Committee advances Mammoth Building demolition contract despite owners' court filing

The Detroit City Council Public Health and Safety Committee voted to send contract 6006978 — the Mammoth Building demolition — to new business with a recommendation to approve, despite a pending motion filed by the building owners asking the court to reconsider earlier rulings.

The vote to advance the item occurred after public comments from nearby residents urging demolition and remarks from the building’s new owners that they have invested in securing the property since acquiring it in 2023. Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett told the committee the owners’ recent filing asking the court to reconsider does not legally prevent the city from moving forward.

Why it matters: The long-vacant Mammoth Building on Grand River and Greenfield has been cited by neighbors as a public-safety hazard and an eyesore. The committee’s recommendation would move a multi-million-dollar demolition contract closer to final approval; opponents and at least one council member said they would prefer waiting for the court to act so the owners could attempt to preserve the structure.

Committee discussion and evidence: Neighbors who live…