WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – A Wayne County jury affirmed Detroit Thermal’s right to access public utility easements in Lafayette Park, clearing the way for the company to reconnect the 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative to its historic steam heating system.
The decision was announced on Tuesday (March 31).
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The verdict rejects claims from a group of Lafayette Park residents who had blocked the heating solution project for months, arguing the utility company trespassed and lacked legal authority to use the long-standing easements.
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A spokesman for Detroit Thermal said the decision removes a major obstacle and should allow the reconnection process to move forward for the more than 600 residents who live in the cooperative building.
Detroit Thermal, a Detroit-based company that has provided steam heat for more than a century, said it plans to proceed with reconnecting the building while preserving the character of the surrounding historic district.
The 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative was connected to the underground steam system until the 1980s, when residents installed independent boilers.
Those systems have since failed, and replacing them has proven costly and unreliable, prompting residents in 2024 to seek reconnection to Detroit Thermal’s network.
The dispute over access to the easements has played out alongside court proceedings.
A Wayne County judge recently extended a temporary restraining order related to the construction work, as some nearby residents raised concerns that the project could damage the historic landscape.
Detroit Thermal has said construction must begin by early August to ensure the system is operational before winter.
The City of Detroit has approved the project, calling it a necessary upgrade to restore reliable heat service to the cooperative’s residents.