The city wants proof that Perfecting Church has money to complete its cathedral project at Woodward and 7 Mile that stalled after starting nearly 20 years ago.
The big picture: To help revive commercial corridors like Woodward and Grand River, the city began cracking down on Perfecting Church and other well-known vacant properties last year with a wave of lawsuits intended to force the properties’ redevelopment or demolition.
- Perfecting reached a deal with the city to restart construction on the $50 million church, but timelines within the agreement have been missed.
What they’re saying: “I’m trying to work with these guys. It’s been slower than I would have liked,” Conrad Mallett , the city’s chief lawyer, tells Axios. “This is a substantial piece of property in an important part of the city.”
- Mallett conceded some bureaucratic delays on the city’s side. “Firm evidence” of financing is still lacking, he says.
The other side: Damon Tooles, of Tooles Contracting Group and the owner’s representative on the project, tells Axios that Perfecting provided the city in March with a status update and a bank’s letter affirming a $21 million loan to complete the project’s next phase. He says the city has not responded.