Detroit Evening Report: New tunnel under construction
New construction projects from tunnels to arena renovations in preparation for Detroit’s women’s basketball team, plus updates on blight removal and more in this Detroit Evening Report.
GLWA officials pose with part of a tunnel boring machine
The Great Lakes Water Authority says a new tunnel will divert excess stormwater from a sewer line along the Rouge River to an under-used wastewater treatment plant in southwest Detroit. The $87 million project is expected to take at least two years to complete.
The agency expects the new tunnel will reduce the risk of flooding and sewage backups during heavy rains. State and federal grants are paying for the project, along with sewer rate revenue.
Additional headlines for Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025
Blight removal update
A voter-approved initiative that helped fund an expedited blight removal program in 2020 will end next year. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gave his final update on the program Monday.
Duggan announced there are fewer than 1,000 abandoned homes left. That’s down from 47,000 in 2014. Of those remaining, 240 are scheduled to be demolished with the other 702 in the pipeline to be sold.
Duggan says the final steps will focus on addressing contaminated soil from sites where contractors used polluted backfill. He says there is still a $15 million reserve to address backfill contaminated sites.
Demolition begins for new DCFC field
Demolition work has begun on the old Southwest Detroit Hospital which has been abandoned since the early 90s. The site along Michigan Avenue is being cleared to make way for a new 15,000 seat soccer stadium where Detroit City Football Club will play its home games.
AlumniFi Field, as the stadium will be known, is expected to host its first match in 2027.
Renovations to prepare Little Caesars for WNBA
Detroit Downtown Development Authority has approved up to $5 million in cash toward the cost of renovations at the Little Caesars Arena for Detroit’s incoming WNBA team.
Renovations include a new locker room, modifications of game officials’ locker rooms and visitor space. Work is expected to start in 2028.
Detroit’s WNBA franchise will be the fifth professional team to play downtown – joining the city’s NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB teams.
Sheffield names David Bowser as chief of staff
Detroit Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield has named David Bowser as her Chief of Staff.
Bowser was her senior policy advisor during her campaign and is the director of her transition team.
Bowser served as deputy director of the Housing and Revitalization Department, deputy director of the Community Health Corps and director of Human Services in the for Mayor Mike Duggan.
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