WARREN, Mich. (WWJ) -- Plans for a “walkable downtown" area in Warren have been put on hold after a contentious Warren City Council meeting Tuesday that left Mayor Jim Fouts displeased.
The council decided to table current plans to build the Warren Towne Center — a muti-million dollar undertaking that would include a Marriott hotel, apartments, walkable shopping and restaurants — on Van Dyke Ave., north of 12 Mile Road.
A few dozen residents spoke during Tuesday’s meeting, with most of them in favor of the project, but the council decided to delay voting on the development.
In a lengthy Facebook post Wednesday night, Fouts says council member are trying to “delay this project, until the developers get up and leave.”
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“The Warren Council rejected the voice of the people tonight by rejecting the Towne Center even though 80-90% of the audience clearly favored the Towne Center,” Fouts said in the post. “They also censored councilmembers (Ron) Papendrea and (Angela) Rogensuses who made a valiant effort to oppose their repeated censorship. However, their worst display of undemocratic behavior was when they rejected the experts who had flown in from all over the country to explain how the Towne Center works.”
Fouts said council members told “lies and distortions” and they were “very angry about the audience reaction.”
Fouts says the project would create about 1,000 construction jobs and “a minimum of 500 to 700 commercial jobs and more to come,” creating more money for the city and an exciting new area for residents.
The project would reportedly require the city to approve at least $30 million in bonds, which Council President Pat Green says doesn’t make sense and may be illegal.
"When you spend tax dollars there has to be a public purpose for it; not a private purpose," Green told WWJ’s Charlie Langton Tuesday. "There may be a public benefit to it, and potential economic development, but I'm not allowed to spend money for a private entity."
"Plante Moran in a one-page letter says in order for the developer to make 8% return on investment, the city most contribute $30 to $35 million. Now, they've had this for four years and we've had it for a month-and-a-half. So if you want me to give you $35 million, I'm gonna ask some questions,” he said.
Fouts argues, however, that this won't cost Warren residents a penny, as the project will be paid for by recaptured funds from the Downtown Development Authority, and by the developer.
"The residential taxpayers pay zero," the mayor asserts, "and they get jobs, they get money, and they get a great place to shop and post pride in...and it's a destination for everybody in the metro area."
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