Detroit advisory council asks Bedrock and GM for $40 million in community benefits tied to $2.2 billion RenCen plan

Detroit's Neighborhood Advisory Council has asked Bedrock and General Motors for $40 million in gifts and scores of additional commitments tied to the proposed $2.2 billion Renaissance Center redevelopment.

The council, known as the NAC, presented the 18-page list of about 100 recommendations to the developers and the public on Oct. 6. The package would be one of the largest community benefits deals in Detroit if approved in its current form.

The list includes $7.5 million for a Community Wealth and Anti-displacement Fund, $6 million for skilled-labor training and apprenticeship programs, and $5 million for a down payment assistance fund for Detroit homebuyers. It also calls for $5 million for affordable housing development and preservation, $5 million for home repairs in ZIP codes near the RenCen, $3 million in small business grants, $3 million for a small business revolving loan fund, $2.5 million for the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre and $2 million for a community land trust.

Other requests include $1 million for an "Impacted Business Relief Fund," at least 100 paid internships and year-round youth employment opportunities, and free parking for Detroit residents for the first three hours once the development opens.

The council also wants Bedrock and GM to commit to continuous public access to the Detroit RiverWalk during construction. It is asking that all property south of Atwater and all future outdoor property on the existing RenCen footprint remain public space in perpetuity.

The NAC has nine members, all local volunteers. The group built the list after collecting public comments and survey responses about the Renaissance Center proposal. Detroit requires a community benefits process for large-scale projects that seek public subsidies.

NAC Chair Jamaine Dickens said the council spent many hours drafting the recommendations.

"(We) want to make sure that this development delivers lasting, equitable value to Detroiters while protecting residents, workers, businesses, neighborhoods and public access during and after construction," Dickens said. "Through this document, we sought to extend housing stability, home ownership, local hiring, living-wage jobs, workforce training, small business growth, accessible transportation and wealth-building opportunities."

The Renaissance Center plan calls for demolishing two of the five original towers, converting the remaining towers into housing, hotel rooms and modern office space, and building an amenity-rich riverfront attraction east of the RenCen.

Bedrock and GM representatives did not say during the meeting whether they would agree to the package. Steve Ogden, a Bedrock vice president, said the developers had seen the document only a few hours before it was presented.

"It's a voluminous document you put together," Ogden told council members.

The developers are scheduled to give a formal response at the NAC's next meeting on Oct. 13.