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GM doubles leased space in Detroit Hudson’s building to 4 floors

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GM doubles leased space in Detroit Hudson’s building to 4 floors


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Excitement is growing inside General Motors for the company to relocate from its current world headquarters at the Renaissance Center along the Detroit River to the new Hudson’s Detroit building on Woodward — so much so that the company will now double the space it planned to occupy at the new location, sources said.

GM confirmed to the Detroit Free Press on Monday that it plans to lease four floors in the Hudson’s building, rather than the original plan to take up two floors, when it moves into the building either late next year or early 2026.

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“It’s good news that we’re taking up more space in the building for our employees,” a person familiar with the plans told the Free Press. The person asked to not be named because they are not authorized to share this information publicly. “There’s a lot of excitement around it and a lot of folks and teams have raised their hands to say they want to be down there.”

The overall $1.4 billion Hudson’s project is two new side-by-side buildings: A 49-story skyscraper and a wider 12-story “office block.” A total of 1.5 million square feet of space is planned. The developer is Dan Gilbert’s real estate firm Bedrock.

The person familiar with the project said the plans call for a restaurant on the top floor of the office block. GM will now occupy floors 8 through 11. The new world headquarters at the Hudson’s site will be home to GM’s key support corporate staff employees with functions such as communications and accounting, as well as the top executives, the person said. GM salaried employees have been working under a hybrid system since earlier this year under which they are required to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

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As the Detroit Free Press reported in April, the Hudson’s skyscraper tower is expected to contain a 210-room ultraluxury Edition Hotel and about 97 condominiums and apartments. Commercial real estate brochures show each floor in the office tower next door is just under 50,000 rentable square feet. That means, based on standard office space allocation, a 50,000-square-foot office could fit about 285 to 300 people if allowing for 150-175 square feet per person, according to Zippia.com. The number would vary depending on the office layout, desired density and any communal areas such as conference rooms included in the space. 

GM spokesman Kevin Kelly confirmed GM’s expansion to four floors, but declined to say how many GM employees will be assigned to the building or other details. In Michigan, GM employs 51,400 people, Kelly said.

In a statement to the Free Press on Tuesday, Kelly said, “GM is proud to call Detroit our global corporate headquarters, as it has since 1911. Hudson’s Detroit is a modern office location that fits the evolving needs of our workforce, and our employees have shared how excited they are about the new location. We now have the opportunity to bring even more people downtown and will expand our HQ offices to about double the size originally planned.”

GM announced it would relocate its world headquarters in April. It will be the anchor tenant at Hudson’s Detroit and have a 15-year lease.

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GM bought its five towers at the RenCen for pennies on the dollar in 1996 without needing a mortgage. In moving, GM walks away from unneeded office space, but it takes on the cost of rent. GM has not provided its operating costs, such as taxes, utilities and janitorial expenses at the RenCen. GM President Mark Reuss said in April that GM would incur costs in the move, but declined to provide specifics or say how much rent GM will pay. 

On Monday, GM released its plans for the RenCen once it relocates. It said the tallest tower would stay standing while two others would be demolished to then remake the iconic complex. The RenCen office space has struggled to stay filled after COVID-19 when many workers went remote and stayed that way. The cost to revamp the complex is $1.6 billion, including $250 million GM seeks in public support.

The development on the Hudson’s site broke ground in December 2017. It is the former site of the landmark J.L. Hudson Co. department store, which closed in 1983 and was imploded in 1998.

Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. Staff reporter J.C. Reindl contributed to this article.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

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Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know


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Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

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Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

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Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

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His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills


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The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.

Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.

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Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.

In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.

“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.

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But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.

The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.

But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.



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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning


Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit. 

A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.

The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.

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The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.

Local perspective:

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A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.

Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.

The backstory:

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This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.

This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.

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Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.

The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story. 

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