DETROIT, Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Related
Companies, Olympia Development of Michigan, and the University of Michigan today announced that the
Detroit Center for Innovation (DCI) will be built in The District
Detroit, a premier sports and entertainment destination featuring
residential, retail, educational, and office space in the heart of
the city. The new location of the DCI ensures that it will have the
maximum positive economic and social impact on the people of
Detroit, while propelling city-,
region-, and statewide job creation and inclusive economic
growth.
The three-building DCI campus is to be built on what is
currently an approximately four-acre, development-ready
surface parking area between Cass
and Grand River and between W. Columbia Street on the north and
Elizabeth Street on the south. It
will be anchored by an estimated $250
million, 200,000 square foot world-class research and
education center to be operated by the University of Michigan, the nation's leading public
research institution. The research and education center is expected
to be accompanied by a technology incubator in the to-be restored
and expanded former Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge building located
at 2115 Cass Ave. A third building will be new construction and
create nearly 300 units of housing along Cass Ave. The DCI campus
will also include green space.
"As a native Detroiter, I believe it is critical for the DCI to
have a catalytic economic and social impact on the people of
Detroit. That impact will be best
achieved in The District Detroit where it will connect with
existing density and ignite additional development, especially with
technology leaders like ServiceNow driving job creation, attracting
entrepreneurs, and inspiring the next generation of trailblazing
talent," said Stephen Ross, Chairman
of Related Companies. "I have tremendous respect for Christopher Ilitch and Olympia Development's
longstanding commitment to Detroit
and am thrilled to partner with them to contribute to the vision of
The District Detroit for the betterment of our entire
community."
The DCI research and education center is seeded by a
$100 million donation by Stephen Ross and the contribution of land by the
Ilitch organization. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in
2023.
"The Detroit Center for Innovation will increase access to
opportunity for Detroiters, help nurture and retain talent, and
drive positive social and economic impacts throughout the city,
region, and state," said Christopher
Ilitch, President and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. "We look
forward to working with Stephen Ross
and Related Companies – leaders in creating visionary
neighborhoods, in developing affordable housing, and in creating
unique places across the country – along with the University of Michigan to support the growth of the
DCI."
Olympia Development and Related also announced today that they
are exploring additional development opportunities in The District
Detroit that will amplify the positive impact of the DCI, which
will center around a purpose-driven enterprise committed to working
closely with local Detroit
minority- and women-owned businesses in its development efforts.
ODM and Related will engage stakeholders across the city in
discussions around potential future development. More information
will be shared in the coming weeks and months. Related and ODM are
expected to focus on job creation and accelerating community-minded
priority developments, including preservation and adaptive reuse of
existing historic buildings, affordable and market-rate housing,
sustainable green spaces and commercial office, retail, and
restaurants.
ServiceNow, the leading digital workflow company making the
world of work, work better for people, recognizes Detroit and the DCI as ideal locations for its
workforce growth and talent needs. ServiceNow plans to expand its
current employee base there, as well as build a skilled technology
talent pipeline for the future. The company, whose Now Platform is
used by approximately 80% of the Fortune 500, has also committed to
creating partnerships and other talent-related opportunities with
universities such as Wayne State and
the University of Michigan Engineering
Career Resource Center, as well as with organizations such as
the Boys & Girls Club, in the Detroit area.
"ServiceNow is deeply inspired to partner with Stephen Ross and the Detroit Center for
Innovation," said Bill McDermott,
President and Chief Executive Officer of ServiceNow. "The amazing
talent we need for our company is here in Detroit. We will build a team here, invest in
this community, and establish a new innovation hub at the forefront
of digital transformation."
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer noted that the DCI and
surrounding development would help Michigan address some of its most pressing
challenges and opportunities.
"Michigan is the home of
opportunity, and the DCI will provide more access to economic
growth for Detroiters and residents across our state. This unique
community-driven development will catalyze entrepreneurship,
attract new businesses to Michigan, and grow our state's world-class
workforce," Whitmer said.
"The community-centered development vision for the Detroit
Center for Innovation is an essential component of closing
Detroit's equity gap and creating
economic opportunities for all Detroiters," said Bishop
Edgar Vann, Founder of the Detroit
Equity Report. "A collaboration of this magnitude, bringing
together preeminent business leaders and educational institutions,
offers a critical model for community-building and I look forward
to partnering with them as the DCI comes to life."
