University of Michigan Center for Innovation, Related Companies and Olympia Development of Michigan Break Ground on Founders House

Located on the UMCI Campus at 2205 Cass Avenue, the 313-Unit Residential Building will be Home to Graduate Students and Faculty

The University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI), Related Companies and Olympia Development of Michigan broke ground on Founders House, the new UMCI residential building for graduate student and faculty housing. Located at 2205 Cass Avenue, Founders House is part of the Transformational Brownfield Plan (TBP) for The District Detroit, a premier sports and entertainment destination featuring residential, retail, educational and office space in the heart of the city.

Founders House is located adjacent to the UMCI academic building, which is currently under construction and expected to be completed by summer 2027. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects with Neumann/Smith Architecture as the Architect of Record, Founders house is expected to achieve LEED Gold. The approximately 235,000-square-foot residential building will rise 13 stories and include 313 residential units, ranging from studios to one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. UMCI will lease the residential building, which is anticipated to be completed in 2028, for an initial term of 40 years.  

“This new 313-unit residential building for the UMCI represents the University of Michigan’s strong commitment to attracting and cultivating talent and innovation here in Detroit,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “Projects like this show what Detroit has to offer on a state, national and global level.”  

“We’re proud to celebrate the groundbreaking of the UMCI residential building. This moment reflects a deeper commitment, one rooted in investing in people, in place and in opportunity,” said Scott Shireman, Executive Director, the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit.

“Detroit has long been a center of opportunity, growth and entrepreneurship and the University of Michigan Center for Innovation will help inspire the next generation of talent,” said Related Companies and Olympia Development of Michigan. “Founders House will not only deliver high-quality homes for graduate students and faculty members, but it will also demonstrate what’s possible when we come together to invest in the City’s future. We are proud to reach this milestone on the UMCI campus – a place for quality jobs, economic opportunity and learning in the heart of The District Detroit.”

The University of Michigan Center for Innovation will be a world-class hub for research, education, and entrepreneurship, designed to advance innovation and talent-focused community development and drive job creation and economic growth across the city, region, and state. Located between Cass Avenue and Grand River and bounded by W. Columbia Street to the north and Elizabeth Street to the south, UMCI will, once complete, include a 200,000-square-foot research and education center, a technology incubator, Founders House, and approximately one acre of public green space.

For more information on The University of Michigan Center for Innovation, please visit HERE.