Detroit Riverwalk Ushers In New Redevelopment Model

After pursuing a single-player, single-project strategy for decades, Detroit seems to have found a winning recipe for redevelopment with its new RiverWalk, which stressed regional cooperation from various public, private and non-profit organizations.

1 minute read

June 23, 2007, 5:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"Detroit's new RiverWalk, which officially opens Friday in a splash of celebrations and special events, offers more than fountains, a carousel and waterfront promenade.

It also offers a new model of redeveloping Detroit.

Born of widespread regional cooperation, the project saw the City of Detroit, General Motors Corp., the Kresge Foundation and dozens of other public and private players team up to create the RiverWalk and its nonprofit governing body, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy."

"Nor is the RiverWalk a one-of-a-kind phenomenon. Similar models of public, private and nonprofit cooperation led to the creation of Campus Martius Park in 2004 and to the city's effort in hosting Super Bowl XL in 2006.

The same blend of city, corporate and nonprofit effort will see the Eastern Market reconstruction begin soon. The Riverfront Conservancy will take over operation and maintenance of an old railroad right-of-way known as the Dequindre Cut that the city is turning into a landscaped pedestrian and bike greenway.

This broader cast of characters marks a substantial change from development practices in the 1970s through the mid- to late 1990s, when then-Mayor Coleman Young often negotiated deals one-on-one with powerful executives such as Henry Ford II, Peter Stroh and Max Fisher."

Thursday, June 21, 2007 in The Detroit Free Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive