Warren pastor agrees to let city tear down unfinished Family Life Center

Residents say new building was an eyesore

WARREN, Mich. – The fight over a controversial building in Warren appears to be over, but before it comes down, the pastor had a few words for the city.

Warren City Council gave the pastor of the Lam Christian Church 21 days to demolish his under-construction Family Life Center on Schoenherr Road. The deadline for demolition was Wednesday, but as the deadline passed, there was no heavy machinery at the site, just microphones and cameras.

Bishop Adolphus Cast had big plans for the property. He was going to build a Family Life Center, but when residents saw the design, they complained, and city council members said it had to come down.

Cast spent $1.2 million to fulfill his vision for the Family Life Center.

"This is just the gym for the kids to be able to play basketball," Cast said.

Bur it's hard for residents to dismiss the flaws.

"It's an eyesore," resident Strath Wooden said. "I've seen better looking pole barns in the woods."

"It's definitely a large structure that's not so appealing," resident Lisa Kaput said.

Warren City Council ordered Cast to demolish the building by Wednesday, but he held a news conference instead.

"We feel that this is an injustice, and we have been treated in an unfair and unlawful manner," Cast said.

He could have taken the city to court to fight the order.

"They were sure we could win because the City Council had broken every possible law they could think of," Cast said.

Instead, Cast announced a decision to let the city demolish the building, which relieved some residents in the area.

"It looks run down, and we don't need that for the city here," Kaput said.

Cast said he believes he will build something better on the land.

"I think God is going to turn this into something magnificent," Cast said.

Now, it's up to the City Council to decide when they will tear the building down.

Mayor Jim Fouts said he believes Cast made a "reasonable decision," and he is pleased with it.

The building can be demolished at any time, but there's currently no set date for the project. The church estimated demolition will cost around $50,000, but city officials believe they can get a lower price.


About the Authors:

Koco joined the Local 4 News team in September of 2016. She was born and raised in Metro Detroit, attended Central Michigan University, and previously worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.

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.