Northern Group Continues Expanding Detroit Real Estate Portfolio

Just days after announcing Cadillac Centre, a $150 million residential, retail and entertainment project planned for downtown Detroit, Northern Group principal and managing partner-Alex Dembitzer today announced that his company is acquiring Lafayette Towers, part of the Mies van der Rohe Residential District located just east of downtown Detroit.

Lafayette Towers joins The Northern Group's ever-growing Detroit portfolio, which currently includes Alden Park Towers, the gorgeous Tudor-Revival style apartment complex on the Detroit River, and the First National, Penobscot and Cadillac Tower buildings downtown.

"We have a strong belief in the future of Detroit and an excellent history with our apartment rentals in Alden Park Towers," Dembitzer said. "We have nearly completed refurbishing the historic 400-unit Alden Park Towers residential apartments, which are currently 90 percent leased, on Detroit's riverfront."

Lafayette Towers includes 584 rental apartments which feature wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-floor windows in aluminum and glass.

Each of the two towers has an abundance of amenities, including city and river views, 24-hour attended gatehouse with concierge, fitness center, heated outdoor swimming pool with sundeck, laundry facilities, cable and high-speed Internet outlets, covered parking and storage facilities. The two-story lobbies of each tower are lined with terrazzo floors and marble walls and surrounded by floor to ceiling glass.

Lafayette Towers overlooks a spacious 19-acre central park designed by famed landscape architect Alfred Caldwell. The park contains several walking and jogging paths that connect a mix of high rises, two-story townhouses, tennis and basketball courts, a playground, an elementary school and a small shopping center. The central park is part of the larger 78-acre Lafayette Park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The van der Rohe Residential District celebrated 50 years in 2007.

Lafayette Towers is one of the largest, purest examples of Mies van der Rohe style in the world. A pioneer of modern design, van der Rohe is also credited for the Seagram Building in New York City, IBM Plaza and Chicago Federal Center in Chicago, Westmount Square in Montreal and Ontario's Toronto-Dominion Centre.

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American Automakers Claim Majority of International Car of the Year Awards

On the eve of North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) press week, American automakers were honored several times at ROAD & TRAVEL magazine's (RTM) International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY), held at the lovely and spectacular MGM Grand in downtown Detroit.  

With an audience of 600 industry leaders and members of the media, Detroit-area automakers were honored with six of the ten awards given out. The Chrysler Town & Country picked up two trophies, while the Volvo C30, GMC Sierra Denali, Buick Enclave, and the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, which was  also named 2007 Green Car of the Year, each garnered one. Here is the complete list of winners: 

International Car of the Year: Honda Accord Sedan

International Truck of the Year: Chrysler Town & Country

Pick Up Truck of the Year: GMC Sierra Denali

Sports Car of the Year: Audi R8

Sedan of the Year: Honda Accord Sedan

Luxury Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

Minivan of the Year: Chrysler Town & Country

Entry Level Car of the Year: Volvo C30

Crossover of the Year: Buick Enclave

SUV of the Year: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

Opening remarks at the 12th annual ICOTY award show were made by Congressman John D. Dingell, the "Dean of the House of Representatives," and Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 

U.S. Senator Carl Levin, RTM Editor-in-Chief Courtney Caldwell and Edmunds.com Editorial Director Kevin Smith also co-presented the inaugural EARTH ANGEL Award, which went to Detroit's own-General Motors. Sponsored by Bridgestone, the award highlights the most environmentally-friendly automaker. It seeks to shine a spotlight on the positive strides automakers are making with global warming issues on a worldwide level.

Congratulations to all the winners!

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Detroit Symphony Orchestra receives $1 million gift for music education

Today the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) announced that Honda has given the institution over $1 million to create The Power of Dreams Music Education Fund. 

The Power of Dreams will help support and expand the DSO's nationally acclaimed music programs for young people, specifically by allowing the organization to focus on supporting the involvement of Detroit children. Honda will also support a campaign to promote public donations to the fund.

The five-year DSO/Honda partnership will include:

- Launching a new initiative called The Power of Dreams String Project to provide introductory music education and string training to children in metro-Detroit communities where opportunities are non-existent or unaffordable.

- Establishing The Power of Dreams Music Scholar program to provide private lessons to aspiring students with financial need in the String Project, DSO Civic Ensembles and the Detroit School of Arts (DSA), enabling them to fully develop their musical capabilities.

- Supporting DSO Civic Youth Ensemble performances; the DSO's educational partnership activities with the DSA; and the DSO's spring Educational Concert Series for metro area school children in April 2008 at Orchestra Hall at The Max.

- Supporting the 2008 Classical Roots Gala, a fundraiser for programs such as the DSO's African-American Fellowship Program.

- Sponsoring renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma's performance with the DSO in May 2008, as well as a special daytime educational event for students.

Honda will also help launch a public campaign to generate support for The Power of Dreams Fund. To celebrate this new partnership and increase community awareness about it, Honda has invited DSO musicians and students to perform in the Honda exhibit at the Detroit Auto Show Charity Gala on Friday, January 18 between 6 and 8:30.

The public is encouraged to support the Power of Dreams Music Education Fund online here. Beginning February 11, donors of $100 or more to the fund will be eligible to win a variety of prizes including a Honda Accord EX-L V6 sedan, signed Yo-Yo Ma CDs, and tickets to the May 13 Yo-Yo Ma performance at The Max. 

About the DSO

Founded in 1914, the DSO performed the world's first radio broadcast of a symphony concert in February 1922. 

Thanks to funding provided by General Motors, one million people tune into the DSO's nationwide broadcast, the "Mark of Excellence" radio series, each week. 

Every year nearly half a million people attend the DSO's live concerts, held at The Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit.

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$150 million Downtown Detroit Project Planned

If you missed yesterday's Free Press, then you missed this exclusive John Gallagher article about the planned $150 million residential, retail and entertainment project planned for downtown Detroit. 

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and developers will announce details about the monumental project, known as Cadillac Centre, on Wednesday at 11 am.

According to the article, Cadillac Centre would include "two, 24-story apartment towers connected by a 12-story link that will house a six-screen movie theater, health club and spa, restaurants and stores." 

The project, slated to break ground in 2009, would be located on a surface lot on Monroe Block near Compuware and Campus Martius Park.

If the project is seen through to completion, it would contain 84 apartments, a 30,000-square-foot market, 125,000 square feet of retail space, a 40,000-square-foot public park and 800 parking spaces.

And it will also be green -- topped off with a "22,000-square-foot so-called living roof that would collect and filter rain water and help control energy consumption." 

Privately-held, New York-based real estate firm-Northern Group Inc. would build Cadillac Centre and own it. Northern Group is best known around Detroit as the owner of the Penobscot, First National and Cadillac Tower buildings.

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Baby in the D!

Given that it is New Year's Day, and the New Year is all about new things, I want to share some newish-news of my own: I'm pregnant!

I had a dash of morning sickness during the first few months of my pregnancy  (who am I kidding? I had horrible all-day-long morning sickness!) but that's a thing of the past, and I don't remember a time when I felt better. 

As you would expect, I am counting down the days -- my due date is in mid-June -- when my new little Detroiter gets here. I'm excited to meet my child and introduce him or her to the world, especially Detroit. And, of course, I cannot wait to share my adventures of raising a baby in the D.

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