Subtext Real Estate is delighted to bring its ambitious proposal for a 12-story apartment building on Packard Street to Ann Arbor’s Planning Commission. The groundbreaking property will boast 1,500 beds in 450 apartments of various sizes, from one to five bedrooms, with an attached parking structure and a beautiful rooftop swimming pool. With its location near two new University of Michigan dorms, this property promises to provide exceptional housing options to the city’s burgeoning college student population. J Bradley Moore, the Subtext architect in charge of the project, expressed confidence in his presentation to the Planning Commission that this building “will make a positive contribution to the community and meet the needs of students in Ann Arbor.”
Introducing Subtext’s Luxurious 12-Story Apartment Building on Packard Street
Subtext, a St. Louis-based real estate development company specializing in apartments for college students and young adults, is proud to announce its ambitious proposal to build a luxurious 12-story apartment building on Packard Street. This state-of-the-art 1,500-bed property will replace most of the older houses currently nestled among maple trees across the street from the new Elbel Field. The construction of this property will contribute to the city’s urban landscape and provide comfortable and modern living spaces to University of Michigan students and young adults.
Architect J Bradley Moore presented the plans for the new building to Ann Arbor’s Planning Commission on Sept. 12. The plans include a 12-story rectangular complex with an interior courtyard, a seven-story “hockey stick-shaped” addition to the main building, an attached parking structure, and a rooftop pool. The proposed building would include approximately 450 apartments of different sizes—from one to five bedrooms—and 450 parking spots for tenants. At the September meeting, Moore said the building, which would be located near two new dorms the University plans to construct in the coming years, would create an opportunity to provide excellent housing options to university students and young adults while also supporting the University’s goal to expand student housing.
Moore expressed pride in the company’s proposal and stated, “We are confident that this new building will make a positive contribution to the community and meet the needs of students in Ann Arbor.”
He went on to compliment the maintenance team, noting their quick response time when he experienced an issue with his sink. “They came that same afternoon and had it fixed within 15 minutes,” Moore said, adding that he is overall impressed with the amenities offered.
The Ann Arbor Unified Development Code encourages developers to either include affordable housing units in their property or make a donation to the city’s affordable housing fund. Subtext has chosen to donate to the fund, though they have yet to disclose the amount. The median income and rent prices in the area determine what constitutes affordable housing. These standards demonstrate the city’s commitment to ensuring that everyone can access quality housing.
Professor Ellie Abrons, Taubman professor and LSA director of the Digital Studies Institute and member of the city’s Planning Commission, believes this fund is an important component of creating affordable housing in Ann Arbor. She proudly shared that the complexity and challenge of building affordable housing is that the market will not support it, especially for a private developer in a downtown area or close to campus where the cost of land and development can be prohibitive.
However, she is confident that increasing the availability of housing in any area can help lessen the burden on lower-income households.
“Professor Ellie Abrons has been a long-time advocate for affordable housing in Ann Arbor,” declared Abrons. “As a member of the city’s Planning Commission, I’m proud to say that the complexity and challenge of building affordable housing is being addressed through initiatives like this new fund. Research does show that increasing housing supply at any level will overall make the cost of housing, if not lower, at least stabilized. Even if market-rate units are unaffordable to many people, these units can still relieve pressure on more affordable housing.”
At his presentation to the Planning Commission in September, Moore proudly noted that the new high-rise would include rooftop solar panels, though the exact amount of energy they would generate was still uncertain. The company also plans to explore geothermal energy options, although it cannot guarantee that this would be feasible for the building. Subtext has yet to respond to a Daily request for comment on the expected solar and geothermal energy amounts. Despite this, several members of the Planning Commission had some concerns regarding the number of parking spaces proposed and how this might affect the city’s carbon neutrality goals.
However, Moore was quick to point out that for many developers, providing parking is essential in order for their housing plans to be successful. He also acknowledged the ongoing debates in the Ann Arbor community regarding the amount of parking in relation to the amount of housing that should be built, adding that parking structures can lead to higher rent for tenants since they are expensive to build and the developer needs to recoup construction costs.
Despite the potential trade-offs, Moore remains adamant that new housing will help make Ann Arbor a more livable and affordable community for everyone.
Moore is proud to express his support for increased housing density in Ann Arbor, noting that such developments can help broaden the city’s affordability and livability for all. He recognizes that accommodating these changes may mean sacrificing some of the existing community feel, but remarks that this is a necessary trade-off to ensure that residents have access to affordable living options. Additionally, Moore emphasizes the importance of providing adequate parking to accommodate the influx of new tenants but affirms that such efforts are worth the cost to make Ann Arbor an inclusive place for all.
Subtext’s ambitious proposal to construct a luxurious 12-story complex on Packard Street could be the perfect housing option for University of Michigan students and young adults looking for a modern space within walking distance from Elbel Field. Upon presenting the plan to Ann Arbor’s Planning Commission, Architect J. Bradley Moore expressed pride in its positive contribution to the community and provided excellent housing opportunities to university students. The completion of this project hopes to aid in the university’s goal to expand student housing and help Ann Arbor gains an interesting addition to its urban landscape.
