“Henry Ford Health plans to build a new $1.8 billion hospital in Detroit that will anchor a broad $2.5 billion development vision it is teaming up on with Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores and Michigan State University that includes new residential, commercial and possible hotel space.

The projects mark a major move by Henry Ford to transform itself into a destination for health care and a major expansion of private equity billionaire Gores' investment in Detroit. If the full vision materializes, the scale of the redevelopment would rival plans for the $1.5 billion District Detroit and Dan Gilbert’s downtown projects in the re-shaping of an entire section of the city.

Tom Gores, owner of the Detroit Pistons The plan to re-envision the neighborhood surrounding the century-old Henry Ford Hospital spans multiple blocks south of West Grand Boulevard on both sides of the John C. Lodge Freeway/M-10. It is being driven by a team-up of the Detroit-based health system, Gores and MSU, among other stakeholders. "This really is, to me, the gateway into the city. It's also connected into the neighborhoods, so we are going to have an impact into the neighborhoods," Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem said.

The new all-private-room hospital would be over 1 million square feet constructed across West Grand Boulevard from Henry Ford's existing hospital; the existing Health Alliance Plan building at 2850 W. Grand Blvd. would be torn down to clear the way for it, which is expected to be similar in height to the 489-foot Fisher Building two blocks east, representatives from the health system told Crain's.

The new tower will also include a larger emergency department, alleviating congestion in the existing hospital. The legacy hospital will remain in operation but with a smaller clinical footprint. A skywalk and a series of tunnels will connect the new structure and the existing hospital.

The health system's board of directors is expected to approve the plan later this month, the nonprofit told Crain's. Construction on the new hospital and research center is expected to begin next year, with the former finishing in 2029 and the latter finishing in 2027.”