Downtown Detroit lands Silicon Valley firm

**PaulieG63** · September-18-12, 04:48 PM

From Mlive:

DETROIT, MI - The founders of Stik.com, a website that aggregates top-rated professionals on Facebook, announced today that they are moving from San Francisco into the M@dison Building in downtown Detroit.

Company co-founders Jay Gierak and Nathan Labenz are originally from the Detroit area. They were classmates of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard University, and moved to Silicon Valley, where they created Stik.com, after graduating in 2010.

"Downtown Detroit is developing something special around its burgeoning tech community, and we want to be part of it," Labenz said in a release. "We are excited to collaborate with other Detroit-based companies that are making a positive impact, and we are eager to grow our business with some of the best tech talent in the country."

The M@dison Building, at 1555 Broadway St., has been redeveloped over the past year as an entrepreneurial tech hub. It was purchased in January 2011 by Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert's Rock Ventures investment company.

"The fact that Stik.com is moving to the M@dison Building from Silicon Valley is more proof that downtown Detroit's energetic tech core has something to offer up-and-coming technology companies," Gilbert said in the release. "It's promising companies like Stik.com that will continue to strengthen the city's tech environment -- and downtown Detroit as a whole -- as more people relocate and bring bright ideas with them."

More good news!!!

PaulieG

**detmsp** · September-18-12, 04:50 PM

I think this is the second company that has moved into the madison since it was declared "full".

Shollin · September-18-12, 05:21 PM

Better than shifting jobs from the suburbs. However, I can't get too enthused about a dot com company.

**Det_ard** · September-18-12, 08:19 PM

*golf clap*

While this is better news than no news, its hard to get too excited over an unspecified number of jobs [[single-digit?). I'd also like to see more than the Gilbert-coerced out-of-state firms relocating to downtown Detroit. It would be nice to see someone select Detroit on its own merits.

**gameguy56** · September-18-12, 08:45 PM

say what you will about Gilbert, he sure ain't a slumlord *caugh* Illitch *caugh*

Shollin · September-18-12, 09:17 PM

Illitch was the first person to invest in Detroit and paved the way for Dan Gilbert.

**313WX** · September-18-12, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by Det_ard

*golf clap*

While this is better news than no news, its hard to get too excited over an unspecified number of jobs [[single-digit?). I'd also like to see more than the Gilbert-coerced out-of-state firms relocating to downtown Detroit. It would be nice to see someone select Detroit on its own merits.

Yes to both points.

**Lowell** · September-18-12, 09:28 PM

Welcome to Detroit and Downtown stik.com.

Looking to hire also according to this from their website. http://www.stik.com/jobs.html

The downtown energy is continuing to build and it is great to see and experience.

**DetroitPlanner** · September-19-12, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by Shollin

Illitch was the first person to invest in Detroit and paved the way for Dan Gilbert.

I am pretty sure the first person to invest here was Cadillac.
Why not say Hank the Duece? He invested a lot more than Ilitch did. Same with Taubman/Fisher or ANR when they opened Harbortown.

**AGinthe313** · September-19-12, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by detmsp

I think this is the second company that has moved into the madison since it was declared "full".

LOL - I was thinking the same thing. Now it's really, really, really full!

**BigD** · September-19-12, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by AGinthe313

LOL - I was thinking the same thing. Now it's really, really, really full!

It was full. One of the articles stated that a company grew out of its Madison space and moved to another Gilbert-owned building downtown, which opened up space for this new company. That's exactly what the Madison is meant to do - act as a business incubator. When companies move on, that's a success, not a failure. The hope is that they move to other space in Detroit, which is what happened here.

**Danny** · September-19-12, 01:36 PM

This was all Dan Gilbert's doing. Way to go " Donald Trump of Downtown Detroit." let it grow Gilbertown.

**Hermod** · September-19-12, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Welcome to Detroit and Downtown stik.com.

Looking to hire also according to this from their website. http://www.stik.com/jobs.html

The downtown energy is continuing to build and it is great to see and experience.

They want to hire engineers, Lowell! That is so racist and sexist of them.

That is what I was told when I was working and resisted having one of my few engineer spaces changed to a "management analyst". The personnel types insisted that they could not provide "upward mobility" in the organization because I was "over-qualifying" the job.

They need to be hiring English Lit majors and Philosophy majors at $80K a year as "content providers. Then we can laugh and cheer.

**Wheels** · September-19-12, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

Illitch was the first person to invest in Detroit and paved the way for Dan Gilbert.

This is so wrong. Jim Forbes was years ahead of Illitch and sold the Fox and most of the area of Comerica to him. Mr. Forbes saved most of what is left in Foxtown and Park avenue. He just never had the deep pockets to develop it all.

Shollin · September-19-12, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

This is so wrong. Jim Forbes was years ahead of Illitch and sold the Fox and most of the area of Comerica to him. Mr. Forbes saved most of what is left in Foxtown and Park avenue. He just never had the deep pockets to develop it all.

so basically he owned a bunch of vacant property?

**DetBill** · September-19-12, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

This is so wrong. Jim Forbes was years ahead of Illitch and sold the Fox and most of the area of Comerica to him. Mr. Forbes saved most of what is left in Foxtown and Park avenue. He just never had the deep pockets to develop it all.

Forbes and Illitch have to both be commended... As someone who has lived downtown since 1989, many on here have absolutely no idea what downtown was like in the years prior to these two fellows.. Forbes had a great vision, not a ton of money and did what he could when no one would even look at downtown Detroit to move to,, trust me... When Illitch took over , he developed the entertainment district when it was a slummed out , empty area. He bought alot of buildings, and sports teams and did very well even to this day, Ofcourse some did not like the destruction of some of the old buildings but most of them would have sat there falling apart anyway.. No one, and I mean no one, other that Illitch had the guts to do what he did, Did he make money on this ? Certainly he did, thats what business is all about, and good for him, So many have trashed him on this site,, Without him, there is a good chance nothing would have ever happened in any magnitude. I only wish some on here could have lived downtown here inthe 80s,, you might have a very different perspective on Illitch. It was a big deal if someone actually had the guts to open a small restaurant. Most did not last more than a year or two.

