The Detroit Lions are making a notable change to the area surrounding Ford Field, and it has nothing to do with what is happening on the field.
Demolition is underway at 1900 St. Antoine Street, a five-story office building immediately adjacent to the Lions’ downtown home. The organization purchased the property through DLI Properties LLC in February 2025 for $3.5 million, according to property records.
What replaces the building remains less certain. The Lions have not publicly detailed their long-term vision for the property. However, there is an indication of how the site could be utilized.
Lions Purchased Property Next to Ford Field
The acquisition gave the Lions control of another substantial piece of property in the immediate vicinity of their stadium.
The office building was constructed in 2005 and has housed several recognizable tenants during its relatively short history. PricewaterhouseCoopers previously operated its Detroit office there, while engineering firm Sigma Associates also occupied the property.
The building was originally developed as the Madison Office Building. Bedrock later purchased it for approximately $7.3 million in 2016, according to Crain’s Detroit Business. At the time of that transaction, the building reportedly had an occupancy rate of only about 11%.
Its use changed after Bedrock’s acquisition. Rock Connections, part of Dan Gilbert’s family of companies, eventually operated a call center in the building with capacity for approximately 1,000 workers. Rocket-related businesses also used 1900 St. Antoine as an address in subsequent years.
The Lions ultimately acquired the property from Bedrock through DLI Properties. Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone records now list DLI Properties LLC as the owner of 1900 St. Antoine and put the property’s floor area at 114,675 square feet.
The same records list a 2026 assessed value of approximately $5.53 million.
That represents a significant change from the previous year’s assessment. Downtown Detroit records for 2025 listed the property with an assessed value of approximately $9.29 million.
Lions’ Plans Could Center Around Ford Field Parking
Buying an office building is one thing. Tearing it down barely two decades after it opened makes the Lions’ plans for the land considerably more interesting.
Crain’s Detroit Business reported in July that city records described a proposal for “accessory parking” at the site. Whether that ultimately means a traditional surface parking lot, a parking structure or something incorporated into a larger future project has not been publicly established.
Demolition contractor Adamo Group is handling the removal of the existing building.
The location makes the property particularly valuable to the Lions. The parcel sits next to Ford Field rather than being a disconnected real estate investment elsewhere in downtown Detroit.
Ford Field already relies on a network of parking options scattered around the stadium and downtown. Current stadium materials identify the Ford Field Parking Deck along with Lots 4, 5 and 6 among the parking facilities closest to the venue.
Other nearby options include garages and lots associated with the Comerica Park area, while additional independently operated facilities are located throughout downtown.
The Lions also encourage fans to reserve parking in advance through ParkWhiz, underscoring how game-day parking extends well beyond property immediately controlled by the stadium.
Demolition Adds to Major Changes Around Ford Field
The removal of 1900 St. Antoine isn’t occurring in isolation. The section of downtown surrounding Ford Field and the Gratiot Avenue corridor has undergone substantial physical changes.
According to the Detroit Free Press, two former Wayne County jail buildings have also recently disappeared from the area. The old 13-story Division I jail was demolished during the summer, while the former Division II jail was torn down in late 2025.
Bedrock obtained the former jail sites through its 2018 agreement with Wayne County, a deal connected to the development of the county’s new Criminal Justice Center.
That facility, located near Interstate 75 and East Ferry Street, has since been completed, allowing the obsolete downtown jail properties to be cleared.
The result is a noticeably different collection of properties around Gratiot and the stadium district. The Lions’ demolition project adds another sizable parcel to that transformation.
Lions Make $3.5 Million Move Near Ford Field