Big things are happening downtown, as
Quicken Loans continues its efforts to revitalize the Downtown Business District with a forthcoming transfusion of their own employees -- and at least one high-profile new tenant.
Royal Oak-based
Skidmore Studios, a 52-year-old marketing, design and interactive firm, announced plans to move its 23 employees to a 9,800 sq. ft. space this fall in the newly renovated Madison Theatre Building, located at 1555 Broadway.
"We're out there aggressively soliciting companies in being part of the revitalization of Detroit," says Quicken's Paula Silver, "and interested in bringing their creative intelligence to work in the heart of downtown Detroit."
"Skidmore is one, and we're aggressively soliciting companies who are interested in joining us," she says.
So far, Quicken Loans has moved 1,700 employees to the Compuware Building, and plans to move, at least, another 2,000 employees downtown by the end of 2011.
"It's definitely brought a new sense of energy and vibrancy to the area," Silver says of the effect she thinks Quicken's move has had on the downtown district. "You can just feel the energy, when you see our 1,700 team members grabbing lunch, walking through the area retail shops and enjoying Campus Martius. It's an incredible sight."
Quicken CEO Dan Gilbert also announced he is under contract to purchase the First National Building, which is located at 660 Woodward Ave. at the southeast corner of Woodward and Cadillac Square. Downtown law firm
Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn is currently the anchor tenant of the 800,000 sq. ft building, which was constructed in 1924 by famed architect Albert Kahn. Crain's Detroit Business
reports the building, which is currently 53 percent occupied, will be purchased for $8.1 million. Silver says Gilbert expects to close on the building by July.
Source: Paula Silver, Vice-President of Communications, Quicken Loans
Writer: Ashley C. Woods
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