Crain's Detroit Business, March 25, 2024

What’s new in Comerica upgrades

The Tigers are pouring $30 million into their ballpark for Opening Day. Here’s a look at the changes.

e Ilitch-owned Detroit Tigers have invested nearly $30 million for renovations at Comerica Park ahead of Opening Day with plans to spend millions more on upgrades in the next o season.

Fans will notice big changes at

By David Eggert

Nearly $4.3 million in federal grants and private money will fund a study of the feasibility of putting a lid, or cap, over a portion of Interstate 75 in downtown Detroit to connect and beautify the area — potentially with a park or other green space above the sunken trench of concrete.

One award, which was announced March 13 by the U.S.

the stadium when the team returns to town April 5, including a massive new videoboard, new TVs throughout the concourse and audio enhancements. But perhaps the most important changes are behind the scenes, where the Ti-

Department of Transportation, is designated for the Downtown Detroit Partnership, whose application was backed by the state Department of Transportation.

e I-75 “overbuild” planning project will conduct community engagement and analyze building a deck over the freeway to reconnect neighborhoods to the north, Midtown and Brush Park, with downtown.

e announcement is the lat-

gers are spending big in hopes of building a championship team.

e MLB organization is putting the nal touches on the second phase of its player clubhouse overhaul and expansion, which includes new, larger training fa-

est boost for the concept, which comes amid a plan to raise nearby I-375 to street level and convert it to a six-lane boulevard.

cilities, upgraded player amenities and renovated sta and coaching areas, a team executive told Crain’s. e work follows the more than $10 million investment at the ballpark last year, which in-

By | Kurt Nagl

cluded the rst phase of clubhouse renovations, concession stand upgrades, new LED lighting and bringing the center- eld wall in by 10 feet.

See COMERICA on Page 16

By Nick Manes

e process of buying and selling a home is poised for a signicant overhaul in the coming weeks, months and years under a settlement agreement announced this month by a powerful trade group.

At the heart of the proposed settlement announced March 15 by the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors is a wholesale change in the commission

structure for Realtors that could bring the industry “full circle” back to the era before buyer representation became commonplace roughly 40 years ago.

ere’s at least some general consensus among real estate industry experts that buyers and sellers of homes will still pay Realtors, but the period in which 5%6% commissions were paid by

Philanthropist and affordable housing advocate Linh Song exes muscle in politics.

PAGE 18

FOCUS

Gas station fast food is increasingly a recipe for success.

The Detroit Tigers continue to make signi cant investments into Comerica Park, which hosted its rst game in 2000. CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

HFH to break ground on rst part of $3B project this spring

By Sherri Welch

Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University plan to break ground this spring on the rst piece of the $3 billion development planned for Detroit’s New Center area.

Dates are still being nalized, but land clearing for the $400 million joint research building, which will include the Nick Gilbert Neuro bromatosis Research Institute, is set to begin this spring, Bob Riney, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health and Crain’s Newsmaker of the Year said on March 21 at a luncheon honoring Crain’s Newsmakers for 2023.

Groundbreaking for the new, $1.8 billion Henry Ford Health hospital tower also planned as part of the project will then begin sometime in the fall, he said.

e former Health Alliance Plan building at the corner of West Grand Boulevard and the John C. Lodge Freeway/M-10 service drive will be coming down any day, Riney said, “and that’ll start the process of getting the land ready.”

Halfway through its projected seven-year run, a nine- gure campaign supporting the Detroit project and other capital and funding needs for the health system beyond that, is gaining traction, he told the crowd of about 450 people gathered for the Crain’s Detroit Newsmaker of the Year Luncheon at MGM Grand Casino Hotel.

“ ere’s a lot of capital campaigns going on for a lot of really good causes. And so at rst, we were a little concerned about that,

but we have a great donor base and we’re welcoming all of you into it today,” Riney said during his reside chat with Crain Communications Inc. President and CEO KC Crain.

“Our donors have been incredibly helpful for years, but we’ve really appealed to them that this is a legacy of something that’s going to bene t the next three or four generations of Detroiters, Michiganders, and quite frankly, people across the country.”

A total commitment of $154 million from Dan and Jennifer Gilbert was really important “because I think people understand he places his bets very wisely, and he knows and does his due diligence,” Riney said.

“We are getting great response from a lot of our donors who recognize this is something di erent. is is our time. is is our moment, and we’ve got to deliver.”

Tom Gores, owner of Platinum Equity and the Detroit Pistons, which are set to take over Henry Ford Health’s existing headquarters in New Center and create a new neighborhood with housing, a hotel, retail and walkable areas, has not committed a philanthropic gift to the project yet, said Mary Jane Vogt, executive vice president of development and chief development o cer for Henry Ford Health.

Henry Ford Health has raised just shy of $200 million so far, with support from the Gilberts; $10

million from the Ford Foundation; $5 million from Boji Group CEO Ron Boji and his wife, Heather; and an anonymous $25 million donation, Vogt said.   e health system expects to announce new seven- and eight- gure gifts in the coming months as well.

“People want to be aligned with an organization that does well. We’re building some really incredible momentum right now, and it’s just fantastic to have Bob at the helm as we’re doing this.”

When Riney was named CEO, he said he wanted to make fundraising part of his legacy, Vogt said. He was very engaged in discussions with the Gilberts and discussions on any of the signi cant eight- gure gifts HFH has secured in the campaign so far. And he helped secure a $1 million gift from former HFH CEO Gail Warden.

HFH is a part of him, she said. “He wants to see it continue for generations to come.”

Riney, who has been with HFH for nearly 46 years, started out as a resident security specialist. What “they put this 21-year old in front of was guarding the student nurses dormitory,” he said to loud laughter from the Newsmakers luncheon crowd, noting he now leads development of policies for issues he violated himself.

But some good did come from it: his wife, Sandy, was a nursing student there.

Among other issues, Riney talked about the challenges health care continues to face after dealing with wage increases like other industries.

“ e bottom line is when your expenses go up, your revenue you have to push, you have to push on innovation, and that’s where technology becomes critically important,” he said.

Henry Ford Health is working on  a “new front door experience” focused on using its electronic medical record system as the brain center for navigating and coordinating a person’s health care. Akin to using the Delta app to look at options and make choices, “we want that for patient care,” Riney said.

“We want people to be able to look at (is) an MRI is available at multiple locations and multiple times, so that we can manage their means and manner of access. So you’re going to see a lot of that.”

Cybersecurity is something that keeps him up at night. Breaches across the country in health care so far have in ltrated business systems which contain a lot of personal information. But they haven’t in ltrated care delivery, he said.

While moving forward with AI and digital-based solutions, “we’ve got to pace that innovation along the con dence of the security of these systems because, you know, there’s a big, big di erence in risk if you get into the clinical systems,” Riney said.

DTE has been a great help on cybersecurity, he said. “ e public utility industries go through the same thing. ey have nuclear plants… all sorts of things that can harm in ltration. So we spent a lot of time sharing best practices and structures.”

Marijuana processor surrenders licenses

By Dustin Walsh

Lansing-based marijuana processor TAS Asset Holdings LLC has surrendered its medical and adultuse recreational licenses following illegal activity discovered by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency.

e removal of its license to operate follows a previous suspension of its licenses in February of last year when the CRA alleged TAS, which processes product under a licensing agreement with Ferndale-based Fwaygo Extracts, stored and interchanged legally regulated marijuana ower, distillate, concentrates and THCa powder with the illegally produced product.

e CRA rst became aware of the issue in September 2022 when two vape cartridges, marketed under the product name Space Rocks, produced by TAS failed a spot safety compliance check despite the product passing the preliminary safety check before the raw marijuana product was shipped to TAS from the grower. Both products tested positive for Bifenthrin, a synthetic insecticide banned for use on mari-

juana products in Michigan.

After investigation, the CRA discovered the product used to make the Space Rocks product was not the product processed and entered into the state tracking system earmarked for the vape cartridges.

Investigators noted the “business had many areas that were dirty and cluttered and had leaking containers of various process stages of marijuana and waste” among unregulated marijuana product, according to the state. Investigators also observed “three barrels of an unknown substance that were wrapped in plastic, two black totes of an unknown substance, and several mason jars of oil.”

e investigation ended with 23 formal complaints against TAS’ medical and adult-use licenses issued by the state.

TAS has been closed since February 2023.

e owners for TAS Asset Holdings are listed on CRA documents as Noble Road LLC, its operating partner and former registered nurse Travis Wilson, Southern Investment Capital LLC; and several other names Crain’s could not verify.

Crain Communications President and CEO KC Crain, left, interviews Henry Ford Health President and CEO Bob Riney at Crain’s Newsmaker of the Year luncheon March 21. | BRETT MOUNTAIN

Metro Detroit couple buys Mackinac hotel

By Rachel Watson

A metro Detroit couple has expanded their boutique lodging portfolio with the purchase of another hotel in Northern Michigan.

Jon and Lauren Cotton of Grosse Pointe have acquired Harbour View Inn at 6860 Main St. on Mackinac Island from Karen Pulte, of Naples, Fla., and her daughter and son-in-law, Katie Pulte Moskalik and Timothy Moskalik, of Mullett Township in Cheboygan County, according to a news release on March 13.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Karen Pulte is the widow of Bill Pulte, a philanthropist and founder of the home-building company PulteGroup Inc. He

was originally from Detroit and died in 2018. Karen Pulte and Timothy Moskalik are involved in the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, which is based in Boca Raton, Fla. e buyers and sellers could not be reached for comment.

“(We ) understand the importance of these historic hotels to the future of Mackinac Island.”

Jon Cotton

Dropping prices could thwart insulin plan

By Dustin Walsh

With 13% of the Michigan population living with diabetes, state legislators are embarking on a bold strategy to ensure ample production and a ordability of insulin.

Yet insulin prices are dropping thanks to the introduction of generic and biosimilar insulins, as well as recent federal government intervention. And while there is a precedent for a staterun insulin brand — California announced its plans in 2023 — the e ort has not yet brought its drug to market.

House Bill 4890 was introduced this month with a twooption approach that would potentially socialize insulin production or distribution in Michigan. e bill authorizes the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to court a maker of low-cost generic insulin to build a production plant in the state with the promise of a large contract with the state of Michigan along with state-run distribution of the drug.

If that plan fails, the bill would authorize the state to contract with these generic drugmakers to import raw product into the state, which would then be dosed out, packaged and distributed in a state-owned facility. Both plans involve the distribution of a state-branded insulin product to patients.

e cost for insulin has increased 600% over the last decade — making it more di cult for patients to e ectively manage their diabetes. e bill follows Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s October 2022 executive order calling the high price of insulin “egregiously” unsustainable and directed state agencies “to explore how Michigan can deliver insulin at a lower cost to Michiganders.”

But the legislation comes at an auspicious time for diabetes treatment in the U.S.

As part of the In ation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden in August 2022, out-ofpocket insulin costs for people on Medicare were capped at $35 per month. In reaction to the federal law, the world’s largest insulin makers said they would also cap out-of-pocket costs for patients.

e recent moves in the market could potentially leave the state’s plan in the lurch. Can a state government e ectively manage insulin production well enough to undercut the shrinking costs in the market? Is the bold plan reacting too late to a market correcting itself? Will this inevitably waste taxpayer dollars?

State Rep. Curt VanderWall, R-Ludington, who sponsored the bill alongside four other Republicans and one Democrat, doesn’t think so.

“ is is cutting-edge; Michigan can really be a leader here,” VanderWall told Crain’s. “ ere are absolutely going to be challenges, but that’s what makes this interesting. We have something we know is extremely important to solve and we can work out the details later. Some people will say the state will mess this up. at’s why when this bill is passed, it’s important go in and make sure we don’t get stuck in the mud and we can perform at a level that we need to perform at and make a real di erence.”

Metro Detroit population losses slow as pandemic subsides

By Dustin Walsh

Wayne County continues to purge population, according to new U.S. Census estimate data, but those losses are slowing.

ough that’s less a regional win than a return to normal following the losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a storyline replicating itself across the country, as some of the nation’s largest counties — such as Los Angeles and Kings (New York) — are all losing residents.

And that’s evident in dozens of major metropolitan counties around the country. Cook County, home of Chicago, lost nearly 70,000 residents in 2021-2022, compared to a loss of 24,494 in 2022-2023, according to Census data.

