Detroit Thermal revises controversial Lafayette Park steam plan, but residents say public input ignored

Residents says city broke promise for public engagement, scheduled hearing during holiday week

Jun 20, 2025 at 1:17 pm
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Residents of the 1300 Lafayette high-rise (background) want to use steam heat that would impact the Historic Lafayette Park townhouses (right). - Steve Neavling
Steve Neavling
Residents of the 1300 Lafayette high-rise (background) want to use steam heat that would impact the Historic Lafayette Park townhouses (right).

Detroit Thermal submitted revised plans earlier this month aimed at resolving an ongoing dispute over its proposed steam project in Lafayette Park, pledging to eliminate controversial ventilation stacks and protect the area's historic landscape.

But many neighborhood residents are objecting to the city scheduling a public hearing on July 2, just before the Fourth of July holiday, and accused Detroit Thermal and city officials of breaking their promises for public engagement.

The steam project is intended to reconnect the 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative, home to more than 600 residents, to Detroit Thermal's underground heating system after the building’s boilers failed. The updated plans, filed with the Detroit Historic District Commission (HDC), remove previously proposed ventilation stacks near playgrounds and parking lots, preserve all existing trees, and promise careful restoration of landscaping.

“Our initial plans called for two or three of our iconic vent stacks, but some community members objected," Detroit Thermal spokesman Harvey Hollins III said. "We heard them. We responded to them.”

Despite these revisions, neighborhood residents expressed frustration in a letter to city officials, saying that promised community engagement, including meetings between stakeholders and an opportunity to review revised plans, did not occur. Residents also criticized the July 2 hearing date, arguing it severely limits public participation due to its proximity to a major holiday.

“Clearly, the July 2nd date will prevent full public participation in the public hearing with such obviousness that the date indicates to me that the City of Detroit does not want our neighborhood’s participation in the hearing,” residents wrote in the letter.

Residents are urging city officials to reschedule the hearing and fulfill the promised community engagement process.

Detroit Thermal insists it has addressed key concerns raised by residents and city officials, including safety near playgrounds, aesthetic impacts, and potential damage to trees and historic landscapes. Hollins emphasized the urgency of providing reliable heating to 1300 Lafayette residents.

“While the City resolves a dispute between neighbors, our born-and-run Detroit company stands ready to provide a safe, affordable, reliable, and clean heating solution to 600-plus residents in Lafayette Park,” Hollins said. “Unfortunately, the residents of 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative are the victims of inaccurate and misleading information.”

Residents of the nearby townhouses objected to Hollins’s claim about “inaccurate and misleading information,” pointing out that Detroit Thermal modified its plans based on legitimate concerns about safety and historic preservation. They also said Detroit Thermal has not returned calls from concerned residents.

Residents opposed to the project said Detroit Thermal ignored an earlier agreement to discuss community benefits and revised its plans based on neighborhood feedback.

“We have operated in good faith,” residents wrote. “We were promised by the City of Detroit that a community engagement process with Detroit Thermal, our neighbors at 1300 East Lafayette, and the City of Detroit would commence as soon as Detroit Thermal had finished revising its plans. We have now learned that, instead of honoring this commitment, Detroit Thermal submitted its plans directly to the HDC without any engagement with our neighborhood.”

In a statement after this story was first published, Hollins said the company still plans to meet with residents.

“We promised to share our updated plan with the neighborhood once it was submitted to the HDC," Hollins said. "In keeping with that promise, we have been working to schedule a meeting with the five involved coops, and tentatively have a meeting scheduled in advance of the HDC hearing.”

The Detroit Historic District Commission had delayed a decision on the project during a meeting last month, requesting more detailed plans and encouraging further dialogue among residents. More than 60 residents spoke at that meeting.

Detroit Thermal originally began work on the project without Historic District Commission approval, leading to a city-issued stop-work order after residents raised concerns about safety and damage to landscaping.

The revised plans will be discussed at the July 2 hearing unless rescheduled by the city.

Children drew colorful signs in protest of the steam project near their playground. - Steve Neavling
Steve Neavling
Children drew colorful signs in protest of the steam project near their playground.