Demo, redevelopment ahead for Corktown's Clement Kern Gardens housing project

An affordable housing project from the 1980s in Detroit's now-hot Corktown neighborhood is poised to begin a major multiphased redevelopment later this year that would involve demolition, new construction and ultimately attracting more residents with a variety of incomes.

Clement Kern Gardens, 1601 Bagley, is an 87-unit mix of townhomes and apartments clad in vinyl and brick, and spread across two fenced-in city blocks. It opened in 1985 and was developed by the old Corktown Non-Profit Housing Corp. using federal funds. All residents pay a portion of their income as rent via a federal Housing and Urban Development program.

It is named for the late Msgr. Clement Kern, a longtime Catholic priest at nearby Most Holy Trinity Church who was widely admired as a champion for the city's poor people before his death in 1983, at age 76, following a car accident.

The redevelopment project comes at a time when the Corktown neighborhood — home to Ford Motor Co.'s newly rehabbed Michigan Central Station — is continuing to experience a significant increase in property values and home sale prices compared with previous decades.

For example, Clement Kern Gardens' latest neighbor on Bagley is a new upscale townhouse development, The Coachman, where two-bedroom condos have been selling for about $600,000.

A private developer, Harper Woods-based American Community Developers, which acquired Clement Kern Gardens years ago, is now preparing to launch the first of three initial phases of demolition and construction at the site, starting with the east-side buildings near Bagley and Trumbull.

But before any wrecking machines arrive, the 21 families at Clement Kern Gardens whose residences are in this initial phase will be relocated this fall — with all moving expenses paid — to a new housing development in Corktown.

That development, called Left Field, is a 60-unit mixed-income apartment building that is scheduled to open in either September or October on the former site of Tiger Stadium. It was also developed by American Community Developers. The families will pay the same rent there as they do now.

American Community Developers plans to start demolishing the initial batch of two east-side buildings at Clement Kern Gardens by year's end, then start construction on the new buildings, which could take up to two years.

Once the first wave of new buildings is done, which is expected by the end of 2026, the 21 families who relocated will have the option to stay at Left Field or move back to the new Clement Kern Gardens. If they opt to move back, their moving expenses would again be paid, according to Mike Essian, a vice president with American Community Developers.

Those same relocation options — stay or move back— will be given to all existing Clement Kern Gardens residents as the redevelopment proceeds, he said.

The 186 new units would be a mix of 20% market-rate housing and 80% affordable. And they will come in a mix of styles: three-bedroom townhouses, small to large apartments and special one-bedroom units for seniors. The affordable units will be reserved for those making no more than 30% to 80% of area median income, or $20,160 to $53,760 a year for a single person.

The redevelopment plan also calls for reestablishing 10th Street to run through the middle of the Clement Kern Gardens site, connecting Bagley and Labrosse streets.

While the developer ultimately plans to build more than 186 new units at Clement Kern Gardens, how many has yet to be decided. The development's affordable housing is being supported in part by $35 million in federal Choice Neighborhoods grants awarded by HUD to the city.

"We believe this is a huge win for residents as it results in more housing options, both for existing residents as well as new residents of all incomes," Essian said.

Even though the existing Clement Kern Gardens buildings appear in good shape and are less than 40 years old, Essian said they plan to start fresh because they are committing to decades more of affordable housing on the site and they want the buildings to last and be more energy-efficient.

He also said they are leaning toward keeping the Clement Kern Gardens name, and intend to move the existing statue of Clement Kern from the corner of Bagley and Trumbull to a new location on the site.

Residents enjoy Clement Kern Gardens

In interviews last week, several Clement Kern Gardens residents said they enjoy living there and appreciate the green space and room outdoors for children to play.

They all were aware of the coming redevelopment and generally OK with the relocation plan, although a few said they would miss having a yard and townhouse-style living once they make the move to the Left Field apartment building.

Kevin Jones, 60, has lived at Clement Kern Gardens for about 10 years and said it is a nice community and everyone gets along.

He isn't in the initial phase of residents who must relocate, and he anticipates another two years or so before he needs to start packing up.

“So I got time," he said. "But they are giving us money and helping us with the move, so it’s going to be all right."

One thing that Jones said he is looking forward in the move is the in-unit washers and dryers in the new Left Field apartment building. He said his existing apartment lacks that amenity, and so he pays $1.50 per load to use the community washers and dryers on-site.

Looking ahead, all of the new Clement Kern Gardens buildings will feature in-unit washers and dryers, according to the developer.

What is planned

• Two six-unit, townhouse-style units along Bagley. Each unit would have three bedrooms and be designed for families with children.
• Two three-story buildings along the reconnected 10th Street with a total 42 apartments. Some units would be market rate, others significantly below market rate.
• A four-story, 88-unit apartment building along Trumbull between Bagley and Labrosse. Units would be a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms, offered for a mix of incomes.
• A four-story apartment building along the reconnected 10th Street featuring 44 one-bedroom units designed for seniors.

Contact JC Reindl: 313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl