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61-476: The Capitol Park Historic District is a historic district located in downtown Detroit , Michigan . It is roughly bounded by Grand River, Woodward and Michigan Avenues, and Washington Boulevard. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Capitol Park itself is a triangular plot of land (now a public park) bounded by Shelby Street, Griswold Street, and State Street. The plot

122-472: A 200-plus-room hotel, office, retail and event space. Further ongoing new construction underway were The Exchange, a 16-story residential tower, and the 20-story Huntington Bank headquarters tower. In late 2021, Stephen Ross and Christopher Ilitch announced plans for the new home of the University of Michigan's Detroit Center for Innovation (DCI), a $ 250 million, 4-acre, three building graduate school campus in

183-400: A ceremony attended by sitting governor Fred M. Warner and mayor George P. Codd among other officials. A statue of Mason by sculptor Albert Weinert was later erected over the grave. When plans were announced in 2009 to reconfigure the park, they included relocating the monument and grave. However, the burial vault was not where earlier plans indicated and crews searched for four days before it

244-723: A major bus terminal. In 2001, the area was named as the Capitol Park Transit Center, and was used as a temporary terminal until the completion of the Rosa Parks Transit Center . The opening of the Rosa Parks Transit Center in downtown Detroit in July 2009 marked the end of Capitol Park's use as a transportation center. A $ 1.1 million (~$ 1.52 million in 2023) renovation project started in September 2009 by

305-464: A major downtown transit center. Two years after the destruction of the state capitol by fire, multiple streetcar lines were looped around the new park with large boarding platforms constructed on Griswold and Shelby streets, transforming it into a major transfer station. In 1955, the Department of Street Railways (DSR) constructed the $ 280,000 (~$ 2.49 million in 2023) Capitol Park Bus Terminal at

366-410: A mobile exhibit, inside a converted bus, making a two-month tour of the system's major hubs. In August 2023, DDOT's director, C. Mikel Oglesby, resigned. G. Michael Staley, then DDOT's paratransit manager, was appointed by Mayor Mike Duggan to replace Oglesby in an interim capacity. Staley previously served as a regional vice president at Veolia Transport , now known as Transdev . DDOT published

427-684: A number of primary and secondary schools in the city, along with those in the metro area. There are 23 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit . Of the three Catholic high schools in the city, two are operated by the Society of Jesus and the third is co-sponsored by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Congregation of St. Basil . The Detroit Public Library operates

488-491: A public high school until 1893, when it was destroyed by fire. The land was then converted to a park, and it has remained a public space up to the present. The buildings within the Historic District surrounding the park were built primarily during the first three decades of the 20th century for commercial and business purposes. Several famous architects, including Albert Kahn and Gordon W. Lloyd , contributed buildings in

549-472: A radial design for the post-fire city, where major streets such as Woodward , Washington, and Madison Avenue would spiral off Grand Circus Park . The downtown streets still loosely follow Woodward's original design. Business in Detroit boomed along with its growing automobile industry, leading to an increase in downtown's population and wealth. Much of the downtown area's architecture was built during this boom, in

610-473: A range of styles, from Victorian to Beaux-Arts to Art Deco . The buildings demonstrate the transformation of Detroit from a prospering 19th century commercial center to a modern city. In addition to the present buildings, Capitol Park has a historic connection to the Underground Railroad . In 1850, Seymour Finney purchased a plot of land near the park and erected a tavern with a large barn. Finney

671-553: A reflecting pool. In 2007, Downtown Detroit was named among the best big-city neighborhoods in which to retire by CNN Money Magazine editors. Downtown contains popular destinations, including the International Riverfront , the MGM Grand Detroit , Greektown Casino Hotel , and many sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Downtown Detroit hosts over 92,000 workers which make up about one-fifth of

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732-728: Is an artifact of Augustus Woodward 's 1805 plan for the city of Detroit. The Historic District includes the park and seventeen surrounding buildings for a block in each direction. Buildings within the district include the Farwell Building , the Griswold Building , the David Stott Building , the Detroit Savings Bank Building and the Industrial Building . In 1823, the population of Detroit had increased to

793-404: Is an ongoing debate whether or not this redevelopment is good for the downtown area and Detroit as a whole. In 2021, the 2-acre Hudson's site 680-foot tower, and the 232-foot tall, block-long building called "the block", with the two sections being separated by an activated alley, were under construction by Dan Gilbert's real estate firm, Bedrock Detroit, that will include 150 apartments,

854-622: Is full of murals and other artwork from 27 international artists, and the floors are color-coded. The Z opened on January 30, 2014. On December 10, 2014, Punch Bowl Social opened a new 24,000-square-foot bi-level eatery and entertainment complex in The Z structure. Some places for entertainment and attractions within the downtown region include Campus Martius Park , Philip A. Hart Plaza , Coleman A. Young Community Center, Detroit Riverwalk , Fox Theatre , Ford Field , Little Caesars Arena , and Comerica Park . The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

915-690: Is located downtown across from the Renaissance Center . Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) has its headquarters in Downtown Detroit. The Downtown Campus of the district is located adjacent to Downtown Detroit and adjacent to the WCCCD headquarters. Wayne State University is located in Midtown Detroit . The Corktown Campus, near downtown at 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, houses

976-424: Is located in Downtown Detroit; it is the only TV station in the Detroit media market with studios located in the city as WXYZ , WJBK , WWJ , WMYD , WPXD , and WKBD (affiliates of ABC , Fox , CBS , MyNetworkTV , Ion Television and The CW respectively) have their studios in the nearby city of Southfield . Downtown Detroit has seen a major growth in entertainment in the past decade. Campus Martius Park

1037-561: Is open year-round, with ice skating in the winter with a huge Christmas tree display, to a large fountain and many concerts in the summer. Downtown Detroit has also seen major growth in retail, such as Michigan-based Moosejaw outdoor clothing. In December 2012, the largest Buffalo Wild Wings in the country opened in the district, and a new mixed-use development by CEO Dan Gilbert , businessman, and developer, The Z , due to its Z-like shape, with 1,300 parking spaces, artwork, LED lighting, and 33,000-square-feet of street level retail space. The Z

1098-693: Is the Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel . In 2006, the Cleveland-based Ferchill Group began the $ 180 million redevelopment of the historic Book Cadlliac Hotel at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Michigan Avenue. The project, which has been hailed by preservationists, houses a 455-room Westin Hotel, 67 high-end condominiums, and two to three restaurants, and some miscellaneous retail serving hotel and conference center guests. DTE Energy Headquarters features an urban oasis of parks, walkways, and

1159-508: Is the primary public transportation operator serving Detroit , Michigan. In existence since 1922, DDOT is a division of the city government , headed by a director appointed by the mayor . Primarily serving Detroit and its enclaves, DDOT is supplemented by suburban service from the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 11,048,700, or about 43,500 per weekday as of

1220-570: The Fox Theatre . Ernst & Young has offices in One Kennedy Square on Campus Martius Park . Pricewaterhouse Coopers has offices in a building across from Ford Field . Chrysler maintains executive offices at Chrysler House in the city's Financial District . In 2011, Quicken Loans moved its headquarters and 4,000 employees to downtown. Comerica Bank and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan are also major employers downtown. Throughout

1281-516: The Guardian Building . Historic churches, theatres , and commercial buildings anchor the various downtown districts. Downtown has a number of parks including those linked by a promenade along the International Riverfront . Its central square is Campus Martius Park . Following the Great Fire of 1805 , the design for the downtown area was left open to a new vision. Augustus B. Woodward proposed

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1342-689: The M-1 Rail Line , which opened to the public in 2017. It runs 3.3 miles on Woodward Avenue from Congress Street in Downtown Detroit to the Grand Boulevard station in New Center . Companies with headquarters in Downtown Detroit include Compuware , Dickinson Wright , General Motors , Little Caesars , Campbell-Ewald , Miller Canfield , and Quicken Loans . On October 28, 2014, Fifth Third Bank announced plans to move its Michigan regional headquarters from Southfield to downtown Detroit in what

1403-489: The Renaissance Center , and the Detroit Lions have relocated from Pontiac to Downtown Detroit. High-profile events like the 2005 MLB All-Star Game , Super Bowl XL , and the 2006 and 2012 World Series have taken place in downtown, generating income for local businesses and spurring more growth. As a result, new residents are moving into Detroit in the assortment of new lofts that are opening. An example of these trends

1464-534: The University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and Dental Clinic. The main campus of the University of Detroit Mercy is located uptown. The Detroit College of Law was in Downtown Detroit until 1997. It moved to East Lansing, Michigan in 1997 and is now known as the Michigan State University College of Law . As of 2016 there is a concentration of charter schools and senior high schools in

1525-782: The 400 Tower, the Consulate-General of Canada in Detroit is located in Suite 1100 of the 600 Tower, and the Consulate of Italy in Detroit is located in Suite 950 of the 400 Tower. The Consulate of Italy in Detroit used to be located in Suite 1840 in the Buhl Building until 2021. The Consulate of Mexico in Detroit is located in Suite 830 in the Penobscot Building . Detroit Department of Transportation The Detroit Department of Transportation ( DDOT ) (pronounced DEE -dot )

