The $50 million Packard Park proposal, which included MODEM and 42 affordable housing units, has been shelved by Mayor Mary Sheffield just months after its December unveiling.
Detroit’s Mayor, Mary Sheffield, has shut down a $50 million Packard Park redevelopment proposal after letting a letter of intent with developers lapse after its mid-February deadline passed without renewal, The Detroit News reports.
For the electronic music community, the legendary Packard Automotive Plant hosted formative moments that put the city of Detroit on the global map. Detroit techno was pioneered in basement studios and underground clubs by Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson, collectively known as the Belleville Three, in the early ’80s before emerging as foundational cornerstone of modern electronic music.
The proposed renovation was a landmark project for Detroit’s east side, anchoring a 28-acre redevelopment around the Museum of Detroit Electronic Music (MODEM). The property was also set to include 42 affordable housing units, an indoor skate park and a new 393,000-square-foot industrial building projected to bring 300 manufacturing jobs.
It was unveiled in December as one of former Mayor Mike Duggan’s final acts, a capstone on years of difficult, expensive demolition work. The Sheffield administration, however, now says it wants to weigh a broader range of options before committing to any single vision for the site.
Sheffield had initially praised the project, calling it “a symbol of what is possible when Detroiters, public partners and committed developers work together.” Her reversal now raises questions about how much of the prior plan’s cultural ambition will survive whatever comes next.
The developers said they’re not abandoning the project yet, telling local media they remain ready to help Detroit realize the site’s potential. With Movement Festival approaching its 20th anniversary this May, the stakes for Motown’s electronic music legacy are seemingly higher than ever.
“It remains our vision, with our many partners, to preserve the legacy of the Packard site and bring jobs to the City of Detroit,” the developers said in a statement provided to The Detroit News. “We stand ready to help Detroit with this mission. The project had been progressing just months after it was announced but we understand that a new administration can have new priorities.”