Envy Apartment

Fishbein's new proposal is more dense and more studio-heavy than the original plan, which called for 84 live/work apartments with a more diverse mix of apartment sizes. View Full Caption DPD AVONDALE — Controversial plans to turn the residential portion of "The Fields" development into a high- density studio project received unanimous approval from Plan Commission Thursday . The apartments are part of the massive development taking over the old Marshall Field's warehouse at 4000 W. Diversey Ave. Other components of the project, including the Cermak Fresh Market grocery store , are finished. The apartment proposal will next be considered by the full City Council . It's the second Plan Commission go-around for developer Paul Fishbein of 4K Diversey Partners . Fishbein's new proposal is more dense and more studio-heavy than the original plan, which called for 84 live/work apartments with a more diverse mix of apartment sizes. Under the new proposal, the pr...

DETROIT (CNNMoney) - This is Detroit, not Hobbiton. Just like the tiny homes of the hobbits in the "Lord of The Rings" series, the Cass Community Center Tiny Homes Project looks cute. But its small buildings house big hopes . Four years ago, Detroit became the biggest American city in history to file for bankruptcy, brought down by a snowballing financial crisis that followed huge layoffs at the city's major employers General Motors and Chrysler. Today, Detroit is in a period of economic recovery, yet many of its hardest hit residents still don't have adequate housing . The homeless population is around 2,000 and dwindling, according to city authorities. But uncertainty hangs over low-income earners, who struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living. "Purchase prices and rents are increasing faster than people's incomes," says Earl Poleski, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority . "That's a manifestatio...