BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (WXYZ) — Plans are beginning to take shape for a major mixed-use development in Birmingham's Triangle District that could bring hundreds of new apartment units to one of the city's most prominent intersections.
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The proposed nine-story building would be constructed on a vacant lot at Woodward Avenue and Maple Road, filling a space that has remained empty for years in the heart of Birmingham's downtown area.
Victor Saroki, president of Birmingham-based Saroki Architecture, presented the preliminary plans to the city's planning board last week. The development would include 197 apartments ranging from 900 to 1,400 square feet on floors two through seven, with 27 condominiums for sale occupying the top two floors.
"This project in particular is challenging and we have a lot of great ideas that we think for this development to enhance the Birmingham community knowing it's a prominent piece of property," said Sam Beznos, CEO of Beztak, the developer working with Saroki on the proposal.
The Birmingham Planning Board has called this site the most important in Southeast Michigan, highlighting the significance of the development for the community.
Local business owners are watching the plans with interest. Ron Laidlaw, president of Forster and Laidlaw Flowers, which has operated on Woodward Avenue since 1968, said the development is long overdue.
"I think anytime you're a retailer that you can enhance the number of people that might see your store or have the opportunity to visit, is a plus," Laidlaw said.
Laidlaw has witnessed Birmingham's transformation over the decades, noting how the area has evolved from a quieter community with mostly one- and two-story buildings to today's bustling downtown with taller structures.
However, Laidlaw expressed concerns about parking, a common issue in dense urban developments. Saroki addressed these concerns by explaining that parking would be integrated throughout different levels of the building, including two proposed floors of underground parking.
"I think a number of things were thought about, what they might do with the property, but nothing has materialized up until today," Laidlaw said.
The project is still in its earliest stages and requires approval of a community impact study and preliminary site plans. If approved, construction could begin in 2027.
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