Capitol Park has undergone an awful lot of change in the past few years. Just running a quick search of our photos, we could see places like the Malcomson Building and the building for the Lear Innovation Center looking pretty run down just a few short years ago. Now they’re renovated and in use. It seems like every building in this little section of downtown is seeing some kind of change, and more is set to be built in the coming years. This means the historic park itself is due for a change.

The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) in collaboration with the City of Detroit, announced that a Toronto-based urban design and landscape architecture firm, PUBLIC WORK, will be the lead designer for the upcoming Capitol Park district renovation. The firm will create and implement a complete park renovation plan for the Capitol Park district.

This project should begin construction in fall 2017 and is intended support economic development around the park and provide an amenity to residents and visitors.

“Our team looks forward to continuing the process with the community to create a design for Capitol Park that can dramatize the experience of place and revive this dormant space as the engaging, vibrant heart of this historic district,” said Marc Ryan and Adam Nicklin, Co-Founders and Principals, PUBLIC WORK. “We see the resurgence of Capitol Park as an opportunity to create a meaningful dialogue with the many layers of the site’s history, while projecting a bold future for this unique place. We are thrilled to be part of an initiative that will prioritize the cultivation of life in the public realm as part of the larger urban transformations taking place in Detroit.”

The park should be open and ready by spring 2018. Capitol Park will see a massive increase in residential availability in the coming years, with the Clark Lofts, David Stott Building, 28 Grand, the Farwell Building, and the Capitol Park Building. Time to update the map again!