DETROIT (WXYZ) — The new Perfecting Church on Woodward has been in the making for a few decades now; in fact, construction stopped 20 years ago.
7 News Detroit covered a few stories about the magnitude of the project and some of the challenges it's been facing, including lawsuits. But now, the update is that this place of worship may finally see the light of day.
RELATED STORY: Detroit sues Perfecting Church for failing to complete megachurch
7 News Detroit reporter Faraz Javed spoke to the community to get their reaction as the church's construction is set to resume this fall.
"The news, music to your ears?" asked Javed.
"Music?! A symphony! Absolutely that's extremely exciting," said Simone Eaton.
A Detroit native, Eaton, lives near the megachurch on Woodward and 7 Mile.
"Do you remember when it was first announced that the church would be built right here in Detroit?" asked Javed.
"I do, I actually was at his high school when that was going to be announced, they stated that we would finish our senior year there, I graduated in 2008," said Eaton.
Channel 7 covered the announcement of Pastor Marvin Winans' dream to build the new church with a footprint of 35,000 square feet.
Fast-forward to last year, and we also got a sneak peek of the facility, which sits on 16 acres of land. Church officials spoke about the completion of electrical, heating, underground plumbing, and gas lines for the kitchen, among other things.
RELATED STORY: Inside the fight between the City of Detroit and Bishop Marvin Winans' Perfecting Church
However, according to the city, no building permits have been pulled since 2018, which is why the city questioned the building's structural integrity. When no proof was provided, a lawsuit was filed, along with a countersuit by the church.
"The lawsuit that the city of Detroit filed was dismissed pursuant to agreement of both parties. We have made a decision, strategically, to stand down, not press the church about missing various deadlines, and achievable benchmarks because they are making progress," said Conrad Mallet, Detroit Corporation Counsel.
Mallet says the new timeline puts the project well on its way to completion by the fall of 2026.
"There is a lot of work to be done; they've got a 600-car parking lot that they are building. The plans call for other amenities that are supposed to be part of the neighborhood development," said Mallet.
The renderings of this 4,200-seat sanctuary also show a gorgeous winding staircase, a colorful nursery, a chapel for weddings, and a 1,000-seat banquet space.
"This church has a lot of amenities, what are you most excited about?" asked Javed.
"The lighting that it would bring. I'm excited about the privacy it would bring and security," said Eaton.
"I'm hoping that with there being a church they would be more involved with what's going on within the community," said DeRone Buffington.
Another native Detroiter, Buffington, is happy to hear the good news as he has given up hope that it will ever be completed.
"Marvin Winans church, I know they have a long history in the city of Detroit, big family in the city of Detroit and we were very excited that it was going to happen," said Buffington.
Javed tried to contact the church officials but has yet to hear back. In the meantime, Mallet says, the city's legal department is on the sidelines, and that's because the city's goal is to make sure that the church is completed as per the new timeline. And any future lawsuits, if any, will only be the last resort.
