OSI Art Apartments opens in Woodbridge, bringing Affordable Housing, arts and culture to Detroit's West End

• Mixed-income development fulfills vision for West End Gallery District and showcases the impact of Detroit's affordable housing investments

The City of Detroit, community partners and developers George N'Namdi and Roderick A. Hardamon today celebrated the grand opening of OSI Art Apartments, a mixed-income, mixed-use development that brings new affordable housing, commercial space and artistic energy to Detroit's historic Woodbridge neighborhood.

Located at 3820 Grand River Ave., OSI Art Apartments delivers 30 new residential units, including 15 affordable apartments reserved for households earning up to 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), along with more than 5,000 square feet of commercial space. The development serves as the gateway to the growing West End Gallery District.

The four-story development transforms a once-vacant site into a vibrant community asset that expands housing opportunities while strengthening one of Detroit's most dynamic corridors. Situated between Downtown, Midtown, Corktown and Woodbridge, OSI Art Apartments creates new connections between Detroit's cultural institutions, neighborhoods and economy.

"OSI Art Apartments reflects Detroit's commitment to creating strong neighborhoods where residents of all incomes can thrive," said Mayor Mary Sheffield. "Through our housing strategy, we are working to increase access to quality affordable housing while supporting developments that strengthen the unique character of our communities. This project transforms a long-vacant site into a place of opportunity, bringing new homes, commercial activity, and cultural investment to the West End."

Developed by N'Namdi Holdings and URGE Development Group, OSI Art Apartments was envisioned as the first major development within the West End Gallery District, a long-term initiative designed to establish a destination where arts, culture, housing and entrepreneurship intersect. The project reflects the developers' commitment to creative placemaking and equitable development, using art as a catalyst for neighborhood growth and economic opportunity.

Named after internationally recognized Nigerian-American artist Osi Audu, the building itself serves as a work of public art. Its bold façade, angular forms and distinctive sawtooth roofline draw inspiration from Audu's artwork, Self-Portrait, Red Cap Chief, Etsako Head, and were intentionally designed to create an iconic visual along Grand River Avenue. No two units are the same. Each apartment has its own distinctive layout. The floor plans include studio, one-bed, one bed + a den loft, and a two-bed loft.

"Art in development is essential in building healthy communities," said George N'Namdi, Developer at N'Namdi Holdings. "It expands opportunities, improves living standards, and fosters resilience."

"We are happy to provide the City of Detroit with another concentrated art space that elevates the arts and uplifts the health and vitality of the community," said Izegbe N'Namdi, Developer at N'Namdi Holdings.

"At URGE, we believe that arts and culture are cornerstones of thriving communities," said Roderick A. Hardamon, CEO of URGE Group. "That belief is woven into the fabric of OSI Art Apartments, where the building itself serves as a work of art. OSI demonstrates what is possible when thoughtful development and cultural place keeping come together in service of neighborhood growth."

OSI Art Apartments also holds a unique place in Detroit's housing landscape as the first development financed through the Detroit Housing for the Future Fund, an innovative public-private partnership created to expand affordable housing opportunities throughout the city.

"The OSI Art Apartments show what's possible when we imagine outside the traditional bounds of real estate development," said Rob Lockett, Executive Director of LISC Detroit. "LISC Detroit is proud to have this project be a legacy of the Detroit Housing for the Future Fund, and we applaud Mr. Nnamdi and Mr. Hardamon for their continued service to the arts and creative community through this development."

The project received critical support from the City of Detroit, LISC Detroit, Invest Detroit, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and other financing partners who helped bridge funding gaps and make the development possible.

"Woodbridge is a neighborhood with tremendous creative energy, and OSI Art Apartments channels that beautifully," said Damon Hodge, vice president of lending for Invest Detroit. "By bringing 30 affordable rental units and 5,000 square feet of retail space to the site of a former industrial building, Roderick Hardamon and George N'Namdi are creating something that is both economically and culturally transformative for this community. Invest Detroit is honored to have supported this development with a $13.5 million New Markets Tax Credit allocation as part of our commitment to catalytic investment across Detroit's neighborhoods."

"Successful community development starts with building on the strengths that already exist, and OSI Art Apartments demonstrates how arts, culture, and thoughtful design can create a strong sense of place while serving as a catalyst for revitalization," said Michele Wildman, MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Planning & Development Readiness. "The MEDC is proud to partner on projects like this that help create memorable places that attract investment and support long-term economic vitality while strengthening Michigan communities for residents, businesses, and visitors alike."

"Projects like OSI Art Apartments demonstrate how strategic investments can create housing opportunity while strengthening neighborhood identity," said Julie Schneider, Director of Detroit's Housing and Revitalization Department. "By combining affordable housing with commercial activity, arts and cultural investment, this development advances Detroit's goals of creating inclusive neighborhoods where longtime residents and newcomers alike can succeed."

"IFF believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to live in safe, affordable, high-quality housing, and we're committed to providing the capital and resources to make this a reality in communities across the Midwest," said Kelly Highum, IFF's senior lender for affordable housing. "We are proud to have played a role in the development of the OSI Art Apartments by providing financing for the project, which will not only benefit residents, but strengthen the West End by serving as a tangible investment in community infrastructure."

Designed by Quinn Evans and VolumeOne Design Studio, OSI Art Apartments reflects a commitment to architectural excellence, creative placemaking and community-centered development. As Detroit continues to invest in affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization, OSI stands as a model for how thoughtful development can preserve community character, celebrate culture and create opportunity for residents of all incomes.

Those interested in leasing or want to know more about the development can visit osiartapartments.com.

About URGE Group

URGE Group is a real estate advisory, development and investment platform founded by Roderick A. Hardamon, headquartered in Detroit, MI. The firm focuses on building sustainable communities and expanding equitable wealth opportunities through innovative capital strategies, development execution and strategic advisory services. URGE works with partners across the public, private and philanthropic sectors to drive transformative projects and scalable investment models that strengthen neighborhoods and local economies.

About N'Namdi Holdings

N'Namdi Holdings LLC (Holdings) is a multifaceted family development firm that draws on its unique and diversified knowledge to strategically advance art, education and real estate. Our goal is to set the standards for the expected and push the limits of the imaginativeness and vision to achieve the unexpected. Our approach to creative place-making - simple while thoughtful, edgy while refined. Our relationships are balanced by diversity and resourcefulness, giving us unparalleled ability to leverage cultural and economic capacity. Integrating awareness with enterprise and creating a vibrant and culturally diverse community.

About Osi Audu

Osi Audu is a Nigerian born artist whose work explores the intersections of scientific, cultural and philosophical ideas about the nature of consciousness. His work, which has been shown in numerous international exhibitions including the Kwangju Biennale in Korea, the Africa Africa exhibition in Japan, and the Museum of Mind exhibition at the British Museum in London; has also been collected by a number of public institutions such as the Newark Museum in New Jersy, The National Museum of African Art in Washington DC, the British Museum, and the Horniman Museum in London. He has presented papers and talks about his work at several international conferences such as the 16th ACASA International Triennial Symposium on African Art at the Brooklyn Museum, New York; The Human Image conference at the British Museum in London, Conversations with a Continent: FIVE AFRICAN ARTISTS at Columbia University in New York; and Next Wave Nigeria: Artists Dialogue at the Newark Museum. His article -Yoruba Concept of the Mind was published in the 2nd edition of The Oxford Companion to The Mind, edited by Richard Gregory. He was a lecturer in Painting and Drawing at the University of Benin for 9 years, and the Head of Art and Design at Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School in the UK for 11 years. He received an MFA degree in Painting and Drawing from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. He lives and works in New York.