The Future of Woodward Avenue

In the spirit of the Woodward Dream Cruise, and after reading through an older thread called "What do you want Downtown to look like in 2020", a lot of people really wanted to see Woodward Ave from Campus Martius to Grand Circus to be 100% occupied by retail/restaurants and such. And since I really like these kind of "idea sharing" threads, I'll ask this question:

What kinds of stores/restaurants do you want to see on Woodward? [[i.e. fancy restaurants? chain retail? boutiquey type stores?)

I would like some restaurants with a good bar scene - similar to the new Wright & Co. restaurant [[which I would highly recommend). The thing I want to see more than anything is outdoor seating. It makes the atmosphere so much more lively. Anyways, what are some of your ideas?

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Originally Posted by UMich06

The thing I want to see more than anything is outdoor seating. It makes the atmosphere so much more lively. Anyways, what are some of your ideas?

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I like outdoor seating, the problem is in big cities you're usually sitting right next to a busy road. Imagine sitting there eating with an idling bus ten feet away blowing diesel exhaust into your food. Cafe seating for drinking coffee or whatever is different, but street-side eating seems silly to me.

The best idea I've seen was at a place called La Bonne Soup in New York. They have a second-floor patio [[not rooftop, the whole front of the second floor opens up over the street) Still makes the street scene a little more lively as there are people outside, but you aren't sitting next to a road, and the view is nicer.

Woodward needs stores - lots of stores. A department store would be fantastic - ideally something like Macys. Maybe John King could do a small shop - I think they're always looking for more places to put books. How about an old fashioned indoor car showroom from GM - with the halo cars right up in the front window? They have one in the basement of the ren-cen, but it's in the basement - not the best for pedestrian advertising.

I think outdoor seating would be possible on Woodward. The sidewalk is very wide in the area you mentioned, and with the M-1 rail making Woodward more narrow, it would take away a lot of the "big city" traffic noise/smell. I was just in Chicago and a lot of the restaurants on Rush St and State St have really nice outdoor seating. I really wish Wright and Co. would have taken a ground level spot, or had the patio seating like JBMcB mentioned. Overall, I would like to see a good number of restaurants and bars, with a new department store on the Hudson site and a few other big name stores, along with a couple local boutiques.

People here, including me most times, hate comparisons and people wishing we should "be" like another city. But Yonge St. in Toronto is an excellent case from which to take pointers for a better Woodward. Just like Woodward, Yonge St. is a long street [[in fact it's longer that Woodward) and like Woodward again it can go from urban oasis to suburban sprawl. But Yonge from Front to St. Clair is one non-stop strip of urbanity: sports, schools, shopping, hotels, transit, culture, restaurants, and living. Woodward will always be Woodward, but if we can take lessons from others cities to create a healthy, urban strips, then we need do just that.

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Originally Posted by JBMcB

The best idea I've seen was at a place called La Bonne Soup in New York. They have a second-floor patio [[not rooftop, the whole front of the second floor opens up over the street) Still makes the street scene a little more lively as there are people outside, but you aren't sitting next to a road, and the view is nicer.

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Of all places for me to mention, Woody's in Royal Oak has a really awesome setup where the second story windows open fully. It has always been a must-stop for Arts, Beats and Eats and seems to give that strip a slightly more... open, "full" feel. I definitely agree with you there.

Beyond that, getting rid of the strip mall in Highland Park, which will never happen, would be awesome but instead we're stuck with a monstrosity that would look infinitely better if the stores had actually fronted Woodward with parking in the back.

Woodward serves its surrounding community. Woodward near midtown and downtown can probably use more "stuff" but the further north you go the less sense it makes for trendy bars and restaurants, boutique shopping and other amenities patronized by people with disposable income. I

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Originally Posted by rex

Woodward serves its surrounding community. Woodward near midtown and downtown can probably use more "stuff" but the further north you go the less sense it makes for trendy bars and restaurants, boutique shopping and other amenities patronized by people with disposable income. I

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Parts of Woodward already have a European look, in my opinion, and these areas would be great for open air restaurants.

