Here are a few items we've been following this week.

Upgrades to Riverside Park

A number of improvements will take place this summer at Riverside Park, just west of the Ambassador Bridge in southwest Detroit. Additions include an amphitheater, an outdoor gym, a splash pad, a sledding hill, and a playground. The park has undergone a series of improvements over the past few years, like basketball courts, a dog park, and a skate park. In the next few years, the park will be connected to the upcoming Joe Louis Greenway and the Riverwalk.

There will be a lot of activity at parks along the riverfront this summer. Construction is expected to start at the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, and work is underway at the Uniroyal site to connect the riverwalk from Mt. Elliott Park to Belle Isle.

Hart Plaza Construction

Earlier this week, the city started construction at Hart Plaza that will improve some safety concerns. The city is moving the unhoused population in the plaza to temporary housing, like hotel rooms. Local agencies will work with individuals to for case management and permanent housing. The Metro Times reports, "Social workers and other advocates say the encampment is an important location for people experiencing homelessness. It’s underground, close to resources, and is a relatively safe alternative to shelters, which often are full and can be dangerous for women and transgender people." The construction is expected to last through the end of August.

Trouble at Jeffersonian Houze

There's dischord at the Jeffersonian Houze, or the Jeffersonian--an apartment tower near the riverfront on East Jefferson. Crain's reports that not only is Fannie Mae seeking court approval "to appoint a receiver to oversee the management, leasing and financial operations," but current ownership is battling each other. Arie Leibovitz and Joe Barbat own the property 50/50, and Leibovitz is alleging mismanagement, self-dealing, and accounting/financial failure by Barbat. 

Barbat has renovated buildings downtown and in New Center over the last few years. These apartments are now called Briggs Houze, Gabriel Houze, Philip Houze, and Regis Houze.