Dan Gilbert To Help Fund $400M State-Of-The-Art Detroit Medical Facility: 'We Decided To Build Something Better'

Rocket Companies Inc RKT board Chairman Dan Gilbert and his wife Jennifer, through the Gilbert Family Foundation, announced Wednesday a new $400-million medical facility in Detroit.

The donations will pay for a new Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute, which will support groundbreaking research focused on finding a cure for neurofibromatosis (NF).

The NGNRI will be the first brick-and-mortar research center focused on neurofibromatosis research. The center will also be the first of its kind to leverage organoid technology and other novel models to address a single disease, according to the Gilbert Family Foundation’s press conference Wednesday at downtown Detroit's newly restored Book Tower. 

The Gilberts' son, Nick, died from complications due to NF in May. In addition to the NGNRI, Gilberts’ donations will also build a Shirley Ryan AbilityLab facility in Detroit. Shirley Ryan Ability Lab is a nationally ranked physical rehabilitation center in Chicago. Dan, who had a stroke in 2019, did his physical rehab at Shirley Ryan and said he wants other Detroit residents to have access to top-notch health care. 

“Our family is not unique in having medical challenges,” Jennifer said Wednesday. “We believed that the people of Detroit deserved better, so we decided to build something better.”

Related Link: Rocket Companies Chairman Dan Gilbert Commits $500M To Detroit Neighborhoods, Starts With Property Tax Debt Relief

The Gilbert Family Foundation is teaming up with the Henry Ford Health and the Michigan State University Health Sciences system to bring these new state-of-the-art facilities to Detroit.

The Gilbert Family Foundation’s contribution will not only pay for construction costs for the new medical centers, but also cover all operating expenses for the first 10 years. 

The Gilbert Family Foundation’s initiative is part of the family’s continued mission to bring more opportunities to Detroiters. In the past, Gilbert has helped fund various social equity projects, programs to enhance access to education Internet, and much more. 

To learn more about the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit the foundation’s website here. 

Dan and Jennifer Gilbert. Benzinga file photo by Dustin Blitchok.