40% of Contracts Awarded to Detroit-Based Businesses for Construction at the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University
The construction of the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University is just about complete, thanks in part to the vigorous work of nearly a dozen Detroit-based and Detroit-headquartered businesses.
These companies represent about 40 percent of the contractors that worked on the business school and exemplify the opportunities available by Wayne State in The District Detroit.
Under the construction management of Christman-Brinker, which brings together Detroit-based companies L.S. Brinker and The Christman Company, contractors began working on the business school in summer 2016. Architectural firm SmithGroupJJR, also based in the city, led the development of the updated design.
Major Detroit-based contractors that worked on the business school include Ideal Contracting, LLC, which provided structural steel work; Universal Glass & Metal, Inc., for curtainwall aluminum entrances; Christman Constructors, Inc., for structural concrete and general trades work, and Cass, Inc., whose workers installed metal siding.
Other participating city-based contractors include painters from Madias Brothers; Booms Stone Company for stone veneer work; Shambaugh & Sons, L.P, for fire suppression services; Dixon, Inc. for masonry; City Carpet and Flooring, Inc., for carpeting and other related labor; and exterior wall systems and other related work by PCP-TB, LLC, a joint venture between Pontiac Ceiling and Partition, LLC and Turner Brooks Interiors.
Amenities at the four-story, 120,000-square-foot building include a rooftop terrace; a highly visible finance and data analytics lab with an LED stock ticker and an interactive display wall; an executive MBA suite; a two-story glass atrium and flexible teaching, research, office and community spaces.
The school also features the state-of-the-art 260+ seat Lear Auditorium, which boasts the ability to hold vehicles for events with WSU auto industry partners. And upon its debut to 3,500 students this fall, the school will boast closer proximity to Detroit’s Central Business District and a 700-square-foot corner café on Woodward Avenue that will be operated by Detroit’s own Avalon International Breads.
The Mike Ilitch School of Business was made possible by a $40 million lead investment from Mike and Marian Ilitch. The historic gift represents the largest in WSU history and one of the largest donations ever to a public university business school in the U.S. Since construction began, the school has launched a number of new academic programs, including the Detroit Police Department Leadership Academy. The DPDLA graduated its inaugural class in June.
About The District Detroit
The District Detroit is a dynamic urban destination in the heart of Detroit. One that includes something for everyone—a dense neighborhood experience with a variety of developments alongside Detroit’s premier sports and entertainment venues. Connecting downtown Detroit to growing nearby neighborhoods such as Midtown, Corktown and Brush Park, The District Detroit is having a dramatic economic impact on Detroit and is a driving catalyst of the city’s remarkable resurgence. The District Detroit will deliver $1.4 billion in new investment to Detroit including the new Little Caesars Arena, Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University and Little Caesars world headquarters campus expansion. Additionally, new office, residential and retail spaces will continue to add momentum to Detroit’s amazing comeback for years to come.