Immigration has also picked

While Wayne County lost 7,773 residents in between 2022 and 2023, that gure pales in comparison to the losses in 2021-2022 at 15,865, and 2020-2021 at 14,779. e same can be said of Oakland County as well, which lost 599 residents between 2022-2023 and roughly 1,000 the 12 months prior.  e slowing losses are a symptom of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to remote work, allowing workers to abandon high-costof-living cities for cheaper abodes in smaller communities while maintaining their big city jobs. But many have been called back to the o ce, so the shift is slowing as the pandemic enters the rearview.

up since the pandemic as well.

“I think the slower declines or shifts from declines to growth is due to some earlier out-movers returning as workplaces open up,” said William Frey, senior fellow in the metropolitan policy program at the Washington, D.C., thinktank e Brookings Institute. “… Immigration from abroad has picked up substantially in the past two years, as it has nationally. In short, the pandemic took a big bite out of big city populations but that has moderated in

the past year due to some return to work, and increased immigration from abroad. Still most have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.”

Population losses have become a policy focus for the administration of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Michigan ranked second-tolast nationally with just 1% population growth from 2000 to 2020 and is projected to grow more

Insulin prices are dropping, thanks in part to generic and biosimilar insulins and federal intervention. | BLOOMBERG

Jon and Lauren Cotton are planning renovations and landscape improvements at their new Mackinac Island property.

A tricky path forward as Macy’s mulls store closures

Sterling Heights’s top municipal o cial hasn’t been told whether Macy’s Inc. would shutter its location in Lakeside Mall.

But City Administrator Mark Vanderpool said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if he got that call.

ere’s been no word from the New York Citybased department store chain about which of its 14 Michigan locations — if any — might face the ax as it moves toward shuttering 150 around the country, or roughly 30% of its agship brand store count.

Yet the Lakeside store may be among the lowest-hanging fruit.

e mall's owner has a vision to tear it down and build a $1 billion or so redevelopment, creating a suburban town center-type mixeduse development working its way through a delicate and complex process. It also just happens to be the smallest Macy's in the region and is leased rather than owned.

So what do you do with locations at high-performing shopping malls like Somerset Collection in Troy and Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, not just malls in hospice? What if you own the real estate instead of lease

it, as Macy's does with many of its stores?

ere’s a lot to contend with. Five of its locations around Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and

Livingston counties are owned by the department store chain itself, which traces its roots back to before the Civil War. Two are leased.

◗ Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn. Landlord: Macy’s. Size: 241,000 square feet.

with our customers through improved shopping experiences, relevant assortments and compelling value," Spring said in a statement.

Macy’s-owned real estate is valuable, said Steven Silverman, senior vice president of investment advisory and brokerage services for Farmington Hills-based Friedman Real Estate. e Wall Street Journal, citing an expert from the research rm GlobalData, said Macy's real estate is valued at about $6 billion, which works out to about $12.5 million for each of its 481 stores. Of course, Silverman noted, some properties are worth more than others.

◗ Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi. Landlord: Macy’s. Size: 300,200 square feet.

◗ Lakeside Mall, Sterling Heights. Landlord: Out of the Box Ventures LLC, Miami Beach. Size: 115,300 square feet.

◗ Southland Center, Taylor. Landlord: Brook eld Properties, Toronto. Size: 317,300 square feet.

Macy's has been shuttering stores for years, as have other department store chains, some of which have led for bankruptcy. In February 2020, Macy's said it would shutter about 125 stores over three years (it only ended up closing about 85, per Bloomberg).

“

Regardless, future uses could include things like self-storage, multifamily or industrial, Silverman said. And that’s all to the good.

“We recognize that an inclusive and respectful workforce is essential for sustaining our excellence and building the greater grid. Congratulations to the entrepreneurs featured in this issue –your talents drive success!

But things like reciprocal easement agreements, or REAs, deed restrictions and zoning are all likely to be hurdles to redevelopment, Silverman said. REAs are agreements between di erent property owners on a site and can require that individual owners get approval from others before changing the use (Silverman called them the “biggest hurdle with the entire portfolio”).

Elsewhere in Michigan, real estate experts are wondering whether the Grand Rapids market can sustain two Macy's stores about 20 minutes apart, as there are locations at Woodland Mall in Kentwood and RiverTown Crossings in Grandville, Crain's Detroit Business sister publication Crain's Grand Rapids Business reported.

For some mall owners, Macy's closures aren't keeping them up at night.

Last month, Macy's also said it would bring another 15 new Bloomingdale's stores and 30 Bluemercury stores, which are Macy's cosmetics-focused outlets. ( ere are no Bloomingdale's stores in Michigan, and one Bluemercury store, on West Maple Road in Birmingham, according to the two companies' websites.)

Bloomberg reported that in December, a pair of activist investors, Arkhouse Management Co. and Brigade Capital Management, put forward a $5.8 billion buyout o er for Macy’s but that was rejected.

LINDA APSEY – President and Chief Executive Officer

GRETCHEN HOLLOWAY – SVP & Chief Financial Officer

CHRISTINE MASON SONERAL – SVP & General Counsel

KRISTA TANNER – SVP & Chief Business Officer

“At the end of the day, [Macy's] real estate is worth something, probably a hefty amount, and there will be a substantial number of buyers lining up to acquire it,” Silverman said.

Macy’s has the following department stores in metro Detroit, clocking in at a total of just shy of 1.75 million square feet. Ownership and size information comes from CoStar Group Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based real estate information service:

◗ Briarwood Mall, Ann Arbor. Landlord: Macy’s. Size: 189,000 square feet.

◗ Oakland Mall, Troy. Landlord: Macy’s. Size: 267,600 square feet.

◗ Somerset Collection, Troy. Landlord: Macy’s. Size: 316,000 square feet.

As reported by Axios, David Simon, CEO of Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, which owns Briarwood, said during a Q1 earnings call earlier this month that they would have a minimal impact.

"Somebody shrinking their store pro le is something we deal with for the last 30, 40 years. So this is not a big issue," Simon said. "To the extent that there's a Macy's store that closes that triggers co-tenancy, it's de minimis to us. And we're always looking to put better retailers in there."

“At the end of the day, [Macy’s] real estate is worth something, probably a hefty amount, and there will be a substantial number of buyers lining up to acquire it.”

Steven Silverman, Friedman Real Estate

Macy's new CEO Tony Spring said in late February the company was cutting stores as part of its e ort "to create a more modern Macy's Inc."

"We are making the necessary moves to reinvigorate relationships

is month, Arkhouse and Brigade made an improved takeover o er of $24 a share this month for Macy’s, Bloomberg reported. Macy’s Inc. has since opened its books to Arkhouse Management Co. and Brigade. Macy’s has signed a condentiality agreement with its suitors, according to a spokesperson for the company, Bloomberg reported.

Kirk Pinho

The Macy’s department store at Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights | COSTAR GROUP

LINDA APSEY President and CEO ITC Holdings Corp

Apsey is responsible for the strategic vision and overall business operation of ITC and its subsidiaries. Previously, Apsey served as Executive Vice President and Chief Business Unit Of cer, leading all aspects of the nancial and operational performance of the company.

Apsey also served as Executive Vice President, Chief Business Of cer and President of ITC Michigan where she was responsible for the company’s regulatory, marketing and communications, federal, state and local government affairs, and human resource functions.

KRISTA TANNER

Senior Vice President and Chief Business Of cer ITC Holdings Corp

Tanner is responsible for ITC’s federal regulatory, government affairs and communications activities, as well as overseeing the strategic direction, community relations and nancial performance for ITC’s four operating subsidiaries: ITC Midwest, ITC Great Plains, ITC Transmission and Michigan Electric Transmission Company (METC). Joining ITC in 2014, she previously served as President of ITC Midwest.

Fostering a more inclusive environment to attract and retain the best talent

When Linda Apsey started her rst corporate job in the energy industry, she looked around and realized that she was one of very few women in the executive suite. “I thought to myself, ‘I’ll never last here more than six months,’” she says. “But as I got more engaged in challenging, meaningful work, I felt connected to a bigger purpose.”

Since then, Apsey has worked her way up through the industry, becoming president and CEO of ITC Holdings Corp, which oversees ITC Michigan. Over that time, the company has grown rapidly to build, operate and maintain the electrical infrastructure that sustains our way of life, while meeting the demand for reliable, clean energy. In 2024, ITC Michigan is positioned to execute a $679 million capital plan, which includes the connection of 7,000 megawatts of renewable energy to support customer integrated resource plans.

While the company has grown and changed, so has the diversity of the C-suite. Apsey has fostered a welcoming, inclusive culture where all employees contribute to ITC’s ambitious goals.

Today, ITC is an anomaly in the energy industry, with women making up 66% of its seniorlevel executives. For insight into the impact of inclusivity at ITC and within the broader energy industry, Crain’s Content Studio recently spoke with Apsey and ITC’s chief business of cer, Krista Tanner.

CRAIN’S: How do you promote a more diverse and inclusive environment at ITC?

LINDA APSEY: One of my biggest priorities since I became CEO was to be very focused and purposeful around inclusion and diversity. We all deserve to be the best that we can be at work, regardless of your background, so I want everyone to feel like they belong.

The best way for us to break down barriers is to raise our awareness, understanding, and respect for each other. So, we invest an incredible amount of time and energy into establishing

that foundation through education, awareness, and engaging everyone to talk about these issues openly. Personally, I’ve engaged in focus groups across the company because I wanted to hear from our employees about what prevents them from feeling like they belong.

We have established a set of values—what it means to be an employee at ITC—and one of our favorite ones is being better together. This is a team sport, and the more diverse our teams are, the better and more durable our decisions and outcomes are.

How is ITC’s commitment to diversity built into the company’s values and processes?

KRISTA TANNER: It’s a combination of mindset and the right policies. The actions that Linda mentioned – speci cally the educational programs and focus groups – have built the foundation of our mindset. Linda has challenged all leaders to conduct their own focus groups. Those focus groups have been one of the most impactful things I’ve done as a leader. Employees have been open and vulnerable with leaders, trusting us with very personal stories. Those experiences have shaped us all to be better leaders, and that sets the foundation and the mindset.

We also have policies in place to be very intentional about diversity. When we hire people, we cast a wider net than we used to, to make sure that we have a diverse candidate pool, and we have diverse interview panels to make sure everyone feels welcome. The policies help ensure that we live our values every day.

If you were offering advice to other companies in industries where men traditionally outnumber women, what would you say are the key ingredients a company must have in place to promote diversity and inclusion?

TANNER: You have to be very intentional. It’s not enough just to want a more diverse workforce; you have to make it happen. It starts with casting a wider net for internships and job positions to make sure we’re getting a diverse pipeline of talent.

APSEY: You need a commitment from the top down, but you need everybody to participate and understand the bene ts and value of these efforts. Because ultimately, from a corporate perspective, you want everybody to be their best so that the company can be the most successful it can be.

How does the business bene t from having a more inclusive, collaborative workplace?

TANNER: The energy industry is changing rapidly, and the challenges are only increasing. Several reliable studies show more diverse teams are more innovative and make better decisions, and that’s been our experience, as well. When you’ve got a tough problem, you don’t want an echo chamber; you want lots of ideas, and that’s how you get to the best solution. Part of our secret sauce is that we are innovative because we have such a diverse workforce. When you have a highly engaged and motivated workforce, you can accomplish all the things that we’re trying to do.

APSEY: We do what we do because we want to attract and retain the best talent that we can, and we want everyone here to be as successful as they can be. We have great opportunities and big challenges ahead of us, and ultimately, like Krista said, we’re going to be better prepared to address these challenges and opportunities if we have an engaged, motivated, diverse workforce.

To learn more about ITC, visit itc-holdings.com.

In 2024, ITC Michigan is positioned to execute a massive $679 million capital plan. A key to the company’s growth ability to take on such projects has been embracing diversity and bringing many voices to the table.

I-75 overbuild an intriguing idea for downtown

The Downtown Detroit Partnership has been awarded $2 million in federal money to study whether a lid, or cap, should be placed over I-75 through a key stretch of downtown Detroit.

e “overbuild,” as it is dubbed, would cover the highway, which is a below-grade concrete trench at that point, in the blocks between Brush Street and Cass Avenue. is is an intriguing idea that could potentially hold a lot of promise for reclaiming space in a vital part of the city. But before anyone gets too excited over what seems like an innovative, if even a bit pie-in-thesky, idea, we hasten to note that the project is so futuristic at this point that it doesn’t even have an estimated price tag.  Money, of course, will play an important factor, and we advocate the responsible spending of public dollars. In addition to the Downtown Detroit Partnership being granted $2 million, the city of Detroit also received a $1.9 million federal earmark to

support the project.

While some may dismiss this as a fanciful and expensive dream, we believe the idea is worth at least exploring. inking big like this is a bit of a measure of how far Detroit has come in its development in recent years. Just a decade ago, a top focus of city leaders was to get the streetlights working again.

