General Information

The information below has been summarized from online articles found at http://detroiturbanism.blogspot.com/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Detroit

The current Arena District is located within and along the periphery of the built portions of Woodward's original "Master plan" of Detroit. Today's urban form in the Arena District comes from the juxtaposition of the Jeffersonian grid onto portions of the city that were never fully developed according to the Woodward plan. In addition, the United States Highway Act of 1956 along with urban renewal efforts of postwar Detroit acted to remove and redevelop the Midtown section of the Arena District. Historically, the Midtown Cass Park, Brush Park and Upper Downtown areas were all subdivided tracts of land occupying ribbon farms previously owned by individuals. With the annexation of the Military Reserve and the abandonment of the Woodward Plan when subdividing the ribbon farms into plats, the rectangular grid expanded to the northwest towards the current campus for Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center. Of note, the surveyors and planners who laid out plats in this area were individuals subdividing existing farm plats into properties supporting single family homes, rather than members of a city planning commission.

As Detroit grew throughout the 19th Century, it began expanding outward along Woodward with residential areas springing up along either side of one of Detroit's main arteries. Well off families in the beginning of Detroit's industrial revolution began escaping the dense Downtown area by means of street car.

In the next decades approaching the turn of the century, the areas lining Woodward Ave began supporting a substantial population, primarily including wealthier families from Detroit. The residential area supported schools and churches, however with increasing population the main corridor began to develop commercial interests in place of the Mansions lining Woodward.

After the industrialization and the arrival of the affordable automobile, the booming population of Detroit, which typically centered around the transportation hub of the Detroit river continued expanding outward. The automobile allowed for easier commutes from the Midtown districts as middle-working class families began to occupy the area. The wealthy of Detroit continued to move into Detroit's peripheral neighborhoods like Indian Village, as middle class citizens, including a considerable African-American population, began settling into Midtown.

The Great Depression and World War II greatly impacted the pace of urbanization in Detroit. In the postwar era, midtown was targeted for urban renewal and communities that had settled on the fringe of Downtown in lower Brush and Cass Park were displaced for the new Fisher Freeway and surrounding interstate highways. A number of now historical structures are standing among the open plots where dense neighborhoods once existed.

Recent Plans for the "Arena District"

The following information as well as the map above describe the policy defined in the 2009 City of Detroit Master Plan of Policies.

Lower Woodward

Lower Woodward is generally bounded by the Ford Freeway (I-94) to the north, the Fisher Freeway (I-75) to the south, the Chrysler Freeway (I-375) to the east and Lodge Freeway (M-10) to the west. This area includes Wayne State University, the Cultural Center, Medical Center, and is immediately north of the Central Business District and south of the New Center area.

Between 1990 and 2000 the area had a slight growth in population. Over a quarter of the population are college graduates. Ninety-seven percent of the housing units are renter occupied. Reflective of the student population, more than half of Lower Woodward’s households earn less than $15,000 per year.

Neighborhoods and Housing

Issue: The area has a diverse mix of income levels. Due to redevelopment projects, availability of affordable housing is a concern. There has been substantial infill development in the northeast corner and the Brush Park area (in the southeast corner).

GOAL 1: Redevelop neighborhoods

Policy 1.1: Target Brush Park for infill housing consistent with the remaining housing stock, including owner- and renter- occupied units with a mix of market rate and affordable housing

GOAL 2: Increase residential density

Policy 2.1: Develop Woodward and Cass as high-density mixed-use corridors with housing and ground-floor commercial

Retail and Local Services

Issues: Retail along the area’s thoroughfares is limited. The retail corridors have potential due to proximity to the central business district, cultural center and Wayne State University, as well as anticipated growth and high-density housing.

GOAL 3: Increase the vitality of commercial thoroughfares

Policy 3.1: Along Woodward, encourage high density mixed uses complimentary to the area’s cultural anchors.

Policy 3.2: Along Cass, develop a compatible mix of locally serving small businesses along with businesses complimentary to the area’s cultural anchors.

Transportation and Mobility

Issue: The cultural center is isolated from other nearby activity centers such as the Central Business District. The cultural attractions along the Woodward corridor lack sufficient links to the central business district and other entertainment, cultural and tourist venues.

GOAL 4: Provide transportation options

Policy 4.1: Develop transit links from the Cultural Center to the Central Business District and other area attractions.

Historic Preservation

Issue: Many buildings and sites are aesthetically significant and/or have histories tied to the City’s origins and social and economic milestones. The number of vacant buildings creates challenges regarding their preservation and reuse. GOAL 5: Adaptive reuse and preservation of historic buildings and sites

Policy 5.1: Give high priority to the preservation of historic buildings, especially the restoration and rehabilitation of building facades.

Policy 5.2: Ensure aesthetic compatibility between new and existing structures and sites.

Arts and Culture

Issue: The area has the region’s largest concentration of cultural facilities, including: the Detroit Institute of Arts, Orchestra Hall, the Detroit Public Library and Wayne State University.

GOAL 6: Ensure that the Cultural Center remains the regional focus for cultural institutions and events.

Policy 6.1: Attract complimentary cultural and entertainment venues in proximity to the area’s institutions.

Health and Social Services

Issue: The southwest corner of the area (the Cass Corridor) contains a number of social services facilities providing much needed services for people throughout the region.

GOAL 7: Increase access to social services

Policy 7.1: Monitor the concentration of social service facilities to determine methods to meet the needs of residents in the area and to provide services in other areas throughout the region.

City Design

Issues: Woodward is a regional thoroughfare and a gateway into the City’s center. Woodward’s appearance creates a significant impression about the entire Detroit region. The activity nodes along Woodward lack identity and distinction. GOAL 8: Promote major thoroughfares as attractive gateways to the City

Policy 8.1: Recognize and protect distinctive urban vistas along Woodward to the Central Business District.

GOAL 9: Identify and distinguish activity nodes

Policy 9.1: Develop design guidelines to promote linkages among and to the various cultural and entertainment districts.