Detroit council postpones demolition of aging Commercial Group 222 building to allow engineering study

The Detroit City Council on Tuesday postponed for one week a proposed amendment to a demolition contract for a long-vacant building identified as Commercial Group 222 after members pressed city staff for an engineering assessment and clearer cost estimates to determine whether the structure can be stabilized and preserved.

Council President Pro Tem James Tate, speaking during the public session, urged the city to consider temporary stabilization instead of immediate demolition. "Instead of demolishing this building, why can't we go in, trash it out, and then board it up, to allow for this space to be repurposed, redeveloped, at a later date when we have some developer that wants to move into this very hot area of the city," Tate said.

The discussion centered on a demolition amendment (contract 605836‑A1) that the administration brought forward to extend time for abatement and demolition. The contract…