The District Lofts in
Birmingham is another great example of new Live/Work product in the
Detroit Metro Area. The first four-story mixed-use building with 47
units is under construction in the up-and-coming Rail District, on Eton
Street just south of Maple, next door to The Reserve and Big Rock
Chophouse. This building features four live/work residences with
street-level retail or office space.
Yesterday I had a conversation about the live/work trend with Victor Saroki,
architect for the project (his firm was named AIA Michigan
Architectural Firm of the Year 2007). Victor believes that live/work is
a good fit in transitional areas like the Rail District because the
area is not too intense, or too commercial. "You wouldn’t want to live
on Main Street behind your storefront. It’s too exposed to the street."
The Rail District is quasi-commercial next to restaurants, cafes,
galleries and surrounded by established neighborhoods, so it is a
friendly, safe, interesting place to live and work.
We talked about the ideal users for live/work spaces.
- Architects
- Mortgage Brokers
- Salon Owners
- Landscapers
- Consultants
- Real Estate Brokers
- Tailors
Live/work uses are less intense than pure commercial uses, and
operators usually have flexible hours. The live/work lifestyle is the
ideal progression for a current home office user uncomfortable meeting
with clients in his/her home. Live/work users have a business address,
a retail storefront, and the ability to publicize their businesses with
exterior signage.