7.2 section one

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67.2 SQ MI | A Report on Greater Downtown Detroit

SECTION ONE

SECTION

ONEOVERVIEW



7 Section One | Overview

OVERVIEW

GREATER DOWNTOWN TIMELINE

GREATER DOWNTOWN BY NEIGHBORHOOD

DOWNTOWN

MIDTOWN

ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS

GREATER DOWNTOWN IN CONTEXT 08–09

10–13

14–25

15–17

18–19

20–25



8

XX

XX


(1.1) GREATER DOWNTOWN IN CONTEXT

Square Miles: 7.2 SQ. MI.

Population: 36,550 people

Density: 5,076 People/SQ. MI.

Per Capita Income: $20,216

Greater Downtown Detroit

Greater Downtown Detroit is 7.2 SQ. MI. in area.

There are 36,550 people or 5,076 people per

SQ. MI. The average per capita income is $20,216.



9

Detroit

Square Miles: 139 SQ. MI.




Greater Downtown Detroit





Wayne County


Population: 1,820,584 people



Downtown Cleveland




City o Cleveland





Southeast Michigan

Square Miles: 5,781 SQ. MI.


Density: 903 People/SQ. MI.


Expanded City-Center Philadelphia




City o Philadelphia



Density: 11,304 People/SQ. MI.Per Capita Income: $21,117Michigan


Population: 9,883,640 People



Greater Downtown Pittsburgh




City o Pittsburgh





Great Lakes





Downtown Minneapolis




City o Minneapolis





United States

Square Miles: 3,531,905 SQ. MI.




Section One | Overview

(City-Center is 5.2% o City)




(City-Center is 5.8 % o City)

Nesting Geography Comparisons City & City-Center Comparisons




(1.2) GREATER DOWNTOWN TIMELINE

Ho1701: Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac oundedFort Pontchartrain du Detroit

1806: City o Detroit incorporated

1837: State o Michigan admitted into Union

1868: Detroit Medical College ounded outo Harper Hospital Physicians; later becameWayne State University

1883: First electrical street lights installed

1885: Detroit Institute o Arts ounded

1869: Hammond Building completed, the rst

skyscraper at stories tall

1869: Olds, the rst mass producer o automobiles in the U.S., moved to Detroit

1700’s–1800’s 1900’s

1903: Ford Motor Company launched with$8,000 rom investors

1906: College or Creative Studies ounded asthe Society o Arts and Crats on Watson Street

1909: First mile o concrete highway pavedalong Woodward Avenue

1909: Ford Building, Detroit’s rst modernskyscraper completed, at stories tall

1912: Dime Building opened at stories;it’s later renamed the Chrysler House in 0

1912: Tiger Stadium opened as Navin Field,

home to the Detroit Tigers and Lions

1915: Henry Ford Health Systems established

Detroit Annexation and Growth, 1810–1930

1880186018401810



11

1900’s 1900’s


1923: General Motors relocated HQ to NewCenter along Grand Blvd

1924–30: Over a third o the tallest buildingsin Detroit constructed

1925: Site o the J.L. Hudson Co. on State andWoodward recorded as the busiest corner inthe U.S. with . million people crossing duringan 8-hour period

1929: The Ambassador Bridge completed,connecting Detroit to Windsor, Canada

1930: Detroit–Windsor Tunnel completed

1930–33: Great Depression

1940 Population: ,6,45 people

1940–45: U.S. participation in World War II

1942: Davison Freeway/M-8 opened as the rst

urban depressed reeway in the U.S.


1953: John C. Lodge Freeway/M-0 openedwith the rst ull reeway-to-reeway interchangein U.S. at Edsel Ford Freeway/I-94

1955: Edsel Ford Freeway/I-94 completed toconnect I-96 across Downtown to Russell Street


1960: Cobo Center and Arena completed1963: First .7 miles o the Walter P. ChryslerFreeway/I-75 opened, destroying Detroit’s“Black Bottom” neighborhood

1930 – PRESENT19201900



7.2 SQ MI | A Report on Greater Downtown Detroit 12

Ho

(1.2) GREATER DOWNTOWN TIMELINE

2000 Population: 95,70 people

2000: Comerica Park opened, home o the Tigers

2002: Ford Field opened, home o the Lions

2003: Compuware World HQ completed at 6stories; Compuware moved Downtown

2003: Detroit Riverront Conservancy renovationo 5.5 miles o riverront property began

