Detroit's Greektown, Midtown nab state aid for major redesigns of public space

Detroit's Greektown and Midtown areas will use millions of dollars in state aid from the recently approved state budget to transform public spaces in the downtown tourist district and the cultural district north of downtown.

The Greektown Neighborhood Partnership secured $20 million to convert its main strip of Monroe Street into a pedestrian-oriented area with broad sidewalks, plenty of new trees and a flexible curb-less road that can quickly shut down to vehicular traffic.

The four blocks of Monroe in Greektown are one of the highest pedestrian areas in the city. A 2019 study showed it attracted 19,000 pedestrians a day, said Melanie Markowicz, executive director of the Greektown organization.

Midtown Detroit, Inc. received a $12 million appropriation in the $82 billion state budget approved last week. The funding will be used for stormwater management and a parking strategy, part of a much broader plan to overhaul 10 blocks around the city's cultural institutions into a connected, walkable space, the group said in a press release. The overall plan is called the Cultural Center Planning Initiative and it could take up to 20 years to achieve.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has indicated she will sign the $82 billion budget legislation.

The redesigned Monroe Street in Greektown will be the first shared streetscape downtown of this scale with the ability to be completely pedestrianized, Markowicz said. Currently, Monroe Street has two lanes of vehicular traffic and some parking, but it is often shut down to pedestrians during weekends and other events.

"We did tons of community engagement over the last year for the development planning for this project." Markowicz said. "Those survey results indicated overwhelming support for having this (area) to be pedestrian, whether it's all the time, or just the weekend and the evenings. There really was a lot of public want and need for that."

The redesigned Monroe will have one lane of vehicular traffic during the times it will allow vehicles.

The $20 million in state funding allows the Greektown project to move forward. Construction could start in spring 2024, and early estimates show the project could take up to year, Markowicz said. The pedestrian-area also increases security in the area. Earlier this year, Greektown area was the scene of five separate shootings.

Markowicz said the redesign "absolutely addresses" safety concerns by helping eliminate the noise and the occasionally chaos created by vehicles cruising the strip. Other design elements, such as removing some electrical utility boxes on the sidewalk, will enable a smoother flow for walking, she said.

Meanwhile, the $12 million earmarked for the Midtown project is part of an estimated $33 million needed for infrastructure and landscaping improvements, with the first phase going toward stormwater management and the bolstering of an overall parking strategy, said Susan Mosey, director of Midtown Detroit Inc.

The group aims to raise the rest of the money through philanthropic foundations, other state of Michigan departments and other sources over the next year, Mosey said.

"The first phase is really to put in the stormwater management, some of the landscaping, and dealing with an underground parking deck that's been vacated and abandoned at Farnsworth near Woodward," Mosey said.

The Cultural Center Planning Initiative aims to overhaul the 10 blocks that are home to a dozen cultural and educational institutions into a more walkable, connected space. The area, about 83 acres in size, attracted 2.1 million visitors over the last 12 months, according to Midtown Inc.

The project is a collaborative effort between Midtown Detroit, Inc., and legacy arts, cultural and educational institutions, including The Carr Center, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, College for Creative Studies, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Public Library, Hellenic Museum of Michigan, International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan Science Center, The Scarab Club, University of Michigan and Wayne State University. The project could take an estimated 10 to 20 years to be completed.

The impact of $12 million in state funding extends beyond the immediate physical improvements, Salvador Salort-Pons, CEO and president of the Detroit Institute of Arts, said in a statement.

"This substantial appropriation will enable us to strengthen our infrastructure and enhance our visitors' experience," Salort-Pons said. "We are excited to be part of this transformative project and extend our heartfelt thanks to the State of Michigan."

laguilar@detroitnews.com