BELLE ISLE (WXYZ) — The Belle Isle Boat House is a Detroit landmark, but it has certainly seen better days. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is now trying to do something about it by partnering with the private sector.
Today I learned about why the boat house is so dear to so many and what they’re hoping for when it comes to rehabilitation.
“I see a place that needs a lot of work. But a place that has so much potential to be restored back to its glory days and to be beautiful again,” said Detroit wedding photographer Jessica Bacon.
“I’ve shot several very very beautiful weddings in there. I know from the outside it looks a little rough. But it’s like typical Detroit, something looks rough on the outside, but you got to go inside to see the real beauty of it,” said Bacon.
I asked her what she would think about the private sector stepping in.
“There’s so many things that they can do for the community and give back to the community here. And I think it would be one of the best investments that a businessperson could make,” said Bacon.
I asked Detroit resident Sherry Murphy who was out enjoying Belle Isle what she thought about the boat house.
“It’s sentimental. It’s sentimental for people like…me,” said Detroit resident Sherry Murphy.
When you hear about the potential of either tearing the building down or rehabilitating it, what do you think should be done?
“I think they should rehabilitate it. You know, keep the old and rehabilitate it. Restore it,” said Murphy.
“The public is invested in this project. But again, it’s easy to say the public is invested mentally. Financially is always the more difficult piece to that,” said Tom Bissett, DNR Urban District Supervisor.
Tom Bissett is the Urban District Supervisor with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He told me this is why they’re now accepting proposals for potential rehab of the iconic Belle Isle Boat House.
So, what would an ideal proposal bring to the table?
“It has to have a good solid business plan, keeping in mind the overall goals of the park to make sure it’s open to the public and that it’s there for recreational purposes,” said Bissett.
Right now, the DNR has reserved $2 million of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act which can be used in the proposals.
He says they’re open to a wide variety of options to preserve the boat house’s most historic sections.
And the stakes are high.
WXYZ’s Mike Duffy asked, “What happens if there isn’t a good proposal or there isn’t a source of funding?”
“Well, we have a couple of different options on the table. Obviously, we can still use that money for a demolition if it came to that,” said Bissett.
Henry Goitz is the President of Friends of Detroit Rowing which still has a lease for use of the building and knows better than almost anyone what its loss means.
“The history is rich. There’s medals and trophies that go back to the 1800s. And at the very least, a portion of that building can be used, if you will for a visitor’s center, so that folks can see the things that have been done, the history that’s actually been gained, through that Belle Isle Boat House,” said Henry Goitz, President, Friends of Detroit Rowing.
A total rehabilitation is estimated to cost between $40 and $50 million. But Goitz says a new roof and weatherproofing would be more in the $5 million range.
“So perhaps the price tag is not as large as we think from restoring it to its heyday but to actually do what we can today to upkeep the building, keep it sound, and move forward,” said Goetz.
Proposals for rehabilitation partnerships need to be submitted by the end of March.
Applicants will be notified in April and formal proposals then need to be submitted by the end of July.
