When the work at the
former Uniroyal site
is complete in the
fall of 2022 the
Detroit Riverfront
Conservancy’s vision
of 3.5 miles of
riverfront on
Detroit's east side,
between Belle Isle
and the Renaissance
Center, will be
realized. (Photo by
HB Meeks/Tell Us USA
News Network)
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
begins
construction
on of
the
final
piece of
the 3.5
mile
East
Riverwalk
General
Motors
Announces
$2.5
Million
Gift to
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
•
Uniroyal
site
project
will
complete
Conservancy’s
vision
of 3.5
miles of
Riverwalk
along
the East
Riverfront,
providing
connectivity
between
riverfront
parks
and
Belle
Isle
• 2021
is the
Conservancy’s
busiest
construction
year to
date
•
Conservancy
has
invested
more
than
$200
million
in
revitalization
of
Detroit
Riverfront,
generating
$2
billion
in
public
and
private
investment
DETROIT,
MI – The
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
and its
partners
broke
ground
today on
one of
the most
transformational
projects
in
Detroit’s
history
– the
Riverwalk
extension
along
the
Uniroyal
site
which is
the
final
piece of
the East
Riverfront.
This
significant
project
will
complete
the
Conservancy’s
vision
of 3.5
miles of
Riverwalk
along
the East
Riverfront
and
provide
important
connectivity
between
world
class
riverfront
parks
and
Belle
Isle.
The
project
is
slated
to be an
$11
million
investment
and
anticipated
to be
completed
by fall
of 2022.
Matt
Cullen,
chairman,
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
and Mark
Wallace,
president
& CEO,
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
were
joined
by Mayor
Mike
Duggan,
business
leaders,
dignitaries
and
community
partners
this
morning
for a
groundbreaking
ceremony.
“When we
started
transforming
the
riverfront
20 years
ago, we
had an
ambitious
vision
and our
promise
was to
connect
the
entire
East
Riverfront,”
said
Cullen.
“Today,
we are
proud to
break
ground
and
deliver
on that
promise.
Our
community
came
together
around
this
project
— and I
am
pleased
to say
that the
founding
partners
-- the
City,
The
Kresge
Foundation
and
General
Motors
-- are
still
with us
supporting
the
project
today.
This
final
piece
along
the East
Riverfront
is a
lasting
gift to
the
generations
who
live,
work and
visit
Detroit
and
critical
to our
long-term
vision
of
revitalization
from
bridge
to
bridge.”
The
project
is being
led by
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy,
the City
of
Detroit,
the
Michigan
Department
of
Transportation
(MDOT),
and the
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
“For
decades,
the
Uniroyal
site has
been
synonymous
with
industrial
contamination
and
inaccessibility
to our
waterfront,”
said
Mayor
Mike
Duggan,
City of
Detroit.
“Thanks
to the
cleanup
efforts
that
have
taken
place
and the
great
work of
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy,
future
generations
will
know
this
stretch
as one
of the
most
beautiful
sections
of
Detroit's
international
waterfront,
which
continues
to be
cited as
one of
the best
in the
world.”
The
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy’s
founding
partners,
including
the City
of
Detroit,
The
Kresge
Foundation
and
General
Motors,
continue
to
support
the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
20 years
later.
In 2003,
General
Motors
built
the
first
section
of the
Detroit
Riverwalk
during
the
renovation
of the
company’s
headquarters,
the
Renaissance
Center.
Steadfast
in their
commitment,
GM has
contributed
to the
revitalization
of the
riverfront
in
numerous
ways,
from
donating
the
first
half-mile
of
Riverwalk
for the
Conservancy
to
manage
in
perpetuity,
to
maintaining
a
presence
on the
Board of
Directors
and on
an
annual
basis,
as a
presenting
sponsor
of the
beloved
literacy
program,
Reading
& Rhythm
on the
Riverfront.
Today,
the
Conservancy
is
thrilled
to
announce
that
General
Motors
has made
a $2.5
million
contribution
that
will
help
complete
the
final
connection
on the
East
Riverfront
and also
provide
the
essential
funding
that
made
this
groundbreaking
possible.
In
total,
GM’s
stewardship
represents
a $35
million
investment
in the
Conservancy’s
riverfront
revitalization
efforts.
“This is
a once
in a
lifetime
project
and the
transformation
of the
Detroit
Riverfront
over the
last two
decades
has
exceeded
all
expectations,”
said
Terry
Rhadigan,
executive
director,
communications
and
citizenship
at
General
Motors.
“General
Motors
is proud
to have
played a
prominent
role in
this
revitalization
effort
and we
will
continue
to be a
strategic
partner
to help
sustain
the
great
work
that the
Conservancy
does for
our
community.”
Founding
partner,
The
Kresge
Foundation,
made a
$50
million
matching
grant in
2002 for
the
transformation
of the
Detroit
Riverfront.
The
investment
was the
biggest
gift in
the
Kresge
Foundation’s
history.
This
investment
was met
with an
additional
$110
million
of
philanthropic
support
and has
stimulated
over $2
billion
of
investment
in the
Detroit
Riverfront.
“We at
The
Kresge
Foundation
have
admired
and
participated
in this
long-term
project
since
its
inception,”
said Rip
Rapson,
president
and CEO
of The
Kresge
Foundation.
“The
celebration
of this
final
piece
falling
into
place
represents
a
glorious,
3.5-mile-long
testament
to the
region’s
ability
to come
together
to
create a
civic
commons
that
will
define
Detroit’s
waterfront
for our
children,
grandchildren,
and
beyond.”
MDOT
began
working
with the
Conservancy
in 2010
when
plans
were in
development
for Mt.
Elliott
Park.
MDOT
continues
to be a
dedicated
partner
and has
activated
funds to
help pay
for the
Uniroyal
project.
“The
Michigan
Department
of
Transportation
is
responsible
for
building
and
maintaining
roads,
bridges
and
freeways,
and we
have
also
assisted
with
building
trail
systems
throughout
the
state as
well,”
said
Robert
A.
Davis,
senior
advisor
for
MDOT.
“It’s
exciting
to work
with the
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
to help
transform
the
riverfront
into a
trail
system
that
pedestrians
can
enjoy.
It’s a
legacy
project
for us.”
The
Uniroyal
plant on
this
42-acre
site
once
employed
10,000
and
closed
in 1980.
Next to
it was
the
Michigan
Stove
company
and
right
down the
river
was
Parke
Davis -
the
largest
pharmaceutical
company
in the
world.
The
Uniroyal
plant
was
demolished
in 1985
-
clearing
the last
large
scale
industrial
use of
the
riverfront.
“The
Detroit
Riverfront
has
changed
the way
that we
come
together
as a
city.
Detroiters
have
fallen
in love
with the
Riverwalk,”
said
Wallace.
“Once
this
final
piece of
the East
Riverfront
is
completed,
it will
bring
even
more
Detroiters
together.”
This
year is
the
Conservancy’s
busiest
construction
year to
date.
The
Detroit
Riverfront
attracts
3.5
million
visitors
annually
and has
remained
open
every
day
during
the
coronavirus
pandemic.
Since
March
2020,
use of
the
Detroit
Riverwalk
has
increased
20
percent
and
Dequindre
Cut
usage
has
increased
by 40
percent.
The
Detroit
Riverfront
Conservancy
has
invested
more
than
$200
million
in the
revitalization
of the
Detroit
Riverfront,
which in
turn has
generated
more
than $2
billion
in
public
and
private
investment.
The
Detroit
Riverwalk
was
recently
named
Best
Riverwalk
in the
country
by USA
TODAY
10Best
Readers’
Choice
Awards.