  Ericsprague Member Username: Ericsprague Post Number: 42 Registered: 02-2006 |
From Model D: Riverfront Conservancy to detail progress at March 27 community forum Anyone interested in learning details about the Dequindre Cut, Tricentennial Park and the next phase of the Detroit RiverWalk is invited to join the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy on March 27 for a community forum. The forum starts at 5:30 p.m. and will take place at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources located at 200 Walker Street, Detroit, MI 48207. Attendees must RSVP by March 26 to rsvp@detroitriverfront.org. I hope to attend and will report on whatever I learn... | ||
Iddude313 Member Username: Iddude313 Post Number: 165 Registered: 07-2005 |
I've been working with the DRC for about a year. They have some nice things planned. Although its been a while since I've heard any updates. I love the riverfront. My hometown in Texas had miles of waterfront. I'm glad Detroit finally got this all underway. When my brother and his wife were in town last summer I took them down to the river and they loved it. Its a good image for Detroit. | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 471 Registered: 06-2005 |
I will be there. If there are name tags, mine will have a fish on it. | ||
Ericsprague Member Username: Ericsprague Post Number: 43 Registered: 02-2006 |
Are any other DetroitYESers planning to attend? If you didn't RSVP already, you could probably call the DRC at (313)566-8200 and see if they have space. Hope to see you there Fishtoes (and Iddude?). | ||
Michigansheik Member Username: Michigansheik Post Number: 286 Registered: 09-2005 |
anyone attend this event? | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 473 Registered: 06-2005 |
Yes, I was there. I was completely impressed from the meeting place (what a great building), the food, turnout, and presentations. My only regret was there wasn't enough time to mingle. There are additional public input sessions planned for this summer. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 693 Registered: 06-2005 |
If you ever have an invite to a meeting at that GM/UAW Training Center, seriously consider attending, if for no other reason than to see the building and experience how events are staged. It's not a drop-in set up, your name has to be on a list, at least that's been my experience every time I've attended a function there. If you can't get invited in, take a drive by it or better yet, walk on the eastern Riverwalk to see it up close on the river side. The building, to me, is stunning. The interior is very finely finished. And this being Detroit, the very secure parking is indoors, under the building, in a spotlessly clean garage from which you ascend a finely finished staircase to the main lobby area. Don't pass up a chance to see this center! (I left my notes in my car. It's snowing. I'm lazy. So sorry I can't give a better report of the presentation.) After an introduction and brief history of the area, the meeting proceeded with the three main speakers. First, the Dequindre Cut Plan and its progress. Then the State Park with its wetlands features, etc. Finally, the plans for Eastern Market were discussed by the energetic new director of the project, Dan Carmody, IIRC. Work on the Dequindre Cut got 18 months behind schedule because of the discovery of an undocumented sewer line that had to be replaced. The 1st phase of the trail (6" N bound bike path, 6" S bound, 8' walking path, ROW for possible future light rail) will extend from South of Jefferson (Woodbridge Street) to Gratiot where the Cut will be fenced off and another ramp installed. The 3rd ramp is at Lafayette. There will be native plantings. Security lights and cameras will be installed. The plan is, it seems, to keep most of the graffiti. There was a good crowd in attendance this evening. Among those present were a number of Lafayette Park neighbors, others from the East Riverfront communities and at least 2 other DY posters that I saw. | ||
Ericsprague Member Username: Ericsprague Post Number: 45 Registered: 02-2006 |
I agree it was a great, well-organized event (and beautiful facility)! There was a lot more detailed information on a broader range of projects than I expected, presented by the leadership of all the primary involved entities: - Riverfront Conservancy (Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut - Faye Alexander Nelson, Andrea Carroll) - DEGC (Dequindre Cut - Michael Dempsey) - MI DNR (Tricentennial Park - Vicki Anthes) - Eastern Market Corporation (Eastern Market/neighborhood - Dan Carmody) The four presentations lasted about 1.5 hours, followed by Q/A with many good questions asked and answered in varying levels of detail. There were many others who still had questions which there was not time to answer due to time allotted for facility use. Presenters did spend some additional time afterwards talking to individual audience members. There should be a LOT of progress on all of these this Spring/Summer and continuing through 2009. I may have a few details wrong and have surely missed some significant items, as there was so much information presented, but I think the following notes from the presentations are pretty accurate: Riverwalk: - Concessions (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and bike rentals to begin at Rivard Plaza in May - Gabriel Richard Park improvements related to completed G.R. Riverwalk pavillion: working with city on developing parking for improved Riverwalk access at this end of the Riverwalk; pathways to be built from Riverwalk through G.R. Park up to Jefferson for neighborhood connectivity - Port Authority Passenger Terminal/Dock construction expected to begin this summer, leading to completion of that section of Riverwalk (between Ren-Cen and Hart Plaza) - Tricentennial State Park portion of Riverwalk (to be built by state, not DRC) designed (details below); construction to begin this Summer, be completed Summer 2009 - Uniroyal site portion of Riverwalk funded, currently in design (construction in 2009) - Red Bull Air Races - 5/31-6/1 - major international event, good exposure for Riverwalk - River Days Festival - 6/20-6/23 (Fireworks Monday 6/23) - 2007 festival attendance >700,000 EXCLUDING Fireworks attendance, greatly exceeded anticipated 150,000 - Multiple community input sessions planned for 2008 to allow greater community involvement in design and programming decisions Dequindre Cut Phase I: - Phase I (Woodbridge to Gratiot) to be completed by July - Retaining walls currently being repaired/replaced as needed - Street-level boundary fencing repair/replacement (as needed) to begin in coming weeks - Pavement to start being laid as soon as weather permits (April) - 6' bike lanes each way + 8' pedestrian lane - occupying 1/2 of cut - Other 1/2 being maintained for future light rail or trolley - Lighting, cameras, security boxes, etc. to be installed, similar in style to Riverwalk - Security will be handled by DRC from Rivard Plaza station, with walking and bike patrols - Extensive lanscaping to be done using native species - All removed vegetation was non-native species which if just trimmed back would have quickly overgrown the cut again and overtaken native species to be planted - Currently no specific plan for wildlife management (hopefully many displaced/new animals will regain habitat after re-vegetation) - Non-obscene graffiti being considered art, to be left for urban atmopsphere/visual interest - 2 of 4 bridges originally to be removed will now instead be left and repaired for additional pedestrian linkages accross the cut (still structurally sound for this use) - 3 entrances/exits - Woodbridge, Lafayette, Gratiot - No logistical reason for not having additional entrances in between, but current funding/initial phase will just provide these 3; audience pointed out that in the mean time residents of surrounding neighborhoods may make their own entrances - For first phase, access to remainder of cut north of Gratiot exit will be blocked (fenced) to respect current owner (RR) - Design (by JJR) and negotiations with RR have begun on Phase II, from Gratiot north into Eastern Market, hopefully allowing construction in early 2009 depending on funding - Importance of interim linkages (signage/access) to Riverwalk and Easter Market was emphasized by attendees (Hariet Saperstein) - Many major unforseen obstacles have been overcome - unmapped sewer identification/reconstruction, large underground drains, etc. - cause of delays - Minneapolis Midtown greenway has been used as a primary model (also a below-grade urban rail to trail conversion) Tricentennial State Park Phase II (Lowland portion - between Atwater Street and Detroit River): - Detailed designs shown in presentation; construction to start Summer 2008, be completed Summer 2009 - Links Riverwalk's Rivard Plaza to existing completed Tricentennial State Park Harbor - Primary feature will be a wetland which will filter water from surrounding streets through multiple areas of aquatic vegetation, ultimately feeding into Detroit River - Wetland will be surrounded on north by bicycle trail, on south by walking trail - Trails will take some stylistic cues from completed Riverwalk (colored pavement, etc.) but be surrounded by more naturalistic elements - softer vegetation, rock outcroppings, etc. - Large rocks (limestone) will be used for signage, seating, etc., as in rural state parks (suggesting 1930's WPA conservation corps construction) - All lighting will be LED-based - Wetland viewing platforms (aluminum?) with leaf pattern canopies, providing interesting shadows, dappled shade - Interpretive signs throughout park - Wildlife observation trails - Fishing will be facilitated all along river edge - Peter Stroh memorial - garden area/sculpture (substantial park funding provided by his estate) - Green energy demonstration area - West entrance will be via Rivard Plaza of Riverwalk, rather than directly into park, making Rivard Plaza (and its parking lot) the primary gateway into the state park - Total cost of Phase II: ~$5M - Public input will be sought for design of Phases III+, as these are still blank slates design-wise (other than obvious need to connect to Dequindre Cut) Eastern Market Area Redevelopment: - Restored Shed 2 to open June 2008 - Shed 3 to be converted to year-round