Dearden v. City of Detroit

The plaintiff archdiocese owns a building in Detroit that was used from 1938 to 1971 as a convent. The building is located in an area zoned R-2 (two-family residences), but its use as a convent was allowed as a nonconforming use after the defendant city adopted its zoning ordinance in 1940. In January, 1971, the archdiocese leased the building to intervening plaintiff, the Michigan Department of Corrections, for use as a rehabilitation center. In June, 1971, the archdiocese applied to the Department of Building and Safety Engineers for permission to use the building as a rehabilitation center…