Royal Oak's 1972 Center Street parking garage is coming down. The city wants developers to pitch what goes up next on the estimated 1.44-acre downtown site.

Demolition at 300 S. Center St. was nearing the halfway point as of Monday, Oct. 12, and is expected to wrap up by November, as reported by WXYZ. Responses are due Dec. 1, according to the full request for information. The RFI gathers development concepts and market interest; the city will not select a developer through this process.

Isaac Kremer, executive director of the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority, said the aging structure had become a liability.

"It got to the point where there were some safety issues, and it would be more costly to repair it than take it down," Kremer told WXYZ.

The site is among the few remaining large, city-owned properties in central downtown, according to the city's RFI page. Royal Oak's 2025 Master Plan designates it a "catalyst site" for mixed-use development and calls for restoring the Third Street pedestrian connection to Washington Avenue.

Options on the table include housing, ground-floor retail, a new parking structure, a public gathering space and a boutique hotel. Kremer said downtown Royal Oak hotels are frequently booked months in advance and said a hotel could draw more visitors.

The RFI outlines four ways the city could transfer the land. A developer could buy at fair market value, reimburse the city and DDA for demolition costs at a potentially reduced price, receive the property at little or no cost in exchange for major public benefits, or enter another negotiated public-private partnership.

A May 18 post by local development account The Royal Oak Acorn on X said the DDA would consider funding up to $600,000 for demolition. A later city memo reported a $600,000 DDA investment toward the $630,000 demolition cost.

The adjacent seven-level parking structure on Center Street will remain open throughout the project, according to the city's parking page.

The Royal Oak City Commission scheduled a work session on redevelopment options for the site on Monday, Aug. 24. A broader public process is expected after developer responses come in, according to WXYZ.

Two people interviewed by WXYZ offered different visions for the site. Charles Smith, who works downtown, said parking remains a top concern. Royal Oak resident Jake Zablocki said he would rather see space for small businesses than another garage.

Developers and residents can find the full RFI and project details on the city's Center Street RFI page.