2004: GM HQ moved to Renaissance Center: $500M

2004: Campus Martius Park re-established: $0M

2005: Major League Baseball’s All-Star Gamehosted at Comerica Park

2006: Super Bowl XL hosted at Ford Field

2007: MGM Grand Casino completed

2007–11: Economic Recession

2008: Book Cadillac Hotel and Fort ShelbyHotel renovations completed: $00M and $90M

2008: Auto industry received ederal aid

2009: Greektown Casino Hotel completed, themost recent skyscraper at 0 stories

1967: Detroit Riots

1967: Fisher Freeway/I-75 completed between

Gratiot and Rosa Parks connecting I-75, M-0and I-96


1973: Mayor Coleman Young, Detroit’s rstblack mayor, elected

1976: City o Detroit Downtown DevelopmentAuthority created

1977: Renaissance Center completed at 7 storiesat its center and 9 stories at its our towers

1979: Joe Louis Arena completed, home o theDetroit Red Wings


1987: Detroit People Mover opened


1993: One Detroit Center completed, the tallestbuilding in the 990’s, standing at 4 stories

1999: Motor City Casino completed

1900’s 2000’s




(1.3) GREATER DOWNTOWN BY NEIGHBORHOOD

DETROIT RIVER

RIVERTOWN

TECHTOWN

1075

75

M I C H I G A N

G R A N D R I V E R

WARREN

MACK

GRAND BLVD. W O O D W A R D

R O S A

P A R K S

JEFFERSON

G R A T I O T

S T . A U B I N

RR

94

LAFAYETTE PARKDOWNTOWN

CORKTOWN

NEW CENTER

ART CENTER

MEDICAL CENTER

BRUSH PARK

WAYNE STATE

NORTH CASS

CASS PARK

EASTERN MARKET

MIDTOWN

WOODBRIDGE

NEW CENTER




DOWNTOWN/CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

Naturally, the CBD is the largest employment center

in Greater Downtown. Major employers, many o which relocated to Downtown in the past decade,include General Motors, DTE Energy, Blue CrossBlue Shield o Michigan, Compuware, and the Rock/Quicken amily o companies. Downtown Detroitis the longtime home o the city and county govern-

ments as well as the region’s major nancial, legal,accounting, and consulting rms. Recently, youngtech and creative industry rms have joined thegrowing neighborhood, adding youth and vibrancyto the core o the city.

Demand or housing has ollowed jobs. The area’sresidential oerings—mostly apartments and condosin mid- and high-rises—are 97 percent occupied.

Downtown is the city’s entertainment center, boasting the second largest theater district in the

country, with ,000 seats. It is home to the Fox,Fillmore, and Gem theaters, as well as the DetroitOpera House. In addition, Downtown houses anumber o casinos and nearly 50 bars and restau-rants. Thousands o sports ans come Downtownto cheer on the Red Wings, Tigers, and Lions.

Downtown welcomes millions o visitors each year, and has more than ,500 hotel rooms to lodge them.Its historically and architecturally signicant sky-scrapers, like the Guardian and Penobscot buildings,draw many visitors and hundreds o thousands o people visit Cobo Hall or annual conventions, includ-ing the North American International Auto Show.

Downtown’s Campus Martius Park comes alive with

seasonal events and estivities. In the winter, it ishome to the city’s Christmas tree and an ice skatingrink, and in the summer, it is a vibrant public parkor outdoor dining, movies, and live music. Major es-tivals like Detroit River Days, Movement ElectronicMusic Festival, and Detroit International Jazz Festivaldraw a host o visitors all summer long.

Downtown Detroit is bounded by the Lodge (M-10), Fisher (I-75),

and Chrysler (I-375) reeways, and the Detroit River.

One square mile. That’s the size o Downtown Detroit, also known as

Detroit’s Central Business District (CBD). In recent years, Downtown

Detroit has fourished. It has attracted thousands o new employees and

hundreds o new residents, demonstrating a healthy demand or the mix

o renovation and new projects that are in the development pipeline.




