Detroit development VP addresses Intercity Visit attendees

Before Olympia Development of Michigan builds a project, it builds relationships with residential and business stakeholders.

“A lot of times, particularly in Detroit, people can be development-averse,” said Rian English-Barnhill, vice president of government affairs and community relations for Olympia. “They are afraid of what comes next. Development has not been particularly kind to urban centers.

“When development has displaced people or priced people out or makes people feel like they are not welcome, they will galvanize and they will take public comment and they will be passionate into a microphone and block a project. So, it’s really important to lead with community engagement.”

That practice is paying off for Olympia.

An arm of Ilitch Holdings, owners of Little Caesars, the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, the real estate company has developed more than 2 million square feet in Detroit, generating more than $4 billion in estimated economic growth.

English-Barnhill was a speaker last week at the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Intercity Visit to Detroit. More than 125 attendees from across northeast Oklahoma – including city and county elected officials, business leaders, regional partners, education administrators and young professionals – participated in the three-day trip, which ended Oct. 9.

Partnering with the New York-based Related Companies, Olympia Development is developing The District Detroit, a world-class entertainment, sports, education and cultural district.

One of the district’s newest proposed assets is the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, a $250 million academic campus. Completion of the facility is scheduled for 2027.

“These types of innovation centers have been really groundbreaking in other cities,” English-Barnhill said. “In addition to the academic building, we are also adding an incubator, as well as a residential tower, to keep that talent here in Detroit.”

Besides constructing large-scale projects, Olympia Development supports small businesses. Among its tenants are the bakery Good Cakes and Bakes and Detroit vs. Everybody, a clothing and accessories brand that celebrates the city’s culture.

In its first year, The District Detroit Opportunity Center also attracted 1,800 visitors and connected 400 people to jobs, English-Barnhill said.

“We are not talking about moving Black and Brown people forward if we are not talking about money,” she said. “…Having a creative retail strategy is incredibly important. For visitors, not only does it signal that this is an authentic place on a map. But it also signals to Detroiters that this is a place for you. We’re not doing it right if Detroiters don’t feel that they have a voice and they belong down here, as well.”