Web-based financial companies settle into 250,000 square feet of custom-designed space in Detroit’s emerging technology district recently tagged “WEBward Avenue”
Detroit, MI – August 16, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, downtown Detroit became home to 1,700 new faces as energized team members from Quicken Loans Inc, and its sister companies, One Reverse Mortgage LLC, Fathead LLC, In-House Realty LLC and Quizzle LLC began moving into their new home in the heart of Detroit’s rising technology district. The companies occupied the remainder of the vacant space in Detroit’s newest business complex, the Compuware building, on the North edge of Campus Martius. The building will now house a total “brainforce” of nearly 4,000 technology and web-based workers.
“Words do not express the excitement we all feel about moving to downtown Detroit. Detroit is in the infancy stage of becoming a hotbed of new economy technology, Internet and entertainment-based entrepreneurial growth companies,” said Dan Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans.
“Downtown is beginning to become a live, work and play urban core that young people coming out of our great universities, and others across the country and world, will be highly attracted to for the incredible opportunity, jobs and growth happening here. This is no longer a hope or a dream. It is real and it is now emanating from the passionate, driven and collaborative people and their energetic companies who are flocking to WEBward Avenue to help create it. Detroit 2.0 is under way. The only questions left are: How big will it grow and how fast can you get down here,” continued Gilbert.
Early this morning, Gilbert along with Quicken Loans CEO Bill Emerson, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, and Compuware Chief Administrative Officer Denise Starr, participated in a short ceremony welcoming the new businesses and team members to the City upon their arrival at their exciting new digs.
“The passion that these companies have shown for Detroit has been incredibly inspiring,” Bing said. “Dan Gilbert has shown great commitment to the City, and has said time and again that he will not be pleased with just his companies moving downtown. So, to quote a line from Dan: ‘Who’s coming with him?’ ”
OFFICE DESIGN AND CULTURE
Quicken Loans and its sister companies will occupy four floors, or nearly 250,000 square feet, in their new location. The space was designed and built to encourage creativity, openness, communication and collaboration. The Quicken Loans culture is reflected in the bright colors, numerous open spaces, low interior walls, and unique innovative design combined with the latest technology tools implemented throughout. Even art produced by a local graffiti artist can be found in the companies’ new daytime home.
“We are thrilled about the new environment we have created for our hard working and committed team members,” said Emerson. “We built a think and work space always keeping in mind “who” we are both as a company and as individuals. It is the thoughts, ideas and productivity of our thousands of bright team members that are the essence of our current success and future growth.”
The space also features elaborate interactive wall murals symbolizing Quicken Loans’ 18 “ISMs,” or guiding principles, that define the company’s culture.
“While we are laser focused on helping lead Detroit 2.0, it is important to recognize the pioneers that have shaped this proud city,” Gilbert added, referring to the conference rooms named after past and present cherished Detroit businesses and icons, such as Boblo, Eastern Market, the Spirit of Detroit, the State and Fox Theaters, Lafayette Coney Island and Hitsville USA, among others.
As part of the move to Detroit, Quicken Loans will provide all 1,700 team members with free parking at one of two garages adjacent to the Compuware building. Team members will also have access to many of the existing amenities already offered at the new facility, including, a large, bright cafeteria offering a wide range of quality food options, a state licensed on-site daycare center as well as an elaborate state-of-the-art fitness center.
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About Quicken Loans Inc.
Quicken Loans is the nation’s largest online retail mortgage lender and the 4th largest overall retail home lender in the United States. The company closed more than $25 billion in retail home loan volume across all 50 states in 2009. Quicken Loans employs more than 3,000 full-time team members and generates loan production from five web centers located in Michigan, Ohio and Arizona. Quicken Loans also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Michigan as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. “QuickenLoans.com” has been named “Best of the Web” by Forbes and Money magazines. Quicken Loans has been named to Fortune magazine’s list of the country’s “100 Best Companies To Work For” seven consecutive years, ranking as high as #2. Quicken Loans has also been named in the top 15 of Computer World magazine’s “100 Best Places To Work In Technology” for six years in a row.
For more visit: www.quickenloans.com.
One Reverse Mortgage LLC
One Reverse Mortgage is the nation’s third largest retail provider of reverse mortgage home loans. The company’s specialized products, focus on allowing homeowners, 62 years and older, the opportunity to convert some of the equity in their homes into tax-free cash flow without having to make any monthly payments on the “cash out loan” proceeds until the homeowner either moves from the home, sells the home or becomes deceased, in which case the home is then sold and the principal and interest owed on the loan is repaid from the sale proceeds. One Reverse Mortgage was founded in 2001, operates in 43 states across the U.S and is a Quicken Loans company. For more visit: www.onereversemortgage.com
In-House Realty LLC
In-House Realty is the preferred real estate partner of Quicken Loans, its clients, and its partner companies. Founded in 2007, In-House Realty connects its clients with trusted real estate professionals in all 50 states, from its nationwide network of preferred independent brokers and agents. In-House Realty manages the complex home buying and selling process from end-to-end. The company serves as their client’s central point of contact where trained In-House Realty consultants combined with the support of its propriety technology, acts as the interface between the numerous parties involved to coordinate and execute a smooth and highly satisfying real estate transaction. For more visit: www.inhouserealty.com.
Quizzle LLC
Quizzle is a free online tool that helps consumers better manage their home, money and credit – all in one spot. At Quizzle.com consumers obtain free access to their credit score, a home value estimate, home loan recommendations, budget tools, personal finance calculators, and advice on how to improve their financial situation. Quizzle also provides consumers with helpful perks through its partnerships with best-of-the-web companies. The company is less than 18 months old and has already registered over 500,000 official users of their exciting financial and home management tools and products. For more visit: www.quizzle.com
Fathead LLC
Fathead is the leading brand in sports, entertainment, and customized graphic products. Fathead allows fans to bring their favorite passion or inspiration to life with colorful, bright, HD quality graphics Fathead products include Fathead Customs, Fathead Tradeables, Fathead Skins, and Fathead’s flagship “Big. Real Big” line, the exclusive officially licensed life-size, hi-definition wall graphics of logos and helmets from both college and pro teams as well as professional athletes in action images from the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL and more, animated heroes such as Spiderman and The Hulk, entertainment characters including many from Disney such as Lightning McQueen and Toy Story, as well as from Nickelodeon such as Sponge Bob and Dora The Explorer. For more: visit: www.fathead.com.
