Beaumont announces Wahlburgers as first retailer at Woodward redevelopment

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WJBK) - The lot at 13 Mile and Woodward has been empty for the past year or so after Beaumont Hospital announced plans to redevelop the property. Now, we know who the first retailers will be.

Beaumont announced Friday that Wahlburgers and New Orders Coffee are the first retailers at the new development to be named Woodward Corners by Beaumont.

Construction on the site, which once housed a Kroger and Durham Sports, has been underway since the previous buildings were demolished. Beaumont has owned the property since the 1980s and announced plans in 2016 to redevelop the area.

“The new name ‘Woodward Corners by Beaumont’ pays tribute to Woodward Avenue as an iconic heritage roadway while highlighting the property’s linkage to Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak,” said Carolyn Wilson, Beaumont Health’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.  “We are excited to bring new life and a new look to this corner, guided by ideas put forth by more than 6,000 community residents, our employees and patients through a survey."

Beaumont says the redevelopment calls for six buildings on the property, including a grocery store, five-story hotel, and other restaurants and retail offerings.

Wahlburgers, based in the Boston area, and New Order Coffee, based in Detroit, are the first retailers to secure space in the new development.

“My brothers and I are excited to be bringing Wahlburgers to one of the best corners in the state next to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak,” said Mark Wahlberg. “We look forward to adding this to our very successful Detroit location and bringing more of our family flavor to Southeast Michigan.”

Wahlberg visited Detroit in February to check on his new location downtown. He told FOX 2 that day that he was eyeing the area near 13 and Woodward. He also said they are eyeing a location in Taylor and said he loves the Metro Detroit area.

"It's fantastic, you know," he said. "I have to give my friend Dan Gilbert who is our landlord here, a lot of credit. He has been doing so much to develop the city of Detroit. Even talking to the Meijer guys, it's amazing what they do for their own communities."

A timeline for the restaurant's opening was not released. The entire $32.8 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.