© 2024 Interlochen
CLASSICAL IPR | 88.7 FM Interlochen | 94.7 FM Traverse City | 88.5 FM Mackinaw City IPR NEWS | 91.5 FM Traverse City | 90.1 FM Harbor Springs/Petoskey | 89.7 FM Manistee/Ludington
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Howes: Gilbert bending over backwards to acquire Wayne County’s failed jail site

The unfinished Wayne County Jail site along Gratiot between Downtown Detroit and the Eastern Market. Quiken Loans CEO Dan Gilbert wants to develop a residential and entertainment district there.
Wayne County
The unfinished Wayne County Jail site along Gratiot between Downtown Detroit and the Eastern Market. Quiken Loans CEO Dan Gilbert wants to develop a residential and entertainment district there.

Stateside's conversation with Daniel Howes, columnist and associate business editor of the Detroit News

The unfinished Wayne County Jail site along Gratiot between Downtown Detroit and the Eastern Market. Quiken Loans CEO Dan Gilbert wants to develop a residential and entertainment district there.
Credit Wayne County
The unfinished Wayne County Jail site along Gratiot between Downtown Detroit and the Eastern Market. Quiken Loans CEO Dan Gilbert wants to develop a residential and entertainment district there.

In his column for the Detroit News this week, Daniel Howes analyzed an interesting proposal offered by billionaire Dan Gilbert to Wayne County officials. Gilbert wants to secure a Downtown Detroit site where an unfinished jail currently stands.

The Quicken Loans leader says he will build Wayne County a brand new jail and court offices just east of Midtown in exchange for the site. Wayne County officials are currently vetting the offer. 

Under the proposal, Gilbert would then build a mixed residential and entertainment district on the unfinished jail site which could include a soccer stadium.

Howes said it is important to consider that the proposed private development would generate tax revenue for Detroit and Wayne County. The County is currently paying $1.2 million per month in debt service for the unfinished jail. 

For more on the proposal, listen to Stateside's conversation with Daniel Howes above.(Subscribe to the Stateside podcast oniTunes,Google Play, or with thisRSS link)

 

Copyright 2021 Michigan Radio. To see more, visit Michigan Radio.

Read more about the Stateside.