The Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation has announced more than $32 million in capital projects that includes redeveloping the long-abandoned Thomas M. Cooley High School on Detroit’s northwest side into a community-based sports facility.
In addition, the Benjamin O. Davis Aerospace Technical High School will relocate to its original location at Coleman A. Young International Airport, also known as Detroit City Airport. The aerospace program, launched in 1986, was moved to Golightly Education Center in 2013 following the city of Detroit’s bankruptcy.
The Cooley High School Redevelopment Plan, in partnership with the Detroit Public Schools Community District, is a $25 million capital project that will transform Cooley High School into a complex for surrounding Detroit public schools and community use.
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The project is backed by a $15 million State of Michigan appropriation, which will support planning, design, and construction of:
- An outdoor football field
- An outdoor track
- Updated parking lots
- Outdoor community and green space
The DPSCD Foundation states it will raise the remaining $10 million, but provided no timeline for reaching its goal. The high school opened in 1928 at Hubbell Avenue and Chalfonte Street. Colley was a former chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.
The school was closed due to administrative mismanagement, declining enrollment, and budget issues. Rather than find new uses for the building, the structure has sat abandoned for 15 years. In 2017, a fire all but destroyed the 1,000-seat auditorium.
Initial funding will be for architectural designs, fencing, lighting, and a football field/track stadium for Cooley and youth football in the area.
Plans include preserving a part of the building for a locker room, a weight room, community gathering space, and a dedication to Cooley alumni. Long term plans could include two buildings, one for multiple basketball/volleyball courts and the other for an indoor football, track, lacrosse, and soccer field.
“Ever since Cooley High School closed in 2010, the community has wanted us to do something special with this legendary site,” says Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of The Detroit Public School Community District.
“We are laser-focused on honoring this commitment with an exciting new complex that builds on Cooley’s legacy and creates equitable sports opportunities for Detroit student athletes and the community.”
The Cooley High School Redevelopment Plan will bring competitive sports opportunities back to Detroit communities, creating a positive impact on district-wide enrollment. The school system states the new facility will help students meet national recommendations for physical activity and close the opportunity gap when competing for athletic scholarships at colleges and universities. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
The Davis Aerospace Technical High School, which teaches Detroit students in grades 9-12 the fundamentals of flight and aircraft systems, will relocate back to Detroit City Airport.
The project is funded by $7 million from a State of Michigan appropriation and Detroit Public Schools Community District, and is projected to be completed in 2027. Funds will support construction of a new school building on the City Airport property.
“We are incredibly excited for Davis Aerospace to return to its original home where students will have direct access to airplanes as part of their training,” says Vitti. “This program has a long history of opening the door to lucrative career opportunities for students, including six-figure aviation jobs.
“With this move, we are returning the school to its roots where students can learn about flying and maintaining planes in the most appropriate setting.”
Davis was the first African American U.S. Air Force general and commander of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. The school was built in 1943 on the west side of Detroit City Airport. Today, it serves as a training facility for the Detroit Fire Department.
The move back to City Airport from Golightly will expand the aviation and engineering curriculum to include hands-on training and double the school’s enrollment to 200 students.
Launched in 2003, the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation is Michigan’s largest public school foundation. For more information, visit dpscdfoundation.org.