Detroit — As Hunter Pasteur planned the mixed-use Perennial Corktown development on Michigan Avenue, the home-builder's initial proposal was to knock down an old storage facility nearby for parking to serve 195 apartments and townhomes. The community asked that the building stay. “I've never had many communities tell us we want less parking,” said Randy Wertheimer, CEO of the Farmington Hills-based company. “But in Corktown, they felt like this building was an important part of the historic fabric of the community.” In response, Wertheimer said they figured they could preserve the building, reduce the size of the parking deck and develop a 28-unit loft apartment complex. The result was Red Arrow Lofts at 1567 Church St. The project pays homage to the building’s prior use as Red Arrow Soda Factory. Built in 1894 as the John Whittaker Planing Mill, the building was a bottling facility from 1916 until the 1970s for beverages including Red Arrow Soda and Orange Crush. Murals of each brand are displayed on the lobby walls. “There's a real rich history in this community and we understood the importance of that history when meeting with the community, which is how we came up with the name,” Wertheimer said. The two-story building was most recently used as Downtown Self-Storage Building. The Corktown Neighborhood Advisory Council negotiated preserving the building through a community benefits agreement for the overall Perennial Corktown project. The one and two-bedroom units have an industrial vibe, featuring high ceilings, exposed beams and concrete floors that are paired with contemporary touches including the appliances, cabinetry and countertops. “We wanted to really bring in the best of both worlds, the history of Corktown, but feeling new,” Wertheimer said. According to its website, rent for a one-bedroom starts at $1,950 per month, while a one bedroom with a den starts at $2,350 and a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit starts at $3,100. Wertheimer said 10% of all Perennial Corktown units are reserved as affordable housing at 60% area median income. As of Tuesday, six of the 28 units at Red Arrow Lofts were leased, Wertheimer said. Residents at Red Arrow Lofts have access to the amenities of the overall Perennial Corktown project, including a 10,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck, outdoor lounges with fire pits, co-working areas and a dog wash. Detroiter Jackie Nash, 70, and her daughter, Annette McAdoo, 45, toured units at the Red Arrow Lofts on Monday The mother and daughter live nearby and are considering downsizing from their house. "I would take this room. You can take the other one," Nash told her daughter as they stood in one of the two-bedroom apartments. "I love the picture window. And that light. I love it." Nash, a military veteran, said she was born in the area and has seen its evolution. "I love them fixing things," she said. "Just make more of the places affordable." cwilliams@detroitnews.com @CWilliams_DN This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Former Corktown soda pop factory transformed into loft apartments

Resident criticizes exclusion from planning decisions on North End Landing and due process issues.

Detroit — It was over a decade ago when New York City developer and architect Ron Castellano became enthralled by a big, empty, historic former medical facility in Detroit known as the Herman Kiefer complex. That sparked a years-long relationship with…