Downtown is the city’s

entertainment center,

boasting the second

largest theater districtin the country, and

is home to nearly 50

bars and restaurants.




MIDTOWN

Midtown is home to major anchor institutions—Wayne State University, the Detroit Medical Center,the Henry Ford Health System, and the College orCreative Studies. A collection o small neighborhoodsmakes up the community, including New Center,TechTown, Art Center, North Cass, Cass Park, andBrush Park.

The two-square-mile district is home to restaurants,galleries, community gardens, and markets. Midtownis one o the city’s most walkable communities.

The cultural capital o the region, Midtown is hometo the Detroit Institute o Arts DIA, the Charles H.Wright Museum o Arican American History, thenewly reurbished Detroit Historical Museum, theMuseum o Contemporary Art Detroit MOCAD,the Michigan Science Center, the Detroit SymphonyOrchestra DSO, and the Max M. Fisher Music

Center. The area hosts annual activities and events,such as Noel Night, Dlectricity, and ArtX.

Historic homes and apartments can be ound in ArtCenter, Brush Park, Cass Park, and the West CaneldHistoric District. There are also newer options spreadthroughout Midtown, such as converted lot buildings,contemporary apartments, townhomes, and condos.

There is high demand or the liestyle and amenitiesthis neighborhood oers, and apartment oerings are

currently 95 percent occupied.

Midtown is generally dened as the area between the Chrysler

(I-375), Lodge (M-10) and Fisher ( I-75) reeways and a northern

boundary passing Grand Boulevard.

Hosting two million annual visitors and a daytime population o 50,000,

Midtown is one o the astest developing areas in Detroit, with a growing

residential base and opportunities or new construction and rehabilitation

within its historic neighborhoods. Midtown represents a wide array o

Detroit’s architectural history—rom castles and Victorian homes to unky

industrial buildings re-imagined rom their auto-industry days.



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The two-square-mile

Midtown district houses

restaurants, galleries,

community gardens and

markets, making it

one o the city’s most

walkable communities.




NEW CENTER

New Center comes alive during the day, with one o the largest oce populations in the area, includingthe employees and visitors o the Fisher, Albert Kahn,New Center One, and State o Michigan CadillacPlace buildings, and the Henry Ford Health System.The College or Creative Studies opened their secondGreater Downtown campus in New Center in 009 inthe A. Alred Taubman Center or Design Educationormerly General Motors’ Argonaut Building, whichalso hosts the Henry Ford Academy/School or Cre-

ative Studies middle and high schools.

New Center has a rich architectural history. Both theFisher Building and Cadillac Place are National His-toric Landmarks. Residential options in New Centerinclude market-rate condominiums, single-amilyhomes, duplexes, and mid-rise multi-unit residentialbuildings. The area is attractive or its varied retail,restaurants, and entertainment venues, such as theFisher Theater and the newly renovated New CenterPark, a three-season outdoor concert venue.

As the northern anchor o Midtown, New Center is located north o

the Ford Freeway (I-94), west o John R. Street, and adjacent to the

historic Virginia Park neighborhood on the north and Henry Ford

Health System’s main campus on the west.




WOODBRIDGE

The tree-lined residential neighborhood o Wood-bridge is on the National Register o Historic Places.A racially diverse, mixed-income community, theneighborhood is home to an eclectic mix o longtimeowners and new renters, amilies, students, collegeproessors, proessionals, musicians, artists, and more.

Woodbridge is also home to a varied cultural scene,

with destinations including the Contemporary ArtInstitute o Detroit, parks, a community garden, a bike

shop, and a Buddhist Temple.The Woodbridge Pub oers residents a place to enjoylocal and seasonal ood and drink. This livable com-munity houses the area’s only veterinary clinic, is justsouth o the city’s recycling center, and is adjacent toMidtown’s grocery stores and bakeries.

Woodbridge sits along Trumbull Avenue on the western edge o

Wayne State University and Midtown, bordered by the Ford (I-94)

and John Lodge (M-10) reeways to the north and east, and Grand

River Avenue to the south and west.

