The upcoming Development at Cadillac Square, recently announced by Detroit-based developer Bedrock, is set to add 1.5 million square feet of new residential, retail and office space to downtown Detroit. The construction plan includes 250 to 280 new apartment units and a refresh of the city’s historic National Theatre. 

Phase one of construction is expected to begin in late 2024. Phase two will start in 2026, and phase three will break ground in 2028, according to a press release. The full Cadillac Square development will include:

• 230,000 square feet of residential space.
• 90,000 square feet of retail space, including a market hall, grocer, and restaurants.
• 60,000 square feet of entertainment space, including the revitalization of the National Theatre.
• 1,500 to 1,800 parking spaces.
• 400,000 square feet of office space.

Further information on the project’s residential component has not yet been announced, but the development is subject to an affordable housing agreement with the city of Detroit.

The Detroit National Theatre, a building on the National Register of Historic Places designed by architect Albert Kahn, was originally built in 1911 as a Vaudeville theater and is the last surviving building on the Monroe Block, Detroit’s original theater district. Following the end of Vaudeville, the building served as a burlesque venue and adult theater before closing its doors in 1975.

Bedrock intends to preserve the National Theatre’s elaborate facade as the entryway into a “modern, world-class entertainment and performance venue” set to be built on the theater site, according to the release.

The remainder of the Monroe Block was razed in 1990 for future development. Bedrock purchased the still-vacant site in 2016, on which it has operated the Monroe Street Midway, a temporary outdoor entertainment complex, since 2020. The Monroe Street Midway will remain open leading up to the start of the first phase of construction. 

“The Development at Cadillac Square leverages the potential of a central, yet underutilized footprint to further ignite downtown’s offerings,” said Kofi Bonner, CEO at Bedrock, in the press release. “By enhancing overall access, options and connectivity, we will continue to position Detroit as an energetic city [and create] a vibrant core for today and well into the future.