The Roxbury Group is taking on the redevelopment of the Globe Building overlooking Detroit's Riverwalk, a move that will expand the nearby
Milliken State Park.
The Globe Building is a large industrial structure at the corner of Atwater Street and the Dequindre Cut, and across the street from the Milliken State Park. Henry Ford once worked in the building before starting Ford Motor Co. It has been vacant and derelict for many years as a few redevelopment proposals have fizzled, including a conversion to condos.
Now The Roxbury Group is partnering with
Walbridge (which will handle the construction of the project) and the state of Michigan (which will make it part of Milliken State Park) to shrink and renovate the building.
The Globe Building is actually a hodgepodge of buildings that have been cobbled together over the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It currently stands at about 100,000 square feet but part of it will be demoed to make the building viable for the 21st Century.
"It's going to be a mix of old and new," says David Di Rita, principal of
The Roxbury Group. "When it's done it will be 43,000 square feet."
The new space will house room for exhibits about the area's history and natural resources. It will also have spaces for youth education and activities, such as archery ranges. "It's going to be an integral part of Milliken State Park when it's done," Di Rita says. He adds that he hopes to begin work on the project before the year is out.
Source: David Di Rita, principal of The Roxbury Group
Writer: Jon Zemke
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