The City of Detroit's efforts to turn areas of urban decay into hubs of community engagement and utility are garnering serious attention. Through its "blight to beauty" initiatives, which include the revamped Roosevelt Park and the new Jason Hargrove Transit Center, Detroit has been showered with accolades, proof that thoughtful design paired with civic intention can breathe new life into old spaces.
According to a recent press release from the City of Detroit, Roosevelt Park, which sits in the shadow of the monumental Michigan Central Station, wasn't much of a park before its redesign. However, with a $6 million boost from the American Rescue Plan Act, the once bare space has been transformed into an area complete with lush gardens, swings, and walking paths. The park's floriculture team received a nod of excellence as Barry Burton, project manager for the city's General Services Department Landscape Design Unit, said, "Maintaining these beautiful park gardens, growing plant materials and reacting to all the seasonal challenges that come with having celebrated gardens really speaks to the knowledge and commitment of our Floriculture team."
It seems that Keep Michigan Beautiful Inc. and the Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (MiASLA) agree. Roosevelt Park netted the 2024 President's Award from the former and a Merit award from the latter. Jeff Klein, Deputy Chief of Landscape Architecture for the City of Detroit General Services Dept, told the City of Detroit, “This project was truly a collaborative effort. The awards are a wonderful recognition of our hard work and what we see every day at the park; people that are engaged and enjoying the beautiful gardens and settings of this unique, historic park and neighborhood asset.”
The Jason Hargrove Transit Center, named for a DDOT bus driver who passed away from COVID-19 in 2020, has also been spotlighted as a 2024 recipient of the Engineering News Record's Regional Best Project Award in the airport/transit category. The $31 million investment gave the former Michigan State Fairgrounds a new lease on life, resulting in a 52,000-square-foot transit facility equipped to handle Michigan's varied weather and elevate the comfort of DDOT passengers and bus operators.
