  Masterblaster Member Username: Masterblaster Post Number: 53 Registered: 03-2005 |
Does the Midtown area have such as outdoor space where all kinds of people in the neighborhood come to: 1. hang out, read a book, people watch, relax from the hectic city life 2. has regular programming that draws people (like Campus Martius) 3. features benches, lighting, public art, variety of things to do 4. is easily accessible by foot Here is a list of the top public squares in the U.S. and Canada according to the organization, "PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES" (PPS). http://www.pps.org/info/newsle tter/december2005/us_canada_sq uares (This list includes, Campius Martius, Detroit, which the PPS helped design). This link describes the new public square being constructed in Rockville, Maryland http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04 /14/AR2006041400746.html If such as place already exists, where is it? If a "public square" does not exist, where do you think would be a good location and what features would it have? | ||
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle Post Number: 110 Registered: 10-2006 |
WSU? | ||
Newlaster Member Username: Newlaster Post Number: 223 Registered: 06-2004 |
Yea, central WSU campus sort-of serves this need, but the neighborhood could certainly use a real central square. Any rich philanthropists want to fund this project? | ||
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch Post Number: 2327 Registered: 06-2004 |
There's a really nice park on the corner of 2nd and selden. | ||
Irvine_laird Member Username: Irvine_laird Post Number: 69 Registered: 02-2007 |
I think the space around the Detroit Public Library could be put to better use in terms of creating a sense of "place." For that matter, I think we could do a better job creating "place" around the four museums in the Cultural Center. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 3002 Registered: 02-2005 |
I'd say the front steps of the DPL and DIA serve this purpose along with various spots around WSU. Over a year ago I tossed out a proposal to build a midtown version of Campus Martius as an island in the middle of Woodward between the DIA and DPL. We are definitly able to narrow that road anywhere we might want a public square. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1700 Registered: 05-2005 |
peck park. its all there already, a neighbor recently informed me that there will be monthly movie nights as well. personally i think the whole central square idea would be horribly redundant as midtown probably has some of the best kept public spaces in the city already, even if they aren't "central" | ||
Iddude313 Member Username: Iddude313 Post Number: 86 Registered: 07-2005 |
LOL @ Dabirch | ||
Bumble Member Username: Bumble Post Number: 164 Registered: 11-2004 |
Dabirch's comments are funny, especially since I'm sure the loft-o crowd wouldn't deign to have a sit at Redmond Park. But, of course, that's exactly what it needs, as do the Cass Corridor's other parks. Nothing wrong with them that a few normal people hanging out wouldn't fix. That, and kick to do-gooders out of the parks. Peck Park is nice, probably because it's never used much. Got a great, kind of pointless, facelift a few years back, $500K if I'm not mistaken. For that price it ought to be used. | ||
Lakesuperior Member Username: Lakesuperior Post Number: 190 Registered: 06-2005 |
i go to peck park all the time-- i wish there were more people to people watch though... there is rarely anyone there. gravity: how/when can i find out more about the movie nights there? | ||
Jacaden Member Username: Jacaden Post Number: 34 Registered: 11-2003 |
My kids, husband, and I go to Peck Park at least once a week. Granted it is on the weekends during the day, but we have never been alone. We even went more than a few times this past winter, when it was 70 degrees in January. This year on Mother's Day it was packed. My daughter's preschool goes there for lunch at least once a week as well. So maybe it all depends on when you go and who you are looking for. It is a great space and maybe Bumble is right. It is that way because hordes of people aren't hanging out there. Bring on the movies. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4581 Registered: 08-2004 |
In the future I think that Cass Park has the potential to be quite a nice park. However, they need to rebuild the area first, just to get permanent "employed" residents living in the area. | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 369 Registered: 07-2005 |
There are already a few parks in the area. And a lot of the museums and stuff have places to sit at. And I agree with others here that think Cass Park could be really nice. It would be a lot harder to get a Campus Martius type thing there though. CM has a great location, which made it easier to succeed. Cass Park would need less abandoned buildings, more police officers, and less shady people there. It also needs more money, since it is a larger area. It also needs a reason for people to be there. I think a lot of CM's traffic comes from people who are already downtown for another reason. Right now I don't think there are many good reasons to hang out at Cass Park. | ||
Masterblaster Member Username: Masterblaster Post Number: 54 Registered: 03-2005 |
Where is Peck Park? | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 360 Registered: 03-2007 |
I noticed a couple abandoned buildings in an around Cass Park getting some type of rehab work. | ||
Sharmaal Member Username: Sharmaal Post Number: 1149 Registered: 09-2004 |
Sculpture Garden | ||
Bumble Member Username: Bumble Post Number: 166 Registered: 11-2004 |
How many abandoned buildings are there at Cass Park? | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1141 Registered: 10-2006 |
Last time that I walked around the College for Creative Studies, it seemed to me that there were plenty of people out and about using plenty of nice places around there. Midtown just isn't as dense as downtown even more so around one given park or intersection. | ||
Leoqueen Member Username: Leoqueen Post Number: 1585 Registered: 07-2004 |
