Southfield-based Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design will open a $7-million design and technology center in Detroit’s Midtown district at the end of the month.
“Our goal is to actively engage the civic and social awareness of our students and give them opportunities to become involved in projects that will have a positive impact on the city and its residents,” says Amy Deines, executive director of the Detroit Center for Design and Technology.
Deines says the center, located on the corner of Willis Street and Woodward Avenue (just south of the Whitney Restaurant), will offer courses in architecture, along with urban, graphic, and industrial design. She says there will be a permanent exhibition space and meeting rooms.
Beginning next year, the Detroit Center for Design and Technology will house a design incubator with programs and services for creative startups. It will offer access to legal advice, marketing resources, and mentorship. The design incubator will also launch a fellowship program to encourage recent college graduates to start businesses and live in Detroit.
Deines says nearly 100 students will take classes at the Detroit center on a weekly basis. Lawrence Technological University will be the anchor tenant of the building, developed by Midtown Inc., along with tenants such as Invest Detroit, Soil Management Engineering, Urban Land Institute of Detroit, and the local chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled from 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 30. Overall, the three-story structure offers 30,000 square feet of space.
Lawrence Tech, founded in 1932, offers degrees in business, engineering, computer science, and physics, among other programs.
