A Detroit City Council public health and safety subcommittee on Monday voted to forward a proposed 30-year lease returning Davis Aerospace Technical High School to space in the Coleman A. Young International Airport terminal, with the city recommending approval to the full council.

The lease would place Davis Aerospace in the airport’s main terminal under an agreement with Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD). "This contract is a, essentially, it's a 30 year lease for the main terminal facility at the airport to, relocate, Davis Aerospace Technical High School back to the grounds of the airport," Jason Watt, airport director, told the committee.

The subcommittee’s action sends the contract to the council’s new-business calendar with a recommendation to approve, after committee members and district officials described the project’s timeline, oversight and expected benefits. The first-year annual rent is listed at $349,675 (about $29,139 monthly), adjusted by CPI thereafter; the terminal renovation and program buildout were discussed as roughly a $14.6 million investment, and DPSCD officials said they aim to occupy classrooms beginning in fall 2026.

Why it matters: Committee members framed the project as an education and workforce-development investment tied to airport revitalization. "Having this educational facility brought back to where it belongs is huge," Council Member Benson said, praising long-standing community and city efforts to return the program to airport property. Supporters said the site will allow hands-on aviation classes where students can train at facilities adjacent to runways and flight operations.

Key details discussed at the meeting:
- Space, scale and enrollment: DPSCD representatives said the terminal buildout is about 53,000 square feet and will be designed for a capacity of roughly 200 students, with specialized CTE labs including flight-training, drone programming and maintenance spaces.
- Timeline and approvals: The subcommittee approved forwarding the item; DPSCD planned to present it to its Board of Education on June 10, 2025, and said construction/renovation work would start after board approval with relocation targeted for fall 2026.
- Financial terms: The lease term on the contract as presented runs through July 31, 2055; first-year rent is the appraised fair-market amount ($349,675) with CPI adjustments and amortization of district capital investments noted in the agreement.
- Project oversight and contractors: City and DPSCD officials identified firms and roles for oversight and construction: Kimley Horn (city oversight), Quinn Evans (architect/engineering for district design), Gilbane Construction (construction contractor), Plant Moran (owner’s rep for DPSCD) and Kim Dokes (small, female, Black‑owned architect partnered on design work).

Officials emphasized local hiring and small-business participation: DPSCD representatives said the district’s equity and purchasing policy and vendor fairs are intended to link smaller Detroit-based and minority businesses with larger contractors so they can form joint ventures and participate in the work.

The committee recorded no roll-call vote for final adoption at the meeting; the motion to approve and forward the lease to new business carried with "no objection," and the item will appear on the council’s agenda.

Looking ahead: The school and city officials urged committee members to inform other council members ahead of the council vote so the lease can move forward without delay. DPSCD said its Board of Education vote would be the next required approval step before construction proceeds.