On Tuesday, his company issued the following statement: “We are saddened beyond words at the loss of our friend and leader, Eric Means. He was an inspiring man of incredible heart and vision and a man who believed deeply in not only in the cities of Detroit and Highland Park but also in doing right by the people who call those communities home. He was dedicated to mentoring the next generation of developers and always put the focus on his team instead of himself. Nevertheless, Eric has left a lasting legacy that we will proudly continue in his memory. Our hearts go out to Tracy (wife), Arie (daughter, 2), Willow (daughter, 7 months), and Brandon (son, 24), as well as all who were fortunate enough to know Eric and call him a friend.”
Means, a past Michigan Chronicle “Men of Excellence” honoree (Class of 2017), made headlines in Nov. 2019, when ground was broken for the Cambria Hotel. The project, a joint venture by The Means Group and Holdwick Development, both headquartered in Detroit, along with Troy-based Koucar Management LLC, has been celebrated as the “first ground-up hotel project in the city for 15 years” and the “first modular construction project in downtown Detroit.”
While Means was associated with a host of local developments that are linked to Detroit’s continued resurgence including the Garden Theater, the Woodward Garden Development, The Element Detroit at the Metropolitan Building and Residences at Ashton Detroit Condominiums, tributes posted Tuesday on social media by the city’s two highest elected officials describe a gentleman who was equally respected as a giving and caring human being.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan tweeted: “I was terribly saddened to learn of the unexpected passing of Eric Means, a bright young star in Detroit’s redevelopment and one of the finest examples of Detroiters rebuilding Detroit. His work will leave a lasting legacy on our city.”
Mayor Duggan’s sentiment was shared by Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones, who also expressed her admiration for Means via Twitter: “I was informed today about the untimely passing of Eric Means, a local developer. Mr. Means, founder of the Means Group, was more than a developer, he was a supporter for the people in Detroit. Eric attended and supported many of my events, including the annual Scholarship Fair, the Senior Summit, turkey giveaways and the annual Holiday Celebration and Toy Drive. I express my condolences to his wife and his entire family. I further express my condolences to his associates and friends. The last time we spoke, he was so excited about his progress on Residences@Ashton, one of his many projects. He also served honorably in the US Navy and was supportive of veteran affairs in Detroit. This rising young man’s star was extinguished by far too soon. I will miss him dearly.”
And for those in the business community that had an up-close glimpse of how Means went about his work and life, the loss of a friend and inspirational figure will have a lasting impact.
“We lost one of the all-time, all-time greats in our community,” said Cathy Nedd, former Chief Operating Officer and associate publisher of the Michigan Chronicle and a longtime public relations and marketing strategist for local business executives including Means. “I’ve known him for 25 years and I was always so impressed with him—always so proud. It was always a great business relationship, but also a great friendship. What I learned from him was to think big. He always thought big, he always had the confidence, and he was always very selective and strategic. He was a visionary and I believe his vision for Detroit was to create projects that attracted people from all over, just like the hotel.”
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