Detroit Public Safety Headquarters

The idea of consolidating Detroit's public safety was not a new idea, and in fact had been discussed extensively as far back as Mayor Dennis Archer's administration but it wasn't until recent years that the city began to realize that 1300 Beaubien, where the Detroit Police had been headquartered since 1923, was beginning to show signs of aging and serious structural problems as well as an infestation of rodents and insects throughout the building.

Beginning with Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's administration the city began kicking around the idea of consolidating the city's police and fire departments into one complex, however plans were temporarily halted following the sudden but not unexpected resignation of Kilpatrick because of his arrest on charges of federal corruption.

One year later on June 11, 2010 it was announced that the city had agreed to purchase the 600,000 square foot former MGM Grand Detroit temporary casino at 1300 John C. Lodge Freeway for $6.32 million, and that it would undergo a $60 million renovation funded primarily through the Detroit Building Authority.

[2] On June 28, 2013, exactly one year and seven days later, the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters opened with Mayor Bing, City Council members, the Wayne County Executive and other dignitaries attending a ribbon cutting ceremony official opening the complex.

Mayor Bing added that when both the Police and Fire Departments complete their moves that 1300 Beaubien and 250 West Larned would be put up for sale by the city.