DETROIT — KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) has provided $43.6 million in construction loans and arranged $7.6 million in permanent loans for the acquisition and rehabilitation of Lee Plaza in Detroit. The 15-story, Art Deco historical landmark will be transformed into housing for seniors and families. The property will include 182 units, of which 117 units will be restricted to individuals 55 years or older and 65 units available to families. All tenants are required to earn at or below 60 percent of the area median income.
The project, which was acquired by the city and subdivided into three separate condo units, will be completed in three phases. KeyBank’s financing covers the first two phases — floors 2-5 and floors 6-10. The project received additional funding through historic tax credit equity totaling $46.7 million as well as low-income housing tax credit equity from other banks. The City of Detroit provided $27.7 million in soft financing and Invest Detroit and the Michigan State Housing and Development Agency also contributed to the project.
The borrowers and developers, Ethos Development and The Roxbury Group, are Detroit-based real estate development firms. Kory Clark and Kyle Kolesar of KeyBank CDLI structured the financing.