vista project

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Mexicantown: Vernor/Bagley/Vista

Consultant Names Here

A World of Cultures

Detroit Collaborative Design CenterUniversity of Detroit Mercy School of ArchitecturePrepared for Southwest Housing Solutions

15 January 2011

M e x i c a n t o w n : V e r n o r / B a g l e y V i s t a

A W o r l d o f C u l t u r e s

V / B / V



Mexicantown: Vernor/Bagley Vista

Consultant Names Here

Detroit Collaborative Design CenterUniversity of Detroit Mercy School of ArchitecturePrepared for Southwest Housing Solutions

15 January 2011

When we travel to another city, we are drawn to that “must visit” district. It’s a place wherewe take and feel the pulse of the city. A unique place that somehow epitomizes the characterof the city in the way it weaves together its distinctive features. Its people and commerce.Its history and ambition. Its culture and cuisine. Its landscape and architecture. All of thesecombine to create a compelling energy and rhythm that inhabits us when we visit this place. Wemove to its music; and when we leave we feel that we’ve experienced something that makesthis city unlike any other.

We are poised to make it happen. In a 20-block area of southwest Detroit. Between theRiverwalk and Corktown. Amid the Gateway to Canada and the bustle of Mexicantown. Alongthe Vernor corridor and the trestles leading to the historic Michigan Depot. This is an area thatis primed to capitalize on its progress, choreograph its past, and catalyze its promise.

This is an area that is distinctively Detroit—in its diversity, history, culture, and lay of the land.And this could become that “must visit” place, where the pulse of the city beats strong andwe are drawn to the lively rhythm. We imagine an eminently walkable place where people ofall ages and ethnicities mingle, listen to live music, savor the local cuisine at restaurants, shop

for items in specialty stores, buy fresh local produce, appreciate the work of area artists, strollto the river and connect to the Riverwalk, and feel energized by the teeming variety that adynamic urban setting can offer.

In this 20-block venue, signicant infrastructure investment has already been made, andimportant pieces are already in place. The area is on the verge of becoming that vibrant localewhich Detroit needs to hearten its spirit and spur its revival. The development project is called“Mexicantown: Vernor/Bagley Vista” or “Vista,” for short. Vista will not only serve as a keydestination spot. It will link and invigorate nearby neighborhoods that are already regarded assome of the most stable and viable communities in the city.

We invite you to learn more about this emerging vision and exciting project. This prospectusprovides an overview of the Vista plan and describes how the community itself is driving it.Most of all, it offers an opportunity to see how individuals and families willexperience the venue— and move to its music.

Where is this place in Detroit? Although the potential exists, the place itself does not yet. Yet.

Welcome Note f rom John Van Camp, President: Southwest Solutions



Introduction

Mexicantown: Vernor Bagley Vista is an urban design community-

based project that focuses on a 20-block area surrounding the1-75and Vernor intersection in Southwest Detroit.

The project has brought together over 75 individuals representingvarious interests, organizations and cultures of the neighborhood.In addition, many neighbors and regional stakeholders have alsoparticipated in the collaborative effort to brainstorm what couldhappen along Vernor and Bagley to better serve the residents,regional visitors and international visitors of Mexicantown. Themain intentions of the project that were voiced by the stakeholderswere to (1) Link Mexicantown to surrounding systems andneighborhoods (2) Promote a multi-cultural neighborhood and (3)Encourage the triple bottom line (walkablitiy and sustainability).

The project has evolved over a six month period including manyworkshops, focus group meetings and on site investigations. Theplan that has resulted from the process is a plan that focuses oncreating stronger connections to Corktown and the Riverfrontthrough landscape and aesthetic improvements, to encourage andamplify the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of the neighborhoodwith public art and incubator space, to encourage a socialatmosphere through public events, farmers markets, and lightstreets, and lastly to develop Vernor and Bagley with businesses soas to encourage pedestrian movement along the street.

Mexicantown: Vernor/Bagley VistaA World of Cultures

Vic Alba, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, Kate Brennn, Phil

Cooley, Emma Heinmann (Shettler), Sean Mann, Monte

Martinez, Kris Miranne, Maria Elena Rodriguez, Ismael

Duran, Clarence Lee, Joe Rashid, Lydia Guitterez, Jeff

DeBruyn, Jon Koller, Shaun Nethercott, Cara Graninger,

Shannon Lowell, Chris Brown, Marty Joyce, Jeff Klein,

Dotti Sharp, Nefertiti Harris

Stakeholder Participation



“Food, Art & Music bring us together” • Mexicantown Stakeholder



Introduction

The project has brought together over 75 individuals representing various interests, organizations and cultures of the neighborhood.The Mexicantown: Vernor/Bagley Vista used anationally recognized Neighborhood Engagement

Workshop (NEW) process developed by theDetroit Collaborative Design Center. This processempowers neighborhood residents to renew

their communities. Workshops bring a mix ofstakeholders including community residents,youth, business owners, local governmentrepresentatives, etc. to the same table to discussneighborhood assets and needs. The NEW

process guides participants in actualizing theirown creativity to solve problems. While othermodels tend to do most of the work and moveon, the Design Center leaves the tools behind in

the minds and hands of the participants.



Abbreviated Stakeholder Participatory Timeline

555 Gallery, 100 points of Light, City of Detroit, City of Windsor, COMPAS, Congress of Communities, ContinentalRail Gateway, Corktown Business (Salon) Owner, Corktown

Residence Council, Donavon’s Pub, Green Links, HaciendaMexican Foods, Honey Bee Market, La Sed, Living Arts, LISC,Matrix Theater, Mexican Village Restaurant, MexicantownResidents & Youth, Michigan Hispanic Chamber ofCommerce, MI Municipal League, SDDC, Slows Restaurant,Southwest Detroit Development Collaborative, SouthwestHousing Solutions, Southwest Solutions, The Tortilla Factory,University of Detroit Mercy, Urban Landscape, WARM,

Wayne State University, West Grand Blvd. Residents, WestGrand United for Progress, Whitdel Arts

Stakeholder Group Participation



Introduction

Diverse and Active Population

Dynamic Arts Culture

Active Businesses and Non profits

Driving Forces

Connection/Collection

Triple Bottom Line

Multi-Cultural District

Range of Users

Range of Development

Create a Brand

Progressive Technology

Project Intentions...de ned by the focus group

Link to surrounding systems and neighborhoods

Promote sustainability and walkability

Encourage development to amplify the uniqueness of all cultures

During the Neighborhood Engagement Workshopprocess a variety of Driving Forces and Project Intentionswere identied and prioritized to guide the design anddevelopment process.

1.

2.

3.



M e x ic a n t o w n C o m m e r c ia l C o r r id o r

Corktown Commercial Corridor

20-Block Pr imar y F ocus Ar ea

2000 Census Tract 5211Population: 2,012Total Housing Units: 769 Occupied Units: 86.3%Median HouseholdIncome: $28,333Median Housing Value: $48,800Commute to work Drove Alone: 49.5%

2000 Census Tract 5234Population: 2,886Total Housing Units: 1,113 Occupied Units: 88.9%Median HouseholdIncome: $27,353Median Housing Value: $46,200Commute to work Drove Alone: 54.6%

2000 Census Tract 5214Population: 1,253Total Housing Units: 651 Occupied Units: 82.8%Median HouseholdIncome: $23,897

Median Housing Value: $66,900Commute to work Drove Alone: 76.5%

Corktown Core

Hubbard - Richard

Hubbard Farms

MDOT has invested $230 million in the Gateway Project to ease trafc an d upgrade the I-75, I-96, Ambassador Bridge connection.

The Bagley St. Pedestrian Bridge, the rst cable-stayed pedestrianbridge in Michigan, is a $5 million investment aiming to reconnect

business districts and neighborhoods on both sides of I-75.

