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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The Detroit Red Wings are celebrating teachers through a new Teacher of the Month program, presented by Meijer. In this program, students can nominate their teacher, and six educators will be rewarded with a personalized Red Wings jersey and a $1,000 Meijer gift card to be used toward improving their classroom.

The program will run November 2020 through April 2021, with students able to nominate their teacher multiple times throughout. A Teacher of the Year will be chosen in May 2021 and will receive the grand prize: a $4,000 grant and a virtual appearance from a Red Wings player for the winning class. Voting for Teacher of the Year will be open to public May 2, 2021 to May 14, 2021.

“The Detroit Red Wings are proud to align with Meijer to support teachers across Michigan,” Kevin Brown, Detroit Red Wings Director of Community Impact, said. “We look forward to learning about and celebrating Michigan’s amazing educators who positively impact the lives of children and adults each day, both in and out of the classroom.”

The new Teacher of the Month program reflects the Red Wings’ longstanding commitment to making a positive impact in the community with an emphasis on education. Earlier this year, the organization announced Learn, Play, Score in partnership with the Detroit Public Schools Community District, Detroit Parks & Recreation, the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. The pioneering program allows more than 30,000 youth in the city of Detroit to experience the sport of hockey through innovative and engaging hockey-related platforms.

Recently, hundreds of kids in the community took part in Street Hockey in The D at Home, powered by Chevrolet. The free, six-week virtual summer program, in partnership with Detroit Parks & Recreation, taught kids the basics of street hockey in an online setting. Each video focused on street hockey stills and drills, as well as physical activity and wellness.

To learn more about the Teacher of the Month program or to nominate a deserving teacher, visit DetroitRedWings.com/Teacher. To learn more about the Red Wings’ community initiatives, visit DetroitRedWings.com/Community.

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Detroit-based nonprofit Life Remodeled was formed a decade ago to help revitalize Detroit’s neighborhoods. From renovating and repurposing former community buildings to repairing owner-occupied homes, the organization mobilizes 10,000+ volunteers annually to beautify an area of four-square miles, with each plot chosen according to most significant need.

Recently, in partnership with Life Remodeled, employees throughout the Ilitch companies took part in a community effort to help clean up and beautify Detroit’s Petoskey-Otsego neighborhood. Through the Ilitch Charities Colleague Engagement Program, which connects employees with an array of opportunities to give back, dozens of volunteers converged in the historic neighborhood to help remove blight and cut down overgrown grass, weeds and brush from the streets and adjacent lots.

“By bringing together thousands of volunteers from the city and suburbs over six days in specific Detroit neighborhoods, we’re not only achieving our mission of bridging people across divides to help transform each other’s lives, but we’re also making a tremendous, immediate and visible impact in the Detroit neighborhoods in which we serve,” Chris Lambert, founder and CEO of Life Remodeled, said.

For more than 20 years, Ilitch Charities has developed programs and made significant donations to critical causes throughout the Detroit community. “Our goal is to partner with key organizations to uplift the neighborhoods,” Joshua Sanborn, manager of Ilitch Charities, said. “Through the kindness of our colleagues, we can help make a sustainable impact in our community.”

To read more about the Ilitch companies’ impact in the community, visit the News Hub community section. Learn more about Life Remodeled and how you can help at LifeRemodeled.com.

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DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today named A.J. Hinch as the 39^th manager in franchise history, agreeing to terms on a multi-year contract.

“I’d like to thank Chris Ilitch and Al Avila for giving me a chance and the opportunity to get back in the dugout to lead this historic ballclub,” said Hinch. “The last year was the most difficult of my life. It gave me time to reflect, which was such a big part of this process. Everything that has transpired over the past year, personally and professionally, has put so much in perspective for me, and re-enforced how important it is to do things with integrity and honesty.”

“My feelings towards baseball are the same that so many Detroiters have for this team. Through thick and thin you always care about it and rely on it to be there as a part of your life, and I’m so proud to play a role in growing that tradition here with the Tigers. Having a talented young core of players, dedicated leadership group and passionate fan base was exactly what I was looking for in a team, and it’s clear we have that here in Detroit. It’s time to start playing winning baseball, and I am confident this organization is positioned to make that happen.”

Over seven years as a Major League manager, Hinch has posted a combined 570-452 record, leading Arizona from 2009-10 and Houston from 2015-19. Under his leadership, the Astros reached the playoffs four times in five seasons, won a pair of American League Pennants and one World Series Championship. Houston made the playoffs in his first year as manager, snapping a nine-year playoff drought and rebounding from a 70-92 record the prior season. Hinch was out of baseball for all of 2020, serving a suspension from Major League Baseball.

Hinch also had a seven-year playing career, suiting up for 350 games between Oakland (1998-2000), Kansas City (2001-02), Detroit (2003) and Philadelphia (2004). Over the course of his career the catcher hit .219/.280/.356 with 28 doubles, 32 home runs and 112 RBI. During his lone season in Detroit, Hinch played for then-manager and current Special Assistant to the General Manager, Alan Trammell, batting .203 (15×74) with three homers and 11 RBI over 27 games.

Between his managerial posts in Arizona and Houston, Hinch worked in San Diego’s front office serving as the Vice President of Scouting and Assistant General Manager from 2011-14. In that role he oversaw all aspects of the club’s professional scouting and medical departments, while assisting with the club’s roster composition, player acquisitions, talent evaluations and contract negotiations. Following his retirement as a player in 2005, Hinch joined the Diamondbacks front office and was eventually named the club’s Director of Player Development, a position he held until being named manager in 2009.

“Coming into this managerial search we already knew that A.J.’s diverse baseball acumen, knowledge of analytics and passion for the game were second to none,” said Al Avila, Detroit Tigers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager. “However, we also knew there were some important conversations to have about A.J.’s time in Houston. Throughout that dialogue he was clearly remorseful and used that time to reflect on the situation, and we believe he will emerge as a better leader because of it. This ballclub is entering an extremely exciting period, with young players primed and ready to make an impact at the Major League level. I’m confident A.J. is the best man for this job as we strive to bring a World Series Championship back to the city of Detroit.”

“On behalf of all of us with the Tigers, I’d like to welcome A.J. and his family back to the Detroit community,” said Christopher Ilitch, Detroit Tigers Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Throughout the interview process it was clear that A.J. had learned from his situation in recent months, and it has changed him in profound ways. Quite frankly, it’s exactly what we wanted and needed to hear. A.J. provides a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we’re proud to have him lead our team. Additionally, I’d like to commend Al Avila and his staff on conducting a thorough and professional search process and know that they landed on the right person to be our manager. Tigers fans have high expectations for their baseball team, and all of us in the organization are confident that today’s announcement is a big step towards returning to the on-field success they deserve.”

Hinch, 46, is a native of Midwest City, OK, and was a collegiate standout at Stanford University. Established as one of the best catchers in the country, Hinch was a three-time All-American and All-Pac10 team selection, and two-time Pac10 Player of the Year. He led the Cardinal to the College World Series in 1996 and finished the season as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. During his time in Palo Alto, Hinch earned his Bachelor of Science in psychology in 1996 and was a member of the 1996 bronze medal-winning U.S. Olympic Baseball Team. He was drafted three times as an amateur, eventually signing with Oakland after being selected in the third round of the 1996 MLB Draft.

A.J. and his wife, Erin, make their residence in The Woodlands, TX, with their daughters Haley and Kaitlin.

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