Council approves amendment to John Grace Arms RUDD to preserve park parcel and revise building orientation for senior housing
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Summary
Southfield approved revisions to the John Grace Arms residential unit development district that preserve the public park parcel, revise building orientation and courtyard design, and add stormwater and parking changes tied to funding and historic-preservation review; council said the change supports development of subsidized senior units.
The Southfield City Council on Dec. 16 approved an amendment to the residential unit development district (RUDD) for John Grace Arms at 21030 Indian Street to revise the master plan and several project provisions tied to funding and historic-preservation requirements.
Planning staff said the amended plan preserves city ownership of a roughly 0.61-acre public park parcel, reconfigures the park with a walking path around a naturalized stormwater rain garden, and reorients the new building to meet guidance from the National Park Service’s historic preservation office. The amended plan also revises parking — including land banking of 17 spaces along the park edge — adjusts stormwater management, and alters the courtyard to include a rain garden and dog run.
Janae Eisenminger, representing the petitioner, had no additional comments at the hearing. The mayor noted the project’s housing purpose and funding context, saying the amendment "is going to result in... 60 very critically needed subsidized senior apartments." Planning staff said many of the design changes were required by funding sources and by the National Park Service in order for the project to meet historic-preservation and financing criteria.
Council members moved and seconded approval of PZRUDD24-0002; the motion carried. The council later introduced ordinance 1804 to implement the amendment.
Planning staff and the applicant said the footprint of the new building has not changed substantially; the amendment primarily alters orientation and site features to comply with reviewers’ conditions. The project remains contingent on final financing and standard administrative reviews required before construction can begin.