1586-760: The DSR operated 20 streetcar lines with 910 streetcars. By 1952, only four streetcar lines remained: Woodward, Gratiot, Michigan and Jefferson. Streetcar services was discontinued in April 1956 with the decommissioning of the Woodward line. The DSR formally became the DDOT in 1974 under the Detroit City Charter. Between 2009 and 2012, the system's seven remaining limited and express bus routes (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, and 78) were discontinued. Starting January 1, 2012, management of DDOT

1647-651: The Detroit Citizens' Railway) was a heritage trolley built in 1976 as a U.S. Bicentennial project. The trolley ran over a one-mile L-shaped route from Grand Circus Park to near the Renaissance Center, via Washington Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue, using narrow-gauge trams acquired from municipal rail services outside the U.S. Most of the Detroit cars that saw service from 1976 to 2003 had been acquired from Lisbon, Portugal . Many Detroiters old enough to remember streetcar service from before 1956 were delighted with

1708-453: The Downtown Detroit area - there were eleven high schools and 1,894 high school-aged students in the area- relative to other parts of Detroit which had more high school students but fewer schools available. This is because Downtown Detroit is relatively wealthy compared to other parts of Detroit and because of gentrification . The Detroit Public Schools , charter schools, and private schools serve city residents. Downtown residents enrolled in

1769-558: The Rose and Robert Skillman Branch Library downtown at 121 Gratiot with the library headquarters located in Midtown . The downtown branch first opened January 4, 1932. Skillman received its current name after the Skillman Foundation donated to the library system. Three consulates are located in the Renaissance Center ; the Consulate-General of Japan, Detroit is located on the 16th Floor of

1830-462: The bus systems downtown. It is adjacent to two stops on the Detroit People Mover . The People Mover, a 2.94-mile (4.7 km) automated rail rapid transit system, operates on a single-track, one-way loop through the downtown area. Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation has its headquarters in the Buhl Building in Downtown Detroit. In late July 2014, construction began on

1891-505: The city of Detroit unless otherwise noted.   = ConnectTen   = 30-minute rush hour frequency   = 60-minute rush hour frequency Redford Truncated to Cadieux/Mack on Sundays Along with fixed-route bus service, DDOT also offers MetroLift, an on-demand paratransit service. MetroLift service is operated by four private contractors: Moe Transportation, Big Star Transit, Checker Cab Company, and Delray United Action Council. The Detroit Downtown Trolley (originally

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1952-490: The city's Downtown Development Authority redeveloped the public space in an effort to draw new businesses to the area. Downtown Detroit The city's main thoroughfare M-1 (Woodward Avenue) links Downtown to Midtown , New Center , and the North End . Downtown contains much historic architecture , including prominent skyscrapers, ranging from the Renaissance Center , the Penobscot Building , One Detroit Center , and

2013-748: The city's total employment base; in addition, it is home to about 6,200 residents. Downtown offers a number of residential high rises, including Riverfront Towers , The Albert , and Town Residences . The Renaissance Center contains the Detroit Marriott hotel, General Motors headquarters, as well as many shops and restaurants. Compuware has its headquarters in the Compuware World Headquarters building by Campus Martius Park in Downtown Detroit. Compuware moved its headquarters and 4,000 employees to Downtown Detroit in 2003. Little Caesars and Olympia Entertainment have their headquarters in

2074-531: The department. In August 2013, management of DDOT was contracted out to MV Transportation under the direction of Paul Toliver until September 2014. Dan Dirks was appointed director of the department by mayor Mike Duggan on January 9, 2014, for the duration of MV Transportation's contract. MV Transportation's contract was extended for another two years on August 12, 2014. On January 23, 2016, DDOT reintroduced 24-hour service on three principal routes along with other smaller service changes. On September 1, 2018,

2135-399: The discussion of gentrification within the city. The downtown area is notably wealthier than other parts of the city, and has attracted a new demographic of white, middle-class tourists and residents, physically and culturally displacing the black residents of the inner city. The ever-increasing lack of affordable housing and venues for locals have further contributed to this displacement. It

2196-454: The downtown District Detroit area. As of the 2020 Census , there were 6,151 people living in the district. The population density was 4,271.5 people per square mile (1,649.2/km ). There were 5,323 housing units. The census reported the district residents as 54.2% White , 30.4% Black , 0.4% Native American , 6.4% Asian , 0.09% Pacific Islander , 2.2% other races , and 6.0% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.5% of

