Capitol Park

**Rocko** · July-01-10, 01:34 PM

The park's refurbishment is supposed to be completed by August, according to this Free Press article. Hopefully a renewed park will spur some additional investment around it....who's going to manage this one? Detroit Parks? Or [[hopefully) the Campus Martius folks!

http://www.freep.com/article/2010070...downtown-vault

The park, complete with an above-ground crypt for Mason, is expected to reopen in August, according to Merz.

DetroitDad · July-02-10, 12:03 AM

I really don't think the layout is being changed at all, based on the rendering at the construction site. I wonder what will become of Shelby, which already has been partially turned into a pedestrian walkway.

**Rocko** · July-11-10, 10:39 PM

Here's a closeup of the rendering for the completed park:

Attachment 6781

**wolverine** · July-11-10, 11:57 PM

^ Hate to say it, but that's pretty unimaginative. There's parks going up in hundreds of American cities right now that are some real beauties and incredibly creative. I really don't want to be negative or overly critical, but I've said over and over again that Detroit needs to think differently, and surprise people. Do something that will be attractive. This was the opportunity to entirely transform an interesting urban space and here you get something that still looks like the heavy concrete and brick plazas of the 1960's.

**Magnatomicflux** · July-12-10, 01:57 AM

i agree wolverine. maybe this is even less imaginative......but what would be wrong with completely recreating the one in the postcard? that's a beautiful space! this looks like somthing Windsor would crap out. Zero thought, concrete galore.....but you know, the fancy coloured kinda concrete. Since Windsor wiped it's built heritage off the map, it looks like the city sprung up outta nowhere sometime in 1972. alot of it's achitecture mirrored.....loosely, Detroit on a MUCH smaller scale and now we've lost it forever.
Like Windsor, this seems geared for minimal maintenance cause they just don't care. Plant some shrubs that take care of themselves, fill in the bare spots with some mossey stuff, and some flowers at the boarders. I think we have time for flowers. If not they'll dies and the moss will fill the spot by itself. I don't know how much sun Capitol Park gets thru the day, but it looks like it's going to be one hot concrete pad all summer long.

**GOAT** · July-12-10, 08:48 AM

A park is better than no park at all. But have you noticed how many newly designed parks are really just full of concrete? How about more lawn space and landscaping than cement, asphalt or any combination of the two?

**bailey** · July-12-10, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by GOAT

A park is better than no park at all. But have you noticed how many newly designed parks are really just full of concrete? How about more lawn space and landscaping than cement, asphalt or any combination of the two?

they are saving the real avant garde stuff for the empty lot that was once the lafayette building. just wait, it'll blow your mind.

**Lowell** · July-12-10, 10:29 AM

I agree with the notion that it would have benefited by returning to the old [as seen in the postcard] configuration with a fountain. The new design is rather drab and hard. It looks much like like the bus station it formerly was. But, hey, I am pleased with it is being redone no matter what. It is a lovely location surrounded by great architecture. Hopefully it will revive the area.

**Rocko** · July-13-10, 09:05 PM

I'm right with you Lowell. It seems like having a central focus point, such as the fountain, would be the best way to re-generate interest in this awesome little triangle within downtown. The new and updated Stevens T. Mason monument/tomb will be great, but I don't think it will be large enough to become this focus. Either a fountain, or some type of monument such as the Soldiers and Sailors, would be appropriate. It's a proven planning strategy to generate interest on a human, walkable scale.

That being said, however, it's great to see this investment in this historic park. Hopefully the rejuvenation of the park will encourage some investment surrounding it. It could be one of the coolest little niches in downtown with the right mix of adaptive use and historic preservation. I'll be looking forward to when it opens this fall.

**stasu1213** · July-14-10, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

they are saving the real avant garde stuff for the empty lot that was once the lafayette building. just wait, it'll blow your mind.

Seriously, what is being planned for that location?

