DETROIT, MICH—Chez-Zara, a local espresso bar, has opened for business on the ground floor of the Madison Building, located at 1555 Broadway Street in downtown Detroit. The Detroit-based company will offer espresso drinks, organic teas and pastries from Detroit's Avalon bakery from its 900-sq.-ft. store.
Rock Ventures purchased the abandoned Madison Theatre in January 2011. Originally designed by C. Howard Crane and constructed in 1917, the 55,000-sq.-ft., five-story building underwent extensive renovations.
Today, the Madison Building houses more than 25 digital start-ups and creative companies, with retail on the first floor. Madison opened in October 2011 and is now 100 percent full with more than 125 people working in the building.
Chez-Zara's lease was brokered by Bedrock Real Estate Services L.L.C., Rock Ventures' full service real estate firm, specializing in purchasing, leasing, financing, developing and managing commercial space.