Detroit Mayor Michael Duggan has expressed his support.
"This new location and partnership will be the key to
revitalizing the Grand River corridor between Cass Tech and
downtown, and tying it together with progress being made in the
District Detroit," said Mayor Duggan. "To have already landed an
anchor tenant like ServiceNow on this new campus is a sign of the
enormous potential here for new business and residential growth,
and opportunity for the brilliant young minds in our city."
Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent
of the Detroit Public Schools
Community District (DPSCD), also voiced support for the
DCI.
"We are optimistic that DPSCD students will have an opportunity
to access this opportunity as we know that Detroit does not have a talent gap but an
opportunity gap," said Dr. Vitti. "The opportunity is realized when
students from the school district are invested in because this
creates the potential for at scale, not isolated, long-term
impact."
With the addition of the Detroit Center for Innovation, The
District Detroit – already home to Wayne State
University's Mike Ilitch School of Business – will further
become a centerpiece for education, innovation, entrepreneurship,
sustainable development, and the retention and growth of talent.
Wayne State and the University of Michigan are expected to explore
programmatic partnerships through the DCI.
University of Michigan to operate
state-of-the-art research and academic center
The DCI marks a new chapter in the University of Michigan's long-standing commitment
to Detroit and will enhance the
university's ability to drive innovation across a variety of fields
in which advanced technology is increasingly critical, according to
U-M President Mark Schlissel.
The DCI is unique in that it will provide a space for the
university to engage with industry, nonprofit and community
partners to develop the most relevant academic programs and
identify research opportunities of mutual interest and benefit,
Schlissel said.
"We are enthusiastic about what the Detroit Center for
Innovation will mean for the city, its residents and businesses and
our current and future students," Schlissel said. "The University of Michigan is already setting the
groundwork for this new academic center, and we look forward to
providing the kind of advanced educational programs that will meet
the needs of an evolving workforce and move our economy
forward."
The new academic center in The District Detroit is part of the
university's growing footprint in and around Detroit, where the university was founded in
1817. The university's local presence includes its nearby
UM-Dearborn campus, a "cradle to career" P-20 collaboration with
the Detroit Public Schools
Community District at Marygrove
College in Northwest
Detroit and the U-M Detroit Center on Woodward Avenue.
Currently, the university's Detroit-based programs and functions
include several initiatives designed to serve the city of
Detroit and its residents through
education, research, and service. They include a dedicated
undergraduate admissions office, the Detroit Community-Academic
Urban Research Center and the Partnership on Economic Mobility, a
joint effort between U-M's Poverty Solutions initiative and the
city to identify and implement concrete, evidence-based strategies
that improve economic opportunity and reduce poverty in
Detroit.
University of Michigan Board of
Regents Chair Jordan Acker, in
noting the board's support for the project, hailed the announcement
as a win for both the university and the city.
"Our students will have the opportunity to gain the unique
skills, knowledge and experience needed to lead the tech-driven
economy of the future," Acker said. "And Detroit, as well as the
wider region, will soon be able to tap into a new talent pipeline
tailored to meet the needs of the local economy."
While the university will provide instruction at the DCI's
academic center, degrees and certificates will be awarded through
the Ann Arbor campus. The academic
center is designed to serve U-M students in the last year of their
undergraduate program, as well as students seeking graduate degrees
or certificates that indicate completion of specified programs to
learn the tech and other skills needed to advance their
careers.
When opened, the DCI will provide Michigan businesses and communities a pipeline
of talent and offer opportunities for current workers to further
their skills in a world of fast-paced technological change. It will
also build on Detroit's growing
presence as a center for innovation, which now includes Ford's new
Corktown mobility innovation campus, TechTown Detroit and
Wayne State University.
The academic center will be designed with faculty input and give
faculty and students the opportunity to engage in interesting,
innovative research across fields where advanced technology is
important. Business incubators, research and development, and
collaboration space for large established companies, co-working
space, and startup support services will also be available,
bringing top minds from the private sector together with the public
and academic sectors.
The collaborative approach will encourage business growth in
Detroit as students graduate and
start their own businesses in the area, with continued support from
the DCI.
