Michigan-based architecture firm McIntosh Poris Associates has completed another addition to its growing multifamily portfolio in Detroit’s historic Lafayette Park. Dubbed DuCharme Place, the 185-unit, luxury apartment complex is being touted as the area’s first “lifestyle community” in 40 years.
Fitted with brick, metal, and glass, DuCharme Place’s contemporary aesthetic gives a nod to revered architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who designed Lafayette Park in the 1950s. The $45 million complex comprises four mid-rise buildings that span 188,500 square feet, placing high-end residences over three stories, plus a lobby and hidden parking structure at the base.
Jason Keen
The residences are situated around three central courtyard terraces that connect through a series of bridges. Inside, one- and two-bedroom floor plans range from 500 to 1,100 square feet and are finished with wood flooring, light-quartz countertops and high-end kitchen appliances. Private balconies overlook the terraces, extending views to the park, streets, downtown, and Dequindre Cut Greenway. On the terraces, residents are offered Zen gardens, a fitness center, and a swimming pool. The green roof—the largest for a residential project in Detroit—is influenced by Mies’ affinity for incorporating elements of the natural landscape in his communities.
“We’ve been working on designing multifamily housing developments in Lafayette Park for nearly 15 years,” explained Michael Poris, AIA, principal of McIntosh Poris Associates, in a release. “DuCharme Place builds upon the vision of the park’s original development team by creating a community integrated with nature to support the existing historic district. To respect the site, we wanted the relationship with nature to be a driving factor behind the design. We organized the buildings around landscaped courtyards while also creating street walls on Lafayette Street, Orleans Street, and DuCharme. Every unit has great views and abundant natural light.”
Jason Keen
The complex will feature more two-bedroom units than one-bedrooms, with the aim of attracting urban professionals and empty-nesters who value luxury design and seek more living space in a quiet, urban setting. DuCharme is the firm’s second housing project for Lafayette Park. In 2003, the architects designed the Lafayette Towers Master Plan and Townhomes to further develop and strengthen Mies’ idea of an “integrated community.”
Jason Keen
“We are pleased to work with McIntosh Poris Associates to create DuCharme Place, offering world‐class apartment homes and an urban lifestyle in Lafayette Park, a landmark historic community,” commented Walter Cohen, managing member of DuCharme Place, in the release.
