The OSI Art Apartments at West End are a first-of-its-kind development on Grand River in two generations. The project will introduce affordable housing units alongside retail, celebrating Detroit’s creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit.
Unique Detroit residential and commercial project
The project’s developers are Roderick A. Hardamon, founder of URGE Group and George N’Namdi, founder of the N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art in Midtown.
Acting as a Neighborhood and Retail anchor the building will house a 1,856 sqft Art gallery featuring local, national and international artists and small retail spaces for Detroit’s emerging small businesses. However the primary intention of this design is to provide much needed affordable housing units. The 30 compact units offer all amenities needed for a contemporary life style.
The nesting of the units allow for generous proportions of space within the units and create a clean built-in character of the open kitchens thus appearing larger than they are. Each apartment has an about 8’ x 8’ balcony to extend the living space and quality of life. The units also take advantage of the orientation of the site, which allows for a minimum of at least three hours of direct sunlight in each space of the building – a necessity for a healthy living environment and reduction of energy consumption.
Osi Art Apartments to bring affordable housing and design to Detroit's Woodbridge area while support emerging businesses, development opportunities, and cultural activities.
WEST END GALLERY DISTRICT
The Osi Art Apartments will be part of the West End Gallery District that aims to celebrate arts and culture with galleries, retail, restaurants, bars and mixed-use housing developments.
The developers partnered with the New York/Nigerian artist Osi Audu to collaborate on the artistic design of the façade. His work ‘Self-Portrait, Red Cap Chief – Etsako Head’ (2016) was the inspiration to give the building a specific and characteristic form with a large saw-tooth roof and angled façade elements to reveal the applied artwork in an engaging and synergetic whole. Angled balconies add to the vibrancy of the façade, while engaging the street and the neighborhood in the north.
“We are committed to building in all parts of this city. Grand River is starting to come back in a positive way. This is now another step.”
