Detroit鈥檚 construction boom comes to a halt under stay-at-home order
Coronavirus has put all nonessential activities on hold鈥攊ncluding construction
Construction at City Modern in Brush Park.
At the beginning of March, in Detroit. By the end of the month, they had all stopped.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer鈥檚 , which was issued to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), has halted all nonessential business operations in the state. Most construction projects are included as part of the order.
That has put work on a number of ambitious buildings鈥攍ike the , redevelopment, and several Ilitch projects in 鈥攐n hold since the order went into effect on March 24 at midnight.
鈥淚n light of Governor Whitmer鈥檚 鈥楽tay Home, Stay Safe鈥� executive order and Bedrock鈥檚 commitment to doing our part combatting COVID-19, all of our construction projects in Michigan are on hold until the order is lifted, and it is deemed safe to continue work,鈥� a Bedrock Detroit spokesperson told Curbed Detroit. 鈥淲e look forward to getting all of our projects back on track as soon as possible.鈥�
A similar statement was provided by a spokesperson for Olympia Development of Michigan, the Ilitch-owned development company currently woking on the and .
Some companies, just before Whitmer announced the sweeping order, said . Even after the order went into effect, there was some confusion about whether it applied to all construction or if the state would grant exemptions.
But a released soon after provided clarification. Except for a handful of projects鈥攃onstruction on roads, bridges, telecommunications infrastructure, and public health infrastructure鈥攁ll others 鈥渃annot be started or progressed while the order is in effect.鈥� As with all other businesses, companies can perform 鈥渕inimum basic operations鈥� like ensuring the security of a site. Work to maintain the sanitation and infrastructure of homes can also continue.
But some in the industry have called for a suspension of public work projects as well. Crain鈥檚 Detroit Business reports that the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association (MITA) asked Whitmer to , out of a concern for member safety and the shortage of N95 masks, which are commonly used in both construction and health care.
The governor鈥檚 stay-at-home order is currently in effect through April 13.