2257-526: The final version of the Reimagined plan in February 2024. Most of the draft plan was kept, though public input influenced a couple of major changes: route 2 was added to the routes slated for service every 10 minutes, route 12 is no longer slated for discontinuation, and the extension of route 17 into Livonia was cancelled. Throughout the spring of 2024, DDOT will conduct further public outreach to gather feedback on

2318-472: The last remaining structures from the State Fairgrounds . The Council rejected a prior plan, which called for the historic building's demolition. The original State Fair Transit Center, dating back to the streetcar era, closed permanently on November 6, 2022, and was promptly demolished; a temporary transit center was constructed in the former State Fair parking lot, 500 feet to the north, entering service

2379-576: The late 19th century and early 20th century, and still attracts the attention of architects. Several buildings were built by the famous Minoru Yamasaki (most well known for designing the twin towers in New York City), including the McGregor Memorial Conference Center and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building . The area where I-375 is lies on the historic site of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. Black Bottom

2440-473: The late 2010s a large amount of business and investment continued to enter the city and transform it. As of 2019, businesses such as Shinola , Google , Moosejaw , and Nike occupy the once-vacant street fronts. Investments such as new bike lanes, the Little Caesars Arena and QLine have been successful in attracting newcomers to the city. Downtown's transformation in recent years has also perpetuated

2501-609: The next day. Construction began on the new permanent transit center in May 2023. The new State Fair Transit Center is dedicated to the memory of DDOT bus driver Jason Hargrove, who advocated for better protections for DDOT drivers during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic . Hargrove died in April 2020 from COVID-19, and the transit center was dedicated in his memory in March 2024. The Jason Hargrove Transit Center opened on May 11, 2024. In

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2562-574: The nod to nostalgia that the service represented, but lack of business activity in downtown Detroit meant that ridership of the Downtown Trolley never became more than a novelty and declined to only about 3000 per year in the late 1990s; service was suspended in June 2003. Since 2019, DDOT, SMART , and the QLine have had a unified fare payment system, Dart. Dart passes are available as digital passes through

2623-488: The north end of the park which facilitated the moving of Stevens T. Mason's tomb to the south end of the park. The new facility was constructed using steel and reinforced concrete, with plastic skylights throughout the concrete canopy. Not long after the restructuring of the DSR as the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT), the station was demolished in 1979, though the area around the park continued to be used as

2684-737: The owner of black newspapers in the United States, had its headquarters in the Globe Tobacco Building , and later the Buhl Building . The Detroit Media Partnership , housing both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press , has its headquarters in Downtown Detroit. The Metro Times was previously headquartered in the Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building in Downtown. The studio of WDIV (Detroit's NBC affiliate)

2745-542: The plan. DDOT's primary service is fixed-route buses , mostly serving the city of Detroit and its enclaves, Hamtramck and Highland Park . Some routes service neighboring suburban communities, including Dearborn , Harper Woods , Livonia , Redford , River Rouge , and Southfield . Bus service generally operates between 5 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, while Sunday service starts approximately 7 a.m. and ends between 8 and 9 p.m. Routes 3-8, 10, 16 and 17 have 24/7 service . All termini listed are in

2806-565: The point that the US Congress transferred governance of what was then the Territory of Michigan to the governor and legislative council. To house the new government, a courthouse was built in Capitol Park in 1823–28. When Michigan became a state in 1837, the building became the state capitol, and functioned so until 1847 when the governmental seat was moved to Lansing . The building was then used as

2867-511: The police department serves Downtown Detroit. Federal offices are in the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building . They include an FBI field office . The Detroit Greyhound Lines station is directly west of Downtown along the John C. Lodge Freeway. The Detroit Department of Transportation system provides mass-transit by bus. The Rosa Parks Transit Center, completed in 2009, serves as the main hub for

2928-639: The public school system are zoned for Martin Luther King High School . Some downtown residents are zoned for Burton K-8 for elementary school, while others are zoned to Chrysler Elementary School. Burton K-8 and Bunche K-8 serve portions of Downtown for middle school. Previously Dewey K-8 served portions of Downtown Detroit for elementary school. Previously Miller Middle School, and Duffield Middle School served portions of Downtown Detroit. Previously Murray-Wright High School served Downtown Detroit for high school. The Archdiocese of Detroit lists

2989-509: The second phase of Reimagined, which included a draft of the planned redesign. The draft plan called for every route in the system to run at least every 30 minutes (where many currently run hourly), with more popular routes operating at 15-minute headways. Six routes – 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, & 10 – were slated for service every ten minutes (with route 4 running every 7½), and upgrades resembling bus rapid transit . These six, plus four other routes, would run 24/7 under this plan, with all other routes in

