James David Dickson

The Detroit News

Detroit — A neighborhood activist on Tuesday managed to spare five homes from the wrecking ball — at least for now — after he climbed atop a roof and refused to come down.

Police, fire officials and a representative of Mayor Mike Duggan’s office were on the scene at the 6100 block of 16th Street as the man — identified as Aaron Timlin, 45 — staged his protest.

The drama started about 7:30 a.m., an hour before demolition crews arrived, and ended just after 11 a.m., when Vince Keenan, a representative of the mayor’s office, relayed the agreement between the city and Timlin.

Timlin walked down a fire department ladder into the waiting arms of police, who arrested him, after the deal was reached. It had three terms: Tuesday’s scheduled demolition would cease; the five homes in question would remain standing for at least two more weeks; and Timlin’s group, which supporters identified as a company called Closed-loop Economy Group, would have a week to present its plan.

The homes slated for demolition are at 6019 15th St., 5929 15th St., 5915 16th St., 6183 16th St. and 2527 McGraw, Keenan said.

Timlin was arrested for interfering with a city employee, a misdemeanor, according to Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt.

A day before his rooftop demonstration, Timlin, a trustee with the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit, shared his thoughts on the impending demolitions.

“This is an immediate call to action to artists and social activists from Detroit and around the world,” Timlin wrote in a statement. “These buildings are important to our community because they have historical and cultural value and have the potential to become viable homes and community centers.”

Timlin lives in the neighborhood and says he and his neighbors hope to convert a house into a community center for potlucks, movie nights and backyard barbecues.

According to Timlin, one of the buildings houses the Detroit Portrait Series featuring the likenesses of great Detroiters on 16 windows. The building is a collaboration of Closed-loop, Detroit Broadcasting Co., the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit and neighborhood residents, group leaders said.

The Rev. Charles Williams II, pastor of Historic King Solomon Baptist Church, which also calls the neighborhood home, applauded Timlin’s actions.

“I’m trying to buy up some properties now around my church, and no one will get back in touch,” Williams told The News. “It’s like I’m nothing.”

Detroit, Williams said, would be better served working with people who want to buy properties on the demolition list.

“We (had) police and fire, all this manpower, out here when they could’ve just moved on to the next house on the list,” Williams said. “This city would be better off if someone who loved that house owned that house.”

Closed-loop owns 22 homes in the neighborhood, said an affiliate of the group who identified himself only as “Billy.”

Dolunt said there are other ways to protest that don’t entail so much danger.

“I’m not gonna tell you how to do it,” Dolunt said, “but there are ways to make your point without risking your life, the lives of police, or firefighters’ lives.”

jdickson@detroitnews.com

Staff Writer Candice Williams contributed.