Former Detroit Cooley High School building to be demolished this summer
The former Cooley High School building in West Detroit is scheduled for demolition this summer, as the school district proceeds with plans to repurpose the property for a sports complex.
"While early conceptual designs explored preserving the front facade, subsequent reviews determined that the cost and timeline to preserve an entire portion of the building would be cost and time-prohibitive," said Chrystal Wilson, spokesperson for Detroit Public Schools Community District.
Thomas M. Cooley High School, at the corner of Hubbell Street and Chalfonte Street, opened in 1928 and closed in 2010. The school's Army JROTC site explained that the school was built to serve a rapidly growing population at the time in that part of the city. The mascot was a cardinal, and the school colors were red and black. Its namesake was Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas McIntyre Cooley.
But population and student counts declined; the district vacated the building.
Since the closing, the district has faced "thousands of dollars in blight tickets, tens of security calls, at least 3 major fires, and numerous resident complaints," a report issued in 2025 said.
There were plans at one time for a Detroit nonprofit to purchase the building, but the school board eventually rejected the offer.
The district announced in fall 2025 a series of upgrades, renovations, and restorations to athletic fields and swimming pools, including the creation of an 18-acre athletic complex at the former Cooley High School campus.
Wilson said district officials concluded by March 2026 that the entire former building would need to be razed. The district has approved a contract with Asbestos Abatement, Inc. to handle this work, which includes basement backfill and site restoration.
Demolition and Phase 1 of the site clearing must be completed by Sept. 30 to meet a deadline for a state grant received for this project, Wilson said. Phase 2 of development will begin immediately afterward.
"While a physical community or museum space within the original building is not part of the plan, the District is dedicated to maintaining a visual link to Cooley's legacy. The project's architectural firm, Hamilton Anderson, is working to selectively salvage key historic artifacts of the building such as the bell from the tower and other unique architectural features. These will be used with the new athletic complex to honor the history of Cooley," the district said.
The current plans include a new football stadium and track for use by Cody High School, whose student-athletes currently compete at the city of Detroit's Stein Park.
Completion of the athletic complex is scheduled for 2028.
