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Residents press council on 'dirty dirt' and open holes; Ivanhoe backfill item removed for administrative review
Summary
Public commenters and councilmembers raised safety and procurement concerns over open post-demolition holes and an emergency backfill contract (3091332 for 5558 Ivanhoe). Construction and Demolition staff said the site awaits environmental testing and fencing; the committee removed the Ivanhoe line item from the agenda for separate administrative handling.
Several members of the public told the committee they were worried about open post‑demolition holes and possible contamination at sites across Detroit, singling out contract 3091332 (a $37,298 backfill/remediation item for 5558 Ivanhoe) during general public comment and the demolition block discussion.
In-person commenter Charlie Liddef said he had photographs showing open holes near residences and playgrounds and asked how an item originally estimated at a lower cost became an emergency contract at roughly $37,000. “You will be voting on a contract today, 3091332…the removal and replacement of backfill at 5558 Ivanhoe,” Liddef said, and urged immediate fencing and remediation for children’s safety.
Vice Chair Denzel McCampbell and other council members pressed administration staff for the city’s criteria for declaring emergency demolitions and raised concerns that photos in the packet appeared to predate recent winter conditions. Gert Malil, planning strategy specialist in the construction and demolition division, described the emergency workflow: BC (building-code) issues an emergency letter with photos and a parcel map; OCP handles procurement; utilities must be cleared before a notice to proceed is issued; demolition follows within three days.
On the Ivanhoe site specifically, Malil confirmed the property is among locations requiring backfill remediation and said it is currently an open hole awaiting environmental testing to confirm that contaminated material has been removed; the contractor should fence the site. Because of those unresolved questions and a parallel administrative approval pathway, the chair removed the Ivanhoe line item (7.14) from the committee agenda so it can be processed through the appropriate administrative approval channels.
Councilmembers asked administration staff for written follow-up verifying fencing, the timeline for environmental testing, and an explanation of why a second contract is needed for backfill. The vice chair said he will submit additional questions in writing and asked for prompt information because "there's money being spent on this now, and it was not the fault of taxpayers." The committee otherwise approved the other demolition contracts (7.1–7.13) and sent them to formal with recommendation to approve.
The committee did not take a final vote on any remediation plan at the meeting; members requested the administration return with further documentation.
