Reactivating Downtown Detroit
The city of Detroit, the symbol of the bust of the automobile industry and the herald of the second Industrial Revolution and the disastrous urban sprawl that accompanied it, is now in a process of complete self-reinvention. This requires the energy and determination of all of its residents, but also, given the near-disappearance of public services, that of a new generation of private real estate developers—among whom is the investment fund, Quicken Loans. Dan Mullen presents their investments and their approach of the revitalization of Downtown Detroit, which could be summarized as “Live, work and play in Detroit.” The city has become an observation point for technological transition. A compelling sign of the times, the group works with no real planning agenda, by multiplying experiences, especially in public spaces, just as informal organizations would have done in previous times. Dan Mullen is the president of Bedrock, a full-service real estate firm based in Detroit. Bedrock is helping to revitalize downtown Detroit by attracting prestigious tenants and operators to the Central Business District.
