Lots to catch up on! Here are a few stories we've been reading this week.
Detroit Food Commons breaks ground in the North End
On April 23, the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network (led by Malik Yakini) and Develop Detroit (led by Sonya Mays) broke ground on the Detroit Food Commons, which will also house the Detroit People's Co-Op. Construction is expected to be completed in June 2023. The site sits on land at the corner of Woodward and Euclid, next to this historic building. For the co-op, members can buy in at $200 (see more on membership info). This development should be a positive boost for the neighborhood; grocery stores in Detroit hasn't always been easy to come by, and this helps the community keep money in their neighborhood. (Bridge Detroit)
More to come with Book development downtown
The redevelopment of the Book Tower and Building looks like it could be one of the standout restorations in the city. But there is more to the development. Just to the south of the Book Building is a 30,000-square-foot two-story building that was going to be demolished for parking, but now looks like it will be saved. Bedrock will go before the Historic District Commission this month with plans for retail on the bottom level and offices above, with rooftop amenities available. The building was built as a placeholder for what was to be an 81-story tower, but the Great Depression held up the Book Brothers' building spree. For comparison, the Book Tower is 34 stories tall. (Crain's Detroit)
Another way to get around Belle Isle
We know that Belle Isle, the popular island park between the U.S. and Canada, can get congested with traffic during the summer. There has to be a better way! And there could be. This summer, a trolley will run Thursday-Sunday between the beach, the Aquarium and Conservatory, and the "kids row" of playgrounds. The DNR will cover costs; the rides will be free. And they're interested in seeing where people want to go on the island outside the suggested destinations. They anticipate running two trolleys at a time. (Deadline Detroit)
A redesigned I-94 for autonomous vehicles
We still don't have a quick way to get from Detroit to Ann Arbor via public transit (different story, I know), but we could soon see another kind of change along the route. In 2020, Cavnue was selected by the state to develop an autonomous vehicle corridor. Looks like that could be I-94. The 25-mile section would have a dedicated lane with the infrastructure necessary for autonomous vehicles. Cavnue will work with MDOT on the next phase, "which will include traffic studies, environmental analysis, road design and operational planning, as well as public engagement and outreach, according to a statement from Cavnue." Planning work will take place in the next year. Crain's Detroit
CitySpeak featured Cavnue CEO Tyler Duvall last year on the podcast. Listen here.
