Transforming downtown Northville's historic four-acre industrial property known affectionately as Foundry Flask from gritty to pretty gained steam this month when the Northville Historic District Commission approved (with conditions) Utah Development, LLC's new construction application.

The value of the mixed-use building slotted for 456 Cady St. is $20 million, according to the application form.

If the project clears a series of late-game hurdles as expected, a three-story structure with industrial-themed exterior elements will start to rise on the long-dormant property that was the home of components manufacturers including Stinson Aircraft and Stimpson Scale and Manufacturing.

Historic district Commissioner Jeff Gaines sought assurances from building designer Robb Burroughs of OX Studio, Inc. that the new building would pay homage to the property's manufacturing-coated heritage.

"It is very important that this site's legacy and history are preserved," Gaines said Dec. 14. "The neighborhood I lived in — Beal Town — and the neighborhood to the north — Cabbage Town — wouldn't exist without the manufacturing companies that functioned on this property. 

"These manufacturing companies provided the livelihoods of several residents of this area. This is where they worked. This was there community."

Gaines, who said he would have preferred a series of buildings erected on the property to give it more of a community feel, emphasized that he doesn't want the property's rich history "white-washed" or erased by a modern new development.

"For a lot of folks, (new development) is what they want ... they see what's there now as an eyesore that's been there for the past 10 years," Gaines said. "Personally, I'd like to see the best of both worlds: retaining the history while moving into the 21st century with active and robust uses."

Robb Burroughs, an OX Studio, Inc., architect leading the design phase of the project, said his team is committed to retaining the property's heritage. Burroughs noted that a timber frame from one of the existing buildings on the site built in 1910 can be salvaged for use in the design of the development.

"Using the salvaged wood on an exterior part of the building would be challenging, so we're looking at interior usage, potentially as a decorative feature in the public lobby," Burroughs said. "I think the worst thing you can do is put something in a time capsule and let it sit there; it's better to try to make something like this active as part of the lobby or in another location."

Jim Long, a representative of the developer, said he'd like to see the building's commons area resemble the corridors of Comerica Park, the Detroit Tigers' 22-year-old home, with multiple pictures of the site's now-demolished factories viewable alongside documentation describing how important the site was to Northville's history.

"I was born and raised in this town, so I am very sensitive to its history," Long said. 

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The first floor of the development is scheduled to include a combination of parking, residential amenities and commercial space — ideally a grocery store, Burroughs' presentation detailed. 

The second and third levels will be exclusively residential rental spaces, totaling 79 units with one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts.

In May, the historic commission granted the developer's request for demolition of the site's existing buildings — one built in 1910 and others constructed in the 1960s — provided that it obtain the Northville Planning Commission’s approval of the new development proposal and that it document the existing buildings on site as a historical record (through photographs and drawings), and provide that record to the city and Northville Historical Society.

The commission unanimously approved the new construction application with conditions that the developer provide elevation records and floor plans of the existing buildings before they are razed.

The developer is working through a Planned Unit Development (PUD) process in the zoning ordinance. The property is currently zoned as PR-1: performance regulated industrial district.

A mix of commercial and residential uses on this site is in sync with the master plan, the city's website indicated.

The site's final manufacturer was Foundry Flask & Equipment Co., which produced foundry components including molds, shovels and ladles.

One rendering included in the architect's presentation showed "The Foundry" painted on one side of the building, but Burroughs said the name of the development has not been determined.

"Although," he added, "'The Foundry' would be a pretty cool name for it."

Contact reporter Ed Wright at eawright@hometownlife.com or 517-375-1113.