About the University of
Michigan
One of the nation's top public universities, the University of Michigan has been a leader in
research, learning, and teaching for more than 200 years. U-M's
alumni body is one of the largest in the world and includes a U.S.
president, scientists, actors, astronauts, business leaders and
inventors. The university, which also boasts a world-renowned
intercollegiate athletics program, has been the site of many
important events in U.S. history, including JFK's announcement of
the Peace Corps, LBJ's "Great Society" speech, and the clinical
trials of the Salk polio vaccine. The main campus in Ann Arbor comprises 19 schools and colleges;
there are also regional campuses in Dearborn and Flint, and a nationally ranked health system,
Michigan Medicine. In 2017, U-M celebrated its bicentennial,
marking 200 years since its founding in the city of Detroit.
About Related Companies
Related Companies is a global real estate and lifestyle company
defined by innovation and the most prominent privately-owned real
estate firm in the United States
with over $60 billion in assets owned
or under development including the 28-acre Hudson Yards
neighborhood on Manhattan's West
Side, The Grand and Related Santa Clara in California and The 78 in Chicago. Formed over 45 years ago, Related is
one of the largest private owner of affordable housing and a
fully-integrated, highly diversified industry leader with
experience in virtually every aspect of design, development,
acquisitions, management, finance, hospitality, sustainability, and
sales. Related's mixed-use, residential and commercial office
properties have been consistently heralded for their placemaking
vision – bringing together iconic design, arts and culture, dynamic
programming, and innovative wellness programs. Headquartered in
New York City, Related has offices
and major developments in Boston,
Chicago, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, South Florida,
Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi and London, and boasts a team of approximately
4,000 professionals. Related was recently named to Fast Company
Magazine's list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World.
For more information about Related, please visit
www.related.com.
About Olympia Development
Olympia Development of Michigan, an Ilitch company, is a real estate
development firm dedicated to improving the lives of people who
live, work, and play in Detroit
and beyond. Through catalytic developments, innovative design and
construction, and inclusive placemaking, Olympia Development
continues to create jobs, increase tax base, and grow businesses in
Detroit while steadily creating
one of the world's most dynamic sports and entertainment
destinations, The District Detroit. The District Detroit unites
world-class theatres, four professional sports teams and three
multi-use sports facilities, including Comerica Park – home of the
Detroit Tigers, and the state-of-the-art, award-winning Little
Caesars Arena – home of the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Pistons
and world-class entertainment and community events. The District
Detroit also includes retail, residential, educational, and
commercial office developments, such as the Mike Ilitch School of
Business at Wayne State University, the
Detroit Center for Innovation, and the Little Caesars World
Headquarters. Olympia Development's restoration of Detroit's historic icons, such as the
Eddystone residences, is bringing much needed market-rate and
affordable housing to the core of the city. The past and future
economic impact of The District Detroit to the region and the state
of Michigan is estimated to
exceed $4 billion, driving job
creation and entrepreneurship for the betterment of the greater
community.
About The District Detroit
The District Detroit is a premier sports and entertainment
destination unlike any other in the country. This one-stop shop for
dining, sports and live entertainment offers event goers,
residents, and visitors a dynamic environment to live, work, and
play. The area features three major, multi-use venues and all four
of the city's largest professional sports teams within walking
distance of one another. Venues include the award-winning Little
Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons, and
world-class entertainment; Comerica Park, home to the Detroit
Tigers; and the Detroit Lions' Ford Field. The Fox Theatre,
Detroit's crown jewel, continues
to be one of the most iconic theaters and music venues in the
world. Columbia Street – located in the heart of The District
Detroit – is a growing community gathering place that features
vibrant new dining and retail concepts and hosts dozens of events
each year, including art walks, workouts, live music, holiday
celebrations and much more. The District Detroit is an ideal
landing spot for guests to connect and celebrate before, during or
after an event, and offers something for everyone.
About ServiceNow
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is making the world of work, work better
for people. Our cloud-based platform and solutions deliver digital
workflows that create great experiences and unlock productivity for
employees and the enterprise. For more information, visit:
www.servicenow.com
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Katie Blitz,
katie.blitz@berlinrosen.com, (347) 620-8214
University of Michigan:
Laura Lessnau, llessnau@umich.edu, (734) 647-1851
City of Detroit Mayor's
Office:
John Roach, roachj@detroitmi.gov, (313) 244-7857
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SOURCE Detroit Center for Innovation