Construction of Fisher House Detroit is underway in the city’s North End community, following the groundbreaking ceremony recently at 7618 Woodward Ave. (between Bethune and Chandler streets). The construction is on the vacant plot of land where the storied Lilli’s Restaurant once stood decades ago.
When completed in late 2024 or the spring of 2025, Fisher House Detroit will provide temporary living accommodations for families and caregivers of veterans and active-duty military personnel receiving medical care at the nearby Detroit VA (The John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center) less than two miles away.
“We are so thrilled! This brings us one step closer to opening the doors to Fisher House Detroit,” said Amy Kennebeck, interim director for Detroit VA Healthcare System. “We are fortunate to find a site this close to the medical center to provide a home away from home for the families of Veterans while they are treated at Detroit VA.”
Fisher House Detroit, constructed by the Fisher House Foundation, will be different than others across the country and beyond, meaning such structures are typically built on government land at military bases or VA facilities. However, because such government land and properties were not available in close proximity to the Detroit VA Medical Center due to the sprawling Detroit Medical Center in Midtown Detroit, the nearby vacant plot in the North End community offered the ideal location.
“The Fisher House Detroit project is something that I have been working on since 2016,” said Adam Hollier, a veteran, former state senator, and former director of Michigan’s Department of Veterans Affairs who recently stepped down to run for Congress. “Finding the right location has been something that has taken years of planning and coordination but I’m excited about where it will be built, which is close to Dingell VA Center where veterans will be receiving care. There’s also accessible and reliable public transportation to and from the Dingell VA.”
Fisher House Detroit, when built, will be one of approximately 100 such Fisher House Foundation facilities in operation, most of which are located at military and VA facilities across America, the U.K., and Germany. With the need for medical care rising for active military personnel and veterans, the Fisher House Foundation has projected opening additional Houses in the coming years.
Fisher Houses, according to the Fisher House Foundation, typically have 16 suites, complete with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, dining room, and living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is “never a cost” for the lodging of the veterans/active-duty military families to be together while their loved ones undergo medical treatment at a nearby VA medical facility. The Foundation reports that Fisher Houses have saved veterans/active military persons’ families an estimated $547 million in out-of-pocket costs associated with lodging.
In Michigan, there is currently one Fisher House in operation: The VA Ann Arbor Fisher House. The 13,400-square-foot home away from home for families opened in June 2020. The new Fisher House Detroit will be an added resource of convenience to families in the city.
“Fisher House Foundation is proud to partner with Fisher House Michigan to bring this vital resource to the community,” Ken Fisher, chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation, said in a statement. “The people and organizations of Detroit have already shown what a wonderful community this will be for the new Fisher House supporting military and veteran families receiving care in Detroit.”
Fisher House Michigan is a not-for-profit organization formed to improve the quality of life of the state’s military members, veterans, their families, and caregivers. The organization works to inform the Veteran community, families, and the public about the mission of Fisher Houses.
According to a veteran data report compiled by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) in 2021, the number of veterans in the state was listed at 567,919. Approximately 235,000 veterans were enrolled in the VA healthcare system in Michigan, with a substantial number of enrollees listed as Black.
“The Dingell VA Hospital in Detroit serves the highest proportion of Black veterans in the state,” said Hollier. “While color shouldn’t matter, representation and access to medical care for Black and Brown GIs are essential. Having a Fisher House in Detroit very close to Dingell VA Medical Center will make a huge difference in accessibility for Black and Brown veterans needing medical care and their families.”
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