Detroit’s Riverfront Is Planning To Be “For All Detroiters”

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Taking a look at the totality of Detroit’s new riverfront plan, it’s full of parks, public access and a focus on density.

Mark Wallace, President & CEO of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, Maurice D. Cox, Director of the City of Detroit Planning & Development Department and others unveiled the plan was unveiled at a presentation Wednesday night at the Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit.

The plan focuses on accessibility with two new greenways, a beach, expanding the RiverWalk past the Uniroyal site to the Belle Isle Bridge, putting Jefferson on a road diet and adding bike lanes, and park land.

Map location of the expansion of the RiverWalk to the Belle Isle Bridge. Courtesy Detroit Riverfront Conservancy

To be clear about where we’re talking about, the boundaries of the East Riverfront district are St. Antoine to the west, East Grand Boulevard to the east, Larned Street to the north and the Detroit River to the south.

Three sites south of Atwater Street which were previously slated for private development will become approximately 7.5 acres of public park space.

Milliken Park will see an expansion as well. Previously, according to the presentation, the thought was to build up more right along the riverfront but as we described in our piece about Jefferson Avenue going from nine to five lanes, the decision has made to put the denser development close to the avenue.

“The riverfront belongs to all Detroiters,” said Maurice D. Cox, director of the City of Detroit Planning & Development Department. “Thanks to the involvement of hundreds of residents, we have principles that frame an international riverfront that can be accessed and enjoyed by all.”

Via the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy

For more information, we covered other key developments in this story stream:

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