Construction Begins On New Woodward Medical/Law Office Building In The District Detroit

DETROIT, May 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympia Development of Michigan, the Detroit Medical Center and Warner Norcross + Judd LLP celebrated the groundbreaking today on a new, five-story medical, office and retail building at 2715 Woodward Avenue in The District Detroit. Located between the award-winning Little Caesars Arena and the new Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University, the 127,000-square-foot construction project will add increasing density and economic activity to Detroit's continuing resurgence.

The new, $70 million building will replace a former surface parking lot at Sproat Street and will bring four floors of Class A office space and 17,000 square feet of street-level retail to The District Detroit.

"The Detroit Medical Center and Warner Norcross + Judd are two world-class organizations and we are thrilled to welcome them to The District Detroit," said Christopher Ilitch, President and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. "Projects like this continue the progress and momentum in our City and in The District Detroit.  We are excited to have both companies in neighborhood and contributing to Detroit's resurgence." 

Olympia Development of Michigan and DMC announced a 20-year agreement to build and operate an innovative, state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot sports medicine facility adjacent to Little Caesars Arena in June 2018. The plan will add new professional jobs, medical services and retail opportunities in The District Detroit, along with hundreds of construction and construction-related jobs.

DMC is already the official healthcare provider for the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers and has provided this service for more than 10 years. Physicians for the healthcare system also offer on-site orthopedic care for players during games at Little Caesars Arena and Comerica Park. The $65 million sports facility will feature the healthcare system's specially-trained clinical and rehabilitation teams to provide athletes immediate access to sports-related care, along with medical research and sports simulation services.

"This new facility will offer best-in-class injury management and performance improvement services supported by sports science, biomechanics and other innovative therapies," said Dr. Anthony Tedeschi, CEO of the DMC. "This long-term investment is evidence of DMC's unwavering commitment to athletes in our community, the region and beyond."

The DMC facility will be the first of its kind in Detroit and will aim to become a destination site across the Midwest for professional athletes who currently leave the state for critical rehab and other medical services. The institute will also serve collegiate, high school and recreational athletes. Planned amenities include a mobile MRI, rehab pool, golf simulator, 3-point basketball court and a 40-yard track.

Warner announced in October 2018 that the firm would become the sole tenant of the third floor at 2715 Woodward Ave. The contemporary workplace—the firm's first location in the city of Detroit—will accommodate 55 attorneys and staff members and will feature collaborative work spaces, conference rooms and a lounge overlooking Woodward Ave. The new location, which advances the firm's goal to expand across Michigan and the Detroit metropolitan area, represents nearly 30,000 square feet of new Class A office space in The District Detroit.

"Our new Detroit office puts Warner at the center of the action, right where our attorneys, staff and clients want and need us to be," said Linda Paullin-Hebden, executive partner of the firm's Southfield office. "Warner is fully committed to the state of Michigan and with the opening of our Detroit office now inching closer, we'll be the only major law firm to have offices in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. That will be an important benefit for our clients as well as for new business opportunities for the firm."  

Christman-Brinker is providing construction management for 2715 Woodward Ave., while architect Harley Ellis Devereaux is overseeing the building's design.

The new construction at 2715 Woodward Ave. is adding density to the area and supporting local retail and restaurants in the vicinity. More and more tenants are eyeing the prominent thoroughfare to gain proximity to new development, including the Mike Ilitch School of Business, 313 Presents, the Detroit Red Wings and Olympia Entertainment. In 2018, Google officially opened a new 30,000-square-foot office space adjacent to Little Caesars Arena on Henry Street.

New tenants and clients will enjoy proximity to many new and established developments and amenities nearby, including the QLINE public transit system; the historic Fox Theatre; Comerica Park; Little Caesars Arena and its adjacent, four restaurants; a team store and new, secure parking structures.

This new building along Woodward Ave. is among many other major projects announced by the Ilitch organization since the debut of Little Caesars Arena in September 2017. The Columbia Street destination adjacent to the new, nine-story, Little Caesars world headquarters expansion, remains underway. Located across from Comerica Park, the pedestrian-friendly, European-style street will feature Frita Batidos, a fast-casual Cuban-inspired eatery with roots in Ann Arbor; new Union Joints restaurant, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant, Sahara Restaurant & Grill, and The M Den, a retail store for University of Michigan fans.   

About Warner Norcross + Judd LLP
By providing discerning and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross + Judd builds a better partnership with its clients. Warner is a corporate law firm with 230 attorneys practicing in eight offices throughout Michigan: Southfield, Macomb County, Grand Rapids, Midland, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Holland and Lansing. To learn more, visit www.wnj.com, follow us on Twitter @WNJLLP or connect on LinkedIn.

About the Detroit Medical Center
The Detroit Medical Center operates eight hospitals and institutes, including Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Harper University Hospital, Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, Hutzel Women's Hospital, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Sinai-Grace Hospital and DMC Heart Hospital. The Detroit Medical Center is a leading regional health care system with a mission of excellence in clinical care, research and medical education. The Detroit Medical Center is proud to be the Official Healthcare Services Provider of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings. For more information, visit www.dmc.org. "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dmcheals, follow us on Twitter at @dmc_heals or check out our YouTube page at www.youtube.com/DetroitMedicalCenter.

About Olympia Development of Michigan
Olympia Development of Michigan is a full-service real estate company responsible for developing and investing in some of Detroit's most recognized and visited venues including the Fox Theatre, Little Caesars Arena and Comerica Park, and is the developer of The District Detroit which represents a new $1.4 billion investment in the city. The District Detroit is connecting neighborhoods with new office, residential and retail spaces, delivering more than $2 billion in total economic impact to the city, region and state.

About The District Detroit
The District Detroit is a dynamic urban destination in the heart of Detroit. One that includes something for everyone—a dense neighborhood experience with a variety of developments alongside Detroit's premiere sports and entertainment venues. Connecting downtown Detroit to growing nearby neighborhoods such as Midtown, Corktown and Brush Park, The District Detroit is having a dramatic economic impact on Detroit and is a driving catalyst of the city's remarkable resurgence. The District Detroit has delivered $1.4 billion in new investment to Detroit including the new Little Caesars Arena, Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University and Little Caesars world headquarters campus expansion. Additionally, new office, residential and retail spaces will continue to add momentum to Detroit's amazing comeback for years to come.

SOURCE Olympia Development of Michigan