The state, which took over management of the park from the city in the lead up to Detroit's municipal bankruptcy in 2013-14, has estimated in recent years that the 1902 building would cost at least $43 million to fully restore, although an estimate provided by a state official Wednesday clocked in at $54 million. Tom Bissett, urban district supervisor for the DNR based on Belle Isle, said no decision has been made on whether the building should be razed. Other options include the less-expensive mothballing and stabilizing, as well as the full-scale restoration.

A project of that scale, however, is "obviously not in our budgetary capability," Bissett said, noting that there is about $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding, although $10 million of that is specifically earmarked for the HVAC system at the Belle Isle Aquarium. Approximately $2 million of that ARPA funding is for the boat house.

"That's something that it's well beyond the money that we received," Bissett said. He also said there is some $200 million in infrastructure and other needs at the 982-acre island park, which saw more than 5 million visitors in 2022.
He said that before a decision is made, the DNR would seek public engagement in a series of community meetings. The city deferred comment to the DNR.

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