Oakland County marked a milestone in the plan to help revitalize Pontiac’s downtown when it began demolishing the Phoenix Center earlier this week.
Elected officials, including Oakland County Executive David Coulter and Board of Commissioners’ Chairman David Woodward and Commissioner Angela Powell, joined State Senator Jeremy Moss and Pontiac Mayor Tim Griemel, to kick off the soft demolition of the Phoenix Center.
Coulter expressed the dual nature of the structure – an icon and an eyesore. The Phoenix Center was built to reignite Pontiac’s downtown with the promise of an entertainment and business district, and although it hosted many concerts and community events, the promise was never fully realized.
“It starts today with the beginning of the structural demolition of the Phoenix Center that opened with so much promise back in the 1970s but never lived up to its full potential. It now stands as an impediment, a crumbling structure closed since 2011 and standing in the way of progress,” Coulter said.
While the work of demolishing and clearing the Phoenix Center is expected to be done by mid-December, Oakland County is working on the plan to renovate 31 Judson Street and move more than 600 Oakland County employees back to the heart of the county seat by early 2027.
Griemel shared his excitement for the city’s new chapter, including the renovation of the Oakland Towne Center into loft apartments just up Saginaw Street and the construction of more affordable housing within the city.
“This is a major moment in the history of our community. The demolition of the long-derelict parking garage is the first step in the rebirth of our downtown,” said Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel.
As the crowd watched, each letter in the logo of the “Phoenix Center” was removed from the north elevator and saved for preservation.
For more information on the Phoenix Center and the revitalization of Pontiac’s downtown, visit OakGov.com/DowntownPontiac.
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