How Detroit is converting old downtown office buildings into lofts, hotels

SeveralofficebuildingsindowntownDetroitarecurrentlyundergoingconversionintoresidentialapartmentsandhotels.ThebuildingsincludeHarvardSquare,UnitedArtistsTheatreandabuildingthathousedafurclothingbusinessdatingtothe1800s.IndowntownDetroit,oldofficebuildingsremainthenewfrontierforhousingandhoteldevelopments. Atleastfiveoffice-to-housingoroffice-to-hotelconversionprojectsareunderconstructionthisspring,promisingnearly300apartments,over100hotelroomsandmultiplefoodandbeveragespots.Meanwhile,fourmoreprojectscouldbeonthehorizon. NewsabouttwoofthefutureprojectsemergedinApril:apossiblepartialconversionofoneofthesmallerRenaissanceCenterofficetowerstoresidentiallofts,andapossiblefullconversionofthelong-emptyExecutivePlazaofficecomplexat1200SixthSt.intothefuture“WayneTower,”completewith450apartmentsandahotel. ThisgrowinglineupofconversionprojectsunderscoreshowthedowntownDetroitofthefuture,onceenvisionedasa“live,w