climatized market hall; this is the most critical project for the market redevelopment, will take a great deal of effort to be successful as a resource for both local residents (all income levels, multiple days per week) and visitors/tourists (primarily weekends) - Shed 4 (with direct access to parking structure) to be used for education - health, cooking demonstrations, etc. - Shed 5 to be improved, used for Horticulture - Sheds 5 and 6 - Wholesale - Streetscape improvements will be done - Parking garage will need to be made cheaper - currently underused due to $4 cost vs. free surrounding parking - Dequindre Cut will be a critical pedestrian interface for Eastern Market area, linking residents to market (currently rather forbidding for non-vehicular access) - 2.5 acre garden/farm planned for production and education purposes - With food cost increases due to competition with biofuels, local (Detroit) food production becomes more cost-effective, important - Eastern Market and Detroit can become leaders in the local food production movement | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 474 Registered: 06-2005 |
Wow, Ericsprague. Those are some comprehensive notes. The only minor correction is Phase II of Tri-Centennial doesn't quite link to the existing harbor. It'll take folks back to Atwater. There's still that big grassy mound in between the two park phases. The DNR is unclear what to do with it and I'm sure input will be solicited during the upcoming public sessions. That mound is from harbor dredging and silo demolition. It's not as clean as the DNR had hoped so it cannot just go to a regular landfill. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 694 Registered: 06-2005 |
I've got to second Fishtoes "Wow, Ericsprague. Those are some comprehensive notes." Just, wow! | ||
Crystal Member Username: Crystal Post Number: 138 Registered: 05-2007 |
"There are additional public input sessions planned for this summer." I missed the session this week, but would love to attend sessions this summer. I assume detroitriverfront.org will have updates. | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 475 Registered: 06-2005 |
Crystal, I expect they would be. The DRC said they'd be launching a new web site soon. I imagine it'll be a little more up to date with events compared to the current one. | ||
Ericsprague Member Username: Ericsprague Post Number: 46 Registered: 02-2006 |
Fishtoes and NeilR, thanks! I forgot about that area with the mound - I did notice it was blank on the displayed maps, now that you mention it. Also I forgot that Andrea Caroll mentioned that the DRC website was being redone, as I had asked her about whether they needed some volunteer help on it, having noticed a lack of updated info./pictures being published in the last year. Sorry I didn't have a chance to meet any of you, but I look forward to doing so at future sessions. One suggestion I hope to give the DRC is to plan for some restaurants with covered patios adjoining the Riverwalk (sort of like at Omni Hotel but for 3 seasons rather than just Summer), as well as retail, e.g. in each of the condo developments when they get built. The London (UK) Docklands area has this all along the river's edge and it makes the waterfront much more dynamic/active especially in the evenings and cold weather when it might otherwise be deserted, with the walkway and restaurants/retail generating traffic for each other. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2592 Registered: 07-2004 |
In older maps of Tricentennial Park, Atwater was cut off at Orleans and the Globe Building was to serve as a Visitors Center. Will Atwater still be cut off or will it remain open? Will a portion of the Globe Building serve as a Visitor's Center or not? | ||
Ericsprague Member Username: Ericsprague Post Number: 47 Registered: 02-2006 |
The latest plans preserve Atwater in its present form. Hopefully the DNR will update their website with the plans they showed in the DRC presentation. The last I heard, they still hope to have a park visitor center on the first floor of the Globe building (which is now owned by the developer who did the Grinnell Place Lofts in Corktown), with other sections of the building containing some combination of lofts, offices, retail, etc. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2593 Registered: 07-2004 |
Thanks, Eric. | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 452 Registered: 09-2004 |
Thanks for those great notes Eric. Good things are certainly in the future!! I hope they let Atwater remain open. If it's necessary to slow down cars, I suppose speed bumps could be used, but as we all know, it's only too common in Detroit to have a street be there one week and the next week it's gone because some private company or something got the rightofway. A renovated Globe building would be excellent for a visitors center. The reuse would be very approperiate and would relate well to the industrial history of that part of the riverfront. | ||
Auspower Member Username: Auspower Post Number: 21 Registered: 02-2007 |
Pity the red bull race has not even been approved and looks like it will not go ahead due to safety concerns.. |
