Olympia Development and Related Companies are making their way through approvals and committees to bring their $1.5 billion vision of a new District Detroit to life. Here's the latest:

The requested tax incentives were revealed earlier this month, totaling nearly $800 million in funding. The majority of the incentive comes from a Transformational Brownfield tax capture, worth $616 million over the next 35 years. The first vote will come February 8 from the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, after a public comment hearing on Monday at 5pm. 

According to the Free Press, when the Community Benefits agreements is reached, City Council would then consider the proposal in March. If the MSF approves the plan in April, the first groundbreaking could be held in July. 

The plan includes a lot of new office space, and a consultant has estimated that if all the buildings are built and leased, 5,800 new jobs could be created with an average pay of $95,000.

Also to note: More details revealed include underground parking on two of the new construction buildings that will go on current surface parking lots (2200 and 2250 Woodward). 

The Community Benefits Ordinance process is currently moving along, with meetings every Tuesday. A Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) has been elected and is currently deciding its requests from the developers. In tonight's meeting, some of the larger concerns include:

Accessible parking and traffic management in the neighborhoods during construction and events. A proposal is currently being drafted by the Municipal Parking Department about the lack of parking for residents in Brush Park. Many visitors park in the historic neighborhood when they come to events downtown. Another issue - some residents have access to a garage, but at an additional cost they can't afford (especially if it's in a low-income building). At Tuesday night's meeting, residents noted that the situation in the surrounding neighborhoods is difficult as it is, and with more construction coming in, it could make parking, traffic control, and accessibility to transit stops even worse.

Greater activation of greenspace in the impact area. Cass Park was noted as a promise that hasn't been kept by Olympia (revitalizing the park was a part of the original District Detroit plan). Activation could include more cultural programming, opportunities for youth, and recognition of the area's history. NAC members also mentioned the park at John R and Watson that needs to be completed.

In the next meeting, developers will respond to the various requests from the NAC. A vote on the agreement would come at the next meeting.

The total development includes six new buildings constructed, including offices, apartments, and a hotel next to the Little Caesars Arena. Another four buildings will be rehabbed in the project, including a conversion of offices in the Fox Theater into a hotel. The Detroit Center of Innovation, which is separate from the CBO, is considered the anchor of the whole vision and is expected to break ground later this year.