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Detroit Regional TransitDan GilbertAlba in Corktown

Inside new spots in Detroit, Dan Gilbert pushes for regional transit

Happy Friday, and welcome to the weekend! Busy show as Devon O’Reilly is back after the holiday weekend. 02:45 – There’s a new bar going into the David Whitney Building that is steeped in the history of the structure, the man behind it, and will have a library vibe. 06:24 – Alba in Corktown has soft opened in the former Astro space. Jer tried it, we discuss. 10:06 – Hamilton’s restaurant has opened in the Godfrey Hotel. 12:13 – A quick reminder that Noel Night is this weekend! http...

Detroit PistonsDan GilbertDetroit development

Devon's back; Pistons return the teal?; Gilbert gets tax breaks; New riverfront apartment renderings + more

Hey all. Devon's back now that his special project is here! But, it's gonna be about 18 years until the work is complete. As to stories - we talk about drinks, places we've been. The Detroit Pistons are rolling out throwback teal jerseys for ten games. Are you on board? Dan Gilbert gets his tax breaks with a 5-4 vote, but helps open up a greater discussion about lowering the city's very high rates. There's a new rendering for the apartments going on the Joe Louis site on the Detroit riverfron...

Dan GilbertDetroit City Football ClubU.S. Open Cup

Dan Gilbert goes after Chelsea FC, but should he get it?; Plus looking ahead to Stars, Atlanta United 2

Local billionaire Dan Gilbert has joined a bid with the Ricketts family (of Chicago Cubs fame) for the storied Chelsea FC. It's one of the most important teams in the world, not just among soccer fans. We talk about why this is such a big deal - and Fletcher has thoughts on if he should get it and why. Then, there's something worrying us as we recap the Memphis 901 FC match, look ahead to the U.S. Open Cup game against Michigan Stars and then this weekend on the road against Atlanta United 2....

BedrockBook TowerDan Gilbert

8 Before And After Pictures Of Detroit's Beautiful Book Tower Coming Back To Life

The building at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Grand River has a long history, and is one of the most ornate exteriors in the city of Detroit, and possibly the United States. For years the Book Tower was ridiculed as one of Detroit’s ugliest buildings. It turns out when the exterior gets a deep cleaning its intricate art that sits high above the city streets comes to life. Although some of us always appreciated the structure for its unique design. It’s a rare Renaissance-style skyscr...

architectureDan GilbertDowntown Detroit

Gilbert Wants To Build The Tallest Skyscraper In Detroit (And Public Financing To Do It)

Step aside, Renaissance Center. Dan Gilbert wants to take your crown as the tallest building in Detroit. The plans revealed during a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) meeting this afternoon and posted on a microsite devoted to the project. The 52 story, 734-foot tall building would be constructed on the old Hudson’s site in downtown Detroit. It would include 250 residential units and 700 parking spaces. There would be 1.2 million square feet in the development, approximately the same as t...

Dan GilbertFail JailMajor League Soccer

Gilbert Offers To Build New Jail Off I-75 Near Warren In Deal To Build Soccer Stadium Downtown

The jail saga continues with a new offer from billionaire Dan Gilbert that would see the Wayne County Jail and justice complex move up I-75 to East Forest, on the east side of I-75, just a block south of Warren Avenue. According to press materials from Rock Ventures: The County estimates the completion of the jail on Gratiot Avenue and modest renovations to the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice will be $300 million. Rock Ventures is prepared to build the County a new, high-tech criminal justice c...

Dan GilbertDetroit Free Press Building

It's Official: Dan Gilbert Has Bought The Old Free Press Building

Dan Gilbert, through his Bedrock real estate company, has added the old Free Press building at 321 West Lafayette in Downtown Detroit to his portfolio. Now, Gilbert owns both the old Detroit News and Free Press buildings, Both have a lot of historic significance. The 14-story, 288,517 square foot building was built in 1925 and designed by architect Albert Kahn has sat vacant since 1998. At one point, everything that happened at the paper, from writing stories to the printing of the pa...

Breslin CenterDan GilbertDetroit Scholarships

Dan And Jennifer Gilbert Give $15 Million To MSU For Basketball, Detroit Scholarships And Students With Special Needs

Dan Gilbert and his wife Jennifer, who both graduated from Michigan State University, have made a substantial gift to the university from their family foundation to support basketball, scholarships for Detroiters, and research for people with disabilities. The $15 million donation is one of the largest in MSU’s Empower Extraordinary campaign. Since 2011, the campaing has raised more than $1.26 billion since 2011 to support global problem-solving research, endowed faculty positions, enhanced fa...

BillionairesDan GilbertDonald Trump

Both The Ilitches And Dan Gilbert Are Richer Than Donald Trump, Says Forbes

In the battle of the billionaires, at least according to the most recent Forbes 400 list that just came out, our neighborhood billionaires Mike & Marian Ilitch as well as Dan Gilbert are richer than the presidential candidate Donald Trump. Mike and Marian Ilitch are worth $5.8 billion, and Gilbert clocks in at $4.6 billion. Trump, who apparently lost $800 million over the past year in value, is down to $3.7 billion. The Forbes 400 is an annual list put together by the magazine of America’s r...