**Newdetroit** · September-19-12, 08:55 PM

Have the Illitches been quiet lately? Maybe Kwame corruption trial is going on now may have something to do with it...Madison-Lenox building being torn down....hint hint..

**mikeinmotown** · September-20-12, 03:12 PM

Give me a break. Illitch has done plenty for the city. If it wasn't for him moving downtown 20+ years ago we would of lost the Fox Theater.

**mikeinmotown** · September-20-12, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by DetBill

Forbes and Illitch have to both be commended... As someone who has lived downtown since 1989, many on here have absolutely no idea what downtown was like in the years prior to these two fellows.. Forbes had a great vision, not a ton of money and did what he could when no one would even look at downtown Detroit to move to,, trust me... When Illitch took over , he developed the entertainment district when it was a slummed out , empty area. He bought alot of buildings, and sports teams and did very well even to this day, Ofcourse some did not like the destruction of some of the old buildings but most of them would have sat there falling apart anyway.. No one, and I mean no one, other that Illitch had the guts to do what he did, Did he make money on this ? Certainly he did, thats what business is all about, and good for him, So many have trashed him on this site,, Without him, there is a good chance nothing would have ever happened in any magnitude. I only wish some on here could have lived downtown here inthe 80s,, you might have a very different perspective on Illitch. It was a big deal if someone actually had the guts to open a small restaurant. Most did not last more than a year or two.

I couldn't agree with you more.

**Motor City Sam** · September-20-12, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by DetBill

Forbes and Illitch have to both be commended... As someone who has lived downtown since 1989, many on here have absolutely no idea what downtown was like in the years prior to these two fellows.. Forbes had a great vision, not a ton of money and did what he could when no one would even look at downtown Detroit to move to,, trust me... When Illitch took over , he developed the entertainment district when it was a slummed out , empty area. He bought alot of buildings, and sports teams and did very well even to this day, Ofcourse some did not like the destruction of some of the old buildings but most of them would have sat there falling apart anyway.. No one, and I mean no one, other that Illitch had the guts to do what he did, Did he make money on this ? Certainly he did, thats what business is all about, and good for him, So many have trashed him on this site,, Without him, there is a good chance nothing would have ever happened in any magnitude. I only wish some on here could have lived downtown here inthe 80s,, you might have a very different perspective on Illitch. It was a big deal if someone actually had the guts to open a small restaurant. Most did not last more than a year or two.

Well said, DetBill. I moved into the Fyfe Apartments just before Illitch moved Little Caesar's to the Fox, and I spent a lot of time downtown in the 80s. His impact was huge.

**stasu1213** · September-20-12, 06:15 PM

I feel that Forbes, Illitch, and Gilber had done their part in revitalizing a failing downtown. I remembered when the Fox was a rat infested movie palace in the early 80s that show martial arts movies. The Adams and the Madison were also rat holes that showed mostly blaxplotation films. There were a little bit more retail that lined Woodward Avenue in the early to mid 80s. By the 90s most of the storefront windows were borded with the smell of mildew, dampness, and urine permeating the air. Woodward had remained in that state until the Superbow had came to town then most of the storefronts were cleaned up for the pop up shops that sold superbow items and more. Now Woodward looks much better than it did back in the 70s thru mid 2000s. Just need retail to open in the empty storefronts

**leapfrog** · September-21-12, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by DetBill

Forbes and Illitch have to both be commended... As someone who has lived downtown since 1989, many on here have absolutely no idea what downtown was like in the years prior to these two fellows.. Forbes had a great vision, not a ton of money and did what he could when no one would even look at downtown Detroit to move to,, trust me... When Illitch took over , he developed the entertainment district when it was a slummed out , empty area. He bought alot of buildings, and sports teams and did very well even to this day, Ofcourse some did not like the destruction of some of the old buildings but most of them would have sat there falling apart anyway.. No one, and I mean no one, other that Illitch had the guts to do what he did, Did he make money on this ? Certainly he did, thats what business is all about, and good for him, So many have trashed him on this site,, Without him, there is a good chance nothing would have ever happened in any magnitude. I only wish some on here could have lived downtown here inthe 80s,, you might have a very different perspective on Illitch. It was a big deal if someone actually had the guts to open a small restaurant. Most did not last more than a year or two.

I agree completely - both men made their contributions to the city, good and bad. Why not recognize that rather than debate who was superior to the other?

**mikefmich** · September-21-12, 10:52 AM

I despise what has become of Detroit as much or more than anyone. But I cannot wrap my head around folks who bitch about anyone or anything that decides to re-locate there....."oh but they ought do better, this won't add that much, we need better quality"...yada yada yada.

Seriously? Keep up with that swallowing the turkey in one bite thinking, and see how far our formerly fair city gets. One job.....one taxpayer....one business location open. I don't really care if it's aliens from Uranus building a war machine to invade Saturn.

**Honky Tonk** · September-21-12, 11:03 AM

"I don't really care if it's aliens from Uranus building a war machine to invade Saturn."

Uhhhhhh, THAT was supposed to be kept under wrap........

**Motor City Sam** · September-21-12, 11:24 AM

"I don't really care if it's aliens from Uranus building a war machine to invade Saturn."

Man, thanks for the laugh. I needed that today.

And I agree with the rest of your point, also.