UM's College of Architecture and Urban Planning takes over Liberty Lofts commercial space

The University of Michigan will soon put the commercial space of a loft building to good use.

The U-M Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning will be using 19,000 square feet of Liberty Lofts, on the western edge of downtown, for architectural research, says Kim Broekhuizen, a public affairs specialist for the university. "The (college) examined several university space options, but none met the school's needs," she says.

She couldn't yet offer details on what specifically the space would be used for.

Developer Ron Mucha, a member of Morningside Ann Arbor, says he's expecting the space to be occupied around the first of November, and construction is already underway. "We think that this is a good use for the property, complementary with the neighborhood and surrounding uses."

Liberty Lofts residential units had sold out several years ago, winning awards along the way for its redevelopment of an old factory on the western edge of downtown. The commercial section of the building remained up for sale or lease.

Source: Ronald Mucha, developer with Morningside Ann Arbor and Kim Broekhuizen, spokeswoman for the University of Michigan
Writer: Kristin Lukowski