BedrockDan GilbertDetroit Homecoming

Report: Shinola To Open Boutique Hotel In Downtown Detroit

Woodward south of I-75 to the riverfront is quickly becoming a luxury district. Crain’s Detroit first-reported before their Detroit Homecoming event that real estate magnate Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock and Shinola have teamed up on to put a 130 room hotel at the corner of Woodward and Grand River. There will be yet-to-be determined retail, a restaurant, and “living room space” in the 62,000 square foot building built in 1915. The project also encompasses a smaller building next door built for Sing...

Book TowerBook Tower Dan GilbertDan Gilbert

PICS: Historic Book Tower Bought By Dan Gilbert

For about $30 million, Dan Gilbert is getting a gem of a building. Built in two stages, the Book Building (1916) and then the tower (1926) is one of Detroit’s most iconic structures, with high detail high into the sky. He also is acquiring the two-story building on the same block in the deal, first reported by the Detroit Free Press. All in all, it’s a purchase of 517,000 square feet and brings Gilbert’s downtown holdings to more than 80 properties. That’s 13 million square feet of real esta...

Dan GilbertDetroitMike Duggan

"Rehabbed And Ready" Program Aims To Help Stabilize Four Detroit Neighborhoods

Mayor Mike Duggan joined representatives from Quicken Loans, Home Depot and members of the community to announce the “Rehabbed and Ready” program Wednesday. The collaborative public-private campaign will renovate homes, increase occupancy and bring pricing stability to four of Detroit’s neighborhoods: Bagley, Crary/St. Mary’s, College Park, and Evergreen/Outer Drive. The areas were selected because they featured well-maintained homes, but needed a helping hand to increase home price stabilit...

ComedyDan GilbertGilbert vs. Everybody

Satirical "Gilbert vs. Everybody" T-Shirt Hits The Internet

When you’re a billionaire like Dan Gilbert, the Internet is going to poke fun at you. That’s just the reality. Add in the fact that the particular billionaire in question got into a recent Twitter skirmish with a couple of local reporters about a story about cameras on a building downtown, and the clock was just ticking until someone did something like this. In a satiric twist on the popular “Detroit vs. Everybody” clothing line, a fan site popped up selling “Gilbert vs. Everybody” t-shirts. T...

Ally FinancialDan GilbertDetroit

A Story Behind The Scenes Of Buying A Skyscraper And Keeping A Company In Downtown Detroit

One of the things we thought most interesting during the press event was the anecdote Mayor Mike Duggan shared about the behind-the-scenes story on keeping Ally Financial (formerly GMAC) in the city, consolidating their 1,500 person workforce and moving along a deal to purchase a skyscraper with nearly a million square feet in it. We transcribed it and edited very lightly to let the story speak for itself. It’s an illuminating little look that isn’t going to get printed most places, not to men...

Ally Detroit CenterAlly FinancialBedrock Real Estate

Ally Financial Switches Plans, Decides To Consolidate Downtown; Gilbert Buys One Detroit Center

Real estate magnate and Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert expanded his portfolio to some 70 properties today with the purchase of 43 story, 957,000 square foot One Detroit Center. The purchase price was more than $100 million for Detroit’s third largest office building and the adjoining garage, however, an exact number wasn’t shared. But that wasn’t all. It had been talked about in the media that Ally Financial, formerly the credit arm of General Motors, was going to move to Southfield, but...

Dan GilbertDetroitHudson's site rendering

Behold Gilbert's Current Vision For The Old Hudson's Site

The site of the former Hudson’s flagship store is beloved in the minds of many Detroiters, near and far. Recently, the Free Press sussed out some in-progress designs for the space on Woodward, but today, Rock Ventures released a rendering of a very modern vision for the iconic site from New York architecture firm SHoP with collaboration Detroit-based Hamilton Anderson Associates. Their statement is as follows: “We did not expect that an extensive report of an earlier design concept of the Hu...

Dan GilbertDowntown DetroitState Savings Bank

Gilbert Buys A Beauty: The Historic State Savings Bank

Detroit real estate is hot right now, and it could mean new life for a beautiful building that’s sat vacant for years and recently faced the distinct possibility of the wrecking ball. The State Savings Bank was completed in 1900, when Detroit was a very different place. There were mostly horses pulling carts past the front door and the towers you see today simply didn’t exist. It was a big deal, in part, because of the New York architects McKim, Mead and White. Part of the footprint of the bui...

Dan GilbertDetroitQuicken Loans

WATCH: Usher Surprises Fans During His Visit To The D

It’s like Dan Gilbert decided he was going to be an MTV host for a day. And he doesn’t do too bad of a job of it, either. Usher as you may have heard was bouncing around Detroit, and he stopped through Quicken Loans. Some of our friends who work over there couldn’t stop gushing about how cool it was, so when we saw this video, we figured we’d share it with you all. The background is the QL folks were giving away VIP tickets but obviously Gilbert decided to throw in a bonus....