After initial pushback, Gilbert's Bedrock now close to securing Hudson's site trademarks

After some initial pushback, Dan Gilbert's real estate firm now appears close to securing its desired trademarks for the Hudson's site development in Detroit.

The federal Patent and Trademark Office gave preliminary approvals last month to Bedrock for a series of proposed names and graphics logos for the two-building development that is under construction at 1208 Woodward in downtown, on the former site of the old J.L. Hudson department store.

The proposed trademarks are set to publish Aug. 13 in the office's "Official Gazette," after which any opposing parties have 30 days to make objections. If there are no objections, the trademarks can eventually become official for Bedrock.

The proposed names include "Hudson's Detroit," "Hudson's" and "Hudsons,"along with a unique graphics logo for the development. Bedrock this spring unveiled the logo following a topping-off ceremony for the development's 45-floor skyscraper.

The skyscraper, at about 685 feet, is the second tallest building in Detroit after the Renaissance Center's hotel tower. It is expected to contain a 210-room EDITION hotel and about 90 EDITION-branded luxury condos on the upper floors, with some units priced at over $1 million.

The other Hudson's site building is a wider 12-story "office block" that will have office, exhibition and events space, including the future world headquarters for General Motors after the automaker leaves the RenCen sometime next year.

Bedrock made no changes to the proposed names or graphics in its trademark application in response to concerns last December from a trademark official that they were too similar to existing trademarks containing the words "Hudson" or "Hudsons."

Rather, Bedrock narrowed the descriptions of what the proposed trademarks would pertain to. The biggest changes were deletion of references to hotel services, "taproom" and bar services, as well as to "providing food and drink in market halls and food halls."

The intended uses are down to generally real estate and brokerage services, plus conference, convention and meeting spaces — including for weddings and receptions.

“They made a modest request even more modest with their amendments," said Jake Grove, an intellectual property attorney with Howard & Howard in Royal Oak who has taught classes at the University of Detroit Mercy Law school.

Grove noted that how brand names are used are of crucial importance in trademark law, and is why Apple phones and computers can coexist with the completely different Apple Records record label started by the Beatles.

"In trademark law, it’s not just the brand but what it is for," he said.

In the case of Bedrock's applications, the pushback came from a trademark office examiner who cited potential conflict with existing trademarks for a Hudson hotel in New York City and various restaurants with "Hudson's" or "Hudsons" in the name, among other things.

A Bedrock representative didn't respond Thursday to a request for comment.

The $1.4 billion Hudson's site project broke ground in December 2017 and is running several years behind its original timeline, although the exterior work appears to be getting close to completion.

GM announced in April that it will start leasing the top two floors of the office block sometime in 2025. A GM spokesperson said Thursday that more details about the automaker's moving plans will be shared later.

As for the Hudson's skyscraper, the EDITION hotel and branded residences are not expected to open until 2027. (A once-anticipated 2025 opening for the hotel was pushed back for unspecified reasons.)

Separate from its "Hudson's Detroit" applications, Bedrock submitted a trademark request last month for the motto "Defined by Detroit, Built for the World." Bedrock in April began using that motto on social media in connection to the Hudson's site.

What's more, the real estate firm also is seeking trademarks for "Cadillac Exchange" and "National Theatre Detroit."

In January, contractors demolished what was left of the old National Theatre building, 118 Monroe St. in downtown, to make way for this spring's NFL Draft main stage and a future multiphase Bedrock development dubbed The Development at Cadillac Square, previously known as the Monroe Blocks.

The National Theatre dated to 1911 and had been vacant since the mid-1970s. Workers dismantled the theater's facade last fall and placed it in storage for reuse in the future at a planned concert venue within Bedrock's Cadillac Square development.

More:Dan Gilbert confirms ultraluxury EDITION Hotel, condos for Detroit Hudson's tower

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Contact JC Reindl: 313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl