DETROIT – A fire at the ‘Covergirls’ building on Detroit’s east side has been determined to be arson, the Detroit Fire Department told Local 4, as neighbors continue pushing back against plans to reopen the location as a strip club.
The Detroit Fire Department said the fire was in the rear of the building and happened around 5 a.m. July 10. Detroit’s Fire Investigation Division has ruled it arson, and the case remains actively under investigation. The department didn’t have any further details.
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The fire comes as residents are demanding the newly renovated building on Whittier near Roxbury be used for something else before it reopens as ‘Covergirls.’
--> Residents protest against planned ‘Covergirls’ strip club reopening on Detroit’s east side
Neighbors gathered outside the building last week, where a “grand opening coming soon” sign hangs -- holding signs and voicing concerns about the business returning.
“It’s almost attached to this building,” said Pastor Alonzo Bell of Martin Evers Church, pointing to a nearby apartment building just feet away.
Residents said the club’s proximity to homes, Wayne Elementary School, and Martin Evers Church is a major reason they’re opposed.
“It’s not that we don’t want business. We just don’t want adult entertainment right in front of our children,” said Keisha Brooks, president of the Haverhill Block Club.
Brooks said the location previously operated as a strip club and reopened in 2018, but she claims it was shut down not long after.
Local 4 has been told the business has proper city permits, but neighbors say they fear the same issues will come back.
“It will be a problem again. It will be. It’s inevitable,” Brooks said.
The attorney representing the club owner, Cyril Hall, told Local 4 the owner is in compliance with city requirements and has the right to open.
“He has a license to open and do business. I don’t understand what the problem is,” Hall said. “You may not like what he’s doing there, but he has every license in the world to do what he’s doing.”
Hall said the owner understands the rules and does not intend to violate any laws.
“He recognizes what the rules and regulations are and he doesn’t intend to violate. He won’t be selling to minors or violating any laws,” Hall said.
When asked about neighbors’ concerns tied to past strip clubs in the area, Hall said: “That’s not him.”
Hall did not provide a specific opening timeline but said the club planned to open “very soon.”