Detroit Water Department Purchase of Riverfront Land

**rondinjp** · July-16-10, 08:39 AM

Although the article is about the outrageous price that the DWD paid, the bigger problem I have is why the city of detroit is wasting what could be potentially the best riverfront property for a water disposal plant.

I guess they assume it will be a beautiful sight to see from the newly renovated riverwalk, or when runners pass by it during the free press marathon.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010071...over-land-deal

**bailey** · July-16-10, 08:59 AM

well the article does go on to say that they intend for it to be underground with green space above. Hopefully that is what happens and it's not just an open sewer trench.

**GPCharles** · July-16-10, 09:02 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/2010071...over-land-deal

$5 Million an acre for property in the City of Detroit?

**Novine** · July-16-10, 09:08 AM

That's what the judge decided.

**Novine** · July-16-10, 09:18 AM

What's a water disposal plant?

**downtownguy** · July-16-10, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

well the article does go on to say that they intend for it to be underground with green space above. Hopefully that is what happens and it's not just an open sewer trench.

Yes, but does this eliminate it from any future development above ground? That takes in the historic Detroit Dry Dock/Globe Trading Company Building which had been slated for redevelopment as lofts. How would they build this basin underneath it? And who would want to live above a sewage basin even if they could?

**kraig** · July-16-10, 09:33 AM

I wonder if this will have any impact on Bing's development in the same area. And will it have an effect on the Riverwalk?

**bailey** · July-16-10, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

Yes, but does this eliminate it from any future development above ground? That takes in the historic Detroit Dry Dock/Globe Trading Company Building which had been slated for redevelopment as lofts. How would they build this basin underneath it? And who would want to live above a sewage basin even if they could?

My guess is nothing ever gets built and it becomes yet another parcel of riverfront land tied up in endless litigation.

**kraig** · July-16-10, 09:36 AM

Didn't the City get money from the casinos to pay for that? I remember the casinos paying the City about $150,000,000.00 early on in Kwame's Administration when the deal was made to not build casinos on the river.

**EastsideAl** · July-16-10, 09:53 AM

It's apparently a sewer overflow facility so that raw sewage doesn't get dumped in the river during heavy flows. It's described in the story as "sewage retention basin." What incredibly terrible siting for such a thing, right between downtown and Chene Park along some of the most prime riverfront on the east side. Should smell lovely at Chene Park during those warm summer evenings!

I know the city was desperate to get off the hook for the land they ended up with in the great Rivertown casino boondoggle, but this is ridiculous. Isn't there any comprehensive planning in this town at all? Does anyone on the east side know that this thing is going in? We certainly hadn't heard about it over here in the riverfront apartments. Isn't there some sort of community review that has to be done before building something like this in the middle of the city? And if we're doing this, what the hell are we spending all that money on over on West Jefferson?

Monumentally stupid.

**oladub** · July-16-10, 09:55 AM

The Water Department paid 10-50 times what the property was worth according to the U of M expert. I wonder why the article didn't name the judge or the officials at the Water Department who agreed to the deal. They are still running loose endangering taxpayers and alternative uses for the same funds.

**EastsideAl** · July-16-10, 10:05 AM

All that, and we get a lovely "sewage retention basin" right in the middle of prime east side riverfront right next to Chene Park between downtown and Belle Isle.

There seem to be 2 threads going here on the same issue.

**bailey** · July-16-10, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

It's apparently a sewer overflow facility so that raw sewage doesn't get dumped in the river during heavy flows. It's described in the story as "sewage retention basin." What incredibly terrible siting for such a thing, right between downtown and Chene Park along some of the most prime riverfront on the east side. Should smell lovely at Chene Park during those warm summer evenings!

I know the city was desperate to get off the hook for the land they ended up with in the great Rivertown casino boondoggle, but this is ridiculous. Isn't there any comprehensive planning in this town at all? Does anyone on the east side know that this thing is going in? We certainly hadn't heard about it over here in the riverfront apartments. Isn't there some sort of community review that has to be done before building something like this in the middle of the city? And if we're doing this, what the hell are we spending all that money on over on West Jefferson?

Monumentally stupid.

I believe all the answers to your questions are "no".

**Novine** · July-16-10, 10:21 AM

"Should smell lovely at Chene Park during those warm summer evenings!"

What exactly do you expect to smell? It's not an open basin of raw sewage.

**EastsideAl** · July-16-10, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

"Should smell lovely at Chene Park during those warm summer evenings!"

What exactly do you expect to smell? It's not an open basin of raw sewage.

There is a park on the riverfront in NYC in west Harlem that is built on top of a similar facility. It is known to all in the area as "Stinky Park" for a reason. And on days after a heavy rainstorm that smell spreads for blocks around. The authorities swore up and down when the facility was built that it would be "odorless," but in the end there's really only so much you can do to hide the fact that folks are playing on top of and living next to a giant pond of crap.

**Lowell** · July-16-10, 11:11 AM

Windsor is similarly building a retention basin as was shown in this previous thread. http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...ight=retention

If it will be covered how will it be any different, odorwise, than the sewers that quietly run beneath our feet all the time? Is there some venting that causes an issue? Just curious. Also is the land on top usable for green space or even construction?

**Novine** · July-16-10, 12:37 PM

"There is a park on the riverfront in NYC in west Harlem that is built on top of a similar facility. It is known to all in the area as "Stinky Park" for a reason."

The park is built on top of a sewage treatment plant. If you don't know the difference between the what is proposed here and that plant, you need to stop offering your "expert" opinion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverbank_State_Park

**Gistok** · July-16-10, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

There is a park on the riverfront in NYC in west Harlem that is built on top of a similar facility. It is known to all in the area as "Stinky Park" for a reason. And on days after a heavy rainstorm that smell spreads for blocks around. The authorities swore up and down when the facility was built that it would be "odorless," but in the end there's really only so much you can do to hide the fact that folks are playing on top of and living next to a giant pond of crap.

I remember some on this forum were worried about the sound of music from Chene Park carried by the wind to nearby luxury residential condos. Now they may have something of a more obnoxious nature than music to have wafting their way.

As much as I want to believe that there will be no SMELL coming from this facility... I have to remember the promises about the Detroit Incinerator... that there will be no noxious smells coming from that either.... but anyone who drives on I-94 on a hot summer day gets a good helping of "STENCH" as they pass the Chene St. bridge....

**royce** · July-16-10, 01:35 PM

OMG. Why oh why would the city want to build a sewage retention basin in this part of the east riverfront? If ever there was an area along the river to build up for residential use it would be the area for this sewage retention basin. Instead of brick townhouses or sidewalk cafes along Atwater, this is what Detroiters get for riverfront development? I am outraged. I mean, what was the zeal to remove the three cement silos all about if this is what Detroiters and visitors have to look forward to when coming down to the east riverfront?

Now, this idea of putting green space above the retention basin might make sense if you didn't already have green space in the form of the state park on the south side of Atwater. It's already bad enough that Atwater is still a good distance from the river itself. I would love to see a road closer to the river between St. Antoine and Orleans, about where the sidewalk ends at the parking lot at Rivard Plaza, but that's another issue. My final question to city officials is, "What kind of development do you think you're going to get once this sewage retention basin is put in?" As Spongbob Squarepants would say, "Well, good luck with that?"

**manualshift** · July-16-10, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Isn't there some sort of community review that has to be done before building something like this in the middle of the city?

What is the approval process for municipal developments?

How would a "sale" or transfer from city to water-commission take place? Who signs off on something like this?

**Savoyard** · July-16-10, 02:32 PM

Why couldn't they have put the retention basin in Waterworks Park? It's secure, out of the way and there's plenty of vacant land there. Plus it could take advantage of the water treatment equipment that's already there. Something smells here ... pun intended ...

**Novine** · July-16-10, 02:37 PM

My final question to city officials is, "What kind of development do you think you're going to get once this sewage retention basin is put in?"

Ask the people of Bloomfield Township:

http://www.hrc-engr.com/Project_Prof...ld_Village.asp

or Birmingham:

http://www.rougeriver.com/pdfs/cso/cso-14.pdf

"Why couldn't they have put the retention basin in Waterworks Park?"

The basin has to serve the sewer flows in the area.

**royce** · July-16-10, 02:52 PM

Well, Novine, I guess a riverfront golf corse is in order. Also, if the retention basin has to serve the sewer flows in the area, then why aren't there more retention basins along the entire riverfront?

**Mikeg** · July-16-10, 08:33 PM

Why couldn't they have put the retention basin in Waterworks Park? It's secure, out of the way and there's plenty of vacant land there. Plus it could take advantage of the water treatment equipment that's already there.

Why on God's green earth would you want to bring sewage to the site where your drinking water originates?

waterworks - processes raw water into drinking water
retention basin - temporarily holds sewerage and storm drain water until it can be treated and released

**luckycar** · July-16-10, 08:40 PM

There are also retention basins at Maple Rd. in Birmingham across from Quarton Pond.Another is in Franklin at 13 mile and Inkster Rd.Chicago has one that is a multi-mile long pipe.Puting one along the river is an ideal place ,too bad they are getting jobbed on the cost.Can't they declare this a utility right-of-way?Using empty land would be the logical place to put one of these.Then you could pump the sewage to the wwtp when flows allow.This how we did it in Ann Arbor.Our 15 million gallon retention basin was used to even out the flows during the night.The micro organisms don't like to go hungry!