Tee Grizzley is backing a $12 million mixed-income housing project in Detroit’s Brush Park that includes 37 residential units and is expected to open in late 2027.
Tee Grizzley is stepping out of the booth and into Detroit’s real estate market with a $12 million mixed-income housing project aimed at transforming Brush Park.
The rapper’s development company won the city’s bidding process for a quarter-acre site at 205 Watson Street, where a five-story building called Wallace Estates will go up in late 2027.
The project brings 37 residential units to one of Detroit’s fastest growing neighborhoods.
Studios and one-bedroom apartments make up the majority of the building, with a handful of two-bedroom units.
Approximately 20 percent of the units will be designated as affordable housing priced at 80 percent of area median income, and the remaining units will be rented at market rate.
Expected monthly costs range from $1,800 for a 450-square-foot studio to $2,700 for an 800-square-foot two-bedroom.
“Detroit raised me. I am a West Side kid and I am passionate about bringing mixed-income housing to my city,” Grizzley said in a statement. “The 205 Watson project is about building safe, quality housing for everyone; respecting long-term residents and welcoming new neighbors. Creating opportunity without pushing people out.”
The ground floor will feature a lobby, walk-up apartments, commercial space and underground parking.
Part of the fifth floor includes indoor and outdoor facilities for residents. The design showcases a masonry facade with large offset windows, consistent with the aesthetic requirements of the historic district.
Nevan Shokar, principal of Shokar Group and day-to-day development leader of the project, highlighted the potential of the site.
“This is an infill site that brings high-quality housing to affordable tenants and market-rate tenants,” Chauca said. “I think it complements the neighborhood well with the brick aesthetic and the brass inlays on the windows.”
The project has been submitted to the Detroit Historic District Commission for architectural review, according to The Detroit News. Construction will begin this summer and is expected to be completed in 18 months.
Chauka noted that studios and one-bedroom units meet the highest demand in Detroit.
“Two-bedroom units are sometimes difficult to fill in buildings, which is why you typically see smaller unit sizes,” he explains.
Wallace Estates joins the wave of residential development in Brush Park following the completion of the City Modern project in Bedrock last summer.
The development team is seeking tax incentives, including Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax abatements and housing tax increment financing, to support the project’s affordability goals.
The Historic District Commission’s March 5 approval clears the way for the next phase of planning and permitting.
