Detroit State of the Market

Susan T. Mosey has been the Executive Director of Midtown Detroit, Inc. (MDI) in Detroit, Michigan for twenty nine years. This non-profit organization is responsible for community development, marketing, real estate, small business development and arts programming within Detroit’s University Cultural Center and New Center districts – an area now known as Midtown. MDI also manages public space maintenance and security initiatives for the district. Projects that have been undertaken by the organization under her direction include public improvements such as new streetscapes and park development, greenway planning and construction, and residential and commercial real estate development and management. MDI’s newest initiative is the Live Midtown Residential Incentive Program that encourages employees of the anchors to move to Midtown. The organization also produces a number of signature arts events, including Art X Detroit, DLECTRICITY and Noel Night.

Michael Poris, AIA, is founding principal of McIntosh Poris Associates, a full-service architecture, interior and urban design practice in Birmingham, MI. Since returning to Detroit in 1995, Michael has been working to implement change in his hometown preserving many of Detroit’s 20th-century landmark buildings, historic districts, and iconic neighborhoods. Michaels design leadership has helped transform Detroit with projects such as the Foundation Hotel, and the East Riverfront framework plan. His work has won over 130 design awards including 30 AIA Honor awards, 70 Detroit Design Awards and been published in over 100 publications worldwide including Dwell, Urban Land, Architectural Record, and Interior Design. Michael is currently working on an adaptive reuse of the 600,000sf Fisher Body plant in Detroit, and a 600 prefabricated home community in Colorado. Michael was recently awarded the AIA Detroit Charles Blessing award recognizing an individual who shows leadership in planning and civic issues and exemplifies the vision, commitment and the accomplishments of Charles A. Blessing, the visionary Detroit city planner, who committed himself to the pursuit of a higher quality of life for all.

Jed Howbert is a Partner with Greatwater Opportunity Capital, a development firm and real estate private equity manager focused on emerging urban markets in the United States. From 2014 to 2018 Jed served in the Administration of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, most recently as the Group Executive for Planning, Housing and Development, where he oversaw the City’s Planning and Housing Departments, the Office of Mobility Innovation, and led the City’s work with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Jed’s career has focused on real estate and urban development across the private and public sector, including as an SVP at Tisman/AECOM, a VP in the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, and as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development in the Bloomberg Administration in New York City. Earlier in his career, Jed was a Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. Jed has an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, an MA from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and a BA from Harvard College.

Kathy Makino-Leipsitz, is the managing partner of Shelborne Development and active in the transformation of the City of Detroit. Over the last 37 years, Kathy and Shelborne has helped to build and rehabilitate over 2,000 housing units in Southeastern Michigan with a special focus on preserving over 30 vacant/ blighted/ boarded historic buildings in Detroit, bringing life back to over 1,000 multi-family units within the City. In 1979, Kathy purchased a duplex in the City of Westland while a student at the University of Michigan. Kathy’s interest in real estate continued following her graduation with her BA in Economics from the University of Michigan. She began with her first purchase of a 30-unit apartment building in what was then the Cass Corridor in Midtown Detroit. Over the next 20 years, Shelborne work included new construction, and the rehabilitation of several apartment buildings throughout the City and southeastern Michigan. In 2003, Shelborne purchased a blighted, vacant and boarded apartment building on Seward Street. In the next 3 years, Shelborne completed a $10 million gut rehabilitation, resulting in 71 units of quality affordable housing. In 2005, Shelborne was asked to step into another project on Seward Street (consisting of 4 multi-family buildings) that had struggled for years and was underperforming due to low occupancy. Seward Street, contained some of the most beautiful multi-family buildings in the City of Detroit, yet it had created a challenging reputation to overcome due to drugs, crime, and a very poor tenant profile. It is on this block where Shelborne started to recognize that by purchasing multiple buildings in one area that one could actually make an impact on the entire neighborhood. From 2003 to 2012 Shelborne purchased 6 out of the 9 distressed buildings on Seward Street. The most recent building located at 112 Seward completed by Shelborne Development has received the National Historic Rehabilitation Association’s Timmy Award for Best Historic Rehabilitation (under $10 million) in the nation. Shelborne has expanded its concentration to two other neighborhoods, Palmer Park and the East Jefferson Corridor. As a result, in the past 4 years, Shelborne has completed the rehabilitation of 14 buildings in the Palmer Park historic apartment district, New Center and the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhoods totaling 80 million dollars of investment in these important historic neighborhoods. In addition, 5 multifamily historic rehabilitations will begin in 2016/2017 investing an additional 88 million dollars, when completed Shelborne will rehabilitated over 850 housing units in those neighborhoods Over the years, Kathy has been recognized with several achievement awards. Among the awards includes: D Business Magazine the 2015 Powered by Women Award, Syndicator WNC Developer of the Year, Jefferson East Inc., 2012 Developer of the year, The University of Michigan and the Urban Land Institute Real Estate Excellence Award, as well as The Wayne County Commission recognized her for her continued dedication to Reinvesting in Detroit. Shelborne’s developments have also been recognized several national awards including, Palmer Park Square received LISC’s Most Community Impact Award for the redevelopment of 6 Historic Apartment buildings, Chalmers Square received the 2014 Multifamily Executive Magazines Grand Award for National Project of the year along with the Novogradac award for Historic Rehabilitation with Most Community Impact. Shelborne Developments project awards also include Overcoming Significant Obstacles and Most Creative Financing. Kathy’s civic commitments and to devotion to the redevelopment of Detroit include serving as a board member on the Michigan Housing Council, and Recovery Park. She also remains active in community groups such as “The People for Palmer Park” and Mahares /Gentry Pak board of directors. She was recently was appointed to the Wayne County Joint Airport Authorities Zoning Board of Appeals.

Like his brothers, Quinn became exposed to the family business in his early teens, working summers in a variety of capacities within KIRCO’s construction, property management, and development services. Since officially joining the company in 2003, Quinn has played an integral role in KIRCO’s corporate real estate and healthcare-related initiatives. Quinn continues to grow KIRCO’s corporate real estate initiatives and strategic partnerships and his primary responsibilities revolve around KIRCO’s corporate services division, pursuing and managing national build-to-suit, construction, and property management solutions for its large corporate clients. As CMO, Quinn champions the planning, development, and execution of KIRCO’s internal and external branding and marketing initiatives. He has been honored as a DBusiness’ “30 in their Thirties” selection as well as chosen for Crain’s Detroit Business “40 Under 40” list.

Andrew is responsible for all aspects of property management accounting, corporate accounting, construction accounting, financial services, asset management, information technologies, and human resources. Mr. Gutman's focus is on internal and external client services and the provision of timely and accurate client-required information and maximizing asset value. He has been responsible for direct oversight of over $100,000,000 in debt and equity vehicles for the organization and for clients.