The city of Detroit has been seeing increased development planning in neighborhoods outside of Downtown and Midtown in the last few years and the Rivertown neighborhood on the lower east side is no different. The home of Atwater Brewery, Harbortown Apartments, Le Petit Dejeuner, and the Riverwalk and bridge to Belle Isle is set to see many exciting changes in the upcoming years. We detail a few below.

Rivertown highlighted in red

Parks and Greenways

 More land on the Detroit River will be converted into public park space and the RiverWalk will be extended through the Uniroyal site, connecting Mt. Elliot Park to Belle Isle, as well as having smaller gaps filled along the river. Two greenways similar to the Dequindre Cut will be developed to connect the riverfront to the neighborhoods north of the water: the Joseph Campau Greenway and the Beltline Greenway, depicted below.

Detroit RiverFront Conservancy rendering of improved and new greenways and RiverWalk

Warehouse Development

The warehouse district is going to see a lot of renovation and development in the next five years with plans for mixed-use, restaurant, and residential space while maintaining the industrial history of the neighborhood. Initial plans for the Stone Soap Building were released in October and include 63 residential units, 13,000 square feet of retail space including a European-style food hall, and a permanent performance space for Shakespeare in Detroit.

Stone Soap Building rendering. The project is expected to be completed in 2020.

Big Boy Apartments

On December 13 real-estate developer The Platform announced plans for an apartment building on the site of the Big Boy at 7033 E. Jefferson across from Belle Isle. Initial plans are for an 8 to 10 story building with around 240 rental units and 11,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. Construction is expected to begin in late 2018 and the building should be ready for residents in mid-2020. The $50 million development with “its mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments will boast some of the most scenic views in Detroit.” No renderings are available yet.

By Jared Hoffman
Research Associate, JMJ Phillip Group