The University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Detroit Sustainability Clinic has officially opened in a new physical space—the historic  Julian C. Madison Building, located at 1420 Washington Blvd in downtown Detroit. This move strengthens the Clinic’s presence in the city and reinforces its commitment to support community-driven, place-based sustainability solutions in Detroit and surrounding areas. 

Since its launch in late 2021, the Clinic has led a total of 20 collaborative projects in partnership with SEAS faculty, students, and local community and government partners. The new location brings faculty, students and staff closer to the communities they work with. “Having a brick-and-mortar location in the heart of downtown Detroit allows us to build stronger relationships with our partners, expand our service offerings, and be more accessible in responding to emerging sustainability concerns,” said Associate Professor Tony Reames, director of the U-M SEAS Detroit Sustainability Clinic. 

The Clinic’s new home was chosen with intention. Named after pioneering Black engineer Julian C. Madison, the Julian C. Madison Building is owned by his daughter, Sharon Madison, a U-M graduate and the first Black woman to own commercial property in downtown Detroit. Her commitment to maintaining the building through Detroit’s financial crisis and ongoing disinvestment reflects its legacy of Black ownership and resilience. Her ongoing efforts to bridge the STEM entrepreneurial gap for underrepresented minority women strongly align with the Clinic’s mission to advance equity and environmental justice in Metro Detroit.

 “We like to think of our building as a home for inclusive entrepreneurship and community creatives,” said Madison. “We’re excited to welcome Dr. Reames and his team from the University of Michigan.”

In the long term, the Clinic’s permanent office will be located at the U-M Center for Innovation (UMCI), scheduled to open in 2027. In the meantime, the current working space will continue to serve as a launchpad for collaborative projects centered on five technical assistance focus areas:

• Environmental, Energy and Water Justice
• Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization
• Sustainability and Climate Action
• Green Infrastructure and Watershed Management
• Circular Economy

Some examples of the Clinic’s work include a project to identify short-term and long-term solutions to flooding in the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, co-creating a strategy for the sustainable redevelopment of the Cass neighborhood, and partnering with the City of Detroit Office of Sustainability to create a strategic plan for municipal and community-level solar development. 

The official office-warming event will take place in Fall 2025. To learn more about the Clinic’s work or to get involved, visit seas.umich.edu/clinic or email [email protected].

The University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Detroit Sustainability Clinic is an innovative hub of faculty, students and visionaries, working alongside local government, community-based organizations and Detroit community leaders to solve Detroit’s most pressing sustainability-related challenges. We place community needs at the forefront, realizing that positive and lasting change can only be created through deep listening, collaboration, and trust. We leverage SEAS’ mission to create real impact, aiming to improve the ability of the City of Detroit and nonprofits serving the city to address climate change impacts while providing students with real-world experiences and hands-on training.