Packard Plant in Detroit must be demolished, judge orders
Owner of infamous eyesore Packard Plant racks up fines for inactivity by city of Detroit
A Wayne County Circuit Court judge is ordering Fernando Palazuelo to remove trash and debris - and work on demolishing the several parcels he owns, after declaring them a public nuisance and a threat to public health safety and welfare.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The abandoned Packard Plant in Detroit must be demolished, a judge ordered.
The owner of the old auto plant, Fernando Palazuelo's Arte Express Detroit, must begin obtaining permits for the demolition this month, and demolition must start by mid-May.
All buildings must be demolished, and all debris at the site must be removed at the expense of Palazuelo.
"They claimed he was a billionaire, he had all these grand plans," said Charles Raimi, city of Detroit attorney. "It all turned out to be not true, is one way to put it. He never delivered on anything."
According to the court order, if Palazuelo fails to meet timelines set by the judge, the city can use contractors to demolish the building. If this happens, Palazuelo must pay the city back.
"I was really impressed about the power the charisma and the future," Palazuelo said in 2017.
Palazuelo's company bought part of the Packard Plant site in 2013. He said he planned to historically restore the site that has been called a public nuisance and dangerous.
"He just left this horrible, blighted, dangerous property sitting in the middle of the city for years," Raimi said. "And even now he's trying to figure out how to exit town with some money."
Raimi is referring to Palazuelo who he says already owes the city about a million dollars. The process working with the foreign investor - according to the city, has not been a pleasant one.
"His lawyers withdrew from the case because they couldn’t get in touch with him - so he’s just done a huge disservice to this city," Raimi said.
While cars haven't been made at the plant since the 1950s, the complex was used by other businesses until 2010.
Palazuelo's company bought part of the Packard Plant site in 2013. He said he planned to historically restore the site that has been called a public nuisance and dangerous.
The city of Detroit has demolished parts of the plant it owns. Demolition work started in 2019 after a bridge over Grand Boulevard collapsed.