Update: For an updated story on this property development published Monday, March 21, 2016, click here.



DETROIT - There appears to be construction activity around and inside the James Scott Mansion in Detroit's Cass Corridor.

Just over two years ago, the owner of the 139-year-old mansion told MLive financing had been secured to renovate the long vacant building.

Several workers in hardhats have erected scaffolding inside building, and they were seen Friday hauling out debris and wood from inside.

A boom lift sat in front of the iconic mansion.

Construction workers didn't have much to say Friday. Developer Joel Landy could immediately be reached.

Landy is a long-time Detroit developer. Much of his work is focused along Cass Avenue in Cass Corridor.

He's responsible for the revovating the Addison Building, the Burton Theatre and the Leland Lofts.

In 2014, he told MLive he was almost positive the $7 million needed to restore the mansion at 81 Peterboro was going to come through.

It's a shell, and it's been vacant for over 40 years now. Landy's owned it for 15 years, and he said in 2014 that he planned to start work on the building earlier, but was delayed by the recession.

The building's namesake, James Scott, was a wealthy Detroit real estate heir. After his death, Scott's estate paid for construction of the James Scott memorial fountain on Belle Isle.

A man who lives next to the castle-like building said he's excited to see work moving forward on the building.

Landy said in 2014 that he planned to put 25 condos inside.

The same construction company hired to work on the historic Wurlitzer Building in downtown Detroit, the Monahan Company, was working on the mansion Friday.

Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter.