Detroit's Capitol Park at night. (Deadline Detroit photo)
Capitol Park at night .(Deadline Detroit photo)
Not long ago, a sliver of downtown Detroit known as Capitol Park had a lot of shabby, empty buildings, along with hookers and drug dealers.
Today, the wedge-shaped district just west of Woodward and north of Michigan Avenue has emerged as one of downtown's trendiest enclaves, filled with new restaurants, coffee shops and residentss, reports John Gallagher of the Detroit Free Press:
How it happened is a case study in moving a district from desolation to destination. Capitol Park's renewal took a blend of public leadership, nonprofit money, private investment and historic preservation. Most of all, it took a vision that has remained remarkable consistent
"It’s having a common vision and a common mission to activate that area and really grow a sense of community there," said Jennifer Skiba, vice president of leasing for businessman Dan Gilbert's Bedrock real estate arm.
The turnaround began in 2009 when the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., then headed by CEO George Jackson, purchased three empty buildings surrounding the small public park there. As Jackson explained at the time, the DEGC's purchase of the three early 20th-century buildings marked a deliberate strategy to control the redevelopment.
