Mayor, DEGC celebrate grand opening of Bagley Vision, bringing new housing and retail to Corktown
Bagley Vision, a 25,000-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment at 2150 Bagley St. in Corktown, celebrates its grand opening with Mayor Mary Sheffield, DEGC and community partners and supporters.
The building includes 14 residential units across junior one-bedroom, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans, with 20% of units reserved for households earning up to 80% of the area median income.
The project transforms a vacant 1933 warehouse into loft-style apartments, ground-floor retail and dining, and a landscaped outdoor “urban oasis” gathering space
The DEGC helped shepherd the developers through a complex tax abatement process, including establishing a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone and securing a PA 255 commercial rehabilitation exemption.
The project also drew support from the City of Detroit, MEDC, Invest Detroit, LISC and Independent Bank.
September 22, 2026 (DETROIT) Mayor Mary Sheffield and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) joined developers today to celebrate the grand opening of Bagley Vision, a 25,000-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment at 2150 Bagley St. in Corktown that transforms a long-vacant warehouse into loft-style housing, ground-floor retail and dining, and a landscaped outdoor “urban oasis” gathering space.
The two-story building sits at the corner of Bagley and 14th streets, steps from Michigan Central Station and the Joe Louis Greenway, and across the street from a 1,250-space parking garage and mobility hub. The project is led by Tarun Kajeepeta, Don Tappan and Tanner Waterstreet, three Detroit-based developers who met while working together at Boston Consulting Group.
A rough start in a new chapter
Built in 1933, the building originally housed the Detroit Mirror and Glass Company alongside Detroit Mausoleum Equipment Works. Over the following decades it was continually occupied, most recently by a record store and residential tenants, before Kajeepeta, Tappan and Waterstreet purchased it in 2022. By then, the building was in significantly worse condition than the team initially expected.
“We initially thought we could keep the facade, but after extensive evaluation, we learned it was going to be really challenging to salvage any of it,” Kajeepeta said. “Some engineers told us we’d be better off knocking down the building and starting over. In the end, we felt it was part of Corktown’s history. If we could keep the integrity of the original structure but do something new and creative with it, we knew it could be something special.”
“We initially thought we could keep the facade, but after extensive evaluation, we learned it was going to be really challenging to salvage any of it,” Kajeepeta said. “Some engineers told us we’d be better off knocking down the building and starting over. In the end, we felt it was part of Corktown’s history. If we could keep the integrity of the original structure but do something new and creative with it, we knew it could be something special.”
“While the building was in a rough condition, there were so many unique characteristics that we wanted to preserve and highlight…the large window bays, wood ceilings, timber structure, and many more,” Waterstreet said. “Our focus was ‘how can we showcase the building’s history while reimagining it for modern living and as a community gathering space?’”
The project’s name is a nod to that history. Bagley Vision takes its name from the Detroit Mirror and Glass Company, the eyeglass and mirror manufacturer that once operated out of the building.
Vision meets reality
Redevelopment began in December 2024 and wrapped in August 2026. The finished building preserves the structure’s original bones while adding 14- to 16-foot ceilings, oversized windows and condo-quality finishes to the second-floor residential units.
The 14 apartments are split across three floor plan types. Junior one-bedrooms range from 565 to 609 square feet and start at $1,278 a month. One-bedrooms range from 537 to 1,051 square feet and start at $1,345 a month. Two-bedrooms range from 973 to 1,162 square feet and start at $2,650 a month.
The ground floor is designed for food, beverage, and retail tenants, and a rear outdoor alley, landscaped with more than 30 trees, serves as a semi-public “urban oasis” open to residents, commercial patrons and the surrounding community.
“We wanted to create a space where people can connect or pause and unwind,” Waterstreet said. “Not only for our tenants, but also for the Corktown neighborhood and broader Detroit community.”
“We planted more than 30 trees on the property because we wanted to bring some greenery into a part of Detroit that can feel very concrete,” Kajeepeta added. “We think it’s valuable for the neighborhood, and we hope people will be excited to come here and hang out.”
“Every Detroiter deserves the chance to rise higher, and that means having an opportunity at quality, affordable housing in the neighborhoods they call home,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “Bagley Vision demonstrates what’s possible for vacant structures in our community. Today it’s home to new apartments and a public gathering space built for the community. That’s what progress looks like, and it’s the kind of investment we’ll keep pushing for in every corner of Detroit.”
DEGC’s role in the project
The DEGC played a pivotal role in getting the project across the finish line, shepherding the developers through a complex tax abatement process that included establishing a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone for the building’s residential portion, securing a PA 255 commercial rehabilitation exemption and guiding the project through City Council approval. DEGC staff continued to support the team through construction, helping to ensure permitting and compliance paperwork stayed on track.
“This is what Corktown needs right now,” said DEGC President and CEO Kevin Johnson. “You’ve got Michigan Central bringing thousands of jobs a few blocks away, the Joe Louis Greenway connecting the neighborhood to the riverfront and now Bagley Vision turning a vacant warehouse into housing, retail and a public gathering space right in the middle of it.”
That tax abatement work carries a broader purpose beyond this single building. The Neighborhood Enterprise Zone designation and similar tools are central to the Greater Corktown Framework Plan, a community-driven roadmap that identifies housing affordability as one of its guiding principles alongside preserving the neighborhood’s history and improving street safety. By lowering the cost of rehabilitating aging buildings like 2150 Bagley, the DEGC and its partners aim to keep new housing within reach as investment in the neighborhood accelerates.
Partner voices come together to elevate the project
“Projects like Bagley Vision demonstrate what is possible when we invest in both the people and places that make Detroit special,” said MEDC CEO Quentin L. Messer, Jr. “Corktown is a neighborhood with deep roots and an exciting future, and the MEDC is proud to support projects that strengthen neighborhoods, create new opportunities and make a transformative impact in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood. We’re grateful to the development team and our local partners like the city of Detroit and DEGC for their continued commitment to Corktown that will benefit Detroit and all of Michigan.”
“Invest Detroit was proud to be there at the beginning of Bagley Vision, funding the acquisition and predevelopment work that allowed this project to move forward,” said Invest Detroit Senior Vice President Mike Vieregge. “We’re proud to support another housing and retail opportunity in this growing and thriving corridor.”
“LISC is proud to be a part of this project, which adds new units of housing in an area where costs are rising steadily,” said LISC Executive Director Rob Lockett. “Given our previous investments in infill and affordable multifamily housing in Corktown, maintaining diverse housing stock in the area is important to us and we look forward to supporting additional opportunities for development.”
“Independent Bank is proud to support Bagley Vision and the partnerships bringing new housing, retail and gathering space to Corktown,” said Independent Bank Regional President Kyle Anne Johns. “As Michigan’s most people-focused bank, we believe in creating value for the people and communities we serve, and this investment helps expand housing options and strengthen a historic neighborhood as it continues to grow.”
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC)
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation is a non-profit organization that serves as Detroit’s lead implementing agency for business retention, attraction and economic development. DEGC is led by a board comprised of business, civic and community leaders. Its staff provides services for key public authorities that facilitate incentives and other forms of financing for projects that bring new jobs and investment to the City. DEGC also manages important initiatives to support small businesses and grow neighborhood commercial corridors. DEGC is dedicated to inclusive development and access to economic opportunity.
