Investigations

Detroit Bulk Storage leaving Detroit River site after dock collapses, hundreds of violation tickets

Company expected to remove stored bulk material by April 18

Karen Drew, Anchor/Reporter

Derick Hutchinson, Lead Digital Editor

Published: April 7, 2022, 8:24 PM

Tags: Detroit, Wayne County, Local, Detroit Bulk Storage, Detroit River, Sinkhole, Dock Collapse, Local 4 Investigations

DETROIT – Detroit Bulk Storage is packing up and moving out of its site along the Detroit River after two dock collapses and more than 300 violation tickets.

A sinkhole formed at the site in late 2019 after the company stored aggregate on the land illegally. A Local 4 investigative team started digging to expose a long list of permit violations, unpaid tickets, unpaid water bills and other troubles.

A Detroit spokesperson said Detroit Bulk Storage is expected to remove all of its stored bulk material by April 18.

Here is a statement from the city:

We have been advised by counsel for the owner of the Revere site and counsel for Detroit Bulk Storage (DBS) that DBS is in the process of vacating the Revere site. DBS is expected to remove all of its stored bulk materials by April 18, 2022. DBS has been operating since mid-December of 2021 under a court order allowing for limited operations. The most recent version is attached.
We are waiting for G2 Consulting (a geotechnical firm) to update and finalize a report on permitted load areas and load limits, which we are told will adhere to what TTL Associates, Inc. recommended in a February 8, 2022 report to DBS, i.e., specifying set backs for bulk storage from the seawall and boat slip, and a height limit and grading specification for any bulk materials stored on the site to ensure that soil is not loaded beyond its safe carrying capacity. A copy of the TTL report is attached.
Revere and the Army Corp. of Engineers (ACE) are determining who will repair the ACE boat slip. DBS had previously piled material adjacent to the ACE property line, which caused the soil on Revere’s property to sink, which in turn pushed and uplifted soil into the ACE boat slip. The boat slip is federal property.
City of Detroit

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About the Authors

Karen Drew

Karen Drew is the anchor of Local 4 News First at 4, weekdays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She is also an award-winning investigative reporter.

Derick Hutchinson

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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