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Construction plans stall for Perfecting Church, causing Detroit attorneys to call for answers
The future home of Perfecting Church sits at the corner of Woodward and Seven Mile in Detroit. It has been under construction for years since the plans to build there were first revealed in 2003.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The City of Detroit appears to be running out of patience with a church's construction plans.
The future home of Perfecting Church sits at the corner of Woodward and Seven Mile in Detroit. It has been under construction for years since the plans to build there were first revealed in 2003.
"The time to deal with the issue is right now," said Conrad Mallett. "Various administrations have been working with the bishop to get that project done."
That Bishop is Marvin Winans, a member of the world-renowned Gospel-singing family The Winans.
Perfecting Church is currently located on Nevada Street in Detroit, but plans for the new location have not materialized, causing the city to send the church leader a letter last week.
"We believe it’s in the church's self-interest and ours, to collect data we so far, have not received," said Mallett, an attorney for the city. "We really want to know the condition of the building. We really want a building status report given to us by licensed individuals."
FOX 2: "Why now?"
"We are really working per what the mayor said last year on a process of changing blight to beauty," he said.
Blight the city believes contributes to crime in the city.
"We don’t have in the letter the precise amount but let me say this there have been hundreds of tickets," Mallett said.
Now the city wants the minister to meet key deadlines.
"We have a status report that’s due in January," he said. "We want to see the finance plan that is due in April, so we believe all these timelines are reasonable."
FOX 2: "If he can’t comply is the city wiling to step in and help?"
"That’s one of the things we need to look at," he said. "We’re aware of many federal and state programs that could be helpful."
Pastor Winans was unavailable for comment, according to a church spokesperson.
"What we can’t do is just allow large institutional players as important as Perfecting Church is, to ignore the law," Mallett said.
FOX 2: "Could the land be taken away from the church leader?"
"I do not see bishop Winans or Perfecting Church walking away from a $5 (million) to $8 million dollar facility," he said.