September 16, 2024 | Articles Homepage News The Pistons
Henry Ford Health breaks ground on $2.2B hospital tower as partnership with Tom Gores, Detroit Pistons and MSU advances: ‘Truly a historic day’
DETROIT – Officials representing the Detroit Pistons, local politicians and business leaders gathered in early September to witness an important step on the path to transforming the New Center neighborhood of downtown Detroit.
More than a century after first opening its doors, Henry Ford Health, the Detroit area’s largest healthcare system, broke ground on a $2.2 billion hospital tower that is set to open in 2029.
The project will be Henry Ford Health’s most significant investment in the city to date, and the single largest healthcare investment in Detroit’s history, according to Henry Ford Health.
“This truly is a historic day,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan told the crowd as he explained the importance of the ‘Future of Health’ development.
“For most of my life, hospital systems have bailed on Detroit and put their investments elsewhere and today we are seeing one of the finest hospitals in America being built here in the city of Detroit.”
Duggan, Henry Ford CEO Bob Riney, Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem, philanthropists Dan and Jennifer Gilbert and other officials dug their shovels into the ground at the future site of the 20-story patient tower. Upon completion, the tower will feature 432 patient rooms with voice activation software for patients to operate the lights and blinds and 75-inch touchscreen televisions to display patient data and communications with staff.
The development will have five floors of intensive care units and 28 operating rooms. Each of the 28 new operating rooms will be capable of handling nearly every type of complex surgical case, from transplants to brain surgery.
Additionally, the project will be home to the $335 million Henry Ford Health- Michigan State research center which will focus on cancer, neuroscience, immunology, hypertension and other public health issues. The research center broke ground earlier this year.
Platinum Equity CEO and Pistons owner Tom Gores will eventually redevelop nearby One Ford Place and an adjacent surface parking lot in New Center to build housing, greenspace, walkable areas and attract retail partners as part of the project. It’s all part of an overall $3.3 billion redevelopment of New Center.
“When we moved the team back from Auburn Hills to the city of Detroit, it was about maximizing our impact in the community and this is a great example of how we’ve been able to do that in partnership with Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University,” Pistons Chief Operating Officer Richard Haddad said.
Chicago-based Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, known for its approach to rehabilitation that leverages the latest in scientific breakthroughs, tools and technology, will occupy three of the top floors in the new patient tower. The inclusion of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab was made possible through a nearly $130 million investment by the Gilbert Family Foundation, whose co-founder, Dan Gilbert, credits the organization for his recovery after a stroke in 2019.
The Gilbert Family Foundation also created a $10 million fund to support Detroit residents with limited or no insurance coverage for rehabilitation care.
The Pistons partnered with Henry Ford Health on the $137 Henry Ford-Pistons Performance Center, which opened in 2019.
“My first meeting with Tom was about leveraging the team to make a greater impact,” Tellem said. “After the development of the PPC, we talked about bigger goals to make a difference and that aligned with Tom’s vision, so this the perfect partnership.”
“This is all about the spirit of partnership, finding the right partners to build with, making a difference and impacting this community.”