PLYMOUTH, Mich. (AP) - Demolition of the former Detroit House of Corrections facility in Plymouth Township has begun, officials said.
The Michigan Land Bank, which owns the property, is planning to spend about $1.87 million to take down the former prison. E.T. MacKenzie Co., based in Grand Ledge, was awarded a bid for the demolition project.
Land Bank officials said the buildings are expected to be razed by early fall.
Officials said once the facility has been torn down there are future possibilities for development. Township Supervisor Kurt Heise said the site needs environmental remediation beforehand because it was once used as a dump.
“This is an important project for Plymouth Township residents, but also for the entire region,” Heise said in a statement Tuesday. “This is a site that was vacant for decades. We’ll see immediate benefits as this eyesore is eliminated. But long term, we’re creating an opportunity to boost development not just on this site, but in the surrounding parcels.”
Plans call for removing guard towers and razor-wire fences that officials believe have deterred economic development.
“These are preliminary steps, but certainly important steps as we move toward improving the DeHoCo site,” said Roger Curtis, director of the state’s talent and economic development department. “We’re removing blight, improving the safety and quality of life for township residents and making changes to help the surrounding area be more attractive to economic development and creating jobs.”
The former prison sits on 45 acres of land. In the late 1980s, operations ceased, and the complex and surrounding acres were sold.
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