Award-Winning Architectural Firm ROSSETTI to Move Headquarters to Rock Ventures' Federal Reserve Building in Downtown Detroit

DETROIT, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock Ventures, along with Bedrock Real Estate Services, today announced that ROSSETTI, an award-winning international architectural planning and design firm, will move its headquarters to the historic Federal Reserve building located at Fort and Shelby Streets in the heart of downtown Detroit.

Beginning this July, ROSSETTI's team of 60 talented architects, planners and designers will occupy the fourth floor, or 13,000 square feet of space, in the Federal Reserve building located at 160 Fort Street which has been vacant since 2004.    

ROSSETTI has also been hired by Bedrock to redesign the entire building, breathing life into the celebrated bank building by developing state-of-the-art, unique and creative offices and ground floor retail spaces. 

Matt Rossetti, President of ROSSETTI, said the firm, currently based in Southfield, Michigan, is looking forward to moving back to the city, where it was initially founded in 1969.

"Our team is thrilled about working in downtown Detroit, given the urban nature of our designs and our business," said Rossetti. "The city is becoming a creative center attracting some of this country's most innovative and inspiring artists, designers and new economy business. There is so much energy in the city that it made perfect sense to return to our roots and come back home and seize the opportunity in Detroit.

"The redesign will pay homage to the architectural significance of the past and respect its ancestral bones," Rossetti added. "At the same time, we plan to incorporate new workplace design concepts, such as an open floor plan, collaborative team spaces and use of natural materials."

ROSSETTI has designed high-profile projects worldwide. In the city, the architectural firm is known for the new Cobo Hall & Convention Center, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Headquarters, Ford Field, Compuware World Headquarters, Greektown Casino-Hotel and recently, Chase Tower at Campus Martius Park.

Rock Ventures purchased the 176,000 square foot Federal Reserve building last year. The original structure was built in 1927. In 1951, an eight story glass and marble annex designed by Minoru Yamasaki (the renowned architect who designed the World Trade Center) was added and connected to the 1927 structure.

"Downtown Detroit continues its rapid ascent to greatness.  If you were still skeptical, the announcement of a world-class architectural and design firm like ROSSETTI locating its headquarters to the urban core should remove any lingering doubts. 'Opportunity Detroit' is real and it's where the new entrepreneurial companies and creative class will be doing their thing for years to come," said Dan Gilbert, Chairman of Rock Ventures.

About ROSSETTI
ROSSETTI is an international architectural planning and design firm servicing clients across a spectrum of markets, including sports and entertainment, corporate, hospitality and retail.  In addition to ROSSETTI's Detroit-based portfolio, the firm's community-focused work includes The Palace of Auburn Hills, Domino's Pizza Headquarters, Troy Community Center, University of Michigan's Yost Ice Arena, and Michigan International Speedway.   Nationally, the firm's sports and entertainment work includes the United States Tennis Association's National Training Center, Red Bull Arena, Home Depot Olympic Training Center, and Daytona International Speedway.  Globally, the firm has alliances in China, Italy and Qatar.  For more information about ROSSETTI, please visit us on the web at www.rossetti.com.

About Rock Ventures LLC
Rock Ventures LLC is an umbrella entity formed to provide operational coordination, guidance, and integration of a diverse portfolio of companies, investments and real estate.

About Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC
Detroit-based Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC is a full-service real estate firm specializing in purchasing, leasing, financing, developing and managing of commercial space. For more information, visit www.bedrockmgt.com.

For renderings of the new ROSSETTI office in the Federal Reserve Building in Downtown Detroit, visit: http://www.quickenloans.com/press-room/multimedia/pictures/other-offices

Rock Ventures' Opportunity Detroit Chronology and Tenant List
The following is an Opportunity Detroit timeline followed by a listing of the more than 85 companies that in the past 33 months have moved to downtown Detroit in a number of Rock Ventures-owned buildings.

Opportunity Detroit Timeline

January 2007: Dan Gilbert founds Bizdom, a non-profit entrepreneurship accelerator for budding web and tech-based startups in Detroit.

January 2009: Gilbert and other business leaders invest in M-1 RAIL, a 6.6-mile light-rail system that will link key neighborhoods to Detroit's riverfront, the business district, and educational, cultural, entertainment and medical institutions along Woodward Avenue.

July 2009: Quicken Loans announces it will relocate its headquarters to the Compuware Building in downtown Detroit in 2010.

August 2010: Quicken Loans and five of its sister companies move 1,700 team members into the Compuware building in downtown Detroit.

November 2010: Gilbert, together with entrepreneurs Josh Linkner and Brian Hermelin, launch Detroit Venture Partners, a Detroit-based venture capital firm that invests in seed and early-stage technology companies to be located in the city.

January 2011: Rock Ventures, the umbrella entity formed to provide operational coordination, guidance and integration of Gilbert's portfolio of companies, investments and real estate, purchases Detroit's historical M@dison Theatre Building and begins transforming it into a collaborative tech hub to encourage partnership among local entrepreneurs.

April 2011: Rock Ventures acquires the 13-story Chase Tower located in Detroit's downtown central business district and immediately begins renovation to reflect Quicken Loans' culture.

April 2011: Rock Ventures buys Two Detroit Center, a 1,095-space parking garage located in the central business district.

May 2011: Skidmore Studio, a graphic design firm located in a nearby suburb, announces it will become the anchor tenant in the M@dison Building.

June 2011: Quicken Loans hires 200 interns to work in its downtown Detroit office to expose students to the city and help end Detroit's "brain drain."

July 2011: Earvin "Magic" Johnson joins Detroit Venture Partners to help fund start-up tech companies.

July 2011: Quicken Loans and four other downtown Detroit companies unveil the "Live Downtown" program, which offers financial incentives to team members who live in the city.

July 2011: Quicken Loans sponsors the debut of Somerset Collection's CityLoft, a pop-up shop open the last weekend of each month in downtown Detroit with mini-versions of upscale stores, to bring retail back to downtown Detroit.

August 2011: Rock Ventures purchases Detroit's First National Building to house more team members as well as other businesses.

August 2011: Rock Ventures acquires its fourth building, the 101-year-old Dime Building located in downtown Detroit, along with the Financial District Garage, an adjacent 983-space parking structure.

August 2011: Rock Ventures purchases the M@dison Parking Lot on Broadway, adjacent to the M@dison Building.

September 2011: Quicken Loans hosts a job fair to fill 500 positions in Detroit within the Family of Companies; 2,500 people line up around the building to apply.

October 2011: An additional 2,000 Quicken Loans team members move into the newly renovated Chase Tower.

December 2011: Rock Ventures completes the acquisition of three additional properties in Downtown Detroit – the historic Wright-Kay brownstone, the Lane Bryant Building and the Arts League of Michigan Building.

January 2012: Rock Ventures adds two more buildings to its real estate portfolio – the historic Federal Reserve Building and 1550 Woodward Avenue, a one-story building to be utilized for retail or commercial use.

February 2012: To encourage Detroit's "brain gain," the Quicken Loans Family of Companies announces it will hire 600 paid interns – 500 to work in Detroit to discover all the great things the city has to offer.

April 2012: The Quicken Loans Family of Companies begins a recruiting campaign to hire more than 1,400 team members, and launches Valley to Detroit, a campaign aimed to bring laid-off Yahoo technology professionals to Detroit from Silicon Valley.

April 2012: Rock Ventures and Chrysler hold a press conference to announce that Chrysler will lease the top two floors of Rock Ventures' Dime Building and rename the building Chrysler House.

June 2012: Quicken Loans partners with other Detroit businesses to create "IT in the D," a program to give local university students real-world experience to prepare them for tech jobs in Detroit.

July 2012: Title Source, the largest independent provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services in the nation, begins move of 1,500 team members to downtown Detroit's First National Building.

October 2012: Rock Connections, a strategic marketing company that provides experienced communications specialists, robust analytics, and targeted selling strategies, moves 140 team members into the Chase Tower Building in downtown Detroit's growing tech hub.

October 2012: Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans launch Opportunity Detroit with a national commercial narrated by Kid Rock on the Fox television network during the fourth game of the World Series.

November 2012: Rock Ventures breaks ground on 33,000-square-foot specialty retail development with 10-story parking garage in downtown Detroit.

December 2012: Rock Ventures purchases One Woodward, a 26-story, 333,000- square-foot building located in Detroit's Central Business District.

December 2012: Metro-West Appraisal, the nation's largest independent residential real estate appraisal company, announces it will move its national headquarters to downtown Detroit's Chrysler House in March 2013.

December 2012: Rock Ventures adds five buildings to its real estate portfolio: 1201 Woodward (Kresge Building), 1217 Woodward, 1412 Woodward, 1301 Broadway (Cary Building Lofts) and 1521 Broadway (Small Plates Building) for a total of 120,000 square feet of space.

January 2013: Rock Gaming, Rock Ventures' Detroit-based gaming partnership announced one of its affiliated companies, Athens Acquisition LLC, has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority interest in Greektown Superholdings Inc., owner of the Greektown Casino-Hotel located in downtown Detroit

February 2013: The Roasting Plant, a unique and innovative coffee shop, opens in the Rock Ventures-owned First National Building. The Detroit location is Roasting Plant's first shop outside of New York City.

March 2013: Rock Ventures acquires the 23-story 1001 Woodward office tower, located in the heart of Detroit's emerging tech district. The building was built in 1965 for the First Federal Savings and Loan of Detroit and features 275,000 square feet of Class-A office space.

March 2013: Rock Ventures, The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. (DEGC) announce an extraordinary placemaking plan for Detroit's urban core. As part of the plan, Rock Ventures launches Opportunity Detroit's international design competition for a new signature project that will sit on the historic Hudson's Department Store site. 

March 2013: Rock Ventures acquires the historic 12-story Albert Kahn-designed Vinton Building. Built in 1917, the 44,000 square foot building was added to the Michigan Register of Historic Places in 1982 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

March 2013: Rock Ventures signs master lease agreements with the Schostak Brothers and Farbman Group to manage more than 60,000 square feet of first floor retail along the Woodward Corridor in downtown Detroit. The properties include 12 storefronts along the 1200 and 1400 blocks of Woodward Avenue.

March 2013: Rock Ventures announce popular grocer Papa Joe's Gourmet Market and Catering will occupy 15,000 square feet of the First National Building, steps from Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.

April 2013: Rock Gaming affiliate company acquires a majority interest in downtown Detroit's Greektown Casino-Hotel with vision to better connect the Historic Greektown neighborhood to Woodward corridor.

April 2013: Rock Ventures announce ROSSETTI, an international architectural planning and design firm will move its headquarters to the historic Federal Reserve Building, located in the heart of Detroit's rapidly expanding business district at Fort and Shelby Streets. 

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Businesses located to downtown Detroit by Rock Ventures since August 2010

More than 85 companies have located in Rock Ventures-owned buildings in downtown Detroit over the past 33 months:

