DETROIT – The University of Michigan closed on a $9.5 million purchase of land in Detroit that will be used for the future Center of Innovation.
The 2.3-acre piece of land at 2201 W. Grand River Avenue was purchased from MGM Grand Detroit casino, according to a release.
It’s located across the street from the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, which is under construction. The $250 million center will offer master’s degrees and workforce development programs that focus on technology and innovation.
The university said the land “is expected to support the center’s future needs.” Part of the land will be used for a parking structure.
Designs for the parking structure are still in early stages, but it will be used for the center and also potentially have retail space on the first floor.
Featherstone Garden, a separate entity from the casino, currently licenses the land for its greenhouse and gardens. It has a main garden site in Detroit’s Morningside neighborhood and is seeking additional sites.
The garden notified the university that it intends to relocate as much of the equipment as possible, and requested a three-month extension to its lease to “maximize the growing season.”
The university is accommodating the request, and Featherstone Garden will stay in the space until June 20, 2025.
This piece of land is in addition to the 2.1 acres at Grand River Avenue and West Columbia Street that Olympia Development of Michigan donated to the university in December 2023 for the project.
Construction on the Center for Innovation began nearly a year ago, according to the university, and the six-story building will be the first of three at the site. The first building is expected to be completed by spring 2027.
There is a live webcam of the construction site for anyone curious about the progress of the project.
