May 20, 2022
by Tom Tolen / [email protected]
The footprint of the Vista at Uptown luxury housing project near Brighton city center has just become noticeably smaller, while at the same time the number of units has increased significantly. The development is to be located between N. Second St. and Mill Pond. The project developers are Lansing’s DTN Development Group
Last night Brighton City Council approved the amended site plan for the revamped development by a 5-1 vote, with council member Renee Pettengill the only one not voting.
Vista at Uptown is a development proposal that has been on the books since 2018 but was delayed for at least two years when the COVID pandemic hit. John Woods, representing Lansing’s DTN Brighton LLC, told the board that despite COVID the company remained committed to the project and believed in Brighton’s future. He said, in his words, “The economy has changed with COVID and costs have gone up, but we’re still committed to the project.”
Developers originally proposed 199 apartments over four floors with a 110,000 square foot footprint and a parking structure. This then grew to 205 apartments. The most recent revised plans call for 235 housing units, but on a smaller footprint of around 80,000 square feet. Woods says they will be able to accomplish this by placing the parking structure below ground level. This will make 190 underground parking spaces and 180 surface spaces. Two other changes will be to have two rooftop courtyards instead of one and to move the swimming pool.
After his presentation, Woods told WHMI that the project’s estimated costs had skyrocketed due to COVID and inflation, from the initial $40 million to around $60 million. The high-end development — with 1- to 3-bedroom apartments costing $1,300 and up — these numbers are preliminary, the developer says — will feature a patio, pool, outdoor kitchen and grill, fitness centers, conference rooms, foyers, club rooms and bocci ball fields. The luxury apartments will range from 500-foot studios to 1,300-square-foot 3-bedroom units. Woods says the company intends to begin work on the foundation this fall and hopes the project will be completed in the spring of 2024.