3050-597: The suburban SMART system. A new route (70) was also proposed, planned to run near the Detroit Riverfront , connecting Belle Isle with the Gordie Howe International Bridge . DDOT states that the planned redesign would mean 99% of regular riders would live within walking distance of a DDOT route, though the planned rerouting eliminates service on a number of streets. The agency conducted another series of outreach events to gauge riders' opinion, with

3111-448: The summer of 2022, DDOT announced DDOT Reimagined, a project to redesign the agency's route network and upgrade its infrastructure for better reliability, better coverage, more efficient travel, and reduced environmental impact. The plan's first phase, conducted that summer, consisted of public outreach to gather riders' input, through in-person and virtual meetings, workshops and pop-ups at popular bus stops. In Spring 2023, DDOT launched

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3172-440: The system running from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week. To achieve this plan, three of the system's least-used routes – 12, 40, & 46 – were recommended for discontinuation, while four others – 23 & 39, 29 & 42 – would be combined into two resulting routes. Other routes would be rerouted, with some seeing extensions: of note was a proposed extension of route 17 into Livonia , a neighboring community which opts out of

3233-462: The system's ten most popular routes were branded as "ConnectTen" and renumbered as routes 1-10, and received 24/7 service among other changes. The existing routes numbered 7, 9, and 10 were given higher route numbers to avoid conflict. In November 2021, the Detroit City Council approved plans to construct a new State Fair Transit Center, housed inside the disused Dairy Cattle Building, one of

3294-511: The third quarter of 2024. The DDOT began its life as the Department of Street Railways (DSR) in 1922 after the municipalization of the privately-owned Detroit United Railway (DUR), which had controlled much of Detroit's mass transit operations since its incorporation in 1901. The DSR added bus service when it created the Motorbus Division in 1925. At the height of its operation in 1941,

3355-650: The total population. As recently as 2011 the population of full-time residents in Downtown Detroit was relatively low. However, its population grew by an estimated 15 percent between 2012 and 2016 as it experienced a construction boom. The city of Detroit offices are located in the Coleman Young Municipal Building . The Guardian Building serves as headquarters for Wayne County . Detroit Fire Department has its headquarters in Downtown Detroit. The Detroit Police Department has its headquarters in Downtown Detroit. The Central District patrol division of

3416-540: Was contracted out to Parsons Brinckerhoff , an engineering and management firm. The firm subsequently subcontracted the management of the system to Envisurage, LLC a consultancy run by the former CEO of the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority . On March 3, 2012, 24-hour service was discontinued, and other weekday and weekend routes and services were pared down, or eliminated entirely, in an attempt to produce savings for

3477-500: Was located on June 29, 2010. It was believed the grave was moved from its 1905 location in 1955 to make room for a bus terminal. On the 199th anniversary of his birth, October 27, 2010, Mason was reburied for 4th time in a newly built vault in the pedestal the bronze statue. The current Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul , where funeral services were held for Mason in 1843, officiated at the ceremony. The park has also served as

3538-412: Was once notorious for its abandonment, vacant buildings, and disinvestment. However, in recent years, the downtown area has seen tremendous growth and redevelopment. Since 2000 a number of major construction projects have been completed including the new Compuware Headquarters at Campus Martius Park and two new stadiums: Comerica Park and Ford Field . General Motors moved their headquarters into

3599-488: Was one of the city's major African American communities, historically named by French colonial settlers for its rich soil. Paradise Valley was the business and entertainment district of Black Bottom, best known for its Paradise Theatre and Hotel Gotham, where prominent jazz figures such as Duke Ellington , Billie Holiday , and Louis Armstrong performed and stayed. Both neighborhoods were demolished to build I-375, and have since been replaced with Lafayette Park . Downtown

3660-404: Was strongly sympathetic to the abolitionist cause, and used his barn to hide escaping slaves before their final trek across the river into Canada . A State of Michigan historical marker has been erected in the park to commemorate Finney's Barn. In 1905, the remains of Michigan's first governor Stevens T. Mason were transferred from New York City where he died 1843 and interred in Capitol Park in

3721-642: Was to be named the Fifth Third Bank Building at One Woodward . The bank was to occupy about 62,000 sq ft (5,800 m ) of the structure and has also pledged to invest $ 85 million in the city of Detroit. The office had 150 employees. Previously Comerica Bank had its headquarters in Downtown Detroit. On March 6, 2007, the company announced its decision to relocate its corporate headquarters to Dallas . The company executives began moving to Dallas in November 2007. At one time Real Times Media ,

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