M@dison Building

-  50,000 square feet
-  100 percent occupied

• Twitter: A real-time information network that connects people to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news
• Skidmore Studio: A leading creative design firm occupying 9,780 square feet of space
• Detroit Venture Partners (DVP): A venture capital firm specializing in funding early stage technology businesses
• Detroit Labs: A leader in the development of Android, iOS and web-based applications
• UpTo: A new social platform focused on the future tense, allowing users to easily share calendar events
• Stik.com: A website that brings the word-of-mouth referral process online
• Chez Zara: A full-service espresso bar that specializes in exceptional espresso drinks and organic teas
• Bizdom: A non-profit entrepreneurship accelerator for budding web and tech-based startups in Detroit and Cleveland (Bizdom Detroit was previously housed in Wayne State University's Tech Town)
• Are You a Human: The answer to frustrating CAPTCHA entries, Are You a Human uses fun games to verify the authenticity of people completing online forms
• Doodle Home: A virtual studio for interior designers to run their business more efficiently
• Uber: Provides on-demand luxury car service through a smartphone app
• TextsFromLastNight (Detroit office): An accidental startup born out of a viral sensation, now one of the leading user-generated content sites for 20-somethings
• Ludlow Ventures: An angel and seed-stage venture capital firm investing in web and digital technologies
• Rockbot: A social jukebox app that lets you be the DJ at your favorite bars, restaurants, gyms, and stores
• LevelEleven: Developed SalesContestBuilder, a hybrid of a Facebook, fantasy football, and online gaming, to create goal-based competitions
• Exxodus Pictures: A production company whose first feature film, Jinn, is now in post-production
• Cup of Zup: Uniquely amusing pop-culture e-newsletter and website
• Quikly: Short-term deals exclusively for college students
• Wedit: A fun, easy, and affordable way to capture, edit, and share wedding memories through the use of HD Flip cameras
• Thrillist Detroit: Free weekly email that finds the best of what's new in your neighborhood and on the web
• Facility Matrix Group (FMG): The area's pre-eminent provider of office furniture
• Apigee: Enables businesses and developers to deliver well-designed, scalable APIs and apps, drive developer adoption, and extract business value from their API ecosystem
• Dandelion Detroit: A venture philanthropy consultancy and civic innovation lab
• 1^st & Goal Recruiting: Provides advanced statistical analytics and performance prediction for college football recruiting
• Rapt.fm: A website that allows you to have real-time rap battles around the world
• Backstitch: Provides a clean and consistent experience for managing your personal web
• Whip Hand Cosmetics: Cosmetic company that celebrates today's modern women while being manufactured in Detroit, Michigan
• Brys & Edgewood: A company that produces DIY fondant kits and cupcake kits that are easy enough for anyone to make at home
• Chalkfly: An office and school supply company that is rooted in giving back to teachers across the nation while providing customers with quality office supplies, innovative technology, and exceptional service
• SKUServe: Cloud-based international foreign language translation and interpreters marketplace
• GuidesMob: A mobile app company that creates college guides for iPhones and Androids
• TubeMogul: The leader in programmatic brand marketing
• Grand Circus: A work-force development company providing world-class tech and entrepreneurship training in a co-working space  
• Innovid: Visionary marketers with the tools to create, deliver, and measure video campaigns, in any format, on any screen, publisher, or ad network
• Silverpop: A digital marketing technology provider that unifies marketing automation, email, mobile, and social

Chase Tower

-  505,000 square feet
-  100 percent occupied

• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• In-House Realty: A real estate services company matching clients with pre-screened real estate agents in their local community across the country

First National Building

-  800,000 square feet
-  95 percent occupied

• Title Source: The largest independent provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services in the nation
• Papa Joes Gourmet Market & Catering: A gourmet market that will include delivery and table service as well as a full liquor license (scheduled to open the end of 2013)
• Aerotek: A leading staffing agency that matches qualified candidates with top companies worldwide
• Roasting Plant: New York-based coffee company with unique Javabot roasting technology
• Salon Detroit: A hair and nail salon (scheduled to open in Summer 2013)
• Campus Commandos: An advertising agency helping brands market their products and services to college students

Chrysler House

-  Former Dime Building
-  330,000 square feet
-  98 percent occupied

• Chrysler Group LLC: Automotive company that produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products
• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• The Professional Group: A full-service janitorial and building services company
• Rock Connections: A strategic marketing company that provides experienced communications specialists, robust analytics, and targeted selling strategies
• Metro-West Appraisal: The nation's largest independent residential real estate appraisal company
• Just Baked: Specialty cupcake shop and bakery
• Rehmann: A company offering accounting, tax planning and financial consulting services
• Allied Printing Company: Provides printing, information management, and warehouse & fulfillment services
• Hubbard Snitchler & Parzianello PLC: Provides world-class legal service
• Professional Movers.com: Moving company that specializes in providing local, long distance, and international relocation services for people and businesses
• Elite Fire Safety: A one-stop-shop for fire safety needs
• EverStaff: Recruits the most skilled and qualified professionals for organizations of all sizes
• FNC Holding Company: A real estate information technology company ensuring compliance and streamlines workflow for major mortgage leaders, servicers and community and regional banks
• GSI: A company specializing in security, network and system integration
• Metro Consulting: A full-service civil engineering and land surveying consultancy
• Reliance One: A full-service staffing firm
• SCI Marketview: A lead management company for automotive dealers
• Corby Energy: Providing construction, engineering and support services to utilities and related businesses
• Core Merchant: Easy and convenient credit payment solutions for businesses
• Young and Sons, Drying and Restoration Specialists: A full-service 24-hour drying and restoration service
• RSIG Security-Midwest, Inc. and Actron Integrated Security (AIS) Systems:  The highest quality security solution for its partners
• Qstride, Inc.: A leading analytics solutions provider that helps companies turn data into business intelligence
• Diamond Recovery Property Restoration: A full-service emergency restoration company
• P.I.C. Maintenance, Inc.: Specializing in commercial facility maintenance and janitorial services
• Harmony Point CTC: IT workforce development company trains students for high skill, high demand, high wage technology jobs
• Lindemann Miller Siderius LLP: A law firm specializing in the representation of insurers and reinsurers in coverage disputes
• RAM Construction: The oldest and most experienced waterproofing and restoration contractor in the United States
• Communication Associates: Providing marketing and creative services
• Just Topped: Specialty ice cream shop (scheduled to open in May 2013)

