Committee approves demolition contract for Joe Louis Greenway parcel, says council will seek economic-impact details

The standing committee approved sending to the full council a contract (6007785) with Adamo Demolition to demolish a city-owned commercial structure adjacent to the Joe Louis Greenway and recommended formal approval.

Eric Cooper of the Office of Contracting and Procurement identified the grant funding as coming from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Nick Payne of the Construction and Demolition Department said the parcel is publicly owned and that the project aims to remove blight and debris and create clean, open space alongside the greenway to support the General Services Department’s efforts.

"Our goal is to remove this blighted structure along with the blighted lot ... to have a clean and open space alongside the greenway, to support GSD's efforts," Payne said.

Vice Chair Denzel McCampbell asked for more information about how the demolition fits into the greenway’s overall plans and requested that a representative from the greenway project present economic-impact and neighborhood-development details when the item reaches the full council.

The committee approved the motion to send the contract to formal session with a recommendation to approve; members asked the administration to provide additional information on economic impacts at the formal hearing.