With progress made on basic services, the city is able to turn its attention more to quality-of-life issues, such as the redevelopment of the award-winning riverfront and the creation of the Joe Louis Greenway trail system. Livability and quality of life matters, especially at a time when the city needs to retain residents and attract new ones.

While there are currently street overpasses spanning I-75 downtown, a lid containing open space or parkland over the highway could go a long way toward reconnecting the heart of downtown with Midtown. For example, the interstate currently separates Comerica Park and Ford Field from Little Caesars

Arena, but a lid could make those destinations feel as though they are part of one contiguous area.

Eric Larson, president and CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, called it “a unique opportunity for Detroit to transform its transportation system in a way that positions the city for a stronger, more connected community for decades to come through this project.”

Larson told Crain’s senior reporter David Eggert that the size of the lid could range from 3 or 4 acres to “signi cantly larger” if it covered the entire east-west span downtown. An example he cited was the 5.2-acre Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, which was built over a recessed, eight-lane highway. It opened in 2012 and cost $110 million, roughly half of which was government funding, with donations covering the remainder.

“ e interesting thing about the cap is not only does it really connect the two sections of our downtown, but it also provides for some

great public space on top of the cap,” Larson told Eggert. “ ink about what could be, depending on the size of the cap, a very significant public space or park that becomes a community asset. We’ll be doing a lot of studies around that. We don’t have any predetermined conclusions. And that’s why this grant is so important.”

While it sits atop rail lines and parking garages, another such example of an elevated open space is Millennium Park in Chicago, renowned for its “Bean” sculpture and other amenities, which has proven to be a tremendous boon for that city.

For downtown Detroit, reclaiming space and creating new parkland without harming tra c ow could be a bene t for both residents and businesses. We are a long way from knowing for certain yet whether this makes sense weighed against other priorities. For now, we appreciate the ambition and the big-picture visioning. Consider us intrigued.

‘Ally-shoring’ in EVs can fuel economic growth, global sustainability

As countries throughout the world and their automakers work furiously to advance a clean energy economy, many are holding tight to their market share of the EV industry. E-mobility is the focus of much national and international investment and innovation today — fueled by the need for more jobs and advancing the energy transition to mitigate the e ects of climate change everywhere.

So far, China is leading this race by getting to an electric vehicle future rst — expanding both its production abroad and aggressive exports of its cheaper electric vehicles. With the auto industry at the center of the economy for many nations, the stakes are high on which nation will reap the economic bene ts and political clout of EV dominance, and developing a robust ally-shoring approach would help the U.S. and its allies reap the business and job bene ts that may come from the advancement of the EV market.

economic and security bene ts of ally-shoring. While the supply chains for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are well established and highly integrated, the global EV supply chain is evolving and taking shape right before our eyes. With many of the inputs and critical materials needed to produce EVs and their batteries geographically dispersed, it has become clear that no country can do it alone. Further cooperation with current trading partners, and opening the door to new partners, will be crucial to diversifying and building a more resilient global EV supply chain.

EV ally-shoring in action

Ally-shoring, the recon guring of global supply and co-production arrangements with countries that share similar values, presents a powerful pathway to achieve multiple economic, political and international goals. is strategy speci cally proved itself e ective during the COVID-19 pandemic when vulnerabilities were exposed in supply chains across the world but has since been spurned in many industries in favor of re-shoring e orts — or bringing more of the supply chain back onto American soil.

However, given the profound changes the automotive industry is going through on a global scale, the EV transition presents an obvious opportunity to demonstrate the mutual

In North America, with its strong USMCA partnership and existing “domestic content” requirements that span the hemisphere, there are tangible economic and “greening fruits” of ally-shoring arrangements.

e In ation Reduction Act (IRA) in the U.S. further supports this trend when it comes to EVs by providing incentives and credits extending to EV assembly taking place in Mexico and Canada, speci cally investing in areas such as battery manufacturing, EV manufacturing and recycling.

In the U.S., there are $78.7 billion announced investments related to the EV supply chain since the IRA, which are expected to create more than 50,000 jobs, according to research from Wellesley College. Canada and Mexico are also making strategic moves to grow the EV industry and their capabilities, which will ultimately help our North America region be more globally competitive.

Canada is taking a “mines to mobility” approach to leverage its resource wealth and mining expertise to build the battery and critical mineral supply chains needed for the EV market — three new battery manufacturing plants are currently underway in Canada.

Mexico is doubling down on its large supplier base and workforce to position itself as the nearshoring destination to support EV production. U.S. automakers such as General Motors and Ford have continued to retool or expand their existing plants for EVs, and Tesla’s new factory will be built in the northern state of Nuevo Leon. Green eld foreign direct investment into Mexico reached a record $40 billion in 2022, and it increased by 40% in the rst half of 2023 over the previous year. e U.S. leads the charge with 43% of those in ows. And this trend is expected to continue.

ese moves will, in turn, bolster the local economies within these countries by attracting more suppliers and creating increased economic opportunity. As these plans come to fruition, another important aspect to consider is to ensure that we can develop the talent pipeline for these green jobs. We need talent to sustain the key industries of the fu-

ture, including semiconductors, clean energy and EV and battery production. Here, too, we can work together with our allies as we roll out e orts to upskill and reskill the workforce and develop new academic exchange programs to help us stay competitive, all while keeping in mind the imperative of a just transition.

However, there is no time to waste. China will not stand still in its journey to EV dominance and has taken its own e orts to avoid the risk of U.S. export restrictions by entering the Mexico market and working to establish EV production there. China has also doubled down on investments in ports, as well as critical minerals and other key supply chains, across Latin America.

Given the shared economic and national security bene ts that ally-shoring around EV production with our North America neighbors can bring, developing mechanisms to partner with more emerging economies can pay huge dividends. Doubling down on these e orts globally can check China’s in uence and ensure more countries have a solid economic stake in the global “green” race to help create new pathways for an inclusive transition.

Vehicles roll off the assembly line at Rivian’s manufacturing plant in Normal, Ill. | BLOOMBERG

Diana E. Páez is the senior director, Energy & Mobility, at the William Davidson Institute of the University of Michigan.

John Austin directs the Michigan Economic Center and is a nonresident senior fellow with the Brookings Institution.

THE DIA’S NEW CONNECTOR

The museum’s rst new board chair in decades, Lane Coleman sees a place for all at the DIA

The next time you’re at the Detroit Institute of Arts grabbing a co ee in Kresge Court or admiring Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals, you might nd yourself next to Lane Coleman. For the museum’s new board chair, the DIA is a favorite lunch spot, a place to relax, a local movie theater — and, of course, a world-famous art museum. “I live minutes from the DIA,” says Coleman, who is the founder, president, and chief executive o cer of Detroit-based Strike Group LLC, a sustainment logistics and material supply-sourcing venture. “I’m there all the time, especially now that I’m the board chair.

“Lately, I’ve been spending time in the Asian art galleries,” he adds. “I discovered them one day on my way to a meeting. ey’re very peaceful.”

Coleman’s arrival is a changing of the guard in one sense. e Chicago native — who put down roots in Detroit with his family in 1993 — is the rst new board chair in two decades, stepping

into a role previously held by Eugene Gargaro Jr., who le a signi cant legacy. Gargaro guided the DIA through the global nancial crisis, Detroit’s bankruptcy, and the creation of the millage that gives the museum a rare level of nancial stability in the art world.

Coleman brings a new skill set and perspective to the board chair role. He travels frequently for work and makes a point of visiting museums wherever he goes to get a feel for other cities’ art scenes. He has an entrepreneur’s con dence and a big-picture perspective for long-term scal health. And he’s a hometown booster, with a strong belief in the DIA as both an international arts destination with world-class exhibitions, and a welcoming center of creativity and engagement for tri-county residents. “I think we in Detroit take for granted that we have a museum that is free,” he says. “I want to get that message out. I want people to know this is an easy place to visit, that they can drop in for lunch and explore the galleries or walk around the beautiful grounds on a nice day.”

But as board chair, he says, his focus is governance. “We have a talented sta , and I’m here to support them. I like to use the term, ‘nose in, ngers out.’ Yes, I want to see what’s happening, but I don’t need to be involved in the day-to-day.”

Plus, he says, the museum is going in the right direction already, with exhibitions that draw crowds and speak to the community, plus a rich assortment of all-ages programs and events. Last year’s blockbuster Van Gogh in America hit a new attendance high for the museum. e DIA’s current show, Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898 – 1971, is a groundbreaking history of Black cinema in the U.S. In May, Detroit artist Ti Massey’s year-long exhibition 7 Mile + Livernois will open, and in the fall, the DIA will host a show focused on Islamic art as it connects to food and culture. And this month, the DIA was once again voted Best Museum in the country by USA Today readers.

“Detroit is one of the few cities where the museum, the board and the personnel get it right,” says Coleman proudly. “We were among the rst to have galleries dedicated to African American art. We truly see that there is value in Black art, and there are Black collectors who can write some big checks. And we’re going to gure out how to embrace them and bring them in.”

Coleman’s engagement with the DIA took o when he became a member of the Friends of African and African American Art auxiliary group. Leland Calloway, who was head of the group at the time, recalls Coleman as an enthusiast from day one. Eight months into his membership, adds Calloway, “he purchased a Kevin Cole artwork [titled Earthly Whys and Heavenly Knows] and donated it to the DIA collection.”

“I think a lot of people felt the DIA might not be for them,” Calloway says. “A museum can feel intimidating. But seeing an African American at the helm might help change that.”

“Lane brings an authentic passion for art to our board, and he’s equally passionate about Detroit,” shares DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons. “How many businessmen make time to visit a museum when they are traveling for work? But that is a priority for Lane, and it truly brings him joy. He is also an incredible people person, with seemingly unlimited positive energy and new ideas. I am thrilled to work with him as we take the DIA forward.”

Coleman’s interest in art started in college, rst through a history of art class, then when he met the artist Kevin Cole, who happened to be a fraternity brother. Cole casually asked Coleman if he could store a large artwork at his apartment. “I had never seen anything like it,” Coleman says. Six months later, Cole was back. “He

said, ‘Hey, I need that piece. IBM just bought it,’” Coleman recalls. “I had no idea that an artist could make a piece and a corporation would buy it.”

Coleman and his wife Leigh Chandler have since built an extensive collection that is heavy on Detroit artists and Black artists but, he adds, casts a wide net. “I collect works by artists from Brazil, from Asia, from around the world,” he says.

In addition to continuing the DIA’s focus on long-term nancial stability, Coleman’s vision is to expand the museum’s purpose as a community gathering place. “I want the DIA to be a center for everyone, whether you’re an art historian or a 7-year-old kid looking for something to do,” he says. “ e DIA was the rst museum to acquire Matisse and Van Gogh in the U.S. at’s amazing! at young person might not nd that interesting today, but we can nd other things to draw him in. And then maybe years later, it will hit him: ‘Yeah, I saw a Van Gogh in Detroit.’”

Lane Coleman, who recently took the helm of the board of directors of the Detroit Institute of Arts, stands in front of artist Charles McGee’s work, Noah’s Ark: Genesis, at the museum. Coleman says the piece is one of his favorites in the collection. Photo by Marvin Shaouni for Crain’s Content Studio.

Coleman meets with museum staff during a meet-and-greet in November 2023. He formally took over as the DIA’s board chair in January 2024.

Gas station fast food ramps up

Sheetz preps massive metro Detroit rollout, with 50-60 large-scale locations to open over the next 5 years

By Jay Davis

Fast food is increasingly becoming part of gas stations’ recipe for pro ts. And big plans for a large national chain for metro Detroit have lit a re under a segment of operators that aim to ll up bellies at the same time as cars.

Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz Inc. plans to open 50-60 large-scale locations in metro Detroit in the next ve or six years. Sheetz operates as a gas station and convenience store that also o ers madeto-order sandwiches and salads. It’s a model similar to how Wawa and Kwik Trip operate. A Romulus Sheetz at 33380 Wick Road is slated to open later this year. e company also currently has its eyes set on Fraser and Rochester Hills but has had some pushback from resident and local leaders. at opposition extends to their competition.

Locally owned gas stations over the last couple of decades have entered into a marriage with some independently owned restaurant operators, opening full- edged fast-food operations. e move has been fruitful for all parties. e dual concept adds to the revenue for the gas station, as customers get food with their llups, and gives the owners a competitive advantage over operators whose food o erings are limited to the jerky-and-chips genre.

Food matters, because gas stations don’t usually make much money from gasoline. Gas station owners typically make just 3-7 cents pro t per gallon of gasoline sold, according to an August 2022 Fortune report, which makes the additional revenue stream almost vital to their survival. e shift to electric vehicles also could be fueling the re, because EV drivers are mostly going to be charging at home rather than stopping to gas up.

For the restaurant franchisors, gas stations make for a readymade space and cost a fraction of a standalone eatery.

‘More options aren’t bad’

A handful of local restaurateurs have found their niche in operating out of gas stations.

Todd Saroki is the CEO of Saroki’s Crispy Fried Chicken and Pizza. Saroki’s currently has 11 locations in gas stations across metro Detroit. e company o ers pizza, fried chicken, tenders and sandwiches. Saroki’s has 11 more spots under construction. e cost to set up shop inside a gas station is about 40% less than build out and construction of a freestanding space, Saroki said.

Saroki, whose rst location opened in 2011 in Wixom, said he looks forward to competing with Sheetz. Saroki said he’s never been

inside a Sheetz but he’d like to check it out.

“I’d like one of my spots to be close to a Sheetz to see what happens,” Saroki said. “ at could bring us more visibility. I’m not concerned about (Sheetz). I know they’re a big name. ... It’s just like fast food. You get Burger King right across from a McDonald’s. More options aren’t bad, but I’m con dent that what we o er sets us apart from Sheetz.”

All of Saroki’s planned locations are in metro Detroit. If Sheetz’s plans come to fruition, it’s likely the two could battle for customers. Sheetz is open 24/7/365. Saroki’s has set hours each day.

“We’re just going to focus on ourselves,” Saroki said. “We can’t be concerned about the competition.”

Room for growth

ere’s still lots of room for growth in the fast-casual market.

e U.S. fast-food and quick-service restaurant market size in 2023 was estimated at $293.8 billion and is expected to get close to $454.3 million by 2030, according to a report from mar-

ket research rm Custom Market Insights. e franchise model is a big factor in that projected growth.

Each Saroki’s location brings in about $1 million annually. Of the 11 in operation, nine are franchisee-owned. Startup costs range from $250,000 to $500,000. On the high end are locations with drivethrus.

Saroki said he’ll begin a major push with franchising in 2025. e current franchisees reached out to him about the opportunity after visiting a Saroki’s.

“We don’t want to grow too fast. We want to make sure everyone is making money before we start marketing the franchising hard,” Saroki said.

Other local operators that specialize in gas-station fast food are also working to franchise.

Dearborn-based Taystee’s Burgers announced plans to franchise in late 2022. Taystee’s, founded by Dearborn native Ali Jawad, operates out of about 800 square feet of space. e company currently has seven metro Detroit locations, including franchisee-owned stores in St. Clair Shores and Southgate.

Pennsylvania-based Sheetz plans to add 50-60 locations in Michigan where the company will offer fast-casual food. Local restaurant owners who operate out of gas stations say they welcome the competition. | SHEETZ INC

CRAIN’S DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

BAOBAB FARE

6568 Woodward Ave. Suite 100, Detroit, MI 48202 • 313- 265-3093 • baobabfare.com

Rooted in Detroit’s New Center neighborhood, Baobab Fare is a celebration of East Africa’s vibrant food and culture. Founded by threetime James Beard Award semi nalists Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, a husband and wife who came to Detroit as refugees from Burundi, Baobab Fare serves avorful and hearty homestyle East African food out of a bright, welcoming space. 100% halal.

HIGHLANDS DETROIT

400 Renaissance Center, Floor 72, Detroit, MI 48243 • 313-877-9090 ext. 3 highlandsdetroit.com/events

Floor-to-ceiling views of the city and beyond, our 72nd story viewpoint becomes the backdrop to your special event. Seamless hospitality enhances every shared moment, while elevating memories made atop the city of Detroit. From intimate soirees and corporate gatherings to celebrations of life’s most precious occasions; our passion is delivering your vision and making a wonderful, lasting impression on your guests.

MIDDLE EATS

middleeats.com

Middle Eats is fast casual style concept serving Mediterranean inspired bowls, wraps and salads. Everything in our kitchen is made from scratch and sure to satisfy all palates. Find a location near you to experience fast, fresh and healthy options!

MICHIGAN RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION

225 W. Washtenaw, Lansing, MI 48933 • 800-968-9668 • mrla.org

Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association’s mission is to lead the hospitality industry through advocacy, education and innovation. Whether it’s navigating the complexities of regulations, providing cutting-edge training, or empowering members with practical business solutions, the MRLA is an indispensable, one-stop resource for the hospitality industry. Our membership ranges from owners, operators, suppliers, to educators and students. Become a member today!

DA EDOARDO – GROSSE POINTE

19767 Mack Avenue, Gross Pointe Woods, MI 48236 • 313-881-8540 • daedoardo.com

Da Edoardo Grosse Point has been a place for families to gather since 1978. Enjoy traditional Northern Italian Cuisine and quickly become family at Da Edoardo. For over forty years the Barbieri family has taken great pride in the fact that they have cared for generations of families. During the warmer months the restaurant’s patio is perfect for enjoying a meal al fresco.

MADAM

Madam is an award-winning restaurant located inside the stunning Daxton Hotel in downtown Birmingham. A vibrant dining experience in an art-forward space, where its menu is curated to complement seasonal avors through fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Madam is open for dinner seven days a week and for weekend brunch.

WING SNOB

Find a Wing Snob location near you at our website • wingsnob.com

Wing Snob™ is a modern, quickservice, fast-casual style restaurant serving made-to-order fresh wings. With our unique sauces and rubs, we can satisfy even the toughest wing critics. These are not your average wings, but some of the best wings on the planet. Check out our website for locations and contact information.

HOSPITALITY TRAINING INSTITUTE OF MICHIGAN

225 W. Washtenaw, Lansing, MI 48933 • 517-702-3945 • htim.com/stepup

The Hospitality Training Institute of Michigan is the state’s premier source for hospitality leadership, compliance, and skill set training programs. We prepare workers to advance in hospitality careers by giving them the management, business, and leadership skills they need to rise. Our curriculum includes nationally recognized credentials. 2,000 registrants attend at NO COST! Registration is now open. Sign up today.

Gilberts’ Gilly’s Clubhouse to open on Tigers’ Opening Day

Jay Davis

Detroit’s newest sports bar will open on one of the biggest days on the city’s sports and party calendar.

Gilly’s Clubhouse is slated to open April 5 — the same day the Detroit Tigers open their home season at Comerica Park. e 10,000-square-foot bar is nishing up build-out of a ground- oor and rooftop space at 1550 Woodward Ave. in the city’s Kay Baum Building.

e opening date is also less than three weeks before the 2024 NFL Draft comes to town.

Gilly’s is named in honor of Nick Gilbert, the son of real estate mogul Dan Gilbert and his wife Jennifer Gilbert, who died in May at 26. e bar was a passion proj-

FAST FOOD

From Page 8

Taystee’s has previously estimated about $2 million in annual sales at each location. Jawad did not respond to Crain’s request for an interview for this story, but previously told Crain’s the model works because most gas stations operate in high-tra c areas.

Oftentimes, the gas station owner also serves as the restaurant franchisee. Saroki and Jawad opt to lease their spaces from gas station owners.

Proponent for small business

A long-standing operator doesn’t have plans to franchise, but he shares the same feelings on Sheetz as Saroki.

Mr. Kabob Mediterranean Grille & Catering co-owner Naseem Gulli told Crain’s he believes his family-owned business o ers a higher quality of food.

ect of Nick’s, whose nickname was Gilly.

Gilly’s Rooftop, o ering Mexican street fare, is expected to open later in the spring and be open year-round, according to a release.

e upscale sports bar and entertainment venue will have seating for more than 350 guests, along with the outdoor rooftop space. It will feature a 120-squarefoot TV screen, Detroit memorabilia and custom artwork from local artists. e interior was designed by Coeval Studios, drawing inspiration from Detroit’s past and present with rich wood paneling, curated art, striking interior details and relaxed modern furnishings, the release stated.

e menu will o er sports bar staples including burgers and mac

and cheese along with healthier options like fresh salads and grain bowls.

Grant and AJ Gilbert, Nick’s brothers, have taken an active role in helping to bring Gilly’s to life, according to the release. Grant Gilbert’s creative agency, Supper, has led branding e orts while AJ Gilbert’s company, Jasper Promotions, curated the venue’s merchandise and sta uniforms.

Detroit-based 7OH2 Hospitality is co-creator and operator of Gilly’s Clubhouse and Rooftop as well as Saksey’s cocktail lounge, which will operate out of the basement of the building. Saksey’s is also expected to open prior to the 2024 NFL Draft.

Reservations for Gilly’s can be made on the venue website.

Eatóri Market restaurant to reopen after renovations

By Jay Davis

A downtown Detroit restaurant will welcome guests back inside for dining for the rst time in months.

Mediterranean restaurant

Eatóri Market plans to reopen March 28 after a nearly two-month pause for renovations that began about six months ago.

Eatóri added 1,700 square feet of dining room space to go along with a market that o ers meats, produce, a selection of wines and some essential items. e market part of the business remained open during renovations.

Eatóri now takes up 4,200 square feet at 1215 Griswold St. on the ground oor of the Malcolmson Building with dining room seating for 72, a 15-seat bar and a 45-seat patio. It also hired 18 more sta ers, bringing the restaurant’s total number of employees to 25.

Ownership declined to disclose the investment made into the renovations.

Owner Zak Yatim and chef Richard Strong have added menu items including a grilled half rack of lamb served with baba ganoush and a blueberry thyme compote, and a pistachio-crusted sea bass

with grilled frisee in an herb vinaigrette and pistachio cream. Eatóri staples such as mussels, Mediterranean nachos and ery shrimp will be featured, too.

Changes are also coming on the drinks side.

General Manager Chris Southern is heading up an expanded Mediterranean-inspired Eatóri wine and beverage program that features small batch American wines. A happy hour runs 3-6 p.m. daily. Weekend brunch service will be added at a later date.

e changes come almost seven years after Eatóri opened in October 2017.

Yatim said he’s excited to welcome guests back.

“We have put a lot of love into the interior design so it becomes a true community gathering space,” Yatim said in a statement. “We were one of the rst businesses in the refreshed Capitol Park in 2017, and we are proud to say that we have grown with the neighborhood every year. Our expanded restaurant will be a big part of the future Capitol Park vibe.”

Eatóri will be open 4-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 5-10:30 p.m. Saturday and 5-9:30 p.m.  Sunday.

seem’s father, Wally, bought the gas station in 1995. e Berkley location is the only restaurant that operates out of a gas station. Mr. Kabob overall has revenues of more than eight gures, Gulli said. Each location has eight to 12 employees and is about 3,000-squarefeet.

“For us, when we opened the rst location, opening inside a gas station was kind of a necessity because we didn’t have any money,” Gulli said. “ e model just makes sense.”

works to enter the market.

“I’ve seen them,” Gulli said. “Sheetz are giant places. I get why people would be concerned about living near one.”

‘We’re ready for them’

Sheetz is moving forward with its plans to expand into Michigan, which would add to the company’s more than 700 locations in six states. Saroki and Gulli don’t mind the competition, and they don’t believe the market will shift downward anytime soon.

“Obviously I’m a proponent for small business,” said Gulli, whose company has ve metro Detroit locations. “I’d personally prefer to go to a Saroki’s or something like that that’s locally owned. Sheetz probably does have something to o er. ey obviously have their customer base. But people go to Costco and eat hot dogs. We just really try to concentrate on what we’re doing, keeping that quality up, that consistency, and we’ll be OK.”

e original Mr. Kabob opened in 2003 inside a Sunoco gas station at the corner of 12 Mile Road and Coolidge Highway in Berkley. Na-

Gulli is aware of the issues Sheetz has had in Fraser and Rochester Hills. He said he understands the concerns being raised. Residents in those municipalities have issues with the size of the proposed Sheetz. e Romulus location is slated to be about 6,900 square feet with 12 vehicle fueling stations under an approximately 4,700-square-foot canopy. ere would be ve separate truck fueling stations under an approximately 2,500-square-foot canopy. Sheetz CEO Travis Sheetz previously told Crain’s the company will follow all zoning rules as it

“ ere’ll always be room for restaurants to run out of gas stations and there will always be gas station owners who want restaurants inside because it helps their bottom line,” Saroki said. “I think there could be a point where some of the restaurant owners start expanding out of state, because they don’t want to end up competing with their own brands. But this is something that bene ts too many people at this point.

“Sheetz isn’t going to back out of coming into the state, either. We’re all ready for them too.”

