DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — Detroiters will have a chance to help shape the future of the city’s riverfront Wednesday evening as Bedrock, General Motors and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy host a community meeting focused on a sweeping $2.2-billion redevelopment plan.
The project aims to transform the East Riverfront and reimagine portions of the Renaissance Center campus, bringing new public spaces, housing, entertainment and retail opportunities to one of Detroit’s most visited destinations.
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For many residents, the Detroit Riverwalk has become a signature attraction that keeps people returning year after year.
“It’s a beautiful view. You get to see Canada and now we have the bridge that you can walk on,” Detroit resident Dashe Sanders said.
The riverfront attracts millions of visitors annually and has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades.
“When I was a kid, I kind of felt like I was missing out,” Cyle Anderson said. “You’d see all these world-class cities and we’d come home and you wouldn’t see as much. I remember before all this was built, you could walk and see the water, but you were kind of walking past a construction site.”
Now, leaders say another major chapter is about to begin.
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy will host a public meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to gather feedback as plans move forward for the riverfront redevelopment project.
“Tonight is about the future and what is going to be happening,” said Ryan Sullivan, CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “There’s going to be an incredible amount of new space that has not existed previously.”
Part of that new public space will come through planned changes to the Renaissance Center Campus. Several towers are expected to be demolished next summer, opening up new opportunities for riverfront access and development.
Bedrock says the East Riverfront currently includes roughly 30 acres of vacant surface parking lots. Plans call for about 18 acres of that unsued space to be used as civic space as part of the redevelopment effort.
“Today the East Riverfront is largely vacant,” said Jake Chidester, of Bedrock. “It’s about 30 acres of vacant surface lots, but in this area, we’re planning about 18 acres of new civic space.”
Chidester said the goal is to transform underused land into a vibrant destination featuring a mix of residential, retail, entertainment and community-focused amenities. Chidester says that includes around 935 units of mixed income housing.
“The opportunity is to transform that vacancy into multifamily, retail, entertainment, civic space,” he said. "This needs to be for Detroiters and by Detroiters."
Developers say residents have also expressed interest in incorporating more water-related activities into the riverfront experience, including swimming, fishing and boating.
Project leaders believe the investment could generate significant economic benefits while enhancing one of Michigan’s premier public spaces.
“This could be the most visited place in our state if we do this right,” Sullivan said. “It’s really important that we have the community’s voice as a part of that.”
Community meeting information
The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Residents are encouraged to attend and share their ideas for the future of the Detroit Riverfront and Renaissance Center redevelopment project.
Additional information about the meeting can be found here.
