New Department of Human Services building opens in Hamtramck on Feb. 2

The Michigan Deparment of Human Services (DHS) debuts its new building on the north end of Jos. Campau in Hamtramckwith a grand opening today, Feb. 2. The two-story, 30,000-square-foot building will house upwards of 200 employee and service 150 to 400 clients a day. “We’re excited about this kind of foot traffic in the north end of town, which hasn’t been there for a long time,” says the city’s community and economic development director, Jason Friedmann. “Now there is there lot of interest in redeveloping storefronts to accommodate new tenants and from new businesses wanting to come into town.”

The $8.5 million DHS building replaces the former Woody Pontiac, which closed in 2000. The developer, Boji Group, worked with Hamtramck’s Board of Zoning Appeals to ensure the project fit into the city’s urban fabric. “Initially, the building’s entrances sat back, to accommodate the parking areas, but we worked with them quite a bit to move main entrances to the front of the facility,” says Friedmann. “Now (Boji) says nothing but positive things, he thinks it improved the building.”

The DHS building is located at 12140 Jos. Campau. It will be managed by Boji, who is leasing it to the state for 30 years for $540,000 per year.

Source: Jason Friedmann, City of Hamtramck
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh