Demo of HAP Building starts in first step of new Henry Ford Health hospital tower

If you've driven on the Lodge at Grand Boulevard this week, you've probably noticed a significant change in the landscape. The HAP Building is now in the process of demolition; it's the first physical sign of the Future of Health development led by Henry Ford Health, Michigan State University, the Pistons, and Tom Gores.

The site, just west of the Lodge, will be home to a 1.2 million-square-foot hospital tower, set to break ground later this year. A three-story building next door will be house the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. 

The HAP Building isn't being imploded, but taken apart piece by piece, in order to recycle materials and keep dust levels down.

“This moment represents the start of something truly special,” said Jerry Darby, Henry Ford Health’s Vice President of Campus Planning, Development and Design. “Our broad vision, along with our key partners, to reimagine and redefine how healthcare is delivered in Detroit and beyond has the potential to impact countless lives. We are so energized as we take these first physical steps in the construction process toward creating Detroit’s healthcare facility of the future.”

This is just one part of the larger development project. Across the Lodge, One Ford Place will be converted into housing and retail space, new residential buildings will go up, as well as green space and a parking deck. The Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences research facility will break ground later this year.