Mike Ilitch School of Business halfway complete
This story was originally published on the District Detroit website.
The Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University is halfway complete, and work crews have begun installing the building’s exterior glass façade, along with its exterior limestone, metal panels and custom curtain wall systems.
Inside, crews continue mechanical, electrical and plumbing work along with fire protection and drywall installation from the basement to the roof of the four-story building.
Located just north of the new Little Caesars Arena near Woodward Avenue and Temple Street, the building is one of several construction projects underway now in The District Detroit.
Olympia Development of Michigan and Wayne State University ceremonially broke ground on the site in July 2016. In April, ironworkers began sequencing and placing the steel that now makes up of the building’s frame. In May, they held a topping out ceremony to mark the completion of structural steel installation.
This new business school was made possible by a $40 million gift from Mike and Marian Ilitch, the largest gift in history to Wayne State University.
Its location next to Little Caesars Arena extends Wayne State University’s campus closer to the heart of Detroit’s business community.
When classes begin at the new modern business school in 2018, 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students will enjoy closer proximity to Detroit’s Central Business District, along with an array of amenities and design features.
Some of those attributes include 150 glass marker boards in classrooms and lecture halls; glass handrails systems along the exterior terrace, balconies and interior atrium and flexible teaching, research, office and community spaces.
The new building will also boast innovative street-level sidewalk uses including a full trading floor, open air classroom, business incubator pop-up and corner café. The growing school also will include a competitive entrepreneurship track and the new Sport and Entertainment Management program.
Construction management for the project is being led by the Detroit-based Christman-Brinker joint venture. Detroit-based architectural firm SmithGroupJJR led the development of the updated design.
About The District Detroit
The District Detroit is one of the largest sports and entertainment developments in the country. Located in the heart of Detroit, this 50-block, mixed-use development led by the Ilitch organization unites eight world-class theaters, five neighborhoods and three professional sports venues in one vibrant, walkable destination for people who want to live, work and play in an exciting urban environment. Home to the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons and Detroit Lions — The District Detroit represents the greatest density of professional sports teams in one downtown core in the country.
