Non-Profit Buys Four Buildings in City

DETROIT-A non-profit has purchased four buildings in Detroit for $1.8 million to expand its public health treatment programs. The Friends of Development Centers Inc. already operates out of one of the buildings, a 30,000-sf facility at West McNichols and Telegraph Road, but Executive Director Bob Shaw said the group needs to expand. “We’re really overcrowded, we need more space,” Shaw told GlobeSt.com. “We’ve been living on top of each other for a number of years.”

Development Centers Inc. is a behavioral health and social service facility. Since its beginning in 1983, it has served thousands of individuals and families in need of mental health prevention and treatment services, as well as implementing a job-training program. Shaw said the group treats about 2,900 people a year. “We wanted to stay in northwest Detroit, that’s where we service now, we want to continue to help here,” Shaw said.

Claire Roberts, an associate broker for Signature Associates of Southfield, said the group will spend $1.3 million more to renovate the site. “There are two buildings on McNichols and two on Telegraph. One of those buildings, at 9,600-sf, will be torn down,” Robert said.

The non-profit had leased the facility, but had been trying to complete the purchase. The buildings were owned by a 60-40 split between two investors, but the investor with the largest stake died before the transaction was completed, Roberts said. After the renovations are complete, Development Centers should double its usable space to about 65,000-sf, Roberts told GlobeSt.com. Currently, the four multi-tenant buildings have about 75,000-sf, she said.