Esker Square expected to be leasing by Spring 2023

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The Esker Square development, located at the intersection of Cedar Street and Veterans Drive, nears completion on the first building. Photo Credits: Aidan Binford

DELHI TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Construction on the first building of the Esker Square development is expected to be completed in time to begin leasing to tenants in Spring 2023.

The development will comprise two buildings with a total of 90 units upon completion. Tenants will have the option of a traditional apartment or a work-live style unit, which allow for a small studio or storefront in addition to a living space. The units will include exterior entrances so that customers can enter without going through the apartment complex.

The development is located at 2030‐2054 N. Cedar Street, between Bond Avenue and Veterans Drive and across the street from the local police station. 

Announced back in 2017, the Gillespie Company has been building the $12 million apartment development as part of a Delhi Township drive to create a downtown for the community along Cedar Street. The township prepared for new construction by repaving the road and adding bike lanes and street parking.

“Delhi Township doesn’t have a downtown,” John Hayhoe, supervisor of Delhi Township, said. “If you have a downtown, you can get a lot of money for sprucing up the area, and one of the requirements for a downtown is to have a three-story building.”

The property, where a car wash and gas station used to reside, received Brownfield redevelopment funds to remove any chemical pollutants from the area.

The second building is in the early stages of construction, with underground sewers being laid down and basement walls being put up. The company plans to have the building completed sometime in 2023.

The development has seen construction delays that have pushed back completion from its original date of Spring 2019. After changing the first-floor design to accommodate work-live style units, the COVID-19 pandemic put all work on halt until quarantine guidelines permitted further construction. According to Hayhoe, six months passed before construction crews were allowed to resume work on the development.

“After that was okayed, there was a supply shortage,” Hayhoe said. “Cement, lumber, plumbing supplies.” 

Diagrams of the first floor of Esker Square show the spaces being provided for residents to run a store or office next to their living quarters, with direct entrances to the individual units. Photo Credits: The Gillespie Company

Despite these delays, members of the Delhi Township Downtown Development Authority approved of the progress that had been made on the development and stated that previous supply issues had been resolved.

“I am more pleased currently than I ever have been since we sold the property with the progress of this project,” Howard Haas, executive director of the Delhi Township Downtown Development Authority, said. “It’s moving forward extremely rapidly. They’re planning to lay the foundation and the frame of the second building yet this year.”

In particular, praise was given to the work-live style units. 

“The change that was made for those to be live-in, work-out-of units on the main floor is pretty nice and unique,” Deputy Director Lori Underhill, said. “It seems like such an ideal location for something like that.”

“No leases have been signed,” Haas said, “but they’ve had a number of inquiries.”

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