• $13M affordable senior housing development continues Cass Corridor legacy of community-led revitalization
• Project aligns with Mayor Sheffield’s commitment to creating high-quality housing for Detroit seniors
• Construction expected to be completed by 2027

Mayor Mary Sheffield, Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation (CCNDC) and other City of Detroit leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of Greystone Senior Living Apartments, a new four-story, 49-unit affordable housing development designed exclusively for Detroit seniors in the heart of Midtown.

Located at 440 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, at Cass Ave, Greystone Senior Living will provide high-quality, affordable homes for older adults earning between 30% and 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), ensuring longtime residents can remain in the neighborhood they helped shape. The new construction building will rise on a site that has been vacant land for at least the past 20 years.

The Greystone is the first new affordable housing development to break ground since Mayor Sheffield took office.  It also is one of the first to take advantage of the expanded Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) tool championed by Mayor Sheffield in her final year on City Council.  The PILOT offers automatic reductions in city property taxes in exchange for reduced rents.

“As many of our legacy residents reach their golden years, it’s vital that they have options to live affordably in quality housing,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “The Greystone Senior Living Apartments is an example of how my administration will work aggressively to build more affordable housing, particularly for our Seniors. I appreciate the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation for its decades of leadership on this front.”

A Community-Driven Legacy

The development represents the next chapter in CCNDC’s more than 40-year commitment to preserving affordability and advancing community ownership in the Cass Corridor.

Pictured from left to right: Patrick Dorn, Executive Director of CCNDC, Mayor Mary Sheffield, Bob Zinser, Housing Consultant at CCNDC, SaTrice Coleman-Betts, Executive Director of the St. Patrick Senior Center 

“Greystone Senior Living is about honoring the people who built this neighborhood and making sure they’re not pushed out as it grows,” said Patrick Dorn, Executive Director of the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation. “For generations, Cass Corridor residents fought for the right to stay, to belong, and to shape their own future. This development carries that spirit forward by turning long-vacant land into a place where our seniors can age safely, affordably, and with dignity.”

Founded in 1982, CCNDC was formed as a subsidiary of the Concerned Citizens of Cass Corridor after tenants of the Vernon Murphy Apartments successfully acquired their building from an absentee landlord. Since then, CCNDC has partnered with residents to rehabilitate and construct affordable housing across the Cass Corridor, now managing 29 buildings totaling 357 units of affordable housing, along with several community-serving commercial spaces.

Greystone Senior Living builds on that legacy by delivering new, accessible housing for seniors in one of Detroit’s most vibrant and walkable neighborhoods.

“The fact that Greystone Senior Living Apartments is being built in one of our most thriving neighborhoods is a testament to the city’s commitment to centering our seniors,” said Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero. “All residents, especially our seniors, deserve to live in quality, affordable housing where they can age with dignity and access amenities that improve quality of life. Thank you to all the partners, including CCNDC and St. Patrick Senior Center, for commitment to creating communities of care such as this one. I look forward to returning for the grand opening.”

Project Highlights

• 49 total apartments
  • 24 one-bedroom units
  • 25 two-bedroom units
• All units will serve households earning 30% to 80% AMI, with affordable rent starting at $458 per month.

The building will also offer a community room, library and community center to residents. Sitting behind the building will be an outdoor green space with seating for residents. Residents will also enjoy proximity to places like Wick Park, Whole Foods and the Detroit Medical Center.

Along with the property amenities, CCNDC is partnering with the St. Patrick Senior Center to provide additional services to residents, including transportation services, and onsite Wellness Clinic, meal services and exercise classes.  The nonprofit is the largest health, wellness and activities center for Detroiters over the age of 55.

“At St. Patrick Senior Center, we believe that aging with dignity means more than just having a place to live—it means having access to health, wellness, connection, and community,” said SaTrice Coleman-Betts, Executive Director of St. Patrick Senior Center. “Our partnership with Greystone Senior Living allows us to bring critical services directly to residents, so Detroit seniors can remain active & independent in the neighborhood they call home.”

The building’s design—developed by Fusco, Shaffer & Pappas, Inc.—features distinctive architectural detailing that complements the surrounding Midtown context.

Investment and Partnerships

Greystone Senior Living represents a $13.7 million investment in affordable housing and neighborhood stability. The project is supported by a layered financing structure that includes:

• $2.05 million in HOME funds from the City of Detroit
• 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits
• Permanent financing through Cinnaire
• Equity investment from RBC Capital Markets
• Development leadership by Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation

“MSHDA is proud to support Greystone Senior Living through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, helping create homes for Detroit seniors in the heart of Midtown,” said MSHDA Chief Housing Investment Officer Tony Lentych. “I can’t think of a better use for this long-vacant land than to transform it into affordable apartments where longtime residents can live in a neighborhood they helped shape.”

Construction is being led by G. Fisher Construction Company, with property management by KMG Prestige.

Looking Ahead

Construction is expected to be completed in 2027, with the community welcoming residents shortly thereafter.