One Woodward

-  333,000 square feet
-  95 percent occupied

• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender

1001 Woodward

-  275,000 square feet
-  88 percent occupied

• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• Friedman Real Estate:  A full-service real estate and brokerage company
• Other tenants include GalaxE.Solutions, Meridian Health Plan, the University of Phoenix and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), among others

Federal Reserve Building

-  176,000 square feet

• ROSSETTI: an international architectural planning and design firm servicing clients across a spectrum of markets, including sports and entertainment, corporate, hospitality and retail

Lofts of Merchant Row (master lease)

-  45,000 square feet of first floor retail space
-  9 store fronts
-  1200 and 1400 blocks Woodward Avenue (on the west side of the street between Grand River and
    State Street)
-  77 percent occupied

• Moosejaw: The quirky national outdoor retailer selling outdoor gear and apparel
• Detroit Shoppe: A shop showcasing the people, places and products that have shaped the city of Detroit

Woodward Lofts (master lease)

-  15,000 square feet of first floor retail space
-  3 store fronts
-  1400 block Woodward Avenue (on the east side of the street between Grand River and John R)
-  19 percent occupied

1528 Woodward

-  Former Arts League Building
-  45,146 square feet
-  62 percent occupied

• Sachse Construction: Offering premium commercial construction services nationwide

1500 Woodward

-  Former Wright Kay Building
-  19,000 square feet
-  61 percent occupied

• Neumann/Smith Architecture:  Specializing in architecture and interior design
• Avalon Films:  A boutique, full-service production company with affiliate offices in Los Angeles, New York City, and Toronto
• Hudson Editorial:  Specializing in creative editorial, graphics, visual effects and audio finishing

Rock Ventures-related companies leasing space in downtown Detroit:
Compuware Building

-  1,088,000 square feet
-  Rock Ventures-related businesses leases four floors (244,000 square feet)

• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• Rock Ventures: An umbrella entity formed to provide operational coordination, guidance, and integration of Dan Gilbert's portfolio of companies, investments and real estate
• Fathead: The Real.Big. brand of officially licensed sports and entertainment graphics products
• Bedrock Real Estate Services: Rock Ventures' full-service real estate firm, specializing in purchasing, leasing, financing, developing and managing of commercial space
• Rockbridge Growth Equity: A Detroit-based private equity firm that invests in mid-stage financial and business services, consumer-direct marketing, and sports, media & entertainment industries
• Rock Gaming: A gaming partnership formed with an initial focus to develop full-service casinos in two of Ohio's largest cities, as well as to explore other potential gaming opportunities elsewhere
• Rock Companies: A real estate investment, development, construction and management company focusing on commercial, residential single and multi-family investments in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio
• Quizzle: Website that gives consumers a complete understanding of their credit so they can make better financial decisions
• BodyPartChart: Over-sized graphics that can be used to explain illnesses and procedures and bring new life to dull medical offices and classrooms

One Detroit Center

-  957,355 square feet
-  Quicken Loans and One Reverse Mortgage lease three floors (75,000 square feet)

• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• One Reverse Mortgage: The largest reverse-only mortgage lender in America and second largest retail provider of reverse mortgage home loans

SOURCE Rock Ventures