Urban cities have been feeling the effects of the mass migration to the suburbs since the dawn of the pandemic, but lately there are rumblings of retail redevelopment efforts underway to recapture these lost patrons, especially by repurposing older, unused buildings. One example of this is The Mosaic at Eastern Market, a retail refurbishment effort taking place at the former 105,000-s.f. Water and Sewerage Department building in Detroit.
The mixed-use project, developed by Halcor Developers and Ventra Group, which by 2024 will have offices as well as family-friendly retail tenants, such as immersive gaming concepts and arcades, will first debut a 25,000-s.f. food hall in 2023. The food hall will be able to accommodate 500+ people, and will feature 34 different hyper-local food and beverage vendors that beloved in the Detroit area. The food hall will also include a 4,000-s.f rooftop bar with a 2,500-s.f covered patio, as well as a 10,000-s.f. courtyard area. A large screen will also allow the crowd to watch special events.
“It’s been a difficult couple of years because of COVID, but if the food hall is built correctly, it will incorporate entertainment, such as live music, as well as food, while also offering great cocktails, not just beer, so it will become experiential,” said Robert Montwaid, the developer responsible for creating food hall portion of the development. “Dining out here will satisfy other senses besides taste, such as sound and sight.”
Although the development is in an industrial section of the city, there are high hopes The Mosaic will garner a lot of traffic, especially because it is two blocks away from Detroit’s popular open-air public farmer’s market that attracts two million visitors each year. “It is the oldest public market, and it has been going on for about 100 years,” said Jeffrey Fill, the Director of Leasing for LoneDiner USA who is responsible for signing new tenants in the development. “It really is a great area on the up and up, in a resurgence.”
Even Mr. Montwaid, who is based in New York, noticed the renewal of the city and is considering moving to Detroit himself. “Detroit is full of good, hardworking people who are very resilient,” Mr. Montwaid said. “The area is definitely coming back, especially in the Eastern Market section, as it is being redeveloped. It is just a great melting pot city that is very metropolitan, with the auto industry and all of the sports teams. We expect the new Mosaic development, and the dining hall, to attract all of these different age groups, from all walks of life, and to act as a community center for everyone.”
