An early 20th-century apartment property in southwest Detroit that was severely damaged by an intentional fire is poised for a major resurgence, following key municipal approvals that will allow the historic structure to be fully restored and converted into modern housing.
Local entrepreneur Omar Hernandez, 65, is spearheading the comprehensive redevelopment effort for the large two-and-a-half-story building located at 347 W. Grand Blvd. in the historic Hubbard Farms neighborhood. Hernandez, whose neighborhood business holdings include the well-known Mexicantown Bakery, aims to return the long-dormant Greek Revival-style building to active residential use.
The ambitious project took a critical regulatory step forward on Sept. 9, when members of the Detroit Historic District Commission voted unanimously to grant a "certificate of appropriateness" for the rehabilitation plan. The formal approval allows Hernandez to advance with both interior and exterior architectural preservation work in the designated historic district.
Under the approved development plan, the nearly $4 million project will not only repair the building’s fire-scarred structural framework but also increase its internal density. Plans call for expanding the layout to accommodate 18 apartment units, up from the 12 units that were historically housed within the building.
In addition to the intensive rehabilitation of the main residential structure, the revitalization plan incorporates the vacant parcel next door at 355 W. Grand Blvd. That adjacent lot will be converted into a dedicated off-street parking lot designed to serve the building's future residents.
Assuming all outstanding financing details are finalized according to plan, Hernandez anticipates that physical construction and restoration operations will commence during either the first or second quarter of 2027.
The property's road to renewal follows years of vacancy and recent criminal destruction. The building was heavily damaged last November in an incident that authorities and the developer determined to be a deliberately set blaze. Hernandez confirmed that an arsonist was responsible for the destruction, though investigators have yet to identify or apprehend the culprit.
Prior to the fire, the Greek Revival house had been sitting abandoned for nearly a decade. Its residential tenancy came to an abrupt end in 2017, when the building was entirely vacated by its occupants following a catastrophic failure of the central boiler system that was never repaired by previous ownership.
Hernandez acquired the distressed property a few years after it became vacant, recognizing its architectural pedigree and neighborhood significance. Despite the building's prolonged blighted condition and fire damage, Hernandez indicated that outside investor interest remains extraordinarily high, noting that he receives phone inquiries almost weekly from prospective buyers seeking to purchase the property, all of whom he routinely turns down.
Preservation remains the central guiding principle of the upcoming reconstruction. Hernandez has emphasized that the rehabilitation will carefully respect the building's heritage by keeping its historic interior elements as original as possible, including maintaining its expansive high ceilings and restoring hardwood flooring throughout the living spaces.
According to historical records submitted to the Detroit Historic District Commission, the property possesses deep roots in the Hubbard Farms community. Official city records show the original building permit was issued in 1905, and the property remained under the continuous stewardship of the Christa family for over half a century until 1958.
The project marks the latest chapter in Hernandez’s decades-long track record of investing in Detroit’s built environment. Since the late 1980s, the developer has purchased and rehabilitated numerous commercial and residential properties across the city.
Among his most prominent commercial enterprises is the Mexicantown Bakery, located at 4300 Vernor Highway, which has served as a fixture in southwest Detroit. Hernandez previously owned and operated Club International/Club Fantasy at 6060 Fort St., a celebrated nightclub and entertainment venue that hosted major national recording artists, including Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and 2 Live Crew.
Hernandez operated the Fort Street entertainment complex until its closure roughly a decade ago, ultimately selling the property to the Michigan Department of Transportation to accommodate land acquisition requirements for the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
While Hernandez has previously completed the rehabilitation of roughly a dozen single-family houses throughout Detroit over the past several decades, the Hubbard Farms undertaking represents both his largest single residential structure to date and his very first venture into multifamily residential restoration. Once completed, the project will restore long-lost residential density and historic character to one of southwest Detroit's most prominent corridors.
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