Quicken Loans has invested $400,000 to redevelop Detroit’s Woodward Avenue medians from Larned Street to Campus Martius Park into a public space, the Detroit-based company recently announced.
The space includes art installations, food trucks, live entertainment, seating, walkways and more, and is situated on public land that will be operated by the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), with annual maintenance funded by the Business Improvement District (BIZ). The Downtown Detroit Partnership strengthens and supports downtown Detroit through strategic initiatives and programs. They convene business, philanthropic and government partners to create a vibrant and resilient urban core for Detroit and the region.
“This new space fills the vision for all that a street median can be,” says Deb Dansby, chief administrative officer for Rock Ventures, parent company of Quicken Loans.
“It transforms the mundane and rarely utilized into a stunning park that enhances the walkability of our city, while at the same time providing space that will shine a spotlight on local and national artists. The esplanade will bring the heart of Detroit to life, and we are proud to see this vision become reality to benefit the citizens, workers and visitors to our city,” she continued.
The esplanade was first envisioned in the 2013 rollout of “A Placemaking Vision For Downtown Detroit.” Philadelphia-based Groundswell Design Group oversaw the design and development of the project.
See Downtown Detroit Partnership website.