Detroit sues developer for blight violations

Hospital, church, theater on M-100 list

BY ARIELLE KASS

e city of Detroit has led four blight-related lawsuits against longtime real estate investor Dennis Kefallinos and his son, Julian, part of a larger strategy to target commercial properties that remain in disrepair.

e suits, led in March and April in Wayne County Circuit Court, call the properties public nuisances and a danger to the safety and welfare of the community.

e properties are a church at 8236 West Grand River Ave., a cold storage warehouse at 1448

Wabash St., the former Southwest Detroit Hospital at 2401 20th St. and an old Civic eater at 12323 Kelly Road, all in Detroit.

Each of the properties is on the socalled M-100 list, a target list of blighted properties in the city that Mayor Mike Duggan has made a priority in an e ort to eliminate commercial blight.

“I like to preserve buildings and save them instead of demolish them,” Dennis Kefallinos said when reached by Crain’s. “I know it takes too long, but we’re going to continue working on it.”

Kefallinos owns eight properties on the list, Detroit Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett said. ese are the ones in the most dilapidated state.

“ ey are very, very public,” he said. “ ey are very, very obvious.” e city has been stepping up its legal response to blighted properties, ling suits against the un nished Perfecting Church, the owner of a proposed concrete crushing site, and the Packard Plant.

REAL ESTATE