Rendering of the new public dock and terminal under construction along the Riverwalk

Tuesday, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (DRC) hosted a public forum on the Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut.  This is the first in a series of public meetings.

Some of the highlights —

The Dequindre Cut grand opening is scheduled for May 2009.  However, the construction is expected to be completed by mid-November.  At that time, the DRC will take over management of the trail.  It may officially open for use in December.

The Dequindre Trail is the 3 block trail which connects the Dequindre Cut to Tricentennial State Park and the Riverwalk.  It is being built by the City of Detroit and the DEGC.  The design is currently under review.  Construction should begin in Spring 2009 and completed in the Summer 2009.

In the meantime, many of the roads in the East Riverfront area will be reconstructed and bike lanes added.

Phase II of Tricentennial State Park is under construction as noted earlier.  Construction should be completed by Fall of 2009.

Further north, plans are underway to improve the pedestrian connection between the Dequindre Cut and Eastern Market.  The sidewalks along Gratiot and Russell will be improved as will the lighting.  Construction is expected to begin in the spring and completed during the summer.

And heading even further north, conceptual plans should be completed this week suggesting how the Dequindre Cut will extend north from Gratiot to Mack.  The plans contain ramps at Wilkins and Division.  These will provide better access to Eastern Market — especially for cyclists.

Back along the river, we received the following update from the DRC:

Construction has begun on the new Port Authority Dock & Terminal, planned for the East Riverfront between Hart Plaza and the GM Renaissance Center. Planned by the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, the project includes a 21,000 square foot Public Dock & Terminal, which, once complete, will be able to accommodate all types of vessels wishing to call on the City of Detroit, including cruise ships, ferries, water taxis, tall ships, dinner boats and navy vessels. The two story terminal will house a processing area for tourists, ticket counters, the authority’s headquarters and a public plaza.

Due to the construction, East RiverWalk will be temporarily closed to the public, from the eastern end of Hart Plaza to the western end of the GM Renaissance Center and GM Plaza. An alternate route will be provided around the construction site for those enjoying the RiverWalk. The RiverWalk closure will begin on Monday, October 27 and is planned to be reopened in Summer 2009

The DRC has plans to upgrade Mt. Elliot Park.  It will receive a new pavilion, concessions, and a playscape for children.  No time line was given.

Also, it’s estimated that the Riverwalk had nearly 2 million visitors this year.

Here are some of the questions and answers from the public session:

Q. Are the Red Bull races coming back?
A. They hope so but it depends on getting sponsorship dollars and times are tight.

Q. Are there plans to build an aquarium on the Riverwalk?
A. No, but some developers have proposed one.  The problem is they are tough to make economical.

Q. What are the plans for the tops of the bridge abutments along the Dequindre Cut?
A. Original plans had them as community gardens, but their use really depends on the feedback from the community.

Q. Are the Dequindre Cut ramps accessible?
A. Yes, all of the ramps are under 5% slope and meet the ADA requirements.

Q. Can we make the music less noticeable and distracting?
A. The music levels at Gabriel Richard were set too loudly.  That has been corrected.  The DRC has a varied program mix of music and quiet time.  However, General Motors controls the music along their Promenade.

Q. Will the Riverwalk go through the Watermark development?
A. Yes.  The DRC owns an easement along the river’s edge.  The Riverwalk will be extended from Tri-Centennial State Park to Chene Park when the Watermark is built.

Q. Can security and emergency personnel reach those in the Dequindre Cut?
A. Yes, there are three entrances where motorized vehicles can reach those in need.  The entrances have removable bollards for that purpose.

This is why we love Model D.

While most of the Detroit media has not covered City Council’s glowing endorsement of the Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan, Model D has published an article, hosted a speaker series, and has now made a video.

By the way, that cool building at the start of the video is home to Giffels-Webster, but it was originally built for making cigars — one of Detroit’s major industries prior to making automobiles.

The Detroit Wheelmen’s clubhouse at 53 E. Adams was built for $40,000 in 1896. For a club of only 450 members, that sounds quite an investment.

Can you imagine a bicycle club building and owning such a facility today? This grand building was certainly an indicator of just how “gold” the golden age (1890s) of bicycling was in Detroit.

This clubhouse contained an auditorium, bowling alley, billiard and whist (card game) tables, baths, library, kitchen, dining room, and more.

The building has some really interesting gargoyles above the first floor windows. They look like fish, which wouldn’t seem to make much sense for a bicycle club.

The Detroit Wheelmen logo is on the balcony about the entrance. It’s a ‘W’ intertwined with a ‘D’.

Grand Circus Park from 1920

One interesting feature is the long bike rack along the front of the building. It’s integrated with the metal grills covering the basement windows and also has the DW logo.

Unfortunately the clubhouse is no longer standing. It was located where Comerica Park currently stands. I do not know if it was demolished for the park or many years earlier. The 1928-1929 Polk Directory for Detroit does list the Wheelmen at this location.

A photo of the club interior was included in an earlier m-bike post.

UPDATE, 11/27/2012: We’ve seen a photo from 1960 that shows the building is still standing.

UPDATE, 2/18/2018, A Free Press column from August 26, 1969: “When they tore down a building behind the Metropolitan YMCA, they found in the cornerstone several copies of Detroit newspapers, plus some editions of The Detroit Phonograph, publication of the cycling club that headquartered in the building.” Though still to be confirmed, it seems the clubhouse was transferred to the YMCA at some point. The Detroit Institute of Technology began leasing space at the YMCA including the clubhouse.

Photos from the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library

The Capital News Service ran an interesting article today on trails and their increased use for transportation.

The Lansing-based Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance also supports linking trails across the state.

It works with local and state agencies in organizing discussions and outlining criteria for selecting corridors to develop.

Nancy Krupiarz, executive director of the alliance, said her organization gears trail expansion toward a non-motorized network for bicyclists. Widening road shoulders for bike lanes and adding signs to alert motorists are part of the initiative.

“Urban trails get more use as a transportation aspect when they are well-connected to businesses and shipping districts,’ said Krupiarz.

The alliance is involved in a plan to add a non-motorized network of bike paths around Detroit. The system will connect neighborhoods, schools, parks, businesses and other major destinations around the city.

The article also discusses Detroit’s recently endorsed non-motorized master plan.

Link: Capital News Service article

There’s a new Facebook group called Detroit Trails and Greenways.

It’s a group for those interested in trail and greenway opportunities within the Cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.

We hope this group helps get the word out to bicyclists, walkers, joggers, bladers, skaters and others throughout the area.

Link: To Join or see more details