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EASTERN MARKET

Eastern Market hosts the oldest continuously oper-

ating public market in the United States, oundedin 89. It hosts 50 ood vendors and merchants ata year-round Saturday public market, as well asthe seasonal Tuesday Market rom July to October.On any given Saturday, as many as 40,000 customers

shop or ruits, vegetables, specialty oods, fowers,and more—most rom the local arms o Michigan,Ohio, and Ontario.

Nearby are retail shops, restaurants, a communitygarden, and access to the RiverWalk via the DequindreCut Greenway.

During special events, such as the annual Flower Day,there are more than 00,000 visitors. Eastern Marketis also the largest tailgating location or Ford Field,attracting approximately ,000 Detroit Lions ootballans at each home game.

Though the ocus o Eastern Market is primarilyood-related business, housing is available in the

orm o lot conversions, as well as more traditionalapartments. Like other areas o Greater Downtown,these locations are currently occupied at 95 percent.

Eastern Market is located northeast o Downtown,

just north o the Gratiot Avenue Corridor.




LAFAYETTE PARK

Constructed through the late 950s and early 960s,Laayette Park contains a 19-acre district designed

by amed architect Mies Van der Rohe. The districtis listed on the National Register o Historic placesand is the largest concentration o Van der Rohe’swork, demonstrating the simple International styleo architecture.

Low-rise townhomes and high-rise apartment towersare complemented by open landscaped space, a small

shopping center that includes a ull-service grocerystore, and a successul elementary school. The neigh-borhood also boasts a concentration o cooperativelyowned multi-amily housing options.

Laayette Park’s residential options and proximity toother Greater Downtown neighborhoods and ameni-ties draw ethnically and socioeconomically diverse

amilies, many o whom are longtime residents.

Laayette Park is located directly east o the Central Business District,

south o Eastern Market, west o St. Aubin Street and north o Jefer-

son Avenue. The Dequindre Cut Greenway connects the neighborhood

to Rivertown’s RiverWalk to the south and Eastern Market to the north.




RIVERTOWN

Rivertown is located between one o Detroit’s major thoroughares,

Jeferson Avenue, and the Detroit River. It extends east rom Down-

town’s Renaissance Center to Belle Isle’s MacArthur Bridge.

A central eature o Rivertown is the RiverWalk thatruns the length o the neighborhood on its .5-milepath rom Gabriel Richard Park to Joe Louis Arena.The lively RiverWalk connects bars and restaurants,Chene Park amphitheater, Milliken State Park andHarbor, and public plazas with amenities includingbike rentals and tours.

The area includes a mix o commercial, residential,

and recreational uses. Along East Jeerson, residentslive in both afordable and luxury high-rises and

condominiums, and enjoy a variety o casual diningoptions and bars.

Rivertown is unique or being one o the ew locationsin Greater Downtown with large development-readyparcels available or uture mixed-use development.These sites have the potential to transorm the neigh-borhood in coming years.



For sources, notes & defnitions,

see page 74.

Corktown is Detroit’s oldest neighborhood and islisted on the National Register o Historic Places.Named or the Irish county o its immigrant ounders,Corktown has a mix o historic homes, independentretail, restaurants, bars, and light industrial properties.

The neighborhood eatures ederal-style row houses,

Victorian single-amily homes, and new housing,

as well as lot conversions and a high-rise residen-

tial development. Although Corktown lacks sizablecommercial oce space, it is beginning to see thedevelopment o small shared commercial and live/work spaces to complement the small oce and lightindustrial uses on the southern and western endso the neighborhood. Locally owned bars and restau-rants line Michigan Avenue through Corktown,anchored by the popular Slows Bar BQ, and NorthCorktown is the site o one o Detroit’s three casinos,MotorCity Casino, as well as the city’s only hostel.

Corktown is the site o many o Detroit’s community

and cultural activities. Roosevelt Park sits at the oot

o Detroit’s most amous vacant building, the grandMichigan Central Station, and in recent years, it hasbeen the ocus o community eorts to revitalize andprogram public space. Two annual events bring thou-sands to the area: Detroit’s annual St. Patrick’s Dayparade and the annual Tour de Troit bike ride, whichhosted more than 5,000 bike riders in 0 or a 0-mile ride throughout the city.

Corktown sits to the west o Downtown. The Fisher Freeway/I-75

splits Corktown and North Corktown.

CORKTOWN

7.2 section one

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