FBI Office in Detroit to Move to New Building

Detroit, Mi - Higgins Development Partners will build an eight-story office building, a four-story parking garage and a single-story automotive service facility on a 10.9-acre site across from the Greyhound bus station bounded by the Lodge Freeway and Howard, Brooklyn and Porter streets. The Chicago developer was selected by the federal government and General Services Administration announced to build and own the $100 million home for the FBI in downtown Detroit. Special Agent in Charge Andrew Arena said that the FBI has outgrown its space inside the McNamara Building on Michigan Avenue and needs to expand. Construction is to start this summer, with occupancy expected in April 2009
 
Two local firms will participate, JM Olson Corp. of St. Clair Shores as local general contractor and Ghafari Associates of Dearborn as associate architect,  announced James Handley, regional administrator for the General Services Administration. The GSA, which handles real estate for the federal government, will pay the developer rent of about $162.3 million over 15 years and will have on option to buy the building at the end of the lease, according to officials.

Two office buildings currently on the four-block site will be demolished as part of the construction contract, according to the agency's deputy assistant regional administrator Norbert Kieszkowski.