Jarbou Ronnisch Construction, a full-service construction management, general contracting, and design/build firm, today announced the expansion of its Detroit presence with the acquisition of 1265 Griswold St.
The building, which JRC acquired from Bedrock in Detroit for an undisclosed price, sits in Capitol Park, one of downtown Detroit’s most active historic districts that was recently renovated by the Downtown Detroit Partnership and others.
A six-story, 35,000-square-foot, multi-tenant historic property. JRC, which has offices in Detroit and Royal Oak, will occupy 6,000 square feet of the fourth floor and anticipates moving into the space in the second quarter of 2027.
The original Bamlet Building, and later Capitol Square Building, is made of red brick and stone, and was built in 1897. At first, it was used by a variety of professional services, including architecture, design, real estate, and medical offices.
Current tenants at 1265 Griswold St. include Gensler. JRC states it will invest between $3 million and $4 million in capital improvements, including facade renovations and tenant buildouts.
“JRC has been literally and figuratively invested in Detroit for our more than 30-year history,” says Frank Jarbou, owner and principal of Jarbou Ronnisch Construction. “We’ve done more than 80 projects in the city, totaling over 1 million square feet.
“We looked at a lot of possibilities for this move, and we certainly could have leased space. But we’re committed to Detroit, (and) we wanted our investment to reflect that. It was the right time, the right building, and the right neighborhood for us to double down in the city.”
The building was designed by the Detroit architectural firm Spier & Rohns. In 2013, the building was purchased by Bedrock and renovated by Neumann Smith Architects, part of the broader revitalization of Capitol Park that turned a long-vacant property into one of downtown Detroit’s distinctive office addresses.
“Every city we build in adds to the identity of who we are as a construction company,” Jarbou adds. “Expanding our business footprint in Detroit is about more than having an office here. It’s about deepening our connection and becoming an even greater part of the city our team is building every single day.”
JRC will serve as the owner and landlord of the property and Symmetry Management, a sister company to JRC, will serve as property manager.
Founded in 1994 by Bernie Ronnisch, Jarbou Ronnisch Construction’s recent projects, either in full or as part of a team, include Birmingham Country Club, Oakland Hills Country Club, Roeper School, Bank of Ann Arbor, Orchard Lake Country Club, 277 Pierce, North American Bancard Headquarters, and more
For more information, visit ronnisch.com.
