11 hours ago
Innovation hub to open at former Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School in Midtown Detroit
Innovation hub to open at former Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School in Detroit
Innovation hub to open at former Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School in Detroit
Innovation hub to open at former Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School in Detroit
For almost 10 years, the doors of the former Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School in Midtown Detroit have remained closed, with little chance of reopening.
"It was going to be an eyesore and a detriment to the neighborhood to sit here empty," said Marcia Ventura, Senior Vice President, Invest Detroit.
Rather than let that happen, Marcia Ventura and the team at Invest Detroit decided to give the building a new lease on life by converting it into an innovation hub.
"We were going to try to create a creative environment for businesses to help foster business in the city of Detroit," said Ventura.
Rebranding as the Jefferson Hub, the space will soon open to welcome tenants at all levels of creation, from the early stages of planning to full-fledged small businesses.
"It's come together better than we could have hoped; we think it's beautiful," said Ventura.
Ventura says Invest Detroit's involvement goes far beyond just being a landlord.
The non-profit focuses on community development and offers prospective business owners funding to kickstart their dreams.
"The whole idea is to bring people out of their office to meet each other in the corridors and the common areas, and to share ideas and get to know each other and create community," said Ventura.
Invest Detroit will anchor the 115,000-square-foot building at 950 Selden, which sits just steps from the Lodge Freeway.
Right now, they are hoping to attract interested tenants to move in and encourage them to make the transformed space their own.
"It's very rewarding what we're doing, being the first ones here, and we can already see some catalytic effect," said Ventura.
The organization hopes to have the building fully leased and fully operational by the end of 2026.