Combining the thoughts of the various threads, what if there was an area 'north' that would have hotrod shops, cool car dealerships, car customizing businesses, model shops, car audio systems, detailing, etc. that would embody the cars of The Cruise? I bet that would draw the Cruise farther south. And, it could help revitalize Woodward for a farther distance. Call it Little Detroit, Cruiseville or whatever. An area like this could provide a lot of jobs and would be a draw for those with disposable income.

Is there one place in Detroit "The Motorcity" that serves as a focal point for all that the car is/was? The Cruise seems to be a celebration of that but it is temporary. What if The Cruise had a year-round home and it helped bring businesses and tourists into Detroit? I think many people go to Detroit and want to see something like this. The closest is The Henry Ford, but that is different, I think. I'm thinking lots of independent businesses combining forces with The Cruise.

I'm willing bet that Roger Penske would be interested in something like this. I think it would be an area that the crowds that attend the Belle Isle racing events would also be interested in. And, of course, many of the little [[and big) kids that happen to drive by and seeing all the cool cars would be interested. Make it a destination.

Woodward in Downtown and Midtown should be mostly restaurants/retail stores. I like the outdoor seating ideas, but I think in general more restaurants are needed. I would also like to see all of the buildings from Campus Martius to Grand Circus completely renovated with luxury lofts on the second or third floors. Whatever development that happens on the Hudson site will have a huge boost for that area.

Woodward in Brush Park should see a bit of a revival with the new Red Wings arena, and Woodward in Midtown/New Center is mostly occupied, I believe.

I doubt Woodward in Highland Park will see much development at all in the near future, unfortunately. It would be nice to see that horrible strip mall and blighted buildings get renovated or taken down.

I would love to see some new development from 7 Mile to 8 Mile, similar to the Avenue of Fashion. Some restaurants, stores, bars, etc. It would go a long way in strengthening the Palmer Park and State Fair Grounds neighborhoods.

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Originally Posted by WSU12

I doubt Woodward in Highland Park will see much development at all in the near future, unfortunately. It would be nice to see that horrible strip mall and blighted buildings get renovated or taken down.

I would love to see some new development from 7 Mile to 8 Mile, similar to the Avenue of Fashion. Some restaurants, stores, bars, etc. It would go a long way in strengthening the Palmer Park and State Fair Grounds neighborhoods.

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The area in most need of development is the area I was talking about. Hotrodders are adventurers and that area needs a lot of that spirit.

My advice is to preserve the architectural and artistic gems that are in Detroit like you are already doing. Plus, add some important connections to your roots and give the 'burbs a reason to come back.

Bottom line for me is I want a good mix of daytime and nighttime use along the whole stretch, and the maximum possible residences on and near Woodward, so that pedestrians are on the sidewalks at all waking hours. Only good things will arise from that. The market will decide what sort of diverse offerings arise-- I just hope that in pockets the rent will stay cheap enough for cool, lower revenue uses like bookstores, consignment shops, etc-- basically so that in midtown we can see an extension of the good things on Cass and Second over to Woodward.

I would also like to see substantially all of the fast food restaurants with suburban setbacks to be removed. I don't really care of they re-appear in new and different buildings, but I really want Detroit's main street free of that sort of suburban blight with huge setbacks.

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Originally Posted by Mackinaw

I would also like to see substantially all of the fast food restaurants with suburban setbacks to be removed. I don't really care of they re-appear in new and different buildings, but I really want Detroit's main street free of that sort of suburban blight with huge setbacks.

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Yea i agree.. I cringe walking past the new soon to be Checkers restaurant on woodward in midtown by the garfield lofts... such a great piece of property.. i was secretly hoping it was getting nixed because it's been taking them so long to open it since chicken shack shut down.. but i've been seeing their signs and progress happening lately... also that McD's [[which isn't nearly as bad as the checkers in terms of setback/design) neeeeeds to go... i know it won't happen [[anytime soon) but with the LTU building going up and hop cat opening in 3 months... it seems so out of place on that block..