1250 N MAIN ST

FACILITY CAMPAIGN

 

OUR CAMPAIGN

After years of moving between training spaces, The Michigan Rowing Association is excited to announce that we have negotiated the purchase of 1250 North Main Street as a permanent training space for the Michigan Men’s Rowing Team! Over the past 18 months, we have performed rigorous diligence on the property and already have raised over $3.0 million from alumni, parents, and friends of the Team who have committed to supporting this permanent home for the Team. 1250 N. Main St. will be a world-class training facility, ensuring the program’s future by creating a home for the Team to build camaraderie and speed, reducing the financial burden of rowing, and ending the uncertainty of temporary training spaces. This purchase is a program-altering undertaking and MRA needs your help to get us to the finish line.

The facilities have been nothing short of incredible; allowing us to practice as a full team is truly game changing. Knowing how hard so many alumni and parents worked to bring us this facility inspires me to attack training every day.

Ben Woodmansee, Sophomore

 
 
 

Impact on the athletes

This commitment from our alumni and parents reflects how important rowing at Michigan was to all of us. This space not only provides an opportunity for our team to build depth and speed, but it also provides the ability to maintain the team culture that is so important to all of us. The team is once again training together in one practice, building the bonds that have so strongly united us over the years. The space is our own: we are able to display all of our trophies, our awards, and our record board. The space has become a home for the team, giving them a space to study, relax, and call their own. Now, we need your help to finish this campaign and take Michigan Men’s Rowing to the next level.

Personally the greatest part is the way it feels like home. You can’t escape a love-hate relationship with an erg facility. But whether it’s procrastinating homework we planned to do before practice, or seeing the entire team cheer on the final groups of a Friday relay, I’ve found myself falling in love with the building. 

Ben Adloff, Junior

 
 
 

Why this building

Over the coming weeks, you will hear from Coach Hartsuff, current Team members, Olympic athletes, and other key stakeholders, explaining why this campaign is crucial to the Team’s long-term success:

  • Prime location | Located steps from the boathouse, the building is an easy commute from Central and North Campus.

  • Floor plan | The building was originally a textile factory, so it already has an open floor plan with large windows and thick concrete floors that will support the Team’s equipment. There is excellent ventilation and ample space for large locker rooms with showers.

  • Price | The MRA Board has worked with our commercial real estate advisors at Plante Moran to secure an incredible amount of space at a fair price. 

  • Tenant Income | There are two ground floor office tenants whose rental payments will immediately generate positive cash flow for our organization. 

  • Focus | The combination of adding rental income from the ground floor while eliminating MRA’s need to pay for short-term training space will enable MRA to focus donations on areas of need, including coaching staff, equipment, and Team dues. 

I attended an open boat house to try filling my need for sports with rowing during my time at Michigan. After the first meeting, I knew this was exactly what I needed and this was where I could become the best version of myself. I am proud to say I am part of the Michigan Men's Rowing Team.

Arjun Mehta, Freshman

 
 

Hartsuff's Hol-Erg-Day Hour is back for the first time since 2015, with the full team in attendance! Thank you Pete Woodman '02 for putting together this amazing hype video!

CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

The MRA Board of Directors created a committee to provide feedback and help ensure the success of our campaign. They include the following members:

 

  • Patrick Finn '98 (Committee Chair)

  • Alex Woolf ‘93 (MRA Board Member)

  • Jeff Baxter '03 (MRA Board Member)

  • Dan Brock '09 (MRA President)

  • Wes Vear '15 (MRA Vice Preesident)

  • William Burstein '16 (MRA Secretary)

  • Lake Vitton '18 (MRA Alumni Relations)

  • Katie Melzer '00

  • John Gekas '00

  • Josh Klaff '02

  • Doug Constantine '03

  • Matt Hughes '04

  • Erik Hult '05

  • Doug McBeth, parent of current rower Tommy '25

  • Betsy Vitton, parent of current coxswain Catharine '26 and former rower Lake '18

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Purchasing 1250 N. Main St. will secure our future and raise our competitiveness to the next level – improving our student-athletes’ day-to-day experiences and reducing their costs. This is the all-hands-on-deck moment that we have been working towards, as alumni and friends of the Team. We ask for your help now to ensure that Michigan Men’s Rowing is fast and secure for generations to come.

We are accepting donations pledged over the next five years, allowing our supporters to contribute to a greater degree than our usual fundraising. You can set up a recurring donation in our online form to be monthly, quarterly, or annually in addition to our standard one time donations. You can also reach out to Wes (vp@michiganrowingassociation.org) with any questions about a multi-year commitment.

Another great way to support the team is by rallying your fellow alumni and parents to support this incredible opportunity. Feel free to reach out to Wes, Lake, or Jeff about how best to encourage your teammates.

You can read here for more historical context on the various facilities the team has used and background on this fundraising campaign.

Row Blue,

MRA Board of Directors