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June 05, 2009

Detroit development chief: We'll raze Tiger Stadium tonight, if possible

Detroit Economic Growth Corporation VP Waymon Guillebeaux told Crain's Detroit Business today that demolition of Tiger Stadium could begin tonight if all the paperwork has been completed.

In the meantime, proponents of preserving the home-plate section of the ballpark continue to appeal to Mayor Dave Bing (yes, that Dave Bing) to step in and stop the wrecking crews. (Mayor Bing is apparently the only person who can overrule the EGC; to register your opinion on this, call his office at 313-224-3400.) U.S. Sen. Carl Levin says he appealed to EGC president George Jackson, who's been agitating for demolition for years, but couldn't get him to meet with him; a spokesperson for Jackson says he went to D.C. to meet with Levin, but the senator was unavailable. For lots more accusations and counter-accusations, see the Crain's article.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, meanwhile, has a nice report on Wednesday's protest, and itself notes:

[T]he DEGC and the city have no alternative plan for the site with any real viability, and certainly no developer or use that is at all shovel-ready. So why the sudden rush to spend significant money to tear it all down? Complete demolition at this time will result only in another empty parcel in a city filled with vacant land awaiting new construction.

We believe the city should extend deadlines for the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy and encourage continued progress toward a significant redevelopment of an iconic historic resource that will cost the taxpayers of Detroit little and provide a much needed shot in the arm the cash-strapped city desperately needs in these trying times.

COMMENTS

I just called (let it ring) and was told that as of right now (Friday, 3:30 EST) no time had been set for demolition.

Posted by Erika on June 5, 2009 03:35 PM

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