Detroit Artists’ Enclave Russell Center Closes After Inspection

A building in the Russell Industrial Center in Detroit that has morphed into an enclave for artists abruptly closed Monday after an inspection revealed ordinance violations, a gas leak and other problems. The building, located at 1600 Clay St., is authorized to operate as a factory, but also includes some residential tenant units and other unauthorized uses, city officials said.

In a statement, David Bell, the city's director of buildings and safety engineering, said the building owner has shown “blatant disregard for city ordinances, laws, and regulations” and that it would be shut down until the proper permits, inspections and approvals are obtained.

Bell said the owners of the building have allowed the development of “multiple commercial and residential tenant units without obtaining the proper permits, inspections and approvals. “They have erected walls using combustible materials,” the statement read, and also “illegally installed plumbing and heating systems in numerous units without the proper permits, inspections and approvals.”

Those uses include antique furniture resale, artists, photography studios, music recording studios, residential units, counseling center (including children) and a fitness workout center, according to the statement.

The odor of natural gas from multiple illegal installations was so strong during a recent inspection that DTE Energy was dispatched to correct the leak, Bell said.

Bell said city officials will meet this week with building owner, Dennis Kefallinos, whose Boydell Development Co. owns the Russell Industrial Center through a subsidiary, Clay Street Group LLC, which purchased the buildings in 2003.
The building has about 60 tenants. Eric Novack, told the Detroit Free Press he opes to “put up a good fight” so businesses can remain open. He denied RIC, as it is known, rents residential spaces.

The Russell Industrial Center, a symbol of rebirth amid urban decay, had a starring role in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” has been open to artists for about a decade. The center was designed by renowned architect Albert Kahn and was originally used for the manufacture of auto parts and bodies. In World War II, airplane wings were built there.

The evictions could cause the tenants millions of dollars in expenses, Novack told Crain’s Detroit Business.

“We want to keep the tenants in business and get in compliance with the city,” he said. “We have done a number of things already of moving towards being compliant, but it looks like they don’t want to give us any latitude.”

One of the former tenants, photographer Jessica Robertson, told Crain’s she wasn’t surprised by the city’s action.

“The building is not safe,” she said. “There was several times my studio got flooded because there were holes in the roof. The elevators never worked.”

However, others worry.

“It would mean a restart,” Sean Yargeau, of Proving Grounds, told WDIV-TV.

Photo of Russell Industrial Center by Russ via Flickr Commons