Detroit Station