Hill at Milliken State Park Coming Down

[DinNC]

Finally! As much fun as it was to run, walk, or ride a bike up and down the hill, it made no sense to have a hill block the view of the waterfront. I'd actually like to see Orleans Street continue south of Atwater and curve to the west to meet a second road, call it "Edgewater," that would go through the current parking lot at Rivard Plaza, be about four lanes wide, and hug the current side walk that is at the edge of the parking lot next to the plaza. The street would end at Rivard Street. Parking would go where the current Border Patrol headquarters is located.

Why an additional road south of Atwater? Well, if you look at the stretch of Atwater that spans from Rivard to Milliken Park you will still see a large distance between Atwater and the river. The park and marina distances make sense. However, west of Orleans all you have is vacant land. The hill was part of this vacant land. There is enough room for a new road and some residential and commercial developments, mainly restaurants, that could go between Atwater and the new street that I'm calling Edgewater. Also, this new street would create more pedestrian activity closer to the Detroit River [[car traffic, bike traffic, walkers and runners). Well, I think it would be cool.

I personally think adding another road between Atwater and the river is not the best use of that open land. I think anything between the river and Atwater should be public land used for recreation. Put tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer/baseball fields, beach vollyball courts, roller/steet hockey rinks, play/spray scapes for the kids, disc golf, putt putt course, etc. All Retail/housing should go on the otherside of Atwater.

[royce]

I personally think adding another road between Atwater and the river is not the best use of that open land. I think anything between the river and Atwater should be public land used for recreation. Put tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer/baseball fields, beach vollyball courts, roller/steet hockey rinks, play/spray scapes for the kids, disc golf, putt putt course, etc. All Retail/housing should go on the otherside of Atwater.

DinNC, a lot of the recreational activities you mentioned can still go between Atwater, the river and a new road south of Atwater. Look at a Google Earth satellite view and you'll see how much land is vacant. Now, with the hill gone, that will create more vacant land. Now, if they can carve out a beach area between Milliken Park and Rivard Plaza that would also be cool.

[downtownguy]

DinNC, a lot of the recreational activities you mentioned can still go between Atwater, the river and a new road south of Atwater. Look at a Google Earth satellite view and you'll see how much land is vacant. Now, with the hill gone, that will create more vacant land. Now, if they can carve out a beach area between Milliken Park and Rivard Plaza that would also be cool.

Royce, have you actually walked the area? I do every weekend and see no benefit from this idea. First of all, you say "the area between Rivard Plaza and Milliken Park." What area is that? They abut one another. The wetlands that the state has put in along with the walkways are perfect for that setting. I think the plan has always been to extend the wetlands all the way to Atwater, and perhaps with the hill coming down they will go east as well. What you're talking about is maybe three long city blocks at most. Are drivers so lazy that they need a detour to see a 3 block long stretch of the river's edge one block south of the existing road? It's a park, and as such, priority should be given to pedestrians, not cars. As for commercial development, there are plenty of good areas on the north side of Atwater suitable for that.

[Honky Tonk]

Royce, have you actually walked the area? I do every weekend and see no benefit from this idea. First of all, you say "the area between Rivard Plaza and Milliken Park." What area is that? They abut one another. The wetlands that the state has put in along with the walkways are perfect for that setting. I think the plan has always been to extend the wetlands all the way to Atwater, and perhaps with the hill coming down they will go east as well. What you're talking about is maybe three long city blocks at most. Are drivers so lazy that they need a detour to see a 3 block long stretch of the river's edge one block south of the existing road? It's a park, and as such, priority should be given to pedestrians, not cars. As for commercial development, there are plenty of good areas on the north side of Atwater suitable for that.

I believe a brisk walk past any Tim Horton's, McDonald's, or Burger King, on any given morning, will provide the answer to your question. AS for commercial development, there is PLENTY of empty land in Detroit, where something like that can be dropped. You don't need to screw up river and park area with that kind of development. Why aren't people ever happy until there's a structure on it?

[Det_ard]

I've been to those over the last several decades, thank you, but while they're *close* to the river, they're not *on* the river. They're either a distance off the river, or on a canal/marina, ala Sinbads. Other cities I've lived in did a better job of offering riverfront [[or lakefront, or oceanfront) dining. Detroit ought to do the same. It wouldn't hurt a thing.

[DetroitHabitater]

I took a run on the riverwalk this morning.

I don't think they intend to remove all of the hill. If you look there are survey markers extending from where the bike path T's into the path perpendicular to the river. It looks as if they intend for the bike path to go up the hill and possibly for the front path to wrap around it.

[Al Czervik]

I took a run on the riverwalk this morning.

I don't think they intend to remove all of the hill. If you look there are survey markers extending from where the bike path T's into the path perpendicular to the river. It looks as if they intend for the bike path to go up the hill and possibly for the front path to wrap around it.

As I watch the progress, I am also unsure if they intend to remove the whole hill. They seem to be digging at the back [[east side) of the hill and moving that dirt to the other side. Perhaps they intend to extend the river walk along the riverside of the hill [[where it has been flattened) and then continue the path along the east side of the hill to meet up with the Dequindre Cut.

[canuck]

I believe a brisk walk past any Tim Horton's, McDonald's, or Burger King, on any given morning, will provide the answer to your question. AS for commercial development, there is PLENTY of empty land in Detroit, where something like that can be dropped. You don't need to screw up river and park area with that kind of development. Why aren't people ever happy until there's a structure on it?

So very true.