The City of Detroit is looking to redevelop the old
Herman Kiefer Health Complex, having recently issued a Request for Proposals. The former home to the city's health department, the complex now sits vacant. Eight buildings are for sale.
The stately brick buildings are spread out across 17.9 acres of land. Visible from the Lodge expressway, the area for sale is bounded by Taylor to the north, US-10 to the east, Blaine to the south, and Byron to the west. 525,937 square feet of floor space is available.
The building most associated with the Herman Kiefer Health Complex is a neo-classic building that dates back to 1909. It was designed by one of Detroit's most famous architects, Albert Kahn, who also designed such notable buildings as Cadillac Place, the Free Press Building, and the Fisher Building. Kahn designed other buildings available on the site. Another distinguished Detroit architect, George D. Mason, also designed a number of the buildings available.
The complex is a designated historic district. As such, it cannot be changed or demolished before submitting to a public hearing and gaining the approval of the Historic District Commission. The RFP suggests that the complex could be transitioned into a mixed use development or even a high density residential district.
According to the RFP, the surrounding neighborhood falls into the Moderate Vacancy 2 category of the
Detroit Future City report. The Moderate Vacancy 2 category is for neighborhoods on the edge of losing their residential character.
Proposals are to be submitted by April 18, 2014. A site walk-through is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m.
The Detroit
Department of Health and Wellness Promotion is now located in Suite 200 at 1600 Lafayette.
Source: Herman Kiefer Health Complex RFP
Writer: MJ Galbraith
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