A clue that Dan Gilbert is the buyer of Free Press building
Summary
A new clue supports the popular idea that businessman Dan Gilbert is behind the Pyramid Development company that recently purchased the old Detroit Free Press building at 321 W. Lafayette. The Free Press reached Carver by phone Thursday at Rock Ventures, but he declined to comment, referring the call to Gilberts media office. ►Related: Dan Gilbert, DeVoses, Strykers among big political donors in Michigan ►Related: Micro-loft trend an evolution of Detroit development The recent history of the building demonstrates how difficult redevelopment efforts downtown can be. But that deal fell apart as the Great Recession shut down virtually all development activity, and Uralli sold the building to Chinese investors. DDI, which paid $4.2 million at auction for the building, then announced a $50-million conversion to create as many as 170 rental apartments with commercial space on the ground floor.