Bedrock
Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert
addresses guest at the ground
breaking of the $1 billion
development project located on the
site of the former JL Hudson in
downtown Detroit. (Photo by HB
Meeks/Tell Us Detroit)
Bedrock
breaks
ground
on $1
Billion
development
at
former
J.L.
Hudson’s
site
downtown
Detroit
DETROIT
–
Bedrock
broke
ground
on the
site of
the
former
Hudson’s
Department
Store in
downtown
Detroit
on
Woodward
Avenue.
The
start of
construction
follows
years of
planning
and
preparation
that has
resulted
in a
transformational
development
that
will
serve as
a hub
for
attractions,
shopping,
conferences,
events,
exhibitions,
views of
the city
and
region
from a
Skydeck
800 feet
in the
air,
presentation
theaters
and more
in
Detroit
on a
site
that is
symbolic
to so
many
across
the
region.
“Today
downtown
Detroit
is
officially
going
vertical,”
said Dan
Gilbert,
Bedrock
Founder
and
Chairman.
“Not
only do
we need
projects
like
this one
to meet
the
significant
demand
for
office,
residential
and
retail
in
downtown,
but this
development
becomes
the 21st
century
version
of what
Hudson’s
was to
metropolitan
Detroit
for so
many
decades
in the
20th
century.
In
addition
to
creating
opportunities
for all
Detroiters,
this
project
will put
our city
on the
radar of
world
class
technology
companies
like
Amazon
and
others.”
The
scale of
the
project
is
designed
to be a
destination
aimed at
attracting
residents,
visitors,
businesses
and
talent
from
across
the city
and
around
the
world.
Today’s
groundbreaking
is an
important
first
step
toward
Bedrock’s
commitment
to
invest
$2.1
billion
in
Detroit
through
four
transformational
projects.
“When we
hear
people
talk
about
what
Hudson’s
meant to
them,
the
common
theme is
that it
was a
place
where
memories
were
made,”
said
Bedrock
President
Dan
Mullen.
“Bedrock
is
fortunate
to have
the
opportunity
to
create a
new
landmark
by
providing
all
kinds of
common
and
public
space
which is
much
needed
in our
city,
and will
be the
location
where
innovation
and the
ideas of
the
future
germinate.”
The
project
is
technically
two
separate
buildings:
A
58-story
residential
tower
and a
12-story
building
that
will
contain
a ground
floor
market,
a large,
flexible
exhibition
space
designed
to
accommodate
a broad
spectrum
of
events,
conferences,
technology
attraction
and
more.
The
tower
will
have a
capacity
of
330-450
residential
units,
depending
on final
design
and
decisions
around
the size
of each
unit.
The
project
will
also
have 700
below-grade
parking
spaces.
The
vision
for the
development
is to
create
an
environment
that
allows
people
to
innovate
and
collaborate
on
tomorrow’s
great
ideas,
while
bringing
the best
ones to
life. A
space
where
students
will be
inspired,
where
artists
will
display
their
creativity
for the
world,
as well
as a
gathering
spot
where
the
community
can come
together.
A
top-floor,
multi-level
public
observation
deck
dedicates
the
city’s
highest
skyline
views to
Detroit
residents
and
visitors
alike.
During
the
design
process
with New
York-based
SHoP
Architects
and
Detroit-based
Hamilton
Anderson,
Bedrock
worked
to
ensure
the
project
offered
dynamic
public
spaces
and an
activated
streetscape
on all
sides of
the
development.
“Ever
since
Hudson’s
closed
its
doors in
1983,
Detroiters
have
waited
and
wondered
what
would
come
next and
what
could
possibly
live up
to the
incredible
history
of that
block,”
said
Mayor
Mike
Duggan.
“It’s
taken
nearly
35 years
to get
that
answer,
but when
people
watch
this
incredible
new
building
rise and
see all
of the
jobs and
opportunity
it
brings,
it will
have
been
worth
the
wait.”
This
development
fills a
gap on
Woodward
Avenue
and will
dramatically
increase
the
amount
of
people
who take
advantage
of the
walkability
to the
north to
Grand
Circus
Park, to
the
entertainment
district
and
beyond,
to
Campus
Martius
and all
the way
to the
river to
the
south.
It will
also
activate
the area
directly
to the
east
anchored
by
popular
restaurants
and
entertainment.
“I
appreciate
the
investment
that
Bedrock
is once
again
making
in both
the city
of
Detroit
and
Detroiters,”
Gov.
Rick
Snyder
said.
“Just as
the
original
Hudson’s
building
did,
this new
multi-use
facility
has the
opportunity
to serve
as a
beacon
for all
who come
to live,
work or
play in
Detroit,
further
showcasing
the
Comeback
City’s
incredible
resurgence.”