A former residential property at Baker Road and Forest Street in downtown Dexter is turning into something a little different from the usual small-town condo project: micro-units, townhomes and a pair of live-work homes, all on less than an acre.
Construction is underway on the 16-unit development at 3165 Baker Road and 8020 Forest Street, according to The Sun Times News, which called it Kentwood of Dexter. City planning records call it Kentwood Place. The project puts 16 homes in five buildings on about 0.78 acres in an L-shaped area near the intersection, replacing a former residential property. It's within walking distance of downtown shops, parks and the Border-to-Border Trail.
A mix of sizes
The Sun Times reported the plans include one-bedroom micro-units of about 650 square feet, larger two-bedroom homes, and multilevel townhomes with up to three bedrooms. Two units along Baker Road will have ground-floor commercial or office space with living space above. Expected prices run from about $325,000 for the smaller units to $600,000 for the largest.
The project has been in the works since 2023, when the developers first proposed 15 units. Later revisions brought the count to 16, including two smaller micro-units.
The property is owned by Lyndon Township Supervisor Pam Byrnes and her husband, Kent Brown. The Sun Times reported a local ownership group is developing it with AR Brouwer Company and architect Brad Moore. Construction is planned in two phases. The Sun Times did not give a schedule for each phase.
What the city signed off on
The details in Dexter's planning records give a good feel for how tight the site is. At its Feb. 3, 2025 meeting, the Dexter Planning Commission unanimously recommended that City Council approve the final site plan for the planned unit development, according to the commission's approved minutes. The application came from 3165 Baker LLC, and the site is zoned CDB, Dexter's Central Business form-based district.
To make the plan fit, the commission recommended several deviations from the zoning rules:
- Stories: three and a half stories for Buildings A, B and E, where three is the limit, and for Buildings C and D, where two and a half is the limit.
- Height: about 36 feet 4 inches for Building C and just over 37 feet 3 inches for Building D, where 35 feet is the max.
- Setback: a 5-foot south side yard for Building C instead of 7 feet.
- Parking: 22 on-site spaces, where the maximum is 20.
The commission also found the two 196-square-foot work spaces in the live-work units in Building E are an appropriate size.
The conditions read like a contractor's punch list. Retaining wall design and materials need staff approval, and structural calculations are required for any retaining wall over 18 inches tall. An irrigation system has to be added. The water main coming in from Forest Street has to be built to public standards but will stay private. There's also a public access easement through the site, an easement and maintenance agreement with the Dexter Downtown Development Authority, and a development agreement, all subject to review by city attorneys. Exterior materials and colors need staff approval.
Brad Moore, the architect, attended that meeting along with Byrnes and Brown, according to the minutes. The plans were reviewed by the city's planning and engineering consultants and the fire department before the vote.
Why it matters for Contractors
Kentwood is a good example of small, dense downtown infill: five buildings, 16 homes and two live-work units on less than an acre, with micro-units to hit lower price points. Jobs like this are tight sites with retaining walls, private utilities, height and setback limits, and neighbors on every side, so the work rewards careful staging and coordination. With AR Brouwer Company on the job and construction planned in two phases, there should be work for foundation, framing, roofing, siding, MEP, and finish trades over the next couple of years. The expected prices, from about $325,000 to $600,000, also give builders a read on where developers think the market is for new construction near a walkable downtown in one of Washtenaw County's smaller cities. If the micro-units sell well, contractors may see more developers try small units on small lots elsewhere in the area.