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

For more renderings of Founders House, please visit HERE. 

Detroit (April 17, 2026) – Today, 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. 

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 About The University of Michigan Center for Innovation 
UMCI is designed to be a world-class research, education and entrepreneurship center to advance innovation and talent-focused community development to propel city, regional and statewide job creation and inclusive economic growth by stimulating economic development in Detroit.  The center was made possible by a $100 million gift from donor Stephen M. Ross, $100 million from the state of Michigan, a land donation of 2.08 acres at the intersection of Grand River Avenue and West Columbia Street from Olympia Development of Michigan, and other donors.  

About Related Companies  
Related Companies is a global real estate and lifestyle company defined by innovation and the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States. Formed over 50 years ago, Related is one of the largest private owners and preservationists of affordable housing in the U.S. and a fully integrated, highly diversified industry leader with experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisition, management, finance, marketing, and sales. Headquartered in New York City, Related has offices and major developments in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Texas, Washington, D.C., and London and boasts a team of approximately 4,000 professionals. The company’s portfolio of over $70 billion in assets owned or under development includes the 28-acre Hudson Yards neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side, Deutsche Bank Center at Columbus Circle and The 78 in Chicago. Related was named to Fast Company Magazine’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World. For more information about Related, please visit www.related.com. 

About Olympia Development of Michigan 
Olympia Development, an Ilitch company, creates globally recognized, dynamic sports and entertainment destinations through inclusive placemaking, innovative design and construction, and catalytic developments. With billions in development projects, Olympia has a proven track record in residential, commercial, mixed-use, retail, entertainment, sports venues, and institutional developments. As a full-service development group, the company emphasizes strategic planning, community engagement, sustainability, and long-term value creation for our partners and stakeholders.  For more information about Olympia Development, please visit www.olympiadevelopmentmi.com.