Roosevelt Park Revival

[Joseph C. Krause]

A group in Corktown lead by some of the Slow's team has a comprehensive plan to re-do Roosevelt Park. They want the park to contain a bus shelter, playground for children, skate park/plaza, athletic courts, a gallery, and an amphitheater. Several elements of their plan have already been implemented, beginning with the triangular traffic island next to Slow's and continuing with the half-circle "reflection garden" in front of MCS.

Here are the two images of the plan that I've seen, although I don't know if they are the most current:





Here's the site for the project:
http://rooseveltparkrevival.org/

I'm posting this because they want community input but so far I have seen virtually no public discussion for these very prominent changes to a public space. They have held meetings about it, but the buzz has not seeped into the public discussion outside of those meetings.

Let me lead with a complement. I'm very happy that my neighbors who have found success here are putting forth the effort to improve this large public park, not only with a plan to clean it up, but by adding many amenities that are currently absent.

But, since they're asking for community input, here's mine.

Roosevelt Park was designed to be part of Michigan Central Station. 15th Street was closed, property was seized, and houses were demolished to make way for a formal processional park leading to the entrance. This plan eliminates the formal elements and symmetry of the park entirely. There is nothing leading up to the central entrance of the station, in fact, that line is asymmetrically obstructed by the proposed amphitheater.

Vernor Highway is closed, and an off-center row of trees and walking path are placed near where the Eastern side of Vernor today stands. I tend to feel that closing the street is unnecessary and may be a hassle for drivers, who will need to use 16th Street to connect from Vernor to Michigan [[unless I'm misreading the plan, it isn't clear to me whether the automotive connection with Vernor is eliminated completely or not). Should a streetcar ever again be installed on Michigan Avenue, it would also make a great deal of sense for it to use Vernor to connect to MCS and Southwest. If the complaint about the road is dangerous, speeding traffic, this would be reduced by restoring the classical geometries of the curves along the road instead of the easier, modern traffic-engineered curves, adding four rows of parking along the sides, and potentially narrowing the road slightly.

I don't support the amphitheater. There are many places to hold outdoor concerts in the city, large and small. New Center Park. The Belle Isle band shell. Chene Park. Hart Plaza. None of these are located in a primarily residential neighborhood of this kind. Two of my years in Corktown so far were spent living on Wabash Street, next to MCS. Though things look empty around the park, Wabash is a stable, mostly-occupied street with residents who value quiet just as much as anyone in the suburbs. I feel it's disrespectful to residents within earshot to program extremely loud music as anything other than an occasional special event.

A new path is added along the axis of 15th Street, echoing what came before Roosevelt Park. I think this is an interesting touch, but not one that is an improvement over a restoration for the park as designed. The coolness of a historical reference doesn't change the fact that it is dissonant with the spirit of the park, which is why it was removed in the first place, and from a strictly practical standpoint, 15th to the South of the park quickly transitions to a sidewalkless bridge ending at Bagley a few yards from 14th Street, [[which does contain sidewalks) and to the North dead ends at I-75 after one-half-block. I don't foresee this becoming a heavily traveled walkway.

The "reflection garden", already built, is actually OK. The native grasses planted to imitate the broken windows of MCS, with larger areas aligned with the main windows is an image of a kind of deliberate shabbiness that I interpret to be a statement that this isn't just an abandoned train station, that there are still people here living with it, reacting to it, and thinking about it. It's kind of sorrowful to me, but that's OK. I think it's valid. Should MCS ever come back online, though, I would suggest modifying the "reflection garden" to reflect that change as well and take a more lifelike form. Included in that change should be a restoration of sidewalks to the front door that once connected to the sides of the boulevard.

The skate park or skate plaza. I don't know what's up with these kids and their skate-boards but La Junta, Colorado has a better skate park than Detroit and I'm OK building something so that the kids don't crunch up the marble outside of Compuware.

The bus shelter, athletic courts, and art center -- let's do it. People don't need to be rained on just to wait for a bus that doesn't run frequently enough. People don't need to be fat. People like to look at art, sometimes.

Kids need a place to play, and there are three places already within a few blocks: Macomb Park at Rose and 17th, a jungle gym and basketball court at Marantette and Wabash, and Mulitett Park on Vermont South of Dalzelle. They all could stand a clean-up, but otherwise are already good amenities.

The site of Roosevelt Park is nearly as large as Hart Plaza! There's room in the naturalistically landscaped "wings" of the park to place all of these features and even some of the postmodern elements [[even the amphitheater, should that remain). All of that can coexist with a restoration of the formal esplanade with four rows of trees down Vernor Highway. The park is part of the station.



So as a citizen of Corktown, there's my "community input". I don't mean my critical comments to be taken personally by anybody involved in the project, but the plan is for a big change to the neighborhood's defining landmark, and only a few people are discussing it.

[andrew.w]

I agree about the loss of formality. I think that the grand boulevard leading to the station is extremely important to the way that Michigan Central is interpreted. The park supports the station; it is not its own entity. Countless other stations around the country have these grand plazas out front, and they are historically significant elements of the architecture.