**Detroit Stylin** · July-14-10, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

they are saving the real avant garde stuff for the empty lot that was once the lafayette building. just wait, it'll blow your mind.

I think he is being facetious...

**EastsideAl** · July-14-10, 11:49 AM

When did they have these plans drawn up? 1972? How old is their architect?

Seriously, it looks far too much like a particularly uninspired version of Hart Plaza, like the late unlamented Kennedy Square, like the dreaded wasteland that ate Washington Blvd. for a generation without the silly jungle bars. Just what this city needs, another hard wind-blown sun-beaten concrete space that can quickly become stained, ugly, and mostly unused by all but the homeless.

I swear sometimes it's as if the last 30 years of urban planning have completely passed this city by. Has anyone ever gone out to see what other cities have more recently done with similar spaces? Most of them look a lot more like this than the dreary '70s boredom that is apparently to be the fate of Capitol Park.

**Det_ard** · July-14-10, 12:02 PM

I see no reason why a refurbished Capitol Park will draw people unless, frankly, the police run the bums/homeless/vagrants/druggies/scammers/criminals off to another area of town. Otherwise the bums will just have newer benches to sleep or pass out on.

**EastsideAl** · July-14-10, 12:28 PM

"The best way to handle the problem of undesirables is to make a place attractive to everyone else. Places designed for mistrust will get what they were looking for." William H. Whyte, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, 1980. The work that turned the tide against just these kinds of harsh designs.

DetroitDad · September-29-10, 12:23 AM

Attachment 7526
Capitol Park picture taken September 27th, 2010.

**Rocko** · September-29-10, 10:09 PM

I drove by myself not too long ago and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of brick I saw being installed. While brick isn't green space or a space-defining feature such as a fountain or monument, it is better then the barren concrete landscape as depicted in the original rendering. Thanks for the updated pic, btw...

**detroitbob66** · September-29-10, 11:28 PM

Capitol Park is where a lot of the Transformers 3 is being filmed.

**Kathleen** · October-13-10, 04:10 PM

Received this in today's email....

Capitol Park Ceremony: The remains of Michigan's first governor, Stevens T. Mason, will be reinterred at a public ceremony in Detroit's Capitol Park on Wednesday, October 27, at 1:00 pm. The event is hosted by the Michigan Historical Commission and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, which is in charge of the park's renovation. Speakers will include Don Faber, author of "The Toledo War", Kerry Chartkoff, long-time Michigan Capitol historian, David Janssen of the Detroit Historical Society, and Steve Bieda, former legislator and Michigan history advocate.

**Kathleen** · October-20-10, 11:34 AM

You've got a few minutes to get over to Capitol Park for today's ceremony to reinter Stevens T. Mason. Starts at 1pm!

**iheartthed** · October-20-10, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

You've got a few minutes to get over to Capitol Park for today's ceremony to reinter Stevens T. Mason. Starts at 1pm!

Your other message said it was on the 27th...

**Danny** · October-20-10, 11:59 AM

Capital Park will be better then the last one. New Concrete sidewalks, class street lighting and beautiful trees.

**Kathleen** · October-20-10, 04:43 PM

Yep, that's what I get for bopping into the Forum on my lunch break. I had gotten two emails reminding me about it on October 27, and also saw something in this morning's Freep, so I was thinking it was today. Of course, the event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27. One week from today!!

**gnome** · October-20-10, 04:57 PM

oh, so that explains why no one else was there at 1:10

thanks Kathleen, I'll update my dayrunner

**French777** · November-04-10, 07:31 AM

Just walked through the park yesterday. I will say that I am very impressed. It looks like a lot more concrete than I would have hoped for, but the trees that they planted have no leaves, so when it comes spring time [[visually speaking) hopefully it will look more green. Also, this area is going to be extremely well light. They have installed many "double beacon" lights on either side of the park, plus the lights they replaced in the park itself. Looks great!