Brooke and Bagley housing project unveiled in the shadow of Michigan Central Station

Brooke and Bagley housing project opens in Detroit

Brooke and Bagley is a mixed-income development with 78 total units. Sixteen of them have been set aside as affordable housing. The $150 million project was the result of a private-public partnership born out of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund Project.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Speaking in front of the brand-new Brooke on Bagley housing project, the head of an investment fund with a focus on Detroit told guests to look around them.

"Look at the stakeholders, residents, business leaders from all parts of the ecosystem are here to support this," said Rod Hardemon, CEO of the Ebiara Fund.

And in the background is Michigan Central Station, another symbolic building that helps tell the new story of Detroit. Whether it's business or blight, housing affordability or attainability, narratives of the city's comeback are abound from one edge to the other.

On Monday, it was in Corktown.

"I grew up in a mixed-income neighborhood. I know the absolute importance of making sure housing affordability and housing attainability, and so we want to make sure we meet that need," said Clifford Brown, president & CEO, Woodborn Partners.

In an area that's already growing with excitement, officials are working to match the anticipation with spaces to live.

It includes both the city of Detroit and private organizations with a focus on local business owners of color.

"We’re building 500 new affordable units in the area of the train station and the first 16 are being kicked off right here," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

The ribbon-cutting for the new housing area comes just days after the grand opening of the historic train station, which is now part of Ford's mobility district which includes an incubation hub and office space.

"It is the perfect location. It's the perfect time - it happened by accident but it was supposed to happen that way," said Clifford.

And even better, the housing will be near more than just walkable sidewalks.

"It’s going to be a quick bike ride, walk, run from our Southeast Greenway right into our Detroit riverfront," said Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero. "The Brooke on Bagley is the perfect location for housing around such beautiful amenities."