That said, I would support the idea of making the park more friendly to Corktown residents. If the boulevard was retained - maybe even transformed into a pedestrian plaza since the street is not currently needed - then the areas on each side were sensitively transformed for recreational use, it would be a much better plan.

[mtburb]

I agree with the plan, but keep the divided Vernor Highway and convert it into a pedestrian path but set it up so it can easily be converted back into a street when the MCS reopens.

[j to the jeremy]

The length of W. Vernor, including MCS, is going to be streetscaped and made into a complete street in the next year. Will this alter their plans? The city has already approved the project, I believe. I think this also includes improving the viaduct for pedestrians.

[Pcm]

Whoa, I've never seen a photo of the original park in front of MCS.

My opinion is that returning Roosevelt Park to it's original form would be the best use of the property. I totally get the desire to use it for art projects, skate parks, music venues, but visually, I think the original park was killer.

[Gistok]

OK... I am going to be scathing... but justifiably so...

Geeze is that BUTT-UGLY.....

It reminds me of what they did to Capitol Park.... what gets built has absolutely no relationship with the shape of the park whatsoever!

The MCS is a classically inspired monument that is nearly without peer in the USA. And the old Roosevelt Park was an inspirational part of that Belle Epoche or City Beautiful movements of the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, that was lovingly superimposed onto the city's grid plan of streets... with the never realized connection to a greater "Woodward Plan".

These plans for the park act as though the magnificent backdrop of the MCS monument to classical Roman splendor does not even exist.

This plan reminds me of something that Charles Prince of Wales [[a British Architectural critic) said about modern architecture... [[and I am paraphrasing here)...
______________

The fashionable architectural theories of the last 60 years or so, have been slavishly followed by those who want to be considered "with it"... and in doing so have spawned deformed monsters... which have come to haunt our towns and cities. As a result of many years of experimenting with revolutionary building materials and novel ideas, burying all the rule books, and purveying the theory that man is a machine, we have ended up with Frankenstein monsters, devoid of character, alien and largely unloved, except by the architects who have been concocting these horrors in their laboratories... while the rest of us are obliged to endure the results of their experiments...
__________________

Well I couldn't have said it any better... but this "scheme" for Roosevelt Park removes the sheer balance of the park and its' relationship with the backdrop of the MCS, and gives us a "random group of trees and paths that have no relationship to anything that surrounds it". All symmetry is lost, all plantings are random... all inspiration is lost...

Whatever it's merits... this park will likely end up like Chene Park... dug up and re-dug up at regular intervals with folks wondering why it wasn't done right the first time? Doesn't our city ever learn from its' mistakes? Must we keep repeating them?

And one other question... that Amphitheatre.... what the hell is that thing? Funny, I can't ever remember seeing one shaped like a trapezoid?

If you want to beautify Roosevelt Park... then restore it to its' former magnificence with the MCS as a symmetrical backdrop.

And if you want to put up an amphitheatre... the do it the right way... with the MCS as a backdrops... this classical Roman Amphitheatre gives a good indication of how important to the "atmosphere" a beautiful backdrop can be, especially when lit up at night...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2SZ-nCBmsU
[[Obviously nothing on a scale this grand... but to lose the opportunity for a magnificent backdrop of the MCS is well.... bone ass stupid...)

To ruin the symmetry opportunities of Roosevelt Park makes about as much sense as turning Belle Isle's Scott Fountain Basin into marsh swamp.....

[mtburb]

I too am against this, it would end up like when they destroyed Capitol Park when they built the bus station.

[corktownyuppie]

I've been hearing lots about the plans, it's great/interesting to see something more concrete.

First caveat is that I'm uninformed about this kind of stuff. Architecture and site planning are areas of expertise which are sorely lacking from my repertoire. I'm a businessman and so I tend to view things through lens that is primarily driven by long term cost/benefit analysis and maximizing utility.

With that in mind, my first conclusion is that the planners and promoters of this plan deserve some gratitude. Sometimes the pursuit of perfection is the enemy of the excellent, as paralysis by analysis prevents anything from ever progressing. This is the first I've seen of any realistic concept aiming to improve a park which has certainly seen better days. I may not agree with all of it, but it's worth noting that it takes guts to put your neck out on the line and dream big for something like this.

Athletic courts? I'm for it. I think that the Corktown area attracts the kind of families and demographic that would use it regularly.

Skateboard park? I'm for it. I'll never use it. And, it doesn't exactly scream opulence and prestige. But I'd rather have the skaters at a great place at Roosevelt than on the Riverwalk or Campus Martius. Added bonus, if it's a premier skate park, it'll attract people from all over the metro area. Bringing money and tourism from the suburbs into the city? That's a good thing.

I'd love for the park to scream the architectural grandeur of the original design. The problem is that I'm not sure if the "customers" of the park really value that. At the end of the day, I'd rather have 100-200 people there USING the place rather than a tourbus drive by once per week and talk about how AUTHENTIC it looks. Just my personal take, though.

