City Port Complex to Break Ground Monday

[Allan]

Groundbreaking Monday for city's port complex

June 17, 2004

BY JOHN GALLAGHER

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Detroit, one of America's biggest inland port cities, will soon have a new dock and marine terminal near the heart of downtown.

The Detroit Wayne County Port Authority plans to break ground Monday morning for its $11.25-million terminal and public dock. The project will create a new headquarters building for the port authority and a dock capable of handling cruise ships and other vessels plying the Great Lakes.

From a spot on the riverfront west of Renaissance Center, behind the Miller Garage, the facility also will enhance the city's efforts to open up the waterfront in that area to more public uses. Currently the land near the Ren Cen is used largely for parking lots.

The city has embarked on a multi-part project to create new recreational uses all along the waterfront from the Ambassador Bridge to the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle, a plan that's expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The city also is planning for private development to fill in the landscape between the bridges. Outside downtown, the view features block after block of underused or abandoned structures and an occasional private or commercial business.

While cruise ships already visit Detroit on occasion, the new facility is expected to make such visits easier.

The new headquarters will allow the Port Authority to move from a small, historic house on East Jefferson Avenue near Belle Isle.

Established in 1978, the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority plans, develops, and promotes Detroit as a marine terminal for U.S. and Ontario businesses. The goal is to promote economic growth in the City of Detroit, Wayne County, and the State of Michigan.

The authority is governed by a five-member board of directors. One member is appointed by the State of Michigan, two by Wayne County and two by the City of Detroit. The state, county and city fund the authority.

A combination of federal, state and city grants will pay for the new building. Construction on the project is expected to begin in the fall and it's scheduled to be completed in late summer 2005.

Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or [email protected]

[Ivory Tower]

Where exactly will this be ?, west of of Riverfront towers ?

[Allan]

The article says "From a spot on the riverfront west of Renaissance Center, behind the Miller Garage, the facility also will enhance the city's efforts to open up the waterfront in that area to more public uses. Currently the land near the Ren Cen is used largely for parking lots." So where all those riverfront surface lots are.

[Allan]

This provides some more details, as well as some info about the nearby expansion.

Port authority plans to expand

Agency to convert terminals on river into cargo facility

By R.J. King / The Detroit News

DETROIT

[Ivory Tower]

O.K. Thanks, I know where it is.

[Allan]

To be even more specific, it is being located at Bates & Atwater. I found a rendering last night...I'll post it as soon as I find it again.

[Allan]

This article was in the paper today...which makes finding the renderings very easy.

The $11.25 million dock and terminal are expected to be completed by July 2005.

The terminal and public dock, in the shadow of the Renaissance Center, join plans for a riverwalk from the Belle Isle Bridge to the Ambassador Bridge.

Downtown Detroit dock to welcome cruise ships

City hopes streams of tourists will flow into new terminal

By Doug Guthrie / The Detroit News

Detroit is banking on a $11.25 million passenger dock and terminal on the Detroit River downtown to return the city to its historic status as a passenger ship destination.

And the $37-million-a-year Great Lakes cruise ship industry is happy to have a new port of call.

[Ivory Tower]

Kind of reminds me of the ford auditorium.

[ColinSuperCool]

Kind of reminds me of the ford auditorium.

Lets hope this one doesn

[Allan]

I never noticed that before, it does kind of look like Ford Auditorium. I'm confident that this will turn out better than Ford Auditorium did though...although I could be wrong....