Renovated Roosevelt Park provides walkable amenity linking southwest Detroit and Corktown

When the city decided to transform Roosevelt Park, it seemed like a tall task, removing roads that split the park and undergoing a significant landscaping overhaul.

However, today the park that doubles as the front yard of Michigan Central Station connects the Hubbard-Richard and Corktown neighborhoods and provides a walkable amenity for southwest Detroit residents and Michigan Central workers alike.

What changes have been made to the park?

The 13-acre park, which received $5 million from the American Rescue Act and an additional $1 million from the city of Detroit, connects Michigan Avenue to the station and a has a multitude of pedestrian and neighborhood entryways.

It features plaza spaces, event lawns, benches and tables for seating, a swing and greenery.

How do residents feel about the park renovation?

Cynthia Gilmore, 56, of Detroit, visited the park for the first time last week. She enjoys the public space and remembers when it was run down.

"It's very nice now. I really enjoy it. I remember when this was nothing and you wouldn't even come over here. It's a great spot to be," Gilmore said.

Brooklyn Hopskin, 16, of Detroit, enjoys photography. The park allows her to explore the plants and take landscape photos.

"I like it because I like nature. It's very pretty here," Hopskin said. "I love the flowers. I'm a photographer and the flowers here are very photogenic."

The city of Detroit spent a year back in 2021 doing community engagement with residents in southwest Detroit to identify what they wanted out of the space.

The city hosted engagement meetings and met with community groups throughout the planning and design process. The residents wanted a single unified park space, and they got it.

“One of the biggest things driving our city’s revitalization is what we’ve done to create more and better parks and green space in our neighborhoods,” Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement .

"This transformation of Roosevelt Park will be another major benefit to residents and visitors of this area of southwest Detroit.”

Park details

The renovation of the park includes:

• 9,498 plants, including 4,000 hydrangeas that flank the entrance to Michigan Central Station. The park also has 119 trees and 71,641 bulbs. Goals included maintaining the park's lushness through the year and ensuring a dramatic appearance each spring.
• Event lawns and plaza spaces, tables, grills and power for events and community gatherings. The plaza in front of Michigan Central preserves the park’s original intent: to create an open greenspace for events held at Michigan Central Station.
• Stormwater bioretention basins and underground storage to remove toxins and sediment from stormwater runoff and hold excess flow during heavy storms. The park’s new stormwater infrastructure will prevent flooding and protect the integrity of surface drainage systems.

Jalen Williams is an intern at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Renovated Roosevelt Park provides walkable amenity linking southwest Detroit and Corktown