Detroit committee advances plan to cosign long-term lease for Belle Isle Boathouse, developers pledge public access

The standing committee on neighborhood and community services moved a proposed authorization to cosign a lease with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) for the Belle Isle Boathouse to formal session after detailed questions about public access and program commitments.

Assistant Director Alex Weatherup told the committee the state holds a 30‑year lease on Belle Isle and that the developer’s proposed lease of the boathouse would exceed that term. "They require the city to cosign it, since it may fall back to us after the 30 years," Weatherup said, adding the state would pay restoration costs.

Developer Stuart Pittman described plans to restore the historic building and operate it as a public asset with restaurants and public restrooms, and said the project would provide subleases to local rowing and sailing groups. "This will be a public building with two restaurants. Public restrooms… everyone’s included," Pittman said, adding that his team aims to preserve the structure and expand community programming.

Harry Jones, president of the Detroit Community Sailing Center, told members that the boathouse would deepen youth programming; the group currently operates from a temporary shed and runs sailing and related educational programs for hundreds of young people. "With the improvements planned for the boathouse, we will be able to do a lot more—safer and for more people," Jones said.

Council members pressed for clarity on long‑term public access, potential costs to the city and how the facility would complement other waterfront initiatives. One member asked whether Detroiters would face admission charges; a representative for the developer said the property would be open to the public, with potential fees only for some programming or dining services.

The law department and developer representatives said the developer would assume restoration expenses and that the lease requires the developer to sublease to community organizations such as the Friends of Detroit Rowing Club. Council members also discussed the lease’s relationship to other riverfront plans and water taxi or marina concepts.

After those assurances and an exchange about how the site would be used for sailing and rowing programming, the committee made a motion to send the item to formal session with a recommendation for approval. No final council vote on the lease occurred at the committee meeting; the item will return to the full council for formal consideration.

Next steps: the committee advanced the authorization to formal session; council members requested additional contractual details and said they expect continued oversight of public access commitments.