Mr.

Gilly’s Clubhouse in Detroit was a passion project of Dan and Jennifer Gilbert’s son, Nick, who died last year at 26. 7OH2 HOSPITALITY

HANNAH ROBAR

District Detroit will build residential rst

e two developers proposing more than $1.5 billion in new and redeveloped buildings in e District Detroit area are shifting plans on what they plan to build rst.

e Ilitch family’s Olympia Development of Michigan and Stephen Ross’ Related Cos. planned to bring a new 525,000-square-foot o ce and retail building fronting Comerica Park to the market rst. Now, they are re-sequencing their plans to build a residential tower with 261 units at 2205 Cass Ave. as the rst building.

In an interview, Andrew Cantor, executive vice president of development for New York City-based Related, and Keith Bradford, president of Detroit-based Olympia Development and its District Detroit, said that although there is an unnamed tenant that has agreed to occupy at least a portion of the o ce building proposed for 2200 Woodward Ave., the lending and interest rate environment has made nancing the development di cult.

Construction of that building was originally expected to begin last summer.

Cantor said that of the “things that have not gone as we initially anticipated” was “the interest rate environment moving 200 basis points on us from the time that we started the process to now.”

“Kind of a continued and heightening concern, typically among commercial banks around nancing o ce,” he added.

e land on which the o ce tower, plus a couple of other District Detroit projects, is to be built is still owned by the Detroit Wayne County Stadium Authority. Olympia said its “general practice is not to comment on ongoing conversations with third parties.”

In the interview, the developers also said they intend to start exploring what to do with a pair of partially built buildings at 111 Henry St. and 120 Henry St. surrounding Little Caesars Arena.

ose buildings were originally proposed as residential, then shifted to o ce and commercial space, and now are likely to end

Fund steers emergency money to students pursuing STEM

By Sherri Welch

e Detroit Area Talent Fund is shifting its emergency nancial assistance to students pursuing credentials and degrees in high-demand science, technology, engineering and mathematics areas.

e move is aimed at ensuring the program aligns with workforce needs, the organizations that fund the program said in a release.

up as a combination of residential, retail and potentially hospitality, Bradford said.

In addition, Olympia and Related are attempting to start construction on a $190.5 million, 290room hotel next to Little Caesars Arena by the rst quarter of next year, a delay from a previous anticipated start date of the third quarter of this year.

ere was a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony in December — just ahead of a state deadline to receive a $100 million earmark — for the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, billed almost as a second anchor for the District Detroit area.

e District Detroit was announced nearly 10 years ago as a sprawling, 45- to 50-block area around downtown built around Little Caesars Arena, which opened in 2017 as home to the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons.

at plan has not materialized in the ways envisioned in 2014, with long delays in completion of residential construction, for example. Much of the area remains surface parking.

Fast-forward a few years and, after originally proposing to put the UMCI — a sort of graduate school satellite campus — on a Dan Gilbert-controlled site on Gratiot Avenue at I-375, Ross moved his $250 million proposal to a chunk of property that houses the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge Building west of the Fox eatre.

e UMCI is proposed to be a catalyst for the other commercial projects, with its graduate students and other students in hightech elds providing a soughtafter talent pool for companies that would take new o ce space, hire people who would live in residential units and support rstoor businesses and retailers.

e University of Michigan is leading development of the UMCI separately from Olympia and Related.

Cantor said that although there has been a change in development sequencing, Olympia and Related continue to work to bring their vision for a kick-started District Detroit to reality.

It comes amid a $770,000 infusion in the program from four new funders: Kresge Foundation, Ford Motor Co. Fund, Skillman Foundation and Michigan Central. Rocket Community Fund provided another $250,000 grant in the second round, bringing its total commitment to $1 million.

Administered by the Last Mile Education Fund, the Detroit Area Talent Fund launched as a pilot program in February 2023 as a collaboration of Rocket Community Fund, the Detroit Regional Chamber and the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation.

It builds on the Detroit Regional Chamber’s broader education and talent strategy focused on increasing access, ensuring success, and growing talent to provide opportunities to all residents throughout the region.

e fund provides low-income students pursuing post-secondary education with up to one $595 award per calendar year (or two

“Too often we are seeing students forced to leave school due to unexpected expenses.”

Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Rocket Community Fund, in a release

awards per academic year) to help them overcome unexpected issues like transportation barriers, lack of needed devices and shortages in rent and utility dollars.

A total of 1,300 students received grants during the pilot.

In its second phase, the program will leverage the additional funding from the Kresge Foundation, Skillman Foundation, Ford Fund, and Michigan

Central to support students pursuing high-demand STEM majors and credentials, ensuring program sustainability and alignment with workforce needs, the organizations said.

e targeted approach strengthens the program’s ability to serve both students and regional partners, they said. “Learning is one of the most important values to cultivate,” said Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Rocket Community Fund, in the release.

“Too often we are seeing students forced to leave school due to unexpected expenses. We are proud that the Detroit Area Talent Fund is directly investing in students to break down these barriers, empowering them to pursue their goals and ultimately fostering a more skilled and vibrant workforce.”

The view from above over the Wayne State University campus |

Kirk Pinho

A rendering of a proposed residential tower with north of 260 units at 2205 Cass Ave. | COURTESY OF OLYMPIA DEVELOPMENT OF MICHIGAN, RELATED COS.

MICHIGAN WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESSES CRAIN’S LIST

Ranked

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Marjory Winkelman Epstein, chair; Lillian Epstein Stotland, president and CEO; Lena Epstein, co-owner

ResearchedbySonyaD.Hill:shill@crain.com|Thislistofwoman-ownedbusinessesisanapproximatecompilationofthelargestsuchbusinessesheadquarteredinMichigan.Percentageofthecompany thatiswoman-ownedmaynotbesolelyheldbytheleadingshareholder.Numberoffull-timeemployeesmayincludefull-timeequivalents.Itisnotacompletelistingbutthemostcomprehensiveavailable. Crain'sestimatesarebasedonindustryanalysesandbenchmarks,newsreportsandawiderangeofothersources.Unlessotherwisenoted,informationwasprovidedbythecompanies.NA=not available. e.

from

Tigers. 2. From Forbes. Net of stadium revenue used for debt payments. 3. Estimate from Staf ng Industry Analysts.

Want the full Excel version of this list — and every list? Become a Data Member: CrainsDetroit.com/data

How Lions players grade their workplace

Here’s how the team compares to the rest of the league in each category:

If you have to play professional football somewhere, Detroit isn’t a bad place to do it. Compared to the rest of the NFL, Lions players travel comfortably, feel the team treats their families right and give head coach Dan Campbell an A+ for the 2024 season.

at’s according to a survey of more than 1,700 active NFL players conducted by the National Football League Players Association, the union representing NFL players. e survey “strives to capture an NFL player’s experience at his job/ workplace and has nothing to do with winning, or losing, football games.”

e end result: a report card grading each of the 32 teams on 11 o - eld key performance indicators, or KPIs.

Overall, the Miami Dolphins ranked rst in the survey, overtaking the Minnesota Vikings, while the Washington Commanders nished last for the second straight year.

e Lions ranked No. 13 in this year’s survey, up two slots from their No. 15 position last year.

Treatment of families

Lions grade Lions rank

B

8According to the report card, the Lions provide a family room at the stadium and day care on game days, both key measures of family treatment. “Players report that the staff is doing a very good job communicating and helping their families,” the NFLPA said.

Food/ cafeteria C 19

Nutritionist/ dietitian C+ 25

Locker room B- 13

Training room B 13

Training staff B 12

Weight room B+ 12

The team ranked No. 17 across the NFL for both food taste and freshness. Though there’s room for improvement in this category, the NFLPA said “players mention better freshness, healthier options, better taste, higher quality and great work from staff” compared to last year.

The study found that 67% of Lions players feel like they get an individualized nutrition and diet plan, with just seven teams reporting lower.

While the B- grade suggests some qualms with the locker room accommodations, an overwhelming 98% of players feel the locker room is big enough, with 94% saying they have enough room in their individual lockers, according to the report.

Lions players are relatively content with their training facilities in Allen Park. Roughly 90% of players feel they have enough hot tub and cold tub space, though “some players feel the team could use at least one more physical therapist on staff,” according to the NFLPA.

The Lions moved up 10 spots in the training staff rankings since last year, with players feeling that “the training staff moderately contributes to their success” this season, the NFLPA said. “They report much more individualized care this season compared to last year.”

The Lions ranked No. 10 overall for players’ satisfaction with the quality of the equipment in the weight room and No. 14 for perceived adequacy of space, according to the report.

Strength coaches A- 13 Detroit moved up from last year’s No. 17 ranking in the strength coach category. This season, 96% of Lions players said they feel like they got an individualized plan, according to the report, which added that “the players feel that the strength coaches signi cantly contribute to their success.”

Team travel B 8 Lions players travel relatively comfortably compared to the rest of the NFL, but the team’s ranking is down from 2023 when an A grade earned it the No. 4 slot. According to the report, “85% of the players feel like they have a comfortable amount of personal space during ights.”

Head coach A+ 3 Lions players love playing for Dan Campbell almost as much as fans like rooting for him. Campbell is the third-highest-ranked head coach in the league, according to the report, with players feeling he is “very willing to listen to the locker room.”

Ownership B- 21

Flagstar Bank paid a $1 million bitcoin ransom in 2021 to delete sensitive customer information that had been exposed in a cybersecurity attack, according to court lings.

e initial ransomware attack took place Nov. 22, 2021, and was associated with the “Shao” ransomware group, which ex ltrated data on the bank’s servers. It used distributed denial of service attacks and successfully encrypted

In a new category this year, the NFLPA asked players to rate their team’s owner on their willingness to invest in facilities. Principal owner and chair of the Detroit Lions Sheila Ford Hamp received an average rating of 8.1 out of 10 in the responses, coming in at No. 21 overall, according to the report.

data within Flagstar’s network, impacting 1.5 million clients, according to court documents.

In a recent deposition, Jennifer Charters, the chief information o cer of Flagstar, told attorneys that the decision to pay was made by then-CEO Alessandro DiNello along with Flagstar’s cyber insurance provider, the negotiator and legal counsel. Charters also said the attackers sent a ransom note via fax, which was distributed randomly, and a separate email to DiNello requesting the $1 million in bitcoin.

On Dec. 31, 2021, a professional ransomware negotiator helped Flagstar leaders make the payment to the perpetrators, according to a deposition of the rm’s chief information o cer taken in January. Tetra Defense, a cyber risk management and digital forensics rm based in Wisconsin now known as Arctic Wolf, advised Flagstar on the negotiation.

A federal judge last May consolidated multiple class action complaints over the breach from con-

sumers. A ected customers are seeking class certi cation, unspeci ed damages over $5 million and to enforce numerous cybersecurity measures at the bank. No hearing nor deadline is scheduled for the case.

Flagstar has su ered three cyberattacks in recent years.  e December 2021 attack occurred 11 months after a cyberattack exploited a le transfer software and allowed access to the personal information of 1.4 million Flagstar clients. And in June

2023, another 837,390 bank customers were exposed in a breach involving a separate le transfer software. It’s unclear how many of the company’s mortgage customers were involved in each incident.

In December 2022, Flagstar was acquired by New York Community Bancorp., which has recently seen a near-collapse and a $1 billion lifeline by a group of investors led by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s private equity rm, Liberty Strategic Capital.

Jack Grieve Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) is congratulated by tight end James Mitchell (82) after LaPorta’s two-yard touchdown reception during the rst half of a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. | AP

Anna Fifelski

Fords, Children’s Foundation to raise $10M for endowments

Sherri Welch and Thalia Beaty, Associated Press

Ten nonpro ts serving young people in Detroit will get an unusual, lasting gift as part of a campaign started by Lisa Ford and her husband, Bill Ford, the executive chairman of Ford Motor Co.

e Fords, along with e Children’s Foundation, on March 19 announced their plans to raise at least $10 million to set up permanent endowments for 10 youthserving nonpro ts in the city alongside Ford’s investment in the refurbishment of Michigan Central Station, the long-vacant train station in Detroit.

“When you think about the future and why Ford even bought the train station, the train station is all about the future. And we’ve always felt the future is all about the kids and youth, and so this is putting money where our mouth is,” Lisa Ford told Crain’s Detroit Business. “We just didn’t want to miss the opportunity of really capitalizing on that moment and somehow bene ting in another way the Detroit community.”

