Developer Stephen Ross to Contribute $100M for Detroit Center for Innovation Project

DETROIT — Stephen Ross, philanthropist and chairman of Related Cos., has announced a $100 million gift to advance construction of the Detroit Center for Innovation (DCI). The project, which will be located on the former Wayne County Jail site on Gratiot Avenue will also be made possible by a contribution of land from Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert. The first phase of construction for the 14-acre project is expected to begin in 2021. Anchoring the project will be a 190,000-square-foot research and education center to be operated by the University of Michigan. Designed by architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, the center will serve up to 1,000 graduate and senior-level undergraduate students pursuing degrees in high-tech innovation fields such as mobility, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity and financial technology. The initial phase of the DCI will also include incubator and start-up services for entrepreneurs, collaboration space, residential units, a hotel and conference center. Ross has previously given nearly $400 million to the university.