The plan could hinge on what happens with one of the largest parcels along the 1.5-mile stretch. The Detroit Newspapers Agency riverfront printing plant could be demolished and renovated to be the new home of a major convention center, members of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy say.
The DRC has raised about $68 million, with pledges for more, to fund a $500-million plan for the east 1.5-mile stretch of the riverfront, which includes a new promenade, a harbor, a 30-acre state park, housing and commercial uses.
The plan for the western stretch of the riverfront is still unfunded, but could include a riverside park, two marinas, condominiums and retail, says Matthew P. Cullen, co-chairman of the conservancy and general manager of economic development and enterprise services for General Motors Corp.
"We do need to determine the future land uses along the west riverfront, and the conservancy plan offers a great starting point," Cullen says.
The conservancy, comprised of business and political leaders along with community activists and foundations, will study the project over the next two months and start looking for possible funding sources, Cullen adds.
City officials have said the newspaper printing plant site is a possible location for a convention center. The DNA also operates a larger, more modern printing plant in suburban Sterling Heights. That plant is undergoing a multi-million-dollar expansion and renovation.
The city has also launched a feasibility study to expand Cobo Center or build a new convention facility nearby. The plan is expected to be completed later this year and could call for a new conference center along the west riverfront, says George W. Jackson Jr., president and chief executive of Detroit Economic Growth Corp., a quasi-public development agency.
If the convention center isn't built along the west riverfront, the land could be developed into a park, loft-style housing, stores and restaurants, Jackson says.
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