Acentury after it first opened, two women are helping lead the revitalization of Detroit’s former Eddystone Hotel:  Meredith McLellan, project manager for Olympia Development of Michigan and Jennifer Elmore, director of architecture for Kraemer Design Group.  

In concert with metro-Detroit-based O’Brien Construction, McLellan and Elmore have helped complete restoration of the building’s exterior, featuring rusticated limestone, age-old brickwork and stunning terracotta details.

“We have been able to restore, repair or replicate the original features of this fantastic building to their former glory,” said Elmore. “With the exterior restoration now complete, the building looks absolutely beautiful.”

Once completed, the Eddystone will feature 92 market-rate and affordable residential units. “We have a great group of experts on board and we’re making progress as we march towards projected completion in late 2021,” said McLellan.

For more information about the Eddystone’s restoration and Olympia Development’s work across The District Detroit, click here.

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What’s better than a calendar featuring the Detroit Red Wings? A calendar with photos of the players and their furry friends. Arriving just in time for the holiday shopping season, the 2021 Pucks for Paws Calendar, presented by PetSmart, is on sale now for $20.

Calendar proceeds benefit PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, and the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, which provides opportunity and access to hockey for thousands of children in Detroit.

The fun calendar pairs Red Wings players with their own four-legged friends and adoptable pets from Michigan Humane.

Longtime Pucks for Paws fans will recognize such favorites as Tyler Bertuzzi’s dog, Aspen; Luke Glendening’s dog, Lucy; Ken Daniels’ dog, Jack; and more.

Purchasers can also buy exclusive Pucks for Paws merchandise, including a limited number of Red Wings-branded leashes and pet bandanas.

Visit DetroitRedWings.com/PucksForPaws to purchase a calendar while supplies last.

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For 35 years, Detroit Tigers outfield instructor Gene Roof dedicated himself to developing the young players that would wear the Olde English D.

“We’ve been fortunate to have had Gene Roof with our organization for over three decades, and personally, I’ve appreciated and enjoyed working with him for 19 years,” Al Avila, Detroit Tigers executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager, said. “Gene comes from a wonderful baseball family who have dedicated their lives to coaching and teaching players. Gene’s commitment at both the major and minor league level is a testament to his passion for the game, and he has positively impacted the development of countless Tigers players. I can tell you from ownership on down, we appreciated his devotion to making our players better. We wish he and his wife, Marianne, nothing but the best in retirement.”

Roof, one of five brothers who played professionally, has been involved in baseball since age 18. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1976, where he played for three seasons and earned a ring from the 1982 World Series.

Roof’s playing career ended within the Tigers farm system in 1987. He was invited to coach the Double-A Nashville team – then affiliated with the Tigers. He would remain with the organization for the rest of his career.

“Gene-O was a joy to be around,” Dave Owen, Detroit Tigers director of player development, said. “He’s one of the truest baseball guys you’ll ever meet. No ego – just a genuine, nice man who cared so much for the players. You could tell the respect was mutual with the guys he worked with. You don’t have a 35-year career without understanding the players and adjusting the way you coach. The players always responded to him. He was one of them. They knew that he wasn’t just talk. He walked in their shoes. He not only connected with them on a baseball level, but on a personal level.”

The list of players whom Roof has coached is any baseball fan’s dream, and includes legends like Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson. He also helped spur the development of countless Tigers, and three years ago, helped Nick Castellanos transition from third base to outfield.

Careers that span decades can be hard to summarize, but Roof does so with ease: “I never had a bad day wearing the Olde English D,” he said.

The Tigers plan to honor Roof for his outstanding career before a home game during the 2021 season.

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With revitalization of Detroit’s historic former Women’s City Club building underway by Olympia Development of Michigan, hand-crafted details are being brought back to life to this 1924 Arts and Crafts-style building.

Follow Conn Allison, owner of Michigan-based Looking Glass Studios, in the video below, as he discusses the restoration of the building’s signature textured glass window.

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Olympia Development of Michigan, the City of Detroit and Cinnaire Solutions jointly announced today a partnership created to explore new affordable housing options in The District Detroit. Brought together by their shared goal of community-minded development, this public-private collaboration will work to address the need for increased affordable housing in Detroit.

“We are optimistic and excited for Detroit’s future and are planning community-minded development that will help to meet the city’s housing needs while bringing new and vibrant opportunities to The District Detroit,” said Keith Bradford, Vice President of Olympia Development of Michigan. “Cinnaire Solutions is a trusted partner with the resources to advance vulnerable communities, and we are pleased to partner with them to move this important work forward with the city.”

Any redevelopment option which may move forward through this partnership would include the commitment to retain and provide rent protections for the existing residents, at or very near their current rental rates. During the proposed renovation of the Henry Street apartments, those residents would be temporarily relocated on the same block for the duration of construction.

The partnership’s first effort will be to explore the potential revitalization of seven, 1920s-era historic buildings on a single city block bounded by Henry Street, Cass Avenue, 2^nd Street, and the I-75 service drive.  With public support, the proposed redevelopment will help to energize the local economy and support the City of Detroit’s neighborhood revitalization strategy, while providing green spaces and the creation of construction and permanent jobs for Detroiters.

“This partnership embodies what we are looking for from our community-minded developers because it would preserve the affordable rent levels for all current tenants in newly renovated buildings,” said Donald Rencher, Director of Housing and Revitalization at City of Detroit. “I’d like to recognize Cinnaire Solutions and Olympia Development of Michigan for working with us toward our mutual goal of bringing more affordable housing and historic renovation to this community.”

“Cinnaire is committed to make meaningful impact in Detroit neighborhoods,” said Christopher Laurent, Cinnaire Solutions president. Cinnaire Solutions is the development subsidiary of Cinnaire, a Lansing-based Community Development Financial Institution. “For over a decade, we have worked to support, energize and revitalize healthy neighborhoods here. Our parent organization, Cinnaire, has done so for nearly 27 years. Likewise, Olympia Development has made a commitment to increasing the city’s affordable housing supply and continuing to support the local economy. This partnership will bring together our respective expertise and resources to further enhance this resilient city, making downtown accessible to all Detroiters”

Cinnaire has invested more than $500 million in revitalizing the city over the past 27 years. Cinnaire Solutions recent Detroit developments include RiverCrest, 3530 Grand River, Transfiguration School, The Anchor at Mariner’s Inn and La Joya Gardens.

Olympia Development remains committed to steady and balanced development in the City of Detroit and has made significant progress on multiple historic renovation projects including the former Eddystone hotel, the former Women’s City Club and the former United Artists Building in partnership with Bagley Development Group. In addition, tremendous progress continues on new construction such as 2715 Woodward.  Completed projects include The Mike Ilitch School of Business, Little Caesars Arena and the new Little Caesars headquarters campus expansion. In addition to increasing the City’s affordable housing supply, these efforts also continue to bring new jobs and opportunity to the City and The District Detroit.

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Each year, Americans pause on Veterans Day to reflect on the sacrifices of the brave men and women in the military. And daily, our local veterans’ organizations work tirelessly to enhance the lives of those who have supported us all. The Detroit Tigers Foundation recently assisted two Detroit veterans’ organizations: the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and the Michigan Veterans Foundation.

“It never ceases to amaze me how much the people of Detroit care about Veterans,” Bill Browning, chief of volunteer and community relations for the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, said. “The pandemic has challenged us all. Yet, there are so many people willing to share their time and energy to make it better for others.”

The donation from the Tigers filled a year-end gap in services with the veteran food distribution program at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, funding the program for the remainder of 2020, and providing 200 food boxes monthly for veterans. Each box contains more than 30 pounds of shelf-stable foods. The donation was made possible through partnership with the Gleaners Community Food Bank, which provides area households with access to sufficient, nutritious food and related resources.

In addition, the Tigers donated nearly $3,000 to provide 450 gloves to the Michigan Veterans Foundation, a nonprofit that offers transitional housing facility and resources for homeless veterans. This donation was made possible through partnership with Mittens for Detroit, a nonprofit with the purpose of collecting, purchasing and distributing new mittens and gloves to area children, teens and adults in need.

“We’re so excited to have Mittens for Detroit with the Detroit Tigers team here to help us support our veterans and keep their hands warm this winter,” Raeda Dabaja, CEO of Michigan Veterans Foundation, said. “We have a good relationship with the Tigers. Every year they participate with us, send us tickets and invite veterans to Armed Forces and Veteran Recognition Day.”

The Tigers proudly give back to those who serve through a variety of programs each year. Previously, the organization offered thousands of complimentary and discounted tickets to active members and veterans. On select days during the regular season, recently returned members of the Armed Forces deliver the game ball to the pitcher’s mound in front of the crowd at Comerica Park as a symbol of appreciation. The Tigers also hosted Armed Forces and Veteran Recognition Day at Comerica Park, providing unique experiences for active service members, veterans and their families.

Learn more about the Tigers work in the community at Tigers.com/Community.

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In honor of Veteran’s Day, we spotlight former Lieutenant Colonel Rene Jackson, Jr.  After a 28-year career with the military, and after having survived stage-three advanced cancer, Jackson, along with his wife Sandra, and stepdaughter Darla, became Little Caesars franchisees. Find out how he gives back to other veterans in his community.

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As head of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, Danielle Lester, senior counsel for Little Caesars, plays a critical role in fostering greater inclusion and understanding across all Ilitch companies.

Danielle, a metro Detroit native, has a broad legal education, having received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Michigan, her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and her Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University — The Eli Broad School of Management. Her diverse education allows her to give legal counsel on a range of issues and, along with her personal experiences as a Black woman in corporate America, informs her work on the task force.

“Danielle Lester has been an incredibly strong leader in our organization” said Erin Martin, Little Caesars Vice President and General Counsel. “She’s focused on the things that matter to our colleagues and also to the success of our company.”

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, composed of colleagues from across the Ilitch companies was created to give recommendations on diversity and inclusion policies, programs and practices.

Danielle and the other task force members continue to identify opportunities that encourage ongoing, meaningful dialogue about diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization.

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Chris Fetter has been named the Detroit Tiger’s newest Major League pitching coach. In addition, Juan Nieves has been promoted to assistant pitching coach, Josh Paul returns as quality control coach, and Ramon Santiago returns as first/third base coach.

“We’re very excited to introduce the man who will lead our young pitching corps into the future,” said Al Avila, Tigers General Manager. “We feel that we are heading in the right direction with the right leadership.”

Fetter, 34, comes to the Tigers from the University of Michigan, where he held the position of pitching coach from 2018-2020 – helping the Wolverines reach the NCAA College World Series Finals in 2019.

“As we began filling out the Major League staff, we placed a priority on identifying coaches that will guide and develop our young core of players at a high level, and having these four men lead our clubhouse alongside A.J. is a perfect step in that direction,” said Avila. “We’re particularly excited for Chris’s transition to professional baseball. Through his time in the game, Chris has established excellent communication skills with players, and will work with them using traditional mechanics, analytics and biomechanics, each of which are key parts of our player development process at both the Major and Minor League levels.”

Fetter and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch crossed paths while working with the San Diego Padres, where Fetter was a Minor League pitcher from 2009-12 and Hinch was the Vice President of Scouting and Assistant General Manager from 2011-14.

“I’m very excited to join this Tigers coaching staff and work with some truly exceptional players,” said Fetter. “Everyone in baseball has noticed the number of young and talented pitchers that this organization has built up over the last few years, and after talking with Al and A.J. it was clear what a tremendous opportunity this is. Playing and coaching at the University of Michigan has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I want to thank all our coaches, players and fans for their support while I’ve worn the maize and blue. I know how passionate Tigers fans are for their team, and I’m looking forward to help build something special for all of them in Detroit.”

Prior to his time as the pitching coach at Michigan, Fetter was the Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2016-17), Pitching Coach at Ball State University (2016-17), professional scout for the Los Angeles Angels (2013-15) and Assistant Pitching Coach for Double A San Antonio (2013).

“For us reach our goals, we’ve got to get the pitching right, and we got a lot better today giving Chris Fetter the reins to lead this pitching staff and create a vision,” said Hinch. “The analytics play into it, I wanted him to be up-to-date on the technology, the pitch shapes and pitch usage; and how to squeeze the most out every pitcher that he coaches. I think he’s going to be able to tell us a lot about the quality of the pitching that we have now.”

Juan Nieves – Assistant Pitching Coach

Nieves, 55, joins the staff as Assistant Pitching Coach, after spending two seasons as the Pitching Coach with Triple A Toledo. With significant experience coaching at both the Major and Minor League levels, Nieves has aided in the development of many Tigers top pitching prospects in recent years.

Coaches Returning

Josh Paul, 45, and Ramon Santiago, 41, return after originally joining the Tigers Major League staff in 2019 and 2017, respectively.

“We felt that adding Juan and bringing back Josh and Ramon to our staff was important for many reasons,” said Hinch. “They know these Tigers players better than almost anyone, and I’m excited to have them on board to help us win ballgames. Their experience and commitment to innovation are exactly what we are looking for in coaches for this staff, and we’re looking forward to completing the remainder of the staff soon.”

Additional Coaches

The Tigers also announced recently the addition of three other key coaching positions including George Lombard as Bench Coach, Scott Coolbaugh as Hitting Coach and Chip Hale as Third Base Coach.  

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