An all-boys Catholic school now owns a piece of the old Michigan State Fairgrounds off 8 Mile Road in Detroit.
The University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy recently purchased 16 acres of the former fairgrounds property, specifically two noncontiguous parcels that run along Woodward Avenue.
The private school, which serves grades 7 through 12, isn't ready to publicly reveal its plans for the property, but said in a statement issued Friday, Oct., 16, that the purchase "reflects our longstanding commitment to the city, our neighborhood and the young men we serve."
The statement referenced the school's campus at 8400 Cambridge Ave. and its Johnson Recreation Center at 8550 Chippewa Ave. The new property is about 3 miles away from both locations.
"Any future plans will be guided by a comprehensive vision for all three properties," the statement said, "ensuring that our investments strengthen the educational experience while creating opportunities to serve and engage our surrounding community."
News of the school's purchase was first reported by Crain's Detroit.
U-D Jesuit bought the two vacant parcels from a limited liability corporation called "Magic Plus," which at one time was a partnership that included retired basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the developer and Michigan State University trustee Joel Ferguson, and prominent Detroiter Marvin Beatty.
Johnson ultimately exited the group and ownership of the land passed to Ferguson, and then eventually to Ferguson's estate following his death in 2024 at age 85.
A U-D Jesuit representative declined Friday to say how much the school paid for the land.
But it appears to have paid a premium.
City records show the 11-acre parcel — 20200 Woodward — changed hands for $2.5 million on July 1. Crain's reported that the 5-acre parcel at 19950 Woodward sold last month for just over $1.5 million. (That sale does not yet appear in property records.)
Back in 2019, the "Magic Plus" group originally acquired both parcels from the state land bank for a combined $472,000.
The abandoned State Fairgrounds spanned some 164 acres and has undergone a dramatic transformation since 2019, when the city of Detroit bought all but the 16 acres that now belong to U-D Jesuit.
The larger site is now home to a giant five-floor Amazon Fulfillment center, a Target Sortation Center warehouse, the city's new Jason Hargrove Transit Center and a future Chick-fil-A.
The state fair occupied the site from 1905 to 2009.
Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: U-D Jesuit school buys part of old State Fairgrounds in Detroit
