One area of downtown that’s changed rapidly these past few years is Capitol Park. Soon, we’ll see the opening of 28 Grand. In the next year, we’ll see the renovations of the Farwell Building and the David Stott Building. The park itself will also be redesigned. Next year we’ll also see more protected bike lanes and green infrastructure thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Erb Family Foundation.

The grant, announced by the Downtown Detroit Partnership, will fund green infrastructure and stormwater management improvements in Capitol Park. The stormwater technology could serve as a model for urban mobility infrastructure. The grant will fund the installation of permeable pavement and bioswales that capture rainwater in the district.

The grant will also fund protected bike lanes in Capitol Park, with hopes of connecting various modes of transit downtown (MoGo, QLINE, buses). Construction on the bike lanes and stormwater management will begin next year.

“This project represents a significant investment in pilot green infrastructure, and cements our commitment to innovative design and sustainability,” said Eric Larson, CEO, DDP. “It is our intent that this project will be easily replicated in other areas of the city and further throughout the region.”

This project is part a bigger Downtown Bike Network—a 1.6-mile infrastructure project to improve street and sidewalk non-motorized connections throughout the downtown area.