Riverfront Riverwalk Rework

[Meddle]

Another big chunk of Detroit's revitalized riverfront is taking shape this summer.

The State of Michigan is adding a 6-acre, $6-million piece to its Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor just east of Rivard on the waterfront. This latest work includes a wetland and native plants to illustrate what was here when the French founded Detroit in 1701.

When completed this fall, this new phase will add a 1,000-foot stretch to the city's RiverWalk, pushing the total RiverWalk coverage to about 3 miles of the riverfront.

Faye Alexander Nelson, president and chief executive of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, which builds and operates the RiverWalk, called the addition to Tri-Centennial Park a "unique educational and recreational opportunity" for the city and its people.

"We're delighted," she said.

• PDF: See a map of current and future development in Detroit's Tri-Centennial Park.
Phase II plans

The planned 31-acre park will help plug a central gap in the city's 3 1/2 -mile RiverWalk promenade on the east side.

Unlike the rest of the RiverWalk, this new wetland phase will include a more natural look, said Bob Doyle, project manager for the Ann Arbor-based landscape design firm JJR.

Running about 1,000 feet along the waterfront, the new phase will feature walking paths winding through a created wetland planted with native grasses and other plants. Grasses will be left uncut to create a look similar to what the French found when they settled in Detroit in 1701.

"I think it'll be an interesting and dramatic element within the RiverWalk experience to go from this very urban plaza at the General Motors building and very sophisticated urban design of the Rivard Plaza in to something that's a little rougher around the edges," Doyle said.

In addition, the state park will include fishing piers, a storm-water conservation demonstration and other attractions.

Nelson said the new wetland exhibit will add another attraction to the growing RiverWalk experience.

"What it speaks to is progress," she said. "We are very delighted that this unique experience is being provided to the community."

The first phase of the state's Tri-Centennial Park opened in 2004 and incorporated the existing St. Aubin Marina for boaters. Doyle said workers hope to finish the wetland portion by late fall. That will still leave two more large chunks of the state park to be designed, paid for and built.

Meanwhile, Nelson said she hoped that construction could begin next year on a remaining portion of the RiverWalk near the current Mt. Elliott Park.

Extending the RiverWalk across the barren site known as Uniroyal will await an environmental cleanup there, Nelson said. But she said she was optimistic that a cleanup might begin next year.

Further into the future, the riverfront conservancy plans to extend the RiverWalk westward from downtown to the Ambassador Bridge and possibly beyond. When completed in several years, the RiverWalk could cover about 5 miles of waterfront -- land occupied by industrial uses for generations.

http://freep.com/article/20090803/BU...on-wilder-side

[Bdubs]

Now if we can just find a better use for the sea of parking east of the Ren Center.

[stasu1213]

I wonder why it wasn't completed for the summer

[MIRepublic]

I really like that though the Riverwalk is planned to be a continuous string, different parts will have different themes. I think I'll enjoy this more natural part, the most. I'm also awaiting to see how the riverfront will turn out at Gabriel Richard Park.

[cch]

when is the section between the rencen and hart plaza going to reopen? it's been closed for a really long time now! they opened it for about 4 days when the final four was in town, model d wrote an article about how everything is open and flowing smoothly and then they abruptly fenced everything off again. kind of sucks.

[Rocko]

cch, that segment between the RenCen and Hart Plaza is closed for the construction of the Port Authority Terminal Building, which is just steps from that short segment of the riverwalk. I expect when the Port Authority terminal building is completed, the Riverwalk will reopen.

[stasu1213]

Has anyone heard about the demolition of hart plaza? The city's plans on getting rid of it. Is it true or false? Is ice skating still being held at hart plaza during the winter?

[gravitymachine]

Now if we can just find a better use for the sea of parking east of the Ren Center.

like a parking garage with street level retail?

i bet an asian fusion restaurant would do well in there

[Bdubs]

I still don't understand why development has been slow to boarder the river. When you look at a city Like Baltimore Maryland and its Inner Harbor, it seems like a perfect blue print for Detroit. 25 years ago, Baltimore's waterfront was very much like Detroit's is today. I just hope the Riverwalk is the spark to make things happen.

[MIRepublic]

It was hard enough to finance projects in the area before the great recession; it's damn-near impossible to find anyone that'll want to finance anything of any great size, right now. Unless you want to see them throw up some senior citizens public housing towers, which are sure money makers, patience.

[Todd_Scott]

In addition, General Motors owns many of those parking lots slated for development along the RiverWalk. That too explains some of the delay.

[bailey]

In addition, General Motors owns many of those parking lots slated for development along the RiverWalk. That too explains some of the delay.

GM was aggressively trying to get residential/retail developments in there. That fell apart something like two years ago along with every other development there.

[cch]

cch, that segment between the RenCen and Hart Plaza is closed for the construction of the Port Authority Terminal Building, which is just steps from that short segment of the riverwalk. I expect when the Port Authority terminal building is completed, the Riverwalk will reopen.

i know... i just don't understand why they would announce the reopening of that section when it was only open for less than a week. model d wasn't the only one that reported it; the newspapers did, as well. got my hopes up.

[Cooper]

Has anyone heard about the demolition of hart plaza? The city's plans on getting rid of it. Is it true or false? Is ice skating still being held at hart plaza during the winter?

About a year ago the Free Press reported that the city hoped to remodel Hart Plaza [[not demolish it!). There's been no news since and there was never any funding. Still, it looked nice:

http://thinkdetroit.blogspot.com/200...za-remake.html

And yes, there's ice skating in the winter ... at Campus Martius.