Stafford House

Design Lead

Detroit, Michigan

2025 

Stafford House is a catalyst development project in Detroit's North End community. Its completion along Oakland Avenue will be the first major housing development in many years. The vacant hundred-year-old building located at 9301 Oakland Avenue in Detroit's North End will be redeveloped into 10 residential units and 5,200 square feet of commercial space. 

The historic building itself will undergo a major transformation this spring with over $3 million in local and state funding. Support includes funding from the Revitalization and Placemaking Program, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

w/Purpose was invited to lead the project design in 2023 with architect Kendall Bowman, RA of Arcos Studio. The collaboration ensured the 100 year old “balloon framed” building was thoughtful, community-centered, and purposeful. The project advanced a strong monochrome (white/black) tone along with many practical strategies that modernize the architecture to todays codes and mixed use function. According to the American Institute of Architects, renovations similar to Stafford House have outpaced new construction since 2022. This trend is due in large part to a number of factors, including a challenging financing market and a housing crisis that push material and real estate costs up.

Strong local leadership and targeted statewide investment makes Stafford House a shining example of Missing Middle revitalization, proving that innovative mixed use design tactics and community-focused development to reshape Detroit’s future. We are proud to have collaborated in this process with Stafford House and others to advance the aims of the project and the North End Community. We look forward to its progress and completion.