The Christman Company is expanding its footprint in Detroit with a move into Bedrock’s Book Tower, a globally recognized property and historic restoration project that Christman helped rehabilitate.
“As a builder in Detroit for more than 100 years, Christman’s move to Book Tower reaffirms our commitment to preserving the city’s historic treasures, contributing to its current growth, and shaping its future,” said Joe Luther, Christman senior vice president and general manager of the southeast Michigan region. “The Book Tower showcases our firm’s expertise from the historic building rehabilitation to the build-out of our office.”
The 10,000-square-foot office better connects employees, provides additional meeting and collaboration spaces, and a surrounding suite of amenities within Book Tower, including restaurants and a cafe, a fitness center, and The Study, a co-working space. Located at 1265 Washington Boulevard, Book Tower further places Christman employees in downtown Detroit, adjacent to numerous shopping, dining and entertainment options.
“Welcoming The Christman Company to Book Tower is a full circle moment,” said Naumann Idrees, senior vice president of leasing at Bedrock. “Their collaboration and commitment to the building is demonstrated not only by the opening of their new regional headquarters, but by the level of craftsmanship that went into their work as part of Book Tower’s historic restoration.”
Christman managed the build-out with support from Christman Constructors, Inc., its self-perform company, and other trade partners.
The office draws inspiration from the grandeur of Book Tower, blending its elegance with a warm, collaborative atmosphere. Designed by HED, the space reflects the hospitality and sophistication of the building, creating an inviting and people-centric environment.
Christman’s expansion caps off a decade of impressive growth. Since 2014, Christman’s southeast Michigan workforce has grown from 10 to 110 employees, with regional revenue surging 780% to $538 million. Dramatic increases can be seen across market sectors from education and healthcare to municipalities and commercial development.
“Building strong partnerships and a successful track record have been key drivers of our growth, but it’s our people who truly set us apart,” continued Luther. “We take pride in attracting and retaining top talent – dedicated professionals who are committed to making an impact in the community.”
Christman has been building and restoring Detroit landmarks for more than 100 years, from constructing the Fisher Building and Masonic Temple in the 1920s to the more recent rehabilitation of Book Tower and Michigan Central Station.
Bedrock’s 38-story Book Tower, completed in 1926, is one of the largest adaptive reuse projects in Michigan. Christman, in partnership with LS Brinker, participated in the seven-year, nearly $400 Million restoration of the landmark development.
Christman’s Detroit office services southeast Michigan from Ann Arbor to Bad Axe. Major projects currently underway include a $535 million, 2,300-bed campus housing project for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a $310 million, 270-bed state psychiatric hospital in Northville.
Detroit projects include the Belle Isle Aquarium, Detroit Public Schools Community District capital program, Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park, and Great Lakes Water Authority.
Photo Credit: Bedrock Management Services LLC
The restoration of Book Tower has been recognized globally by Forbes, Bloomberg, The International Architecture Awards, Fast Company and Architectural Digest, who named it one of “The World’s 11 Most Beautiful Repurposed Buildings.”
The unique development has become an iconic destination in downtown Detroit and throughout the world, but when it was acquired by Bedrock in 2015, it was found in a state of disrepair after sitting vacant for nearly a decade. The interior featured destroyed century-old plaster ceiling tiles, shattered marble wainscoting, and exposed electrical and plumbing systems.
Led by a team of experts including general contractor Brinker | Christman, Bedrock and its partners, the Book Tower restoration:
Book Tower reopened in 2023, embracing century-old design and modern amenities, revealing a collection of spaces for residents and guests to live, work, dine, celebrate, and stay.
Bedrock is an award-winning real estate developer focused on the downtowns of Detroit and Cleveland. Its work includes creating iconic cityscapes, rehabilitating historic properties and
making space for the community—all with a dedication to operate with a for-more-than-profit philosophy.
Since 2011, Bedrock has invested and committed more than $7.5 billion to develop and restoring more than 140 properties, totaling over 21 million square feet of office, retail, residential, hospitality, industrial, data centers and parking. In 2024, Bedrock was named one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. For additional information about Bedrock, please visit bedrockdetroit.com.