The Daily Dig
The University of Michigan broke ground on Founders House, a 13-story residential tower at 2205 Cass Ave. in Detroit that will house graduate students and faculty tied to the university's nearby Center for Innovation. The project carries a $186 million construction cost and a fall 2028 completion target.
Related Companies and Olympia Development of Michigan are developing the building as a joint venture. UM's Board of Regents approved the deal in July 2025. The university will lease the nearly 235,000 square foot building for 40 years, with 313 units spanning studios through three-bedrooms and more than 8,500 square feet of retail space. Sixty-three units are designated affordable.
The tower sits within the District Detroit, Related and Olympia's $1.5 billion, 60-block mixed-use redevelopment between downtown and midtown. They are targeting LEED Gold certification for the project. Neumann/Smith Architecture is serving as architect of record, with Elkus Manfredi Architects named as a development partner.
Founders House is separate from the adjacent $250 million UM Center for Innovation, which is funded by $100 million from UM alumnus and megadonor Stephen Ross, $100 million in state dollars, and $50 million from other donors. That 200,000 square foot building is expected to open in 2026, focused on workforce development and attracting high-tech employers to the region.
Snapshot:
Project Name: Founders House
Location: 2205 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI
Developer/JV: Related Companies and Olympia Development of Michigan
Tenant: University of Michigan Center for Innovation (40-year lease)
Architect of Record: Neumann/Smith Architecture
Development Partner: Elkus Manfredi Architects
Building Height: 13 stories
Total Units: 313 (studios, 1BR, 2BR, 3BR)
Affordable Units: 63
Retail Space: 8,500+ sq ft
Total Square Footage: 235,000 sq ft
Construction Cost: $186 million
Construction Start: April 2026
Expected Completion: Fall 2028
Certification Target: LEED Gold
Master Plan: District Detroit (60-block mixed-use redevelopment)
Adjacent Project: UM Center for Innovation ($250M, expected to open 2026)
TheJobWalk Thoughts
At $186 million with a fall 2028 target, this project gives the trades roughly two and a half years from groundbreaking to TCO. Metro Detroit already has 4,300 units under construction and another 27,000 in planning and permitting. Trade and finishes subs will feel that labor competition. If you're not already in front of the GC, you're late.
A 40-year university lease changes the calculus for everyone building it. Institutional tenants don't exit, they occupy. Owners build to those long-term standards, which means tighter specs, more rigorous submittals, and less room to value-engineer scope. Price your work accordingly.
Founders House and UMCI together put more than $435 million in construction activity in a single district, with schedules that overlap. Suppliers and equipment vendors servicing both projects will be pulling from the same regional supply chain at the same time. Stocking levels and delivery sequencing deserve attention well before either project hits its peak construction phase.
