Generations have passed since Detroit’s riverfront was last considered a major year-round attraction for metro area residents. But Motown resident Steve Foster, 38, sees a change coming.
“This is my hood,” Foster says, leaning on a rail in front of the new waterfront plaza, just outside General Motors headquarters. “I walk around, go to the Renaissance Center, ride the People Mover.” His lifestyle, he says, centers around the riverfront.
Foster, who lives in the area, has kept an eye on the gradual reconstruction of the area being touted as the East Riverfront. Work began two years ago on the stretch of waterfront property that, upon completion, will extend from Joe Louis Arena to the MacArthur Bridge linking Detroit to Belle Isle, and on to Gabriel Richard Park.
City of Detroit officials announced several years ago that a long transformation would turn the former home of factories — like the Uniroyal tire plant and Medusa cement company — into a haven for lifestyle-driven activity by 2006.
“I love it,” Foster says. “I can’t wait to see it go all the way to Belle Isle.”
Without question, his optimism is exactly what city officials are looking for from residents and, eventually, visitors and tourists. In a city plagued by an economic crisis, and with a sagging national economy, a redeveloped riverfront could do wonders for general morale. It might also attract more people like Foster who predicts, without being privy to the city’s master plan, that Detroit’s waterfront will be comparable to the city of New Orleans’ before Hurricane Katrina decimated the town. He speaks of an expanse where children will enjoy clean playgrounds, families and individuals will walk and exercise on a riverfront promenade, and arts enthusiasts can attend concerts and peruse outdoor exhibits.
Foster might consider himself a visionary, then, because all indicators suggest that it’s going to happen. At last.
Paddling With the Current
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (DRFC), headed by President & CEO Faye Alexander Nelson, is responsible for leading the public end of a public-private partnership that will, once and for all, transform Detroit’s waterfront. “Once-and-for-all” is an important qualification because, since the industrial age, the Detroit River has catered to industry, not individuals. One of America’s six international waterways, Motown capitalized on its standing as a center of trade in the early 20th century. As a result, the waterfront became a center for commerce, not community.
Times change. The need for trade is giving way to a public desire for fine living. But years of failed plans have dashed public hope. It makes the succeeding group effort of the DRFC, the City of Detroit, Wayne County and the State of Michigan that much more obscure. But there is reason for lifestyle enthusiasts to take notice. Building off of developments like Harbortown, the UAW-GM Resource Center, Chene, Mt. Elliott and St. Aubin parks and Stroh River Place, the entire riverfront area is being transformed.
If the total project were characterized in seasons, the DRFC’s would be now. The organization is spearheading the development of the East Riverfront. Begun in 2005, it will feature the 3.5-mile Riverwalk, the often-hyped bridge-to-bridge walkway that will serve as the public foundation of the new waterfront. This is the place where citizens and tourists will be able to bring those kids, rollerblades and picnic baskets for sunny jaunts and workouts.
A mix of new and old landmarks will dot the walkway. Fresh additions will include the relocated Port Authority, and new parks Rivard Plaza and Gabriel Richard. These will join established and/or traditional locales like Hart Plaza, the General Motors promenade, Talon Center and the St. Aubin marina. One of the most historic pieces to come, however, will be Tri-Centennial State Park.
“This will be the first state park in Michigan to be located in an urban area,” Nelson says of the agreement negotiated between the city and the state. The State of Michigan will build the 31-acre park near Belle Isle.
“It’s going to be a wonderful opportunity to provide education and entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. There will also be a lot of environmental emphasis through programs.”
Asked whether the close proximity to Belle Isle will create a log jam of public terrain, Nelson argues that the state will run Tri-Centennial, taking the onus of responsibility away from Detroit. It will, in effect, give Motown it’s own version of a Metro Park.
“The key word here is ‘transformational’,” Nelson adds.
“Being able to transform the river is a huge boost to the city. To be able to enjoy boats, or bring the family to a place where activities are planned, we haven’t had that for decades.”
Not all of the riverfront transformation is a public matter. Acquiring access to privately-owned properties has impacted the rate of development. Fortunately, such areas are now on the way to being out of the way.
The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. is handling these deals. Two of the three silos operated by Medusa, age-old eyesores to city residents, are slated for removal next fall.
Cost is among the most daunting aspects of making the riverfront transformation happen. To date, just over half of the Conservancy’s work is paid for. Most recently, the DRFC received $32 million in funding as part of a $286.4 billion multi-year transportation bill. The bill will provide more than a billion dollars in transportation projects across the state, and will create 61,500 new jobs. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin were instrumental in getting the bill passed. The award was announced in July.
The DRFC needs $140 million to complete the project. Nelson says the remainder of the money is “in place.” In reality, it’s on the way. The Kresge Foundation has awarded $50 million in grants. Another $83 million in committed funds is coming in, and a $57 million capital campaign is expected to cover the rest of the costs.
As is often the case in a city as politically volatile as Detroit, opinions vary on the priority being placed on the development of the riverfront. Some say the city has bigger issues to tackle – like education – and lacks the resources and resident support to keep up the East Riverfront recreation areas.
Nelson disagrees with the notion. A developed Riverfront, she feels, will impact the self-esteem of the city and provide a catalyst for development that will extend into the area.
It’s the picture window effect: Make the storefront look good, and attract the customers. What develops next is a sense of place, a sense of pride, and a new lifestyle.
Learn More:
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Tricentennial Park
Faye Nelson on the Riverwalk
Riverwalk
Fountains at the Ren Cen
Stroh River Place
Tri-Cenenntial Park
Up river toward Belle Isle
All photographs copyright Dave Krieger