T.S. Quatro building green roof, brownstones in downtown Ypsilanti

T.S. Quatro is about to paint part of downtown Ypsilanti neutral colors by building green roofs and brownstones this fall.

The design-and-build contracting firm plans to renovate its headquarters, 201 N Park St., by adding an expansive green roof and then building a handful of brownstones behind it to compliment the neighborhood as part of a $1 million-plus project. Work will begin on the headquarters by October and finish up by the end of November. Once that is complete, construction of the brownstones will start and is set to wrap by next spring.

“This is a complete renovation for the whole block,” says Todd Quatro, owner of T.S. Quatro. “When this is done it will reset the landscape for the whole block.”

T.S. Quatro has been in its building at Park and Lincoln streets, just east of downtown and Huron River, for 14 years. The two-story structure was built in the 1950s and T.S. Quatro has been making improvements to it since moving in.

The green roof is supposed to be the crowning achievement in the renovations. The intensive green roof will cover 4,000 square feet and come with a deck and the ability for people to walk on it.

The group of four brownstones will go on a lot on Park behind the building. The all-brick structures will be about 2,000 square feet each with a one-car attached garage. Each will also come with a balcony, front porch and hardwood floors. They will be rentals at first and sold as condos at a later date.

Quatro says he decided to go forward with the project in part to improve his neighborhood and also after seeing the improvements going on in downtown Ypsilanti.

“I like it downtown,” Quatro says. “I can see people living here wanting to walk downtown.”

Source: Todd Quatro, owner of T.S. Quatro
Writer: Jon Zemke