Detroit’s City Council is beginning its process to formally consider the historic community benefits agreement for the $2.2 billion Renaissance Center’s redevelopment project.
HOMEWORK CHECK Want to know more about what’s in the agreement? Freep’s JC Reindl has more for you.
WHAT’S HAPPENING? The community benefits agreement for the RenCen project was approved two weeks ago by a Neighborhood Advisory Council formed to advocate for surrounding residents. It’s now making its way to the City Council. A few memos and discussions have popped up on subcommittee agendas since the redevelopment’s first appearance before a council body last month. Now, multiple items related to the project are slated for Thursday’s Planning and Economic Development committee. These include, but are not limited to:
- The community benefits report for the Renaissance Center/East Riverfront Project.
- The actual Community Benefits Provisions.
- Public hearing on the issue.
- A tax abatement request to establish a commercial rehabilitation district for the project.
- Memos from council members seeking information about the project, the feasibility of community requests (including, namely, revenue sharing), the community benefits ordinance, and other items.
- A privileged and confidential memo from the city’s Law Department on revenue sharing and community ownership for certain developments that trigger a community benefits process.
WORD ON THE STREET? Residents online and in meetings have been largely railing against the development for weeks. Concerns have been raised about the lack of community demands being met, over-privatization of the downtown and riverfront space, how the planned decade of construction will impact Detroiters and more. The most public support for the project has come from some city seniors and youth who seem hungry for revitalization and entertainment downtown. Mayor Mary Sheffield and her administration have expressed public support for the redevelopment and developers in social media posts. She has also been quoted as highlighting the importance of “the people’s waterfront,” and that Detroiters should see “some” of what they want there.
During Tuesday’s session, the main issue uniting commenters’ concerns was time.
Longtime sailor District 5 Amy Hubbarth said she is deeply passionate about the potential of developing marina, but does not feel like she has seen solid plans from developers so far.
“I want development,” she stressed to me, echoing comments she made during the meeting. “They (council members) need to take their time.”
The $2.2 billion project, proposed by Bedrock and General Motors, calls for two of the five Renaissance Center towers to come down. Bedrock and GM are seeking tax breaks and development incentives worth $548 million and have said the project can’t be done without them.
Last month, businessman Dan Gilbert pledged $1 billion to create a new nonprofit to redevelop and run the Renaissance Center and east riverfront.
Another commenter, Tahira Ahmad, called in to voice her disappointment about the development, asking council members not to let “Dan Gilbert steal our two towers” and to take their time considering the issue.
District 4 resident Eden Bloom, an environmental advocate who works with the Detroit People’s Platform, has frequently weighed in on the RenCen development at meetings and online. Like many other commenters Tuesday, Bloom was cut off mid-comment.
He was able to list his criticisms, including the amount of the actual direct benefits compared to the $548 million of public support being sought for the project. He also joined many residents calling for the confidential memo to be made public.
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE OR MAKE MY VOICE HEARD? The committee meeting where these items will be discussed is Thursday Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. You can attend and/or comment in-person on the 13th floor of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, or virtually here: https://detroitmi.gov/government/city-clerk/city-council-agendas-documents.
- STUDY UP. You can find Thursday’s PED agenda and its documents here: https://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=f7c9ef47-03f4-4aad-965b-0fb28101c010&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English
CAN’T MAKE IT? You can always watch past council sessions here: http://detroit-vod.cablecast.tv/internetchannel/gallery/3?site=1.
