DETROIT – The New Center neighborhood in Detroit will see some new development over the next decade as a healthcare company, a sports team, and a Michigan university are investing $2.5 billion into the community.
Announced on Wednesday, Henry Ford Health, Detroit Pistons Owner Tom Gores and Michigan State University released renderings detailing the initial concept geared to make New Center a more walkable, vibrant area by redeveloping the commercial, health care, recreational, residential and retail components.
The development is planned to break ground in 2024, although there has already been some redevelopment that has taken place that is part of the multibillion-dollar development plan.
The plan details that the development is to have the New Center community be fully functional on both sides of West Grand Boulevard. New Center currently houses the Detroit Pistons and Henry Ford Health headquarters.
“The reimagination of our healthcare campus in Detroit has been a long-held vision for us and we’ve taken exceptional pride in challenging ourselves – a quest to discover what’s truly possible alongside our partners,” said Henry Ford Health’s CEO Robert Riney. “We’ve welcomed Tom Gores’ ‘big thinking’ approach since the very start of our partnership. He’s a great catalyst in stretching people’s expectations and aspirations, and has really helped us drive a common mission and vision that will help us create something truly transformative for our patients and families, our communities, as well as the best team in healthcare.”
Get to know New Center: Popular Detroit restaurant makes New York Times ‘best’ list
Some aspects included in the development plan are market rate and affordable housing, which Henry Ford Health stated will consist of the transformation of one of the One Ford Place buildings, accessible retail space and possibly a hotel, a multi-story parking deck, and communal park and green spaces south of the Detroit Pistons Performance Center.
Henry Ford Health announced that they plan on connecting its New Center Detroit facilities with bridges, tunnels and walkways while incorporating green space for its pedestrians.
Also part of the plan is a joint research facility as Henry Ford Health is partnering with Michigan State University’s health sciences program. This research facility will be constructed along Third Street and will allow academics, doctors, nurses, public health practitioners and scientists to collaborate on translational research. This expansion of Henry Ford Hospital is set to be a one-million-square-foot facility.
The new structure will be located on the south side of West Grand Boulevard and will have space for cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs, diagnostic and interventional radiology, intensive care units and specialized space for trauma and behavioral healthcare.
“Detroit is seeing more investment, construction and job growth than it has in a half-century and today’s announcement of this $2.5 billion development takes things to a new level,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “This partnership between Henry Ford Health, the Pistons and Michigan State University represents an incredible investment in our city. Detroiters will have a new state-of-the-art hospital and medical research facility and more opportunities to live, work and play right here in this neighborhood.”
Motown Museum expanding: See renderings of the massive space being built in Detroit