Rock Ventures is offering to build a new criminal justice center, in exchange for the Gratiot Avenue site where the county is currently building a new jail.
The proposal will see the construction of a new, state-of-the-art center that includes adult and juvenile detention facilities and a new criminal courthouse to replace Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. Under the terms of the deal, Rock would build the complex, which they estimate at $420 million, for the $300 million that Wayne County estimates it would take to build complete the jail that is under construction at Gratiot.
The Gratiot Avenue site would then be transferred to Rock for a planned $1 billion development, which would include a Major League Soccer Stadium.
Rock proposes building the new criminal justice complex at East Forest Avenue, east of I-75.
Wayne County released the following statement about the Rock Ventures proposal:
“Today, the County received a proposal from Rock Ventures as an alternative to completing the jail at Gratiot. We will withhold further comment on the offer until we’ve had the opportunity to review it.”
Jim Martinez, director of communications, Wayne County
Dan Gilbert and Tom Gores have proposed building a Major League Soccer stadium at the site. However, the information provided does not say if this is what the proposal relates to.
It also does not address what would become of the Wayne County Jail. County Executive Warren Evans has said completing the jail project at the Gratiot site is the best option for the county.