Peck Park is behind the College for Creative Studies, between Kirby and Frederick. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3902 Registered: 10-2003 |
There four very nice little parks along and around 4th street. https://www.detroityes.com/webisode s/2001/04-fourth/09.htm https://www.detroityes.com/webisode s/2001/04-fourth/05.htm https://www.detroityes.com/webisode s/2001/04-fourth/03.htm | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 361 Registered: 02-2006 |
I propose a CM type park or a Arc and round-a-bout at the intersection of Woodward and West Grand Blvd. That would spur more Development.<313> | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1050 Registered: 02-2006 |
Is the library lawn still fenced off from the public? | ||
Parkguy Member Username: Parkguy Post Number: 54 Registered: 04-2007 |
How about creating a square in conjunction with the new greenway that is being built in midtown? | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2260 Registered: 07-2004 |
How about using the parks already in Midtown? A round about at Woodward and West Grand Boulevard, Detroit313, would be a nightmare. | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 364 Registered: 02-2006 |
American cities should not be so corporate. We talk about more public spaces. You should travel to South America or Asia and see their cities. They pay homage to the past without sacrificing the future! There needs to be a master plan in place for Detroit, Round-a-bouts at the major intersection (Grand Blvd& Woodward Grand Blvd & Jefferson) Royce, if there were more round-a-bouts like Columbus Circle in New York/Paris, Detroit would be a (already) beautiful city. Not saying abandon the parks, but create round-a-bouts. <313> | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1701 Registered: 05-2005 |
quote: peck park was renovated from a compromise that the neighborhood made with CCS in return for CCs building the parking garage and effectively cutting it off from the woodward corridor. It's also privately maintained as far as i can tell (not by the parks and rec dept.) I live right there, whenever its nice i see kids and families there, and when school is in session, a mix of ccs kids to boot. I don't know how to find out more about the movies unfortunately, i only heard about it from word of mouth, though if i remember correctly the first will be the evening of June 29th? | ||
Kittypooka Member Username: Kittypooka Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2006 |
I love that little park on Second and Seldon...it's got everything....a gazbo...a grill....local flora and fauna...even a statue. Umm.....Bumble....I don't think there are any abandoned buildings in Cass Park...unless you count that funky pink pipe structure as a building. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 158 Registered: 02-2007 |
I love Union Square in NY -- best greenmarket I've been to, great people watching and friendly squirrels | ||
Bobzilla Member Username: Bobzilla Post Number: 86 Registered: 11-2003 |
According to an article on ModelDMedia (5/1/07), a new "Midtown Loop" will be developed soon. It will be a 12-foot wide pedestrian path, with landscaping and signage and public art. It looks like it will be a loop of Cass, Kirby, John R, and Canfield. Construction may begin in July. That's not the same as a big gathering place in Midtown -- but it will be a nice improvement to that portion of Midtown. Also, it is easy enough to gather between the D.I.A. and the main branch of the library. | ||
Masterblaster Member Username: Masterblaster Post Number: 55 Registered: 03-2005 |
After looking at pictures of New York's Columbus Circle, I like Detroit313's idea of putting a "roundabout" at E. Jefferson and W. Grand Blvd. In the middle of the roundabout, the "largest stove in the world" (now at the State Fairgrounds) could be put in the middle. It used to sit somewhere near the entrance to Belle Isle. Or something could be put there to commemorate the amusement park (Electric Park) that used to at the intersection. I also like Mackinaw's idea of an island on Woodward where the DIA and Public Library is. In the middle, a replica of Paris's Arch of Triumph could be erected. Although this arch would be called the "Arc de Renaissance" These are all pie in the sky ideas though in this bad economy. | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 1087 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Bumble was using sarcasam in response to Downtown remix. | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 365 Registered: 02-2006 |
Thanx Masterblaster. What would really boggle your mind is if you looked at Columbus Circle before they made an actual round-a-bout; terrible! <313> | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4603 Registered: 08-2004 |
They would have to demo part of the Woodward Building in order to put a roundabout at Woodward and Grand Blvd. As far as an E. Jefferson & E. Grand Blvd circle.... how about moving the Hurlbut Memorial Gate there (the one that's currently in scaffolding in front of Waterworks Park, which is no longer an open park). We could name it "Chauncey Circle" in honor of Chauncey Hurlbut, the former Commissioner of the Water Works in Detroit, who in his will left his estate to the city in order to put up the ornate Beaux Arts gate in 1894. Imagine all the folks who would use it and the newly decorated Gabriel Richard Park (next to the bridge entrance) for group wedding photos! (Message edited by Gistok on June 20, 2007) | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 366 Registered: 02-2006 |
^^^I like that idea^^^ Personally, I don't think the Woodward Building (or any building in on those corners) is of real architectual significance. The building would be a loss, but at the gain of "Ford Circle" and the "Arc De Troit" (Pronounced "dAy twaa") <313> | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4604 Registered: 08-2004 |
My bad, it wasn't the Woodward Building, but the Boulevard Building, which was an Albert Kahn design that was literally "brutalized" when it was refaced in the 60's. Today it's about as ugly as they come. And it's doubtful that any of the nice white terra cotta is left beneath all that concrete. |