Ampitheatre. I think this is a great move that wouldn't necessarily compete with Chene Park. It could attract the kinds of Detroit local acts that might be likely to play at River Days or at the PJ's Lagerhouse. Kind of reminds me of the Diag at U-M's campus in Ann Arbor. People playing frisbee, punk kids working the skateboard, families walking through to enjoy the day....students studying.

Yes, the place might have a "young" feel to it, compared to the more "mature" Campus Martius catering to the corporate world and downtowners. But that's totally fine, I think.

Last thing is actually the most important thing...safety is a huge concern. Last thing we need is for someone to get sexually assaulted or held up at gunpoint. A place like that could probably use dedicated security, even if it was just one person. Maybe work something with Moroun? I dunno, just thinking out loud. But this will be a big issue in my humble opinion.

p.s. wireless internet might be a nice bonus

[Gistok]

I too am against this, it would end up like when they destroyed Capitol Park when they built the bus station.

.... not to mention the medocrity that replaced it today....

Back in 1906 they had a fountain as the focal center of the triangular park, as well as flower beds ....

[wolverine]

I actually think the formal approach found in the historical photos of MCS is inappropriate to modern uses and design. It would make complete sense today if this was still a train station, but the park needs to be a bit more organic. Those formal driveways will be dead without heavy usage of the building behind them, AND they will completely divide the park up.

Basically returning the park to what it was is like saying this is nothing more than a place for traffic circulation. I hope people not be so suburban minded. Look at that median, do you really think people are going to enjoy that. Even with the sloppy asymmetry of the proposal, at least it dedicates 100% of the space to pedestrians and not cars.

For the record, I do agree the proposal fails to celebrate and acknowledge the presence of the station. But suggesting we return to the original design is outrageous and destined for failure.

[Gistok]

Wolverine, I'm not saying that we should return to 1913... those drives would be useless... but to design it as though the MCS isn't even there is what boggles the mind.... it's the 800 lb. gorilla in the landscape and it's being ignored.

I agree completely with your assessment of "sloppy asymmetry"... they could have split the park into 2 forested areas with a glen or lawn framed by an avenue of trees.

[hamtown mike]

...but to design it as though the MCS isn't even there....

Quote of the day nominee. Perfectly stated.

[hamtown mike]

I'd really like to see the central promenade loop remain for foot traffic bicycles etc. It would help bolster the importance of the building while capturing a timeless classic feel with a symmetrically balanced aesthetic.

I was soooo excited when they started on Capitol park. Sadly it turned into a pile of concrete dog sick. It's a 'park' that is trying too hard and is actually of no use to anyone because of it.

[corktownyuppie]

I was soooo excited when they started on Capitol park. Sadly it turned into a pile of concrete dog sick. It's a 'park' that is trying too hard and is actually of no use to anyone because of it.

I could be wrong, but I'd bet that as the downtown development spreads to the area directly surrounding Capitol park, you will see much more use and activity there. The critical mass isn't quite there, yet... but people are attracted to being around other people. You fill up some of Woodward and then the surrounding blocks, I'd bet you'll see some coffee shops and restaurants open up there. That will be prime real estate at some point.

[hamtown mike]

...you will see much more use and activity there. The critical mass isn't quite there, yet... but people are attracted to being around other people.

What kind of activity can take place there? What is really in capitol park? A handfull of trees encased in cement and brick and a former governor encased in the same. Certainly not a stop for me when showing visitors through town.

[corktownyuppie]

What kind of activity can take place there? What is really in capitol park? A handfull of trees encased in cement and brick and a former governor encased in the same. Certainly not a stop for me when showing visitors through town.

i don't see it as the kind of place you would take tourists who want to visit the city. I think it's the kind of place where people who work and live around the area can go to sit, relax, and talk and buy a cup of coffee. Students and young professionals can do homework and play on their iPads and walk their dogs.

Think more like the quad of a university campus, less of a tourist draw.

[bailey]

Originally Posted by hamtown mike
What kind of activity can take place there? What is really in capitol park? A handfull of trees encased in cement and brick and a former governor encased in the same. Certainly not a stop for me when showing visitors through town.

i don't see it as the kind of place you would take tourists who want to visit the city. I think it's the kind of place where people who work and live around the area can go to sit, relax, and talk and buy a cup of coffee. Students and young professionals can do homework and play on their iPads and walk their dogs.

Think more like the quad of a university campus, less of a tourist draw.

...and less of a nice soft and shady place for bums to while away the days.

[kryptonite]

I read that link. The idea of renovations to Roosevelt Park is a nice idea, but I don't like the plan to close Vernor Hwy. the entire street pattern in the area could stand some changes to make it more understandable but I sort of like the existing boulevard approach to MCS although granted it was done as a dramatic approach to a huge transportation facility that was the DTW of it's day.

Skate parks suck aesthetically, a playground sounds like a nice idea though. But an amphitheatre??? I don't know about that part either. I personally think tree plantings, viaduct improvement and a bus stop should make it a nice park again. If something happens to MCS in the future Roosevelt Park would be a nice gateway to MCS, the bridge, and Mexicantown.