Corktown, long known for its wood-framed houses, restaurants and taverns, is the site of the automaker's planned
The
When work is completed, the 30-acre (12.1 hectare) site will have more than 1 million square feet (304,800 metres) of commercial space.
“This is a really, authentically beautiful neighbourhood. It’s really important that we maintain its integrity,” said
For decades, Corktown stood in the long shadow of the hulking 17-story train station. After being vacated in 1988, the building epitomized Detroit’s blight and economic despair amid the city’s steadily shrinking manufacturing base and exodus of people.
Between the 1950s and 2010,
Through it all, the train station remained standing — too costly to demolish, too large for other uses, and a contradiction to its once-ornate grandeur.
The depot opened in late 1913 and was designed by the same architects who created New York’s
Businessman Manuel “Matty” Moroun bought the building in the mid-1990s after a previous owner defaulted on a loan, but an anchor tenant could not be found.
Two years ago,
The former
“The Book Depository is going to be the heart of the innovation district ... a mixed-use maker space for partners to come in and solve problems," Culler said. "We think that this project is really pivotal for
A greenway will connect 7 acres behind the train station to the city’s west riverfront, while the train platform and tracks will be repurposed as a technology testing and showcase area. It also is expected to feature pedestrian and bike paths.
The walkable community will connect the train station campus to surrounding neighbourhoods.
“There were people nervous about the significant impact the project would have on residents and housing prices,” Trudeau said. “People were concerned that their neighbours who were renters might be displaced due to rising prices.”
In some cases, rents have doubled — something residents worried about after Ford’s 2018 announcement, said
“Everybody is seeing dollar signs, so rents are going up,” said Walker, 67, who is retired. “You can still make your money, this is America. But what can we do to keep the neighbourhood diverse?”
The city is seeking a competitive federal grant that would help fund up to 800 new affordable housing units in Corktown.
“With all of the economic development happening in Corktown, it is critical that there is affordable housing developed alongside it,” said
Some
“It is more than just the train station. We want to be a good neighbour there," she said.
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