The Michigan Strategic Fund announced that the Downtown Detroit Partnership and partner stakeholders will receive $13.74 million from the Michigan Strategic Fund. Working in collaboration with Bedrock, Greektown Neighborhood Partnership and Paradise Valley Conservancy, along with Karp and Associates, the money allows us to execute on key public spaces and mixed-use developments that will attract residents and visitors to the City’s core. Our plan was one of 22 statewide community development projects around Michigan to receive funds from its Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) Program. The grant demonstrates the importance of Downtown and the caliber and importance of our work.
The validation of our work edged up a notch for our recent Centennial Celebration. I think it’s fair to say that our team – board members, staff and volunteers – were equally humbled and encouraged that nearly 600 friends joined us on August 24 in Campus Martius Park. We were also presented the Spirit of Detroit Award by Detroit City Council Member Coleman Young Jr. The Detroit City Council’s Spirit of Detroit Award honors an individual’s or organization’s outstanding achievement or service. We share this recognition with our founder, Oscar Webber, and every DDP team member over the past 100 years.
Thank you to the 24 sponsors that supported the event. We could not have done this without you, and we are grateful.
Finally, we want to extend special recognition to the public officials that joined us:
- Honorable Dennis Archer
- Commissioner Alisha Bell
- Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison
- County Executive Mark Hackel
- Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes
- Senator Adam Hollier
- Honorable Latisha Johnson
- Chief James White
- Councilmember Coleman A. Young, Jr.
Check out the event recap video and photo gallery. The Park and the Downtown shone as lovely as our guests.
Campus Martius Park and our public spaces have been in the spotlight again and again. This past weekend for the annual Downtown Parktoberfest presented by Visit Detroit and supported by Atwater Brewery and Faygo. The previous weekend for the Detroit Jazz Festival.
This week our public spaces will again be in the spotlight with the return of the North American International Auto Show.
Keeping our public spaces polished and ready to welcome guests near and far is central to DDP’s mission to and why we challenge ourselves to seek out best practices and continuously collaborate with other partners. Downtown belongs to everyone.
Please read on and,
See you around Downtown.