Ford and her husband have been very strong supporters of children’s organizations for many years, including the Children’s Center in Detroit, private schools and co-ops and youth programs at

United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

“ e organizations that serve children every day are anchor institutions that need to be here as long as that train station, and that’s what led us all to this idea of endowment,” said Andrew Stein, president and CEO of e Children’s Foundation, which is based in Detroit and was established in part by proceeds from the sale of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan in 2011.

Permanent endowments are the lifeblood of larger institutions, universities, hospitals and cultural institutions, but rarely, if ever, do community-based organizations, especially youth-serving organizations, have any endowment let alone a meaningful one, he said.

“Most organizations are living quarter to quarter year to year they raise their money and then, you know, next year they start all over again,” Stein told Crain’s.

e endowments are an old tool set for a new purpose, almost like the train station, he said.

“And we at the Children’s Foundation, and Lisa, really got this as well. We talk about trust-based equitable philanthropy — well, endowments are a way to not just shift money but also shift longterm control.”

Permanent endowments are funds a nonpro t can invest and the annual nancial returns from those investments can go into the nonpro t’s budget. ey are usually associated with major hospitals and universities — with Harvard University’s endowment famously reaching over $50 billion — rather than small community nonpro ts. Detroit-area nonprofits may apply in June, when Michigan Central Station will reopen, and each of 10 selected organizations will receive $500,000 to launch an endowment.

e Children’s Foundation will manage the nonpro ts’ endowments and o er them guidance and technical support over two years. e Michigan Central Station Children’s Endowment Campaign will also match up to $500,000 that the nonpro ts raise themselves.

Lisa Ford said the idea for creating endowments for youth nonpro ts evolved out of their commitment to supporting a robust and vibrant future for the city and the automotive industry.

“I was just blown away by these people who had ideas and deep feelings about how to help children in Detroit,” she said, explaining that part of the satisfaction of the campaign was bringing in other donors. “ e whole idea of

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

INSURANCE

Kapnick Insurance

LAW

Honigman LLP

NONPROFIT

Downtown Detroit Partnership

Michigan Central is collaboration and inclusivity. So it wasn’t something we wanted to do by ourselves. We would never have thought of it that way.”

Ford was also inspired by the success of another fundraising effort she led in September to benet a di erent Detroit children’s organization, e Children’s Center. at has put the campaign on a tight timeline to raise $10 million by June, which she said has actually been a boon in some ways.

“While that shocked a lot of people. It also allowed for us to say, you know, ‘We need an answer now,’” she said.

Endowments are relatively rare among charitable nonpro ts, with just slightly more than 10% reporting to the Internal Revenue Ser-

vice that they have one. Research from Todd Ely, associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver, and his co-authors found that larger, older nonpro ts and certain types like universities, hospitals, land trusts and arts institutions are more likely to have endowments. ey lend organizations a stronger sense of nancial credibility, Ely said, though they are not a panacea for all nancial problems.

“You just have an organization that donors know isn’t going anywhere, and it feels like a fairly safe bet to support relative to many other nonpro ts that might be operating more on a shoestring,” Ely said.

e main debate over endowments is whether the assets are more useful now or in the future, with some arguing philanthropic dollars should be used as quickly as possible. Others see endowments as a vehicle for generational equity, putting the power to direct funds into the hands of the nonpro t and its future leaders.

NONPROFIT

Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan

Kapnick Insurance is excited to announce two dynamic additions to their team: George Spanopoulos and Bill Riegner, joining as Client Executives in the Employee Bene ts division.  George, with a rich background as a nancial advisor and business owner, brings unparalleled expertise in nancial planning and asset allocation.  Bill, with a decade of industry experience in bene ts consulting for middle-market organizations, is known for his client- rst approach and innovative bene ts solutions. Angela Dean, President of Employee Bene ts, expressed enthusiasm for both hires, noting their alignment with Kapnick’s mission to provide comprehensive, tailored solutions. These strategic additions underscore Kapnick’s commitment to excellence.

Honigman LLP welcomes Corey Levin to its Real Estate Department as a partner in its Real Estate Services Practice Group. Levin focuses his practice on economic and real estate development incentives, business incentives and credits, and sustainability/clean energy tax credits. Levin’s background in law, tax, and urban planning enables him to navigate complex processes to obtain incentives, develop strategies to facilitate real estate development projects, and create equitable partnerships.

Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) recently announced Maggie Williams as director of fund development. Williams brings over a decade of experience. She joins DDP after working with Aspen Art Museum, Habitat for Humanity and recently served as development director for Boy Scouts of America. In her new role, Williams will secure grant funding for both the DDP and continual developments for Downtown Detroit. She will also work to increase and engage DDP’s general member acquisition and retainment.

Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan is thrilled to welcome Anita Martínez as Senior Vice President of Operations for the Detroit-based nonpro t preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. In this role, Martínez will manage JASEM operations including nances, facilities management, programming, and key administrative functions. She will ultimately assume the role of Chief Operating Of cer following the retirement of Cindy Bazner who has served as COO of JASEM for 47 years.

Di erent types of endowments also o er di erent tradeo s. Meadow Didier, director of consulting for Nonpro t Finance Fund, recommends a type of endowment that allows the nonpro t’s boards and leaders to access the principal amount of the endowment when needed. A quasi-endowment, also called a board-designated reserve fund, gives nonpro t leaders more exibility than a permanent endowment, she said, though she praised any donor thinking about the long-term nancial health of nonpro ts.

e Fords and the Children’s Foundation will announce the total amount raised and process for youth groups to apply for an endowment the night the train station opens, scheduled for June 6.

Beyond the endowments, the 10 groups will receive matching grants, technical assistance and guidance from the Children’s Foundation and other experts over the next two years, with the goal of each securing a permanent endowment of at least $1.5 million, Stein said. ose endowments will spin o about $70,000-$75,000 each year in unrestricted revenue for the nonpro ts.

e permanent endowments will be housed at the Children’s Foundation and managed as part of its assets, which stand at $144 million, Stein said.

Riegner Spanopoulos

Lisa and Bill Ford are co-chairs of the Michigan Central Station Children’s Endowment Campaign. | FORD MOTOR

REALTOR

From Page 1

sellers and split between the two agents seems to be on its way out. And with that change could emerge a plethora of other shifts in the industry, ranging from a potential decline in the ranks of the nation’s roughly 1.6 million licensed Realtors to some drop in home prices.

Top of mind for Brian Connolly, an assistant professor of business law with a focus on residential real estate at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business, is the potential for a vastly diminished number of Realtors focused on representing buyers.

Simply put, in the age of Zillow and Red n — which have essentially put multiple listing services in the public domain — the role of buyer’s agents could be lessened signi cantly.

“I think you’re going to see a diminished role (for buyer agents),” Connolly said. “Where buyer’s brokers still exist, I think they’re going to need to double down on sort of proving their value.”

at could mean going from a sales-based commission compensation structure to more at fees, and brokerages o ering more of an a la carte menu of service o erings ranging from white glove, full service to bare bones administrative help with the more technical aspects of home transactions, such as escrow and closing.

Dan Gutfreund, a Realtor with Signature Sotheby’s International Realty in Birmingham, said he expects to see more “dual agency,” in which buyers contact a seller’s agent directly and that Realtor winds up working both sides of the transaction.

Such a practice was common in the 1980s and before buyer representation became commonplace.

“It’s kind of come full circle,” said Gutfreund, who primarily works as a listing agent at the higher end of the market in suburbs including Birmingham and Bloom eld Hills.

Gutfreund said that given the a uent nature of most of his clients and the buyers who emerge

for those properties, he expects that both sides of the deals he works on will generally continue to have professional representation. Such transactions usually require high levels of creativity and work on the nancing aspect of high-end real estate, he said.   e changes planned by the NAR, among the largest and most powerful trade associations out there, come as part of a settlement that would have the organization paying $418 million to end litigation that plainti s have said amounts to collusion aimed at keeping commissions for Realtors considerably higher than most of the rest of the world.

e NAR would not admit any wrongdoing as part of the proposed settlement, which still requires court approval.

A key proposal of the NAR settlement would disallow a seller’s agent from advertising a commission gure to buyer’s agents in the MLS. Going forward, commissions will likely be negotiated on a deal-to-deal basis, sources said.

As Axios reported on March 18, the overall changes to the commission structure could mean an end to what some have viewed as an inherent con ict of interest — largely disputed by the Realtor community — in which agents for buyers steer clients toward higher-priced homes, which o er larger commissions.

Local real estate executives, however, are quick to note that the proposal by the NAR is far from the end of Realtor commissions.

“ e wild headlines that real estate commissions are over with are 100% (untrue),” Andrea Carollo, a Birmingham-based agent with Max Broock Realtors, wrote in an email to Crain’s on March 18. “While certainly this settlement will make for change in the industry, ultimately buyers & sellers will still want their own representation and the bene ts from services that real estate agents o er.”

Under the long-held standard o ered by the NAR with regard to Realtor commissions, home sellers have traditionally paid the commission of the buyer’s agent (typically 2%-3% of the sales

POPULATION

From Page 3

slowly than the rest of the country for years to come and start to decline in the 2040s.

In response, the governor ordered last year the establishment of the Growing Michigan Together Council, a 28-member council co-chaired by Walbridge Chairman John Rakolta Jr., a Republican and former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates; and Shirley Stancato, the Democratic vice chair of the Wayne State University board of governors and former president and CEO of New Detroit Inc.

In December, the council made a series of recommendations, including the creation of a universal pre-K system, adding housing stock and a regional public transportation framework.

ough the states gaining the most population often fare worse than Michigan in those key areas.

Pre-K-12 education, compared to 33rd for Michigan, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Texas also ranks 28th in public transportation usage, compared to 25th for Michigan.

Rounding out the top 10 are counties in Florida and South Carolina, suggesting climate may be more at play than other factors in domestic migration.

Inside Michigan, the population center also continues to move west away from metro Detroit, according to new U.S. Census Bureau population estimate data.

e top 10 largest counties in Western Michigan gained 8,045 residents between 2022 and 2033 on the aggregate, according to data. In contrast, the 10 largest counties in Eastern Michigan lost 8,965 residents.

price), but that commission fee has generally been baked into the nal price of the home. e model has allowed for homebuyers to include the Realtor compensation into their loan.

Going forward, a similar model is likely to emerge, according to Jeanette Schneider, president of Troy-based brokerage Re/Max of Southeastern Michigan.

“Looking ahead, we do not anticipate buyers will have a desire to come up with more money out of their pocket when buying a home,” Schneider wrote in an email to Crain’s. “Instead, we anticipate that the seller paying the buyer's agent commission will become a concession included in the purchase agreement, like other items that can be negotiated.”

Perhaps the biggest lingering question out there is whether the NAR changes will bring about a reduction in home prices. On that question, responses from experts with whom Crain’s spoke are somewhat mixed.

Realtors around the country receive a total of around $100 billion in total commissions and that number could be cut by around 30%, the Washington Post recently reported. But the current market forces — locally and around the country — of limited inventory and relatively strong demand means prices will likely remain elevated, according to Schneider with Re/Max.

“ e limited inventory of homes for sale restricts the options available to buyers, leading to more intense competition,” Schneider told Crain's. “As long as this dynamic continues, we anticipate upward pressure on prices.”

Connolly, the UM professor, largely agreed. “Does this mean that all of a sudden you’re going to see a 3% (decline) in home prices because all of a sudden people aren’t paying broker fees? Probably not,” he said.

“We’re in a really, really supplyconstrained housing market.

ere’s low inventory out there, there’s not a ton of new construction,” he continued. “In a perfectly elastic market, you might see that type of decline in home prices. It seems like it’s going to take some time for the market to sort that out.”

Of the counties with the largest net growth of population, ve were in Texas. Texas ranks 37th in

e new data shows a continued trend of metro Detroit, alongside Flint and Monroe, losing population — experts assign a whole host of causes, such as reliance on manufacturing, poor public services, etc. — as smaller West Michigan communities build gains.

The biggest lingering question is whether the NAR changes will bring about a reduction in home prices. BLOOMBERG

COMERICA

From Page 1

e second phase of renovations, which began in October and will be complete in the coming weeks, is more extensive with more to come, including further investment at the ballpark and other facilities owned and operated by the Tigers, the executive said.

e large-scale investments at Comerica Park are part of a directive handed down by team owner Christopher Ilitch and Scott Harris, the president of baseball operations who was hired in 2022, to develop a winning culture. at meant spending heavily on player and fan experiences. Ilitch announced to players last year plans for a new team plane.

e city of Detroit issued a construction permit for “alterations on the clubhouse level” of Comerica Park recently, according to a city building record, which valued the structural changes at $10 million. e actual costs are signi cantly higher, the executive said.

e team declined to provide speci cs on the build-out of the clubhouse or renovations planned in the future. Major League Baseball teams keep details related to clubhouse activity and training facilities close to the vest for competitive reasons.