88,000 vehicles per day and6,101 trucks per day

10,000 trucks per day travel the local roads (MDOT)

100,000 vehicles per day tr avel through the 1-75/I-96 corridor interchange (MDOT)

The Ambassador Bridge isNorth America’sbusiest

international border crossing.

25% of all trade merchandise between the U.S.and Canada passes over the Ambassador Bridge.

Southwest Detroit’s ve main business districts,including

Mexicantown, are home to 140 restaurants ,30 bakeries ,and 25 grocery and specialty food stores. (SDBA)

“[Mexicantown] is a place of creativity and culture.” • Mexicantown Stakeholder



They are coming; we will build it.Mexicantown Stakeholder

02bWelcoming SceneVernor & I-75 Exit Ramp

02aMercado Cultural SquareVernor & 21th Street

01VIAductVernor & 18th Street

still allowing for urban places for people to meet during day-to-day activities.



Vernor & 18th Street

Vernor VIAduct

18th and Vernor is a gateway into Mexicantown and a lively

connection to the surrounding neighborhoods, making thisMonday morning a great start to the week. The Vernor VIAduct(at the intersection of Vernor and 18th) is a fun and safe routefor kids to travel on their way to school. They can pick upbreakfast in the new cafe on the corner or a snack in the newhealth-mart under the VIAduct where new incubators haveopened. Many teens take their skateboard and hit the skatepark in Roosevelt Park before class, even though it makes thema little late! Others ride the bus, walk or drive through theVernor VIAduct. The early risers are seen getting in their runor bike ride around the Green Loop before work. No matterwhere you are going, or the time of day, the Vernor VIAductintersection is a fun and active place expressing the dynamic andculturally-rich neighborhood of Mexicantown.

18th & Vernor

01

A destination between vibrant surrounding communities.



Connecting Corktown with Mexicantown.



Vernor & 21st Street

Mercado Cultural Square

On Saturday evening, the plaza adjacent to the Bagley StreetPedestrian Bridge is energized with local vendors, residents, andvisitors. The smell of local food wafts through the air, ethnic

music plays in the background, street performers entertaincrowds, and people of all ages gather to socialize, shop, stroll,and absorb the local avor of the neighborhood. Neighborsock to The Mercado Cultural Square to enjoy music andfriends almost every weekend-its the only one of its kind in thearea. A young couple also enjoys The Mercado Cultural Squarefor the convenience of being able to have a great dinner in theneighborhood and then nish the night by walking to the squareto listing to music. Kids love The Square as a place to run free,buy treats from local vendors and play in the new water featurethat emits mist, watering the plants and grass in the square. Thecombination of entertainment and location makes this a greatneighborhood social space, in the heart of the community, and alocal destination for neighbors.

On A Saturday Evening

02 a



The Living Room for the Community.



Vernor & I-75 Exit Ramp

Welcoming Scene

It’s Friday, late afternoon, and people are out and about. Thereis food, art, and plenty of social spaces to wind down. Residentson their way home from work stop and meet their friends for

a quick conversation on the benches that line the temptingrestaurants along Vernor. A visiting family from Canada hasstopped into Mexicantown to visit the Vernor/Bagley stripafter seeing the large “Mexicantown” sign when crossing theAmbassador Bridge. The family enjoys walking around andlooking at the art displayed in the storefronts. They decide tograb a bite to eat before heading back on the road again. Thereare many choices of cuisine-from African to Italian to MiddleEastern to Mexican to American-it is hard to choose! Theydecide on a new Middle Eastern cafe where, from the diningarea, you can watch people pass by on the streets and artists atwork in the studio next door. The energy is high and everyoneis excited about the positive vibe that lls the streets of Vernor/Bagley/Vista.

An Afternoon in Mexicantown

02 b

Connect east and west along Vernor with bike lanes,



business development and arches designed by local artists.



Vernor & 24th Street

Neighborhood Locale

Lunchtime on Vernor has never been so convenient andexciting! The once open lots along Vernor are now activatedwith food vendors from all over the city. Students, tourists andbusiness people ock to these locales to get a quick bite to eator just hang out