Detroit — The Detroit City Council on Tuesday reluctantly approved an extension for the Parade Co. to start construction of the Brodhead Armory along the Detroit River, despite members’ criticism over the company’s lag in fundraising over the last three years.

The City Council approved a one-year extension for the Parade Co. to start construction by Oct. 1, 2025, and complete construction by Aug. 1, 2027, should the company be able to fundraise $45 million for the project.

The Parade Co., which puts on Detroit’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade, submitted a plan in August 2021 to buy a portion of Gabriel Richard Park on Jefferson Avenue near Belle Isle. The land contains the historic Brodhead Naval Armory, a legacy of the Navy and Marine Corps in the city that will serve as the Parade Co.’s new headquarters.

The 2021 development agreement, negotiated with the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., detailed that the Parade Co. would purchase and redevelop the site from the city for $300,000. The agreement was contingent on the Parade Co. raising enough funds to redevelop the historical site, which is still owned by the city and has sat vacant for two decades.

Tony Michaels, Parade Co. President and CEO, told the council they’ve raised $14.5 million to date, including $3 million in historic preservation funds secured with help from Sen. Debbie Stabenow. But they can’t start construction until they raise $36 million.

The Parade Co. currently operates out of a building on Mount Elliott in the city.

“Our current contributors are remaining private, otherwise, I would tell you and we’d probably build momentum fast,” Michaels said to the council. “My guess is in the next few weeks, we could have something to share. There’s no guarantee. We’re working very hard to make this happen because we think it’s the right thing for so many reasons.”

Michaels said the Parade Co. plans to rehabilitate the northern portion of the building to restore historical elements of the former Brodhead Armory, while modernizing the back half of the property to accommodate float construction and event operations. It would allow for easier access to the Detroit River and annual Ford Fireworks and downtown Thanksgiving Day parade for the host.

He was adamant they would restore the historical site, offer summer camps for kids and host a new veterans center.

“The pandemic created a slow situation, but our goal is to turn this vision into a reality and get it done sooner than later,” Michaels told The Detroit News after the meeting. “There’s going to be a lot going on in this building and it’s the next step of the Parade Co., which is bringing people together like last night (fireworks).”

What is the Brodhead Armory?

After opening in 1930, the armory’s indoor drill floor was rented to host dances, auto shows, political and sporting events. In 1932, future heavyweight champion Joe Louis fought his first amateur bout there, a two-round loss, according to Historic Detroit archives. 

The Works Progress Administration funded Depression-era art for the building, including murals and plaster carvings by artist Gustave Hildebrand. It’s officially named R. Thornton Brodhead Armory after its first naval leader.

The site later served as a schoolhouse for 1,200 sailors, and after World War II, it was used as a training center for reservists. The armory then became headquarters to the 1st Battalion of the 24th Marines. 

The site was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1980 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. By the time the building closed in 2004, it was home to the largest collection of federally funded Depression-era artwork of any Michigan building; however, it has been hit hard by vandals since then, according to Historic Detroit. 

The site has since sat derelict and “is in horrible, horrible shape,” Michaels said. “The city did put Fiberglas up on the outside. There is a massive hole in the roof. There’s water inside. It is destroyed. The minute we jump in, we are working with (construction contractor) Barton Malow and a conservator and we are going to salvage every piece of art in that building. We have worked for five years through the Historical District Commission. This has been a long process and we are so committed because we think it’s right for the city.”

Hassan Beydoun, group executive in the city of Detroit’s development department, could not immediately specify how much the city has spent stabilizing the building, but said the hole in the roof is too big to secure. He said the city’s general services department has secured the site multiple times but there are consistent break-ins.

In 2021, more than a dozen residents and veterans advocated for the council to reconsider the sale. The City Council initially rejected the agreement, but quickly reconsidered. Then-President Pro-Tem Mary Sheffield voted against the sale of city-owned land alongside council President Brenda Jones and Councilwoman Raquel Castañeda-López. The council still approved the vote 5-3.

“One of the reasons why veterans initially shut it down was because they didn’t have the sponsors and we’re having the same problem with this project,” said Sheffield, now president of the City Council. “Quite frankly, it’s been three years and money has not been raised to the extent to move it forward.

“My main issue is the city, in some situations, picking and choosing what project we want to give leniency and it’s not fair... if (businesses) can’t show funding, they can’t be on a project. I will support this today, but I want to be very clear that I will not be supporting any extensions moving forward.”

Sheffield said while there’s no other interested developers competing for the site now, that doesn’t mean there won’t be.

“We don’t know if there is a developer because they never did a (request for proposals). That’s prime real estate of the beautiful riverfront where projects and things are moving and we haven’t marketed that project because we’re waiting on this one,” she said.

Steve Brodhead, director the Brodhead Association, a nonprofit that opposes the Parade Co.’s plan, argued during public comment that the Parade Co.’s proposal calls for the demolition of 70% of historically significant parts of the building. 

“Historic preservation organizations at the federal, state and city levels must be preserved,” Brodhead told the council Tuesday during public comment. “The property was a training site since 1893, both prior and during World War I. Constructed in the late 1830s to train naval and marine reservists up to and through WWII, Korea, Vietnam and on through the late 90s. Legendary heavyweight Joe Louis’ first fight happened there.

“... That’s over 330+ years of Detroit and military history,” he continued. “Brodhead deserves complete preservation and restoration similar to that of the train station.”

‘Long journey ahead’

Sheffield is requiring quarterly progress reports on fundraising efforts from the Parade Co. Council Pro Tem James Tate requested a contingency plan and infrastructure report of the building “to look at the long-term stability of the project.”

The historical site is a combined 175,000 square feet. The Parade Co. is planning to refurbish the front 37,000 square feet “back to the original look,” Michaels said. “As far as the rest, we are salvaging. The frescoes are going to be tough. They’re going to have to be cut right out of the wall and we’re going to to our absolute best.”

Tate said while there’s “a long journey ahead,” rehabilitating and preserving “is costly and sometimes not able to do.”

“I am a firm believer that sometimes it’s better to deal with who you know than what you don’t know. That being said, when we look at development projects, and like Lee Plaza or AMC site, but the time the developers want to come along, it’s already too far gone... That’s why I’m supporting it, but I don’t wanna be here next year,” said Tate.

When District 4 Councilwoman Latisha Johnson asked for a realistic timeframe to have the funding to be able to move forward, Michaels responded: “I can’t give you a date. I would love to say tomorrow... I would hate to take this whole year and this is not easy because we’re a busy group. I’ve taken this on in a nonstop way, but I can’t answer your question.”

District 3 Councilman Scott Benson said he will continue to support the project and he’s prepared to advocate for an extension.

“I’m prepared to go beyond, just knowing what it actually takes to complete development, and your commitment to the veterans community,” Benson said. “But I also need to see movement going forward.”

©2024 The Detroit News.

Visit detroitnews.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.