I-75

From Page 1

Detroit got a $1.9 million grant, backed by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, to study the capping idea under a spending bill signed this month by President Joe Biden.

And the developers of e District Detroit, Olympia Development of Michigan and e Related Cos., agreed to contribute a $400,000 match to the Downtown Detroit Partnership as part of tax incentives and a community bene ts agreement that were approved roughly a year ago.

“ e interesting thing about the cap is not only does it really connect the two sections of our downtown, but it also provides for some great public space on top of the cap,” Downtown Detroit Partnership CEO Eric Larson said. “ ink about what could be, depending on the size of the cap, a very significant public space or park that becomes a community asset. We’ll be doing a lot of studies around that. We don’t have any predetermined conclusions. And that’s why this grant is so important.”

It is unknown how much the I-75 lid would cost. Talk of the cap sprung from talks about overhauling I-375 and picked up steam during the District Detroit community bene ts process, Larson said, when questions were posed on how to restitch downtown and make it more attractive.

“ ere was an opportunity to not only think about I-375 but also how the overall transportation network in the downtown was coming together. ere is a signicant amount of investment over

the next 10 years that’s going to be required by MDOT and the city. When we make those investments, what do we do to make sure that they are not only smart but also long-term? And 75 came into focus,” he said.

Asked how big the lid could be, Larson said it depends. It could range from 3 or 4 acres to “signicantly larger” if it covered the entire east-west span downtown, he said, pointing to the 7.8-mile Big Dig project in Boston and the 5.2acre Klyde Warren Park in Dallas.

e “deck park,” which opened in 2012, was built over a recessed eight-lane freeway. e $110 million project had $56.7 million in government funding, with the rest coming from donations to a foundation.

“ e precedent projects that we can look at have been able to span very signi cant sections of highway and then you can always pull back from there,” he said.

A fact sheet released by the U.S. Department of Transportation says the I-75 project seeks to reconnect the Midtown/Cass Corridor area by Brush Park to down-

town, including the University of Michigan Center for Innovation being built on Cass Avenue.

“

ese two communities have been burdened with blight and are historically disadvantaged with poor health, lack of green space, heavy pollution, and lots of tra c,” the document states. “ e cap will advance three neighborhoods by restoring community connectivity, expanding mobility, and improving economic opportunities for future and current residents.”

e $2 million planning grant is among $3.3 billion awarded to 132 communities through the Reconnecting Communities & Neighborhoods Grant Program, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

Sam Krassenstein, Detroit’s chief of infrastructure, said the city appreciates the federal earmark and “is strongly supportive of projects like the I-75 overbuild that help to bridge divides between neighborhoods created by infrastructure.” It will bring funding “to the early stages of planning and design work that will lay the groundwork on bringing this idea to reality,” he said.

above the seats in left eld as the home opener draws near. e board is being extended to cover what had been used for sponsor signage. At 15,688 square feet, the video board will be the secondlargest in Major League Baseball, behind only the New York Mets’ 17,400-square-foot video board at Citi Field in Queens.

Inside the stadium, new TV monitors connected to an IPTV system will improve the fan experience along the concourse, the team said. Audio enhancements will be ready for this season with more improvements coming next year.

Improvements at the ballpark come as the team looks to give fans a better product on the eld.

e Tigers are expected to be a factor in a less-than-great American League Central. Detroit nished 78-84 in 2023 — good for second place in the AL Central, and nine games behind the rstplace Minnesota Twins. e 78 wins in 2023 are the team’s most since winning 86 games in 2016. Detroit hasn’t made the playo s since 2014.

Crews could be seen at the ballpark recently operating a crane and piecing together panels of the new video board towering

MACKINAC

From Page 3

Timothy Moskalik said in the release that he and the Pulte family have been “honored” to be stewards of the iconic Mackinac Island property they’ve owned since 1995.

“It has been a privilege to carry on the tradition of Bill Pulte, who loved the island so much,” Moskalik said in the release. “We are thrilled to pass along this heritage to Jon and Lauren Cotton. We are equally excited for the opportunities that this sale presents to our associates and guests and the island itself.”

Jon Cotton is CEO of Grosse Pointe Farms-based ApexHealth, a Medicare Advantage plan that serves North Carolina and South Carolina. He formerly was president and COO of the familyowned Meridian Health Plan Inc., which sold for $2.5 billion in 2018.

“As longtime residents of Michigan, my family and I have visited the island many times and understand the importance of these historic hotels to the future of Mackinac Island,” Cotton said in the release. “I am excited to honor the history and tradition of the Harbour View Inn.” e deal marks the latest in a string of hospitality investments for the Cottons.

ey bought the Hotel Iroquois, a family-owned operation on Mackinac Island, in 2020. In November, they acquired Petoskeybased Sta ord’s Hospitality Inc. Sta ord’s includes the Noggin Room Pub in Petoskey, Weather-

“Investing in a world-class entertainment experience at Comerica Park for Tigers fans is a top priority for our organization and we are excited to make these enhancements heading into next season,” Ryan Gustafson, hired as executive vice president and COO for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment a year ago, said in a December news release.

Comerica Park, which hosted its first game in 2000, is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority and leased and controlled by the Ilitch organization, which collects all proceeds from games at the ballpark and is responsible for maintenance.

— Crain’s Detroit Business reporter Jay Davis contributed to this report.

vane Restaurant in Charlevoix and Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs, as well as the Perry Hotel and Bay View Inn in Petoskey and the Crooked River Lodge in Alanson.

e Cottons retained Troybased Hotel Investment Services to continue as Harbour View’s management company. e rm also manages the Cottons’ other properties.

Ron Wilson, CEO of HIS, said in the release that there is “tremendous opportunity” to preserve and build upon the hotel’s legacy.

e Cottons said they are planning renovations and landscape improvements at the property.

Magdelaine LaFramboise, the daughter of a French-Canadian father and an Odawa mother, built what was then called Chateau LaFramboise in 1820, according to the publication Mackinac History. e property was used as a summer cottage on the island until 1995, when Bill and Karen Pulte acquired it and transformed it into Harbour View Inn.

e hotel is situated among other cottages and mansions, and it now consists of four buildings — the main hotel, Cottage House, Guest House and Carriage House.

Crews piece together panels of the new videoboard at Comerica Park in Detroit. | KURT NAGL

A rendering shows what the updated videoboard at Comerica Park will look like after it is expanded to 15,688 square feet — the second largest in Major League Baseball. DETROIT TIGERS

Klyde Warren Park, a 5-acre deck park in Dallas, was built over a recessed eight-lane freeway. | KLYDE WARREN PARK

Harbour View Inn | HARBOUR VIEW INN

INSULIN

From Page 3

e bill shows the level to which governments are willing to go in an attempt to control insulin production and reign in the pharmaceutical market.

A November 2021 World Health Organization report noted that the three pharmaceutical companies — Indianapolis-based Eli Lily & Co., Denmark’s Novo Nordisk and France-based Sano S.A. — dominate the non-competitive global insulin market. e companies “have considerable market power on pricing, supply and demand,” according to the WHO report.

Insulin prices have risen 24% since 2017, with spending in the last decade tripling to $22.3 billion in 2022, according to the American Diabetes Association. For those without insurance, a vial or pen of insulin ranged from $135 to more than $350 in 2022, but with insurance, those prices dropped depending on coverage. Some plans completely cover insulin under a copay from $25 to $100 per month to patients having to pay the full cost of the insulin until a pharmacy deductible is met.

It also depends on a formula controlled by pharmacy bene t managers, such as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, OptumRx and others, that o er discounts on some insulin drugs and not others.

But the introduction of generic and biosimilar insulins has also shrunk insulin pricing. Between January 2020 and January 2023, insulin prices actually fell by 10.6%, according to discount drug price tracker and service company GoodRx Health.

Generics like insulin lispro and insulin aspart have provided more a ordable options.

e federal government’s involvement, which also resulted in hearings with pharmaceutical CEOs, has put public pressure for the big insulin makers to reduce prices.

Can it work?

Which is where the market sits as the state mulls a $50 millionplus plan to manufacture statebranded insulin.

e bill is a take on a plan from California, which entered into 10year, $50 million contract with new nonpro t drugmaker Civica Rx in March 2023. Civica Rx is a hospital-owned company, including Corewell Health, designed to provide generic or biosimilar medications to patients at lower

costs. It operates a new plant in Virginia.

Under the California plan, Civica Rx will manufacture three forms of insulin — glargine, lispro and aspart — to patients in the state under the brand CalRx. e CalRx-labeled drugs will cost no more than $30 per 10 milliliter vial and no more than $55 for a box of ve insulin pen cartridges.

Despite plans to begin distribution in late 2023, Civica Rx is still undergoing clinical trials for the generic insulin and awaiting U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval sometime this year.

Civica Rx is likely one of the two generic drugmakers the state of Michigan has already been in contact with about its plan. VanderWall did not con rm the drugmakers.

VanderWall believes Michigan’s plan will result in insulin costs down below $50 per month for most Michiganders. He said while price caps and generic insulin options help, there are still too many loopholes for diabetes patients.

“If you really look at what the cap is from the pharmaceutical companies, there are a lot of strings and it really limits who can really get the product at that capped price,” VanderWall said. “If we can deliver this this product at $50 or less, the health outcomes in the state will be tremendous.”

He said, at worst, this plan will aid state employees with diabetes and reduce the state’s medical spend.

But most state employees are on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plans, which along with its national organization and 17 of its peer plans in the country signed a contract with Civica Rx in 2020.

e plans provided Civica with $55 million to create a joint venture subsidiary to acquire generic drugs for its members.

It’s unclear how that impacts VanderWall’s cost-savings point. e plan also faces future challenges due to term limits, which means a new set of legislators could come in and scrap the plan all together in the future.

Nevertheless, the bill’s supporters are pushing the plan through the House of Representatives with hopes of it clearing committee for a vote in the near future.

“I am not denying the challenges, but we’re going to work through those challenges to make sure we do what’s right,” VanderWall said. “Our main focus right now is to work this legislation and pull out all of that muckiness and hit it hard to make sure we have a solid plan and a solid bill. e reward to Michiganders is worth it.”

Forgotten Harvest makes $5M gift go a long way

A $5 million microgrant program created by Forgotten Harvest to strengthen food distribution in metro Detroit with grants to grassroots groups is seeing early success.

The support is already boosting volunteer engagement for groups that rely on them to operate, producing operating efficiencies and increasing food distribution, leaders say.

“We’ve learned quite a bit,” CEO Adrian Lewis said.

In ensuring a sustainable food distribution network, “minor infrastructure improvements really (make) a huge di erence in these matters,” he said.

e Oak Park-based food rescue organization created the fund with part of the $25 million gift it received from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to launch the microgrants program in December 2022.

So far, Forgotten Harvest has provided $2.3 million through three rounds of $10,000-$150,000 grants to 55 pantries, churches, soup kitchens and other community-based groups distributing emergency food in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. For many, the funds are the rst or biggest grant they have received, said Maud Lyon, administrator of the capacity grant program for Forgotten Harvest.

Just a little more than a year into the program, rm numbers on overall percentage increases in the number of people served and amount and types of food distributed aren’t yet available, but grantees are reporting early success, Lyon said.

Among the two dozen grantees in the first two rounds of the grant program:

71% reported increased volunteer commitment with more volunteers showing up and current volunteers giving more hours.

63% reported more efficient logistics with the grants, helping them serve more people in less time.

42% said they have increased the amounts and types of food distributed.

“Clear and away, the biggest impact is improving the volunteer experience and improving their morale, and this is hugely important to these pantries because they depend on volunteer manpower to function,” Lyon said.

Agencies’ needs

At the top of the list from the agencies requesting are refrigerators, freezers or walk-in coolers to reduce food waste; and facility renovations from painting and shelving and sheds for storage to electrical upgrades, bathrooms, kitchen upgrades and roof repairs, Lyon said.

Sta ng needs are also a com-

mon request. Forgotten Harvest has funded some sta aid but also helped leverage increased volunteerism for the groups through things like adding a bathroom or providing chairs and tents to help shelter those at outdoor food drives from the elements and making parking lot updates that improve safety for volunteers, prevent them from having to help push cars out of potholes and enable two lines of cars to go through at once to pick up food for increased e ciencies.

