When disasters strike, first responders are specially trained to be the first to arrive on the scene, provide aid and protect the well-being of our communities. They run toward an event rather than away, facing unique risks and challenges to ensure the safety of others.

To express gratitude and show appreciation for first responders, the Detroit Tigers and BELFOR Property Restoration (BELFOR) honored the countless frontline heroes of our region at Comerica Park on Saturday, September 11, the 20^th anniversary of 9/11, in an exclusive pregame ceremony. The program is part of BELFOR’s ongoing commitment to recognizing and showing gratitude for first responders in the community. The Tigers took on the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:10 p.m.

Prior to the on-field ceremony, three first pitches were thrown by local first responders, including Roseville Fire Chief Brian Kanigowski, White Lake Police Chief Daniel Keller, and Kristin Kasten, a communications supervisor at Huron Valley’s Dispatch Center. BELFOR CEO Sheldon Yellen caught each of the first pitches. A moment of silence to honor the victims of 9/11 was held, and the National Anthem was performed by Christopher Madzik, a Lieutenant at the Northville Township Fire Department.

“The world will never forget the ultimate sacrifice these brave men and women made twenty years ago on September 11, 2001 and we owe it to our heroes today to give them a little thanks and recognition.” said Sheldon Yellen, CEO of BELFOR Property Restoration. “Every day is gameday for our heroic first responders and it’s an honor to recognize them along with our friends at the Detroit Tigers.”

“Everyone remembers where they were when the tragic events of 9/11 took place. It’s important to remember and honor the brave men and women who lost their lives 20 years ago, and those that continue to serve and protect us each and every day,” said Peter Kent, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “We’re grateful that our friends at BELFOR are helping us celebrate these courageous first responders on Saturday night.”

BELFOR Property Restoration is the world’s largest disaster recovery and property restoration company headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan. BELFOR is proud to offer 24/7/365 residential, commercial, and industrial customers the service needed to help return to normalcy following fire, water, wind, and other natural disasters – including the recent flooding and response to Hurricane Ida. Visit belfor.com for more information.

The Detroit Tigers welcomed Little League World Series (LLWS) champions from Taylor North for a special ceremony prior to last night’s game.

Before the first pitch, Taylor North players were introduced at Comerica Park over the PA and received a standing ovation from Tigers fans as they lined up along the third baseline. Tigers players and manager A.J. Hinch then presented each Taylor North player with their own Tigers jersey.

“They’ve earned every bit of our love and appreciation,” said Hinch on meeting the Taylor North players. “This was a really cool opportunity for us to give back something to a group of kids that love the game and brought a lot of special memories to a lot of people.”

Taylor North manager Rick Thorning said that it “just awesome” to hear that A.J. Hinch and other Tigers were watching the Little League World Series games in the clubhouse.

The opening ceremony concluded a full day of activities at Comerica Park for the LLWS champions. The 11-man Taylor North team watched Tigers batting practice from the field and met Tigers GM Al Avila during dinner at the Brushfire Grill. “Congratulations on behalf of the Detroit Tigers and the Ilitch family,” Avila said. “We’re all very proud of you.”

The team then joined Tigers Live for an interview with Johnny Kane.

Taylor North beat Ohio 5-2 in the LLWS Championship Game in Williamsport, PA on Sunday, finishing the postseason with an impressive 15-1 record.  The team avenged its one loss to Hawaii, beating them 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the LLWS Championship Game.  

Taylor North is the first team from Michigan to win the Little League World Series since 1959, when it was won by the Hamtramck Little League team.  The Hamtramck team is considered one of the best Little League teams ever and was inducted into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017.

In proudly celebrating Taylor North’s championship season, the Detroit Tigers believe in promoting youth baseball and making the game accessible to all.  In pursuit of that mission, the Tigers and local community leaders recently celebrated the start of renovation at historic Hamtramck Stadium.

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The team behind Four Man Ladder Management (“Four Man Ladder”) is excited to announce that they have been selected by Olympia Development of Michigan to operate an all-new dining concept in the former Eddystone Hotel. Four Man Ladder will begin interior construction of the street-level establishment later this year.

