DETROIT (WXYZ) — A major plan for the redevelopment of a large portion of the former Packard Plant site in Detroit has stalled out.
City officials say they have terminated the Letter of Intent from Packard Development Partners, LLC, spearheaded by Oren Goldenberg and Mark J. Bennett.
"The Letter of Intent entered into by the prior administration had an expiration date of Feb. 11. The Packard Plant site is one of the few available City-owned large contiguous sites in Detroit. Consequently, the Sheffield Administration wants to take this opportunity to explore a broader range of redevelopment options for the site before moving forward with the proposed plan," said city spokesperson John Roach in a statement.
Read the letter sent to the developer below:
Below is a statement from Goldenberg and Bennett, released to 7 News Detroit on Thursday afternoon:
"The project had been progressing just months after it was announced but we understand that a new administration can have new priorities. It remains our vision, with our many partners, to preserve the legacy of the Packard site and bring jobs to the City of Detroit. We stand ready to help Detroit with this mission."
Last December, then-Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Mary Sheffield, other city leaders and developers discussed their plans for a 28-acre portion of the site. The Packard Plant once housed the world's largest auto factory.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Watch Darren Cunningham's video report:
The redevelopment plan included the reuse of a southern portion of the plant and a new 400,000-square-foot building for manufacturing. There was also plans to be residential, commercial and community spaces.
Watch the announcement below:
The plans are what they referred to as “Packard Park."
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