Medical Office, Apartments Proposed at Former Austin's H.P. Grille Site

Life may finally be coming back to the east side of Biddle and Eureka.

Dr. Anne Abrahamson of Great Lakes Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in Taylor is hoping to relocate her business to the site of the former Austin's H.P. Grille, 3249 Biddle Ave.

The plan calls for the first floor to be converted into her medical office, along with a small, separate office to be leased to a tenant, such as a physical therapist.

A second story would be built above the medical offices and turned into five apartments.

Abrahamson has hired Royal Oak-based Krieger Klatt Architects to oversee the project.

In order to get things started, architect Jeff Klatt is seeking the mayor and City Council’s approval to allow parking within the city’s right-of-way along Eureka.

There must be 10 parking spaces allotted on the property in order to construct the five apartments, Klatt said. If the plan goes through, the proposed parking would occupy the existing paved area between the existing building and the city sidewalk.

The apartments will be available for rent and will have balconies overlooking Biddle, Klatt said.

“It's going to be a beautiful addition to downtown Wyandotte,” he said. "It's going to be a nice way to hallmark that entryway into the city. "

Mayor Joseph Peterson said he was surprised to hear of the plan and had no idea a project of this magnitude was in the works. He said he had heard rumblings of a doctor wanting to open an office there, but hadn’t heard about the second-floor apartments.

“The first I’ve seen of it was late Friday,” he said. “I need some more information. I need to talk to the engineer about it. They want to add parking on Eureka and I’m not sure how that would work. … This won’t be acted upon. It’ll be referred to the engineer and to the for their input.”

Before the project goes through, it also must get the approval of the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Adjustments, Planning Commission and Design Board Review Committee, Klatt said.

If all goes as planned, he said, construction could begin by winter.

According to her website, Abrahamson was born in Dearborn and is a lifelong Downriver resident. She received an undergraduate degree from Wayne State University in nutrition and food science and a medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine. She completed both her residency and postdoctoral studies at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.

Austin’s has sat empty on the northeast corner of Biddle and Eureka since the business closed in August 2008. The southeast corner has been equally as dark since went out of business in March.