Progress on redeveloping the old Montgomery Ward building in downtown Dearborn could be happening soon. The 90-day deadline Southfield-based Redico has to present plans for the redevelopment is set for Wednesday.
"We could be moving ahead pretty quickly," says Michael Boettcher, executive director of the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority.
The proposed plan is to create a 125,000-square-foot mixed use building at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Road. A medical technology company plans to move into most of the office space. There will also be space for ground-floor retail and residential condo units. A parking deck is also planned for the site. It will take about 18 months to complete the project.
The building opened as a Montgomery Ward department store in 1937. It 94,000 square feet has been vacant since 2001.
"It's a battleship," Boettcher says. "We've had people who do historical rehabs from across the country come in and say they just love it."
Source: Michael Boettcher, executive director of the East Dearborn DDA
Writer: Jon Zemke
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