The next step in getting the prime 150-acre Ford Plant site back on the tax rolls comes Monday, when demolition of buildings begins.
Mayor Chris Coleman and area Council Member Chris Tolbert will mark the occasion with remarks at 8 a.m., before the crews start razing.
The plant closed for good in 2011, after 85 years of cranking out cars, and in the last years, Ranger trucks.
The closing was long anticipated, though, and city officials have been working with Ford to plan for the clearing and cleanup of the site.
And city officials say they'll keep a close eye on demolition to limit problems for nearby businesses and residents. They say:
Environmental testing is ongoing, and will continue throughout the demolition process. Fencing, grading and seeding will take place as necessary to address security, erosion control and aesthetics.
The goal is to have the site ready for Ford to begin marketing in 2015. The city's vision is:
...a mixed-use site that uses innovative urban design to reduce traffic impacts and encourage walking, biking and transit.