Grants to fund forklifts and pallet jacks are taking the pressure off volunteers. And physical improvements to building exteriors and parking lots are helping attract new volunteers to the small groups, Lyon said.

Other grants have gone to local client choice pantries, which provide emergency food and other supportive services for those in need through a grocery store format where they can shop for the things they need and want.

Redford Interfaith Relief, for example, was able to gain efficiencies and improve service to the people coming for help by using its grant to secure better client scheduling software, reusable grocery bags, shopping carts, freezer and refrigerator upgrades and parking lot improvements, Lyon said.

Those types of things, which help clients feel respected and valued are huge things “for somebody who is on the edge and struggling just to have enough food to put on the table for their kids,” she said.

Detroit-based God’s Storehouse purchased a new customized van for food deliveries to seniors, people with disabilities and homeless with a $126,000 grant from Forgotten Harvest. It includes not only hot and cold storage but higher ceilings so volunteers can stand upright while handing out food, a side window for con dential consultations with clients in need of other referrals, a loudspeaker for addressing people waiting in line and an external light so people can recognize the nonpro t’s banner and know it’s the food delivery van.

e grant and van have moved the emergency food provider to new levels of e ciency, unity and faith, helping to increase morale, the number of volunteers and the number of people served, Pastor Toni-Brooke Brown said in a grant report to Forgotten Harvest.

“We are now looking at more ways to help people to get out of their situation,” Brooke said. “We have been distributing food and other items from our facility for nearly 30 years. But this last year has made us most e cient in our distribution outside of the walls.”

City Covenant Church in Brightmoor used its grant to buy muchneeded kitchen equipment.

“When an organization of the magnitude of Forgotten Harvest acknowledges and partners with us, we can’t help but feel a sense of validation. It tells the poor and disenfranchised that someone does care and renewed our condence that this is what God has called us to do,” said the church’s pastor, Semmeal omas.

Rep. Curtis VanderWall, R-Ludington, testi es before the Michigan House on House Bill 4890 on Feb. 29. | VIDEO SCREENSHOT

Sherri Welch

Covenant House Michigan cook Lashawn Lee shows off the much-needed kitchen equipment the nonpro t purchased with a Forgotten Harvest grant for use in its emergency food program.

A grant from Forgotten Harvest to Highland Park-based God’s Storehouse enabled it to purchase a new customized emergency food delivery van. | PHOTOS BY FORGOTTEN HARVEST

Linh Song exes muscle in politics

Philanthropist, affordable housing advocate and Ann Arbor City Council member Linh Song has volunteered in the nonpro t sector for decades and, in recent years, has nancially supported Democratic candidates and causes. She and her husband, Dug, who sold the cybersecurity company he co-founded, Duo Security, for $2.35 billion in 2018, started The Song Foundation in 2019. A year later, she was elected to the City Council after previously winning terms on the Ann Arbor District Library Board of Trustees. In 2022, she co-chaired and gave $250,000 to a ballot committee that successfully added abortion rights into the Michigan Constitution after the reversal of Roe v. Wade. She serves on the boards of the Skillman Foundation, the Michigan Municipal League Foundation and Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County, among others. She has a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s of social work from the University of Michigan. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What is your background?

I joke that I'm not going to run for higher o ce in the state of Michigan because they'll nd out that I was born at OSU (Ohio State University) Hospital. at might be my undoing. My parents were refugees from Vietnam and Laos. (My dad) escaped when Saigon fell to the Communists in 1975. He was a Medevac pilot for the South Vietnamese Air Force and landed on a U.S. naval air carrier, was in a refugee camp on Guam, came to the U.S. A Lutheran church sponsored him. I think he was their rst southeast Asian refugee sponsored to Gahanna, Ohio. A year later, my mom … escaped from Laos with her siblings when the Communists started rounding up anyone who was educated for reuni cation. She was a middle school teacher. Our beginnings are in Ohio. I'm the rst-born American on both sides of the family. It was tough. My parents had to learn English. My mom learned English as a fth language. My dad learned English as a third language. e only English he knew was from American rock n’ roll lyrics. He was a big fan of CCR (Credence Clearwater Revival). But no one was going to hire a Medicac pilot who ew the DMZ in Ohio, right? He started as a janitor, a dishwasher, cutting chicken. My mom did some soldering work on an assembling line. ey were grateful that someone told them about WIC, (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children). at was something that they often would talk about as being the rst form of relief. Having two children within two years of each other was really tough, being evicted, not being able to pay for rent, trying to live with a cousin, putting themselves through community college and then eventually college. … ey made the most of struggling and being alone in this country for the most part. My dad eventually nished OSU engineering in three years, buying and selling cars out of the paper and xing them up and selling them to help pay for college. He was hired by Ford. I mostly grew up in Dearborn. en it was my mom's turn to go to college. She got a job at U of M here in Ann Arbor for the Department of Kinesiology helping with their computer database work. I came up here

to U of M as a freshman. I've mostly been in Ann Arbor ever since. Met my husband. We were both working as line cooks at a Chinese-Korean bakery. He skateboarded in.

Last year, you hosted an event in Detroit to focus on women of color in politics. Why?

Being a local elected, you can see how difficult it is to recruit women who can see themselves in these positions. I never thought I'd ever run for office honestly. I did my MSW and then I worked in anti-trafficking in international adoption with a small nonprofit in D.C. and I raised kids. But I kept showing up at city hall giving public comments on things like (the city council rejecting a development that would have provided affordable housing for low-income seniors). That was devastating to local service agencies. ... What really hit me is how these decisions are made. Neighbors protesting against some new neighbors was something that was so offensive to me, a first-born daughter of refugees who were welcomed by strangers. … That project (loss) was devastating. The Ann Arbor area is the eighth-most (economically) segregated community in the U.S. (She pointed to a 14-year life expectancy difference between Black and White residents.) ... In 2022, we finally were able to bring in more BIPOC council members in Ann Arbor. We didn't have a Black

representative in 15 years. In 2022, both Cynthia Harrison and Chris Watson were elected. They're products of Ann Arbor, grew up here, went to public schools here, their families are here. It's just really meaningful for me to have better representation. It's something I would love to see in other cities because municipal work is what I feel like can impact the quality of life most directly.

You co-chaired Reproductive Freedom for All, the ballot drive that enshrined abortion rights. Will the issue remain relevant in the 2024 political cycle?

(Song noted she was first involved with the 2018 Promote the Vote ballot proposal, which authorized no-reason absentee voting and expanded other voting rights.) After Roe vs. Wade (was overturned), I asked is there anything else I can help with. I was happy to because I had survived an ectopic pregnancy after our youngest child was born. We only live five minutes from the hospital. I would have died. The issue is very personal to me. I feel it's reproductive health care. I'm very grateful for the work that our health care providers do in difficult situations without a politician in the room. I wanted to see what I could do to support community members rallying behind preserving that right here and access here.

Preserving the right to vote, preserving the right have a say in what women can do with

CrainsDetroit.com

President and CEO KC Crain

Group publisher Jim Kirk, (312) 397-5503 or jkirk@crain.com

Executive editor Mickey Ciokajlo, (313) 446-0319 or mickey.ciokajlo@crain.com

Managing editor Michael Lee, (313) 446-1630 or malee@crain.com

Director of audience and engagement Elizabeth

Couch, (313) 446-0419 or elizabeth.couch@crain.com

Director of visual media Stephanie Swearngin

Creative director Thomas J. Linden, tlinden@crain.com

Audience engagement editor Matthew Pollock

Assistant managing editor Beth Reeber Valone

By | David Eggert

our bodies that's medically informed, that's essential.

You and Dug founded the Song Foundation. What are your goals and what do you want to support?

With the foundation, our geography's di erent. We've really focused on Washtenaw County, Detroit, Flint (and elsewhere.) We started in 2019 and really ramped up in 2020 as the pandemic was hitting. Dug and I worked together to do our rst initiative (to help) small businesses who wouldn't have been able to make rent, to maintain payroll. ... It was an easy thing for us to be able to help folks to make sure they could have that little bit of security before federal relief hit. ... It's one thing to serve on boards, and it's another to actually be a grant maker. I'm really pleased. I think we're all really pleased with (executive director) Khalilah (Burt Gaston) and how she's shepherded the past couple of years with strategic planning and the gifts. Sometimes they're anonymous. We really want to make it a story about the work and not about us. We don't do press releases. It's been a learning process for us and I think a good way to understand partnerships in communities, which I think is a strong way of approaching philanthropy. We really want to learn what the greatest needs are and where the leaders are in the community. If there's an innovative way to approach an issue — when it comes to justice work, equity, economic equity, innovation — they're letting us know. It’ll be interesting to see where we are in 10 years as our kids grow older.

You mentioned housing as a focus. What is Ann Arbor doing to address affordable housing?

Besides our affordable housing millage in 2020 that was passed — which was great, we needed a way to actually fund development on our public parcels — the one thing that our city council has been really working on is rezoning. The last two areas that we're rezoning, it's called TC1 (transit corridor), it's like transit-oriented development, making sure that we can encourage multi-use, multi-level buildings along our heavy transit corridors.

Assistant managing editor Amy Barczy

Assistant managing editor-special projects

Leslie Green

Projects editor Stacy Sominski

Associate creative director Karen Freese Zane

Digital design editor Jason McGregor

Art directors

Kayla Byler, Carolyn McClain, Joanna Metzger Design and copy editor Beth Jachman

Research and data editor Sonya Hill

Notables coordinator Ashley Maahs

Newsroom (313) 446-0329

REPORTERS

Jay Davis, restaurants, retail and small businesses, (313) 446-1612 or jason.davis@crain.com

David Eggert, politics, policy and energy, (313) 446-1654 or david.eggert@crain.com

Anna Fifelski, banking, investment and innovation anna. felski@crain.com

Jack Grieve, audience engagement, jack.grieve@crain.com

Nick Manes, residential real estate and mortgage industry, (313) 446-1626 or nmanes@crain.com

Kurt Nagl, manufacturing, law and courts, (313) 446-0337 or knagl@crain.com

Kirk Pinho, real estate, (313) 446-0412 or kpinho@crain.com

Dustin Walsh, health care and cannabis, (313) 446-6042 or dwalsh@crain.com

Sherri Welch, nonpro ts, philanthropy and higher education, (313) 446-1694 or swelch@crain.com

ADVERTISING

Senior vice president of sales Susan Jacobs, (312) 649-5492 or susan.jacobs@crain.com

Sales director Bernie Barnes Munk, (206) 310-0313 or bernice.munk@crain.com

Michigan events director Samantha Flowers, samantha. owers@crain.com

Events planner Isabella Kulchycki, isabella.kulchycki@crain.com

Senior account executives

Maria Marcantonio, Sharon Mulroy

Account executives Ainsley Burgess, Tawni Sharp People on the Move manager Debora Stein, (917) 226-5470 or dstein@crain.com

Classi ed sales Suzanne Janik, (313) 446-0455 or sjanik@crain.com

Sales assistant Rachel Smith

CRAIN’S CONTENT STUDIO

Senior director of Crain’s Content Studio Kristin Bull, (313) 446-1608 or kbull@crain.com

Crain’s Content Studio manager Clare Pfeiffer

Content marketing specialist Allie Jacobs

PRODUCTION

Vice president, product Kevin Skaggs

Product manager Tim Simpson

Media services manager Nicole Spell

CUSTOMER SERVICE (877) 824-9374, customerservice@crainsdetroit.com

Reprints Laura Picariello, (732) 723-0569, lpicariello@crain.com

(1911-1996)

Editorial &

Linh Song is an Ann Arbor City Council member, philanthropist, member of several nonpro t boards and a Democratic donor. COURTESY OF THE SONG FOUNDATION

Boring gets a bad rap. Boring may be a square, but boring matters. Boring is the first step in any bold venture. Boring calculus straps bold to a rocket and hurtles it into space. Boring is the foundation for anything exciting we do. Boring is necessary for unboring to be born. Boring is smart and steady. Boring does the math. Boring makes the plans. Boring reads annual reports for fun. Boring may play it safe, but is that a bad thing? Boring is what the world needs. Boring is exactly what you want in a bank.Boring isn’t sexy or trying to be cool. Boring doesn’t take unnecessary risks with customers’ money. Boring is an incredibly valuable way of thinking. Boring makes anniversaries in Bora Bora happen. Boring turns startups into companies people have actually heard of. Boring builds communities that thrive. Boring put a little aside for your son’s fifth year of college. Boring had a feeling about him. Boring is there when you need it. Boring may sound repetitive but only because it needs to be said. Boring knows the simplest answer is usually the smartest one. Boring may be a square, but that’s what makes boring brilliant