Detroiters weigh in on redevelopment of Renaissance Center riverfront
Detroiters are getting their say on the future of the Renaissance Center and the East Riverfront.
"This project is shaped, but it's not written in stone. It's not written in concrete, and that's why we're going through CBO (Community Benefits Ordinance) right now," said Brian Watkins, government affairs director with Bedrock.
That process started Tuesday night with the first community benefits meeting for the $1.6 billion redevelopment plan. Bedrock says residents can weigh in on everything from public spaces to the kinds of entertainment and amenities that should go there.
"So often, many people think that this is already shaped, baked and out of the oven. Absolutely not. These are the things that we want the community to have an opportunity to talk about," said Watkins.
But when it comes to the formal community benefits process, the power of the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) is more specific.
"This process is focused on community benefits, and the council will ultimately adopt the incentive package and the benefit agreement," said Dara O'Byrne, interim director with Detroit Planning & Development.
The NAC will negotiate with the developers over benefits tied to those impacts. Only two of its nine members will be directly elected by people living in the designated impact area.
Some community advocates question whether that gives residents enough leverage.
"Allowing that kind of input is not really a substitute for additional community benefits, such as affordable housing," said Eric Dueweke, Community Development Advocates of Detroit board member.
The new Community Hub on Atwater is now open, and Bedrock and General Motors are also collecting feedback through an online survey and events across the city. Public CBO meetings will continue on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center through Oct. 27.
The city says that whatever benefits are ultimately agreed to, it will monitor whether those commitments are fulfilled.
