Update: New York design team to reimagine Detroit riverfront park in $50M project
Four firms have submitted design concepts with the hope that they'll be awarded the opportunity to reinvent Detroit's 22-acre West Riverfront Park at an estimated cost of nearly $50 million.
The park's size compares to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, Maggie Daley Park in Chicago and Riverside Park in Buffalo, according to the RiverFront Conservancy.
"Our vision for the Detroit Riverfront is bold and aspirational," said Matt Cullen, chairman of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, in a prepared statement.
"This is a special moment for our city. We are working to complete our vision for the East Riverfront, which has become a catalyst for billions of dollars of economic development and is visited by millions of people every year. West Riverfront Park will be a regional magnet for recreation and it will have a profound impact on the lives of Detroiters for generations."
The four design firms include:
- Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN)
- Hood Design Studio (HDS)
- James Corner Field Operations
- Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA)
A large stone pier, an amphitheater, recessed concert venue, walking paths with suspension bridges, dining pavilion and a splash pad are among the attractions contained in the submitted conceptual designs.
Nearly 80 firms from across Metro Detroit and the world were sent invitations to submit preliminary design concepts. The finalists were then paid a $30,000 stipend to develop their designs.
The site of the park was privately owned and closed to the public for nearly 100 years until the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. purchased and opened the park in 2014.
The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy's ultimate vision is to redevelop 5.5 miles of the riverfront from the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle in the east to the Ambassador Bridge to Canada in the west.
The eastern section of riverfront is more than 85 percent complete, according to the RiverFront Conservancy, and the next step is to enhance the west riverfront, which runs from the Joe Louis Arena to Riverside Park.
The winning design will be announced in the spring. Once selected, the Conservancy will engage the community throughout the year to refine design concepts.
"This project is driven by a community-led design process," Detroit RiverFront Conservancy CEO mark Wallace said. "We started this work by taking Detroit residents to see amazing parks around the country."
"This public design exhibition will allow thousands of people to interact with these design concepts. Our process is turning heads around the country. It has taken community input to a new level and other organizations are following our lead when it comes to public engagement."