Director’s Corner: Land Bank Assists Henry Ford Health Development
During the last several years, Henry Ford Health System has been involved in land acquisition south of West Grand Boulevard in Detroit with a vision that includes a proposed $500-million investment in its flagship hospital and expansion of the medical campus.
Last month, I reported to you about the purchase of DMC by Vanguard and their plans to invest close to $1 billion in Midtown Detroit. I am proud to announce even more health care investment in Wayne County and the City of Detroit.
Henry Ford Health System’s bold vision to expand and lead a collaborative effort to redevelop 300 acres in the New Center area is the kind of leadership that will create a prosperous future for the metro Detroit region.
During the last several years, Henry Ford Health System has been involved in land acquisition south of West Grand Boulevard in Detroit with a vision that includes a proposed $500-million investment in its flagship hospital and expansion of the medical campus. Henry Ford hopes to work with developers to attract another $500 million in investment for residential, retail and other commercial projects that would transform blighted property into a vibrant health park.
I’m pleased the Wayne County Land Bank has played a key role in this exciting project by partnering with Henry Ford to help purchase land for the expansion and other developments. More than 100 parcels have been acquired through the Land Bank.
The Land Bank partnership with Henry Ford was a perfect fit.
The Wayne County Land Bank is a governmental authority that manages abandoned, underutilized or blighted property and creates a productive use for the property.
Our Land Bank provides economic incentives to owners to rehabilitate their property; sells abandoned property at affordable rates; works with non-profits and developers to find economic support for new projects, and fixes up or demolishes blighted property to create cleaner, safer neighborhoods. More information is available at www.waynecounty.com/landbank.
Henry Ford Health System has always been a major investor in Detroit and Wayne County and I commend its leadership for taking this important first step in redevelopment of the New Center area.
This is another sign of the prominent role health care will play in the economic development of our region.
Recently, Vanguard Health Systems of Tennessee announced it would invest about $1.5 billion to purchase and expand the Detroit Medical Center. Wayne County approved a Renaissance Zone to help the deal.
The DMC expansion will create thousands of construction jobs and permanent health-care jobs in the city. The Vanguard investment is equivalent to the investment of Ford Field, Comerica Park and Compuware.
The Henry Ford and DMC projects are prime examples of private-public partnerships at work. Wayne County is aggressively interacting with the business community, developers and others to encourage investments that will maintain and produce local jobs.
Together, we will create a bright future.
Turkia Awada Mullin is the Chief Development Officer for Wayne County EDGE
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