Roosevelt Park — Attraction in Detroit

Located south of Michigan Avenue (U.S. 12) in Corktown (Detroit's oldest neighborhood), most people probably think of Roosevelt Park as "the front lawn of Michigan Central Station". Actually, the park has been owned and operated by the City of Detroit for more than a century -- it was dedicated in memory of President Theodore Roosevelt (1856-1919) in 1921. Nestled between two of Detroit's most-vibrant neighborhoods, West Corktown and Mexicantown in southwest Detroit, the park serves as a bridge between the Mexican and Irish immigrant cultures -- there's no "wrong side of the tracks" here. Festivals and celebrations regularly took place in the park, but as it fell into disrepair, programming dwindled. When renovations began at Ford Motor Company's Michigan Central Station in 2018, the City of Detroit began planning improvements to the station's "front yard". In 2020, the Greater Corktown Framework Plan identified Roosevelt Park as a priority for neighborhood residents. The plan specifically recommended re-routing West Vernor Highway away from the center of the park, creating a unified parcel. As a result, one-time 16th Street (connecting Michigan Avenue with the railroad underpass) now handles West Vernor traffic. A wide sidewalk (paralleling the path of the removed four-lane boulevard) now connects Roosevelt Park Main Entrance (on the avenue) with The Station's main entrance. Thanks to Federal funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, the General Services Division commenced the Roosevelt Park Improvement Project. Community outreach was conducted in the Corktown, Mexicantown, and Hubbard-Richard neighborhoods. After months of public input, a new design for Roosevelt Park was finalized, and construction started in July 2022. Less than a year later (June 2023), the "new" Roosevelt Park re-opened to the public. Park visitors can also visit Ford Motor Company's renovated Michigan Central Station, where free admission "lobby hours" run from 8 am to 5 pm, seven days a week. It's a great place to cool off (or warm up). Roosevelt Park Parking Lot provides a few off-street parking spaces near Rose Street, just south of the vacant St. Paul's German Evangelical Church -- note the 1872 cornerstone, and the missing steeple. There's also plenty of free curbside parking spaces nearby, but demand for parking is strong among Michigan Central visitors. Roosevelt Park also features a few bicycle...

I love this park but I don't think it gets the attention it deserves because It's no secret the real attraction here is the infamous train station that is either loved or hated. Generally speaking there is no in between when it comes to the opinions of the locals. Regardless of were you stand on the matter, you have probably fallen victim yourself to its unquestionable ability to draw people in closer and that's why this is the perfect spot for an amazing park but the sad part is it doesn't feel much like a park not unless there is some big event going on here. I would love to see the City do here what it's done with the Riverfront property and the Dequindre cut and transform it into a place where everyone can come together and unify as a community safely and have fun together. Why not just capitalize on the fact it does draw in visitors to the city and whether we like it or not or think it's an eye sore people still want to see it and be a part of it might, so why not spin that in the city's advantage? I feel Michigan Ave. should definitely be next on the list to get restored after Woodward & the M1rail...

Roosevelt Park is an iconic urban park in Detroit, Michigan. With the Michigan Central Station as a backdrop, it is a quintessential place to visit and have photos taken - visit on a random Saturday between 4 and 6 pm and see throngs of newlyweds and their wedding parties posing. It is also the gateway to different communities, with Southwest and Corktown converging at this spot. Unfortunately, it is poorly designed - you may not even recognize Roosevelt Park as a Park, because there is literally a highway, Vernor Highway bisecting the green space. The highway is 4 lanes wide in each direction, and there are often cars parked at the side of these large roads. It makes for a very un-park like experience as people use this park more as a parking lot than as a typical park. Hopefully, the City of Detroit and some interested neighbors can band together to transform this oft-neglected park into a beautiful asset to...