The Four Man Ladder team owns and operates Grey Ghost and Second Best on Watson Street in Midtown. The operation includes Chefs John Vermiglio and Joe Giacomino, along with Will Lee (Beverage Director) and Michael Gray (Director of Operations).

“On the heels of the fifth anniversary of our flagship restaurant Grey Ghost, we are extremely excited to embark on our third venture and to partner with Olympia Development on this special opportunity. As we look to continue the expansion of our family of restaurants, the Eddystone concept immediately stood out to us as a great opportunity given the beautiful architecture of the building and the location within The District Detroit. We are looking forward to starting construction and sharing more details as we progress,” said Chef John Vermiglio.

Restoration of the historic Eddystone continues to move swiftly and will bring 92 apartments with 20 percent set aside as affordable units, just steps from Little Caesars Arena. Four Man Ladder and Olympia Development are partnering to build out a 5,000 square foot restaurant comprising 85 seats split between the dining room, bar and lounge.

“We have been very impressed by how the Four Man Ladder team has operated Grey Ghost Detroit and Second Best over the years and are really happy to have them as partners in this project in The District Detroit,” said Stefan Stration, Vice President of Development.

Concept, design and menu details will be announced later this year with a projected grand opening of spring of 2022.

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KultureCity, an organization recognized nationwide for using resources to revolutionize and effect change in the community for those with sensory needs, has named Little Caesars Arena the 2021 Sensory Inclusive Venue of the Year. The award was presented at the KultureBALL in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, August 21.  

All events hosted at Little Caesars Arena are sensory inclusive, and promote an accommodating and positive experience for guests and fans with sensory needs. Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions.

In addition to Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park, Fox Theatre, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre are all KultureCity certified.

“Providing a comfortable and inclusive experience for fans and guests is a top priority at all of our venues,” said Chris Granger, Group President, Sports & Entertainment, Ilitch Holdings, Inc.  “We support KultureCity’s tremendous mission and look forward to partnering with them for years to come.”

Through the certification process, event staff are trained by leading medical professionals to recognize guests and fans with sensory needs and how best to handle sensory overload situations. Those overwhelmed by the environment may be provided with sensory bags equipped with noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards and weighted lap pads. Access to quieter and more secure environments are also available.  

“Our communities shape our lives and it’s been so enlightening to see Little Caesars Arena go the extra mile to ensure an inclusive and adaptable environment,” said Uma Srivastava, Executive Director of KultureCity. “We’re honored to partner with Olympia Entertainment, and are excited that Little Caesars Arena is the honoree of the 2021 Sensory Inclusive Venue of the Year.”  Former Sensory Inclusive Venue of the Year award winners include Atlanta’s State Farm Arena in 2019, Orlando’s Camping World Stadium in 2018 and Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena in 2017.

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Yesterday, 11-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers became the 28th player in the history of Major League Baseball to record his 500th career home run. The two-time American League Most Valuable Player and 2012 AL Triple Crown winner joined the exclusive list with a 400-foot blast against pitcher Steven Matz of the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the sixth inning. Cabrera, the first player in his Club’s long history to reach this milestone as a Tiger, extended his all-time home run record among all Venezuelan players.

Watch the many memorable home runs Miggy hit through the years.

To congratulate Cabrera on this historic feat, MLB has released a MAKE IT MAJOR spot that includes music featuring Cabrera himself and Venezuelan artist Sibilino. Throughout the season, MLB has highlighted MAKE IT MAJOR moments in baseball which are major impact moments that excite and inspire us.

Click here for the :30 Miguel Cabrera MAKE IT MAJOR spot: Link

HAZLO GRANDE (Spanish version): Link

Cabrera, who has the eighth highest career batting average among players entering their 500th home run at-bat (per the Elias Sports Bureau), joins Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Albert Pujols as the only active players who are members of the 500 home run club.

Cabrera is less than 50 hits away from the 3,000th of his 19-year career, which also includes a World Series Championship during his rookie season with the 2003 Florida Marlins. During that Fall Classic, Cabrera hit a home run against seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. The 38-year-old Cabrera led the Tigers to four consecutive Postseasons from 2011-2014, including the 2012 AL Championship. Cabrera is among the leaders of active players (min. 800 games played) in many offensive categories, including first in batting average (.311); second in hits (2,955), doubles (591), home runs (500), RBI (1,785) and runs scored (1,498); third in walks (1,192); and fifth in on-base percentage (.388) and slugging percentage (.534). Cabrera is currently cochairing the Protect Michigan Commission, helping inform Michiganders on the importance of getting their COVID-19 vaccinations.

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On August 14, the Detroit Tigers, in their game against the Cleveland Indians, welcomed 32,845 fans to Comerica Park – their largest crowd of the 2021 season – for the 16^th annual ¡Fiesta Tigres! Celebration.

The celebration, which recognizes and honors the contributions of Hispanic and Latin American players and coaches to the game of baseball, featured live entertainment on the concourse, Latin-themed décor and displays, and foods and drink that represents Latin American culture.   Pre– and in-game programming paid homage to current and former players and coaches of Latin American descent, and, the first 10,000 fans that entered Comerica Park received a complimentary Tigres replica jersey, courtesy of Miller Lite.

Prior to the game, the Tigers and Nike came together to provide a special day to 30 youth softball players from the Clark Park Coalition, a recreational center offering sport, enrichment, and vital resources to families of southwest Detroit.

The softball ball players, ages 6 and older, were from the “Lady Diamonds” and “Diamond Girls” programs, where they receive introductory instruction and recreational play opportunities.  Their day began with a trip to the Detroit-based Nike Community Store, with each player receiving, courtesy of Nike, a bag of complimentary merchandise as well as $100 to spend on additional merchandise.  

After, the softball players, their coaches and families arrived early at Comerica Park and were greeted by Tigers infielder Jeimer Candelario. The young players were then able to watch Detroit’s batting practice, participate in the pregame ceremony honoring current and former Hispanic players, coaching and executive staff, and cheer the Tigers on to victory.

“With special thanks to Nike, the Tigers were happy to provide a memorable day to these young athletes as part of our ¡Fiesta Tigres! Celebration,” said Kevin Brown, Director of Community Impact for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings.  “We are pleased that youth baseball continues to thrive in southwest Detroit’s vibrant Clark Park community as we help ensure sports access, experiences and resources for children throughout Detroit.”

To learn more about the Latin American influence on the Tigers’ current 40-man roster, visit the Equality page on tigers.com for a feature story available in both Spanish and English.

Olympia Development of Michigan has selected Hayman Company as property manager for the historic Eddystone. Hayman’s responsibility will include marketing and outreach to attract and retain renters, as well as overall building management.

The 13-story, Italian Renaissance-style Eddystone hotel was first opened in the 1920s. Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units will be available when restoration of the former hotel is complete later this year. In total, there will be 92 residential units, twenty percent of which will be reserved as affordable housing.

“The Hayman Company team will be a great partner to bring to life the vision we have for this historic property within The District Detroit,” said Stefan Stration, Vice President of Development for Olympia Development of Michigan. “As a local company with national experience, Hayman understands the property’s significance, and the needs of the residents who will call it home.”

Hayman has extensive experience in affordable housing management.

“Our team is really looking forward to managing the Eddystone with the high standards of excellence and customer service which this treasure deserves,” said Andrew Hayman, President of Hayman Company. “We understand the significance of the Eddystone and are committed to facilitating a dynamic and high quality of life for Detroiters who choose to live in it.”

In addition to being located in the heart of The District Detroit (adjacent to the award-winning Little Caesars Arena and nestled between Woodward and Cass Avenues), the Eddystone will feature a number of resident-pleasing amenities. Tenants will benefit from a private lobby, which will be staffed 24 hours a day, custom artwork, an exercise room as well as a dog wash station for pets. A unique bar and dining experience is anticipated for the street-level space.

The Eddystone will join other recent additions to The District Detroit, including the eye-catching new construction building at 2715 Woodward. Later this year, the former Women’s City Club, located in the Park Avenue Historic District, is expected to open, and construction is expected to begin at Bagley Development Group’s Residences@150. Pre-development planning continues on the proposed Henry Street redevelopment of seven historic buildings. 2

Rental information for the Eddystone will be available soon.

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Chris Ilitch, on behalf of the Detroit Tigers organization, participated in an event acknowledging the start of renovation work on historic Hamtramck Stadium, one of only five Negro League ballparks still in existence. The stadium, where at least 18 future members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame played, was once home to the Detroit Stars and the Detroit Wolves of the Negro Baseball Leagues.

The renovations are possible through a contribution of $2.6 million by Wayne County, The Detroit Tigers Foundation (an affiliate of Ilitch Charities), Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium, Michigan Municipal League Foundation, and the Hamtramck Parks Conservancy through an African American Civil Rights grant as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior.

The event featured representation of baseball’s past, present and future:

• Joyce Stearnes Thompson and Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown, daughters of Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, performed the National Anthem.
  
• Current Detroit Tigers Akil Badoo and Derek Hill attended, as did former players Willie Horton, Jake Wood and Ike Blessit, as well as former Detroit Star Ron Teasley.
  
• And members of the Tiny Tigers team, all young players between 4-8 years old, laid the bases down on the field, with a little help from Badoo and Hill.

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The renovations will breathe new life into the facility, as well as celebrate and preserve an important part of American history.  Speaking at the event, Chris Ilitch said “Restoring this historic ballpark is about restoring hope. It’s a commitment we are making to the young players in this community that this game is accessible to all, and to those who played at the stadium, that their history and contributions to the game of baseball matter and will never be forgotten.”

More about the stadium can be seen in this video.

The event at Hamtramck Stadium followed the Detroit Tigers Negro Leagues Weekend annual celebration at Comerica Park, which honored the Detroit Stars and the history of Negro Leagues Baseball.

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Joyce Stearnes Thompson and Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown

Union Joints proudly announced that Union Assembly, the flagship restaurant and bar at Columbia Street and Woodward Avenue in The District Detroit, is opening later this year.

The newest Union Joint spans two stories and features a second-floor lounge, indoor/outdoor bar and a three-season terrace that overlooks Woodward Avenue and Comerica Park. Guests can also enjoy seasonal street-side patio dining on Columbia Street.

Union Assembly has recruited District Chef Mara Jaffe and Chef de Cuisine Philip Vernier to return to Michigan to lead Union Joints’ latest culinary endeavors. Chef Jaffe, a Roeper and Cornell hospitality program grad, is coming home after stints in Dubai, Nantucket and California. Chef Vernier is returning to Michigan after hitting Portland for culinary school and overseeing a myriad of highly-respected kitchens in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

As is the case with every Union Joint, co-owner Ann Stevenson designed the space. Royal Oak-based von Staden Architects handled the multi-level architectural duties. The inviting space features exuberant and lively multi-tiered activations that allow for everything from cozy nook moments to large-scale private dining in a dedicated room with terrace access. As principal of ann stevenson studio, Stevenson integrated items uniquely procured and destined for this new joint on Woodward.

Chefs Jaffe and Vernier have built Union Assembly’s menu around an evolved comfort food with inventive and elevated ingredients. Whether for full-tilt dinner or quick game day snacks, diners will enjoy new American offerings alongside longstanding group staples (like the Most-Macked Mac & Cheese and deck-fired Detroit style pies) that use local provisions and ingredients. The always unpretentious, slightly throwback and honest homey cooking that Joints is known for is elevated a few notches—and influenced with fresh vegetarian and gluten free options—under the direction of Chefs Jaffe and Vernier.

The beverage program has been developed by Jeremy Bazely, who returned to the Union Joints family after two decades away with stints in Madison, Austin and Brooklyn.  The cocktail program will be both inventive and approachable and will serve as a natural extension of the canned cocktails Joints launched over the past year. Union Assembly is under the purview of District Manager Shane Collier. Besides bringing all he’s learned in his 26 year career with Joints, Collier is also bringing the talented Jessica Birdsey from Honcho in Clarkston to serve as UA’s General Manager.

Owned by the duo of Curt Catallo and Ann Stevenson along with managing partner Erich Lines, Union Joints is a 26-year-old independent restaurant group that owns and operates the Clarkston Union, Union General, Union Woodshop, Vinsetta Garage (with partner KC Crain), Fenton Fire Hall, Pumphouse Custard, Honcho (with outposts at DTE Energy Music Theatre and Ford Field), Gran Castor and Bunkhouse Burgers.

Union Joints is currently hiring for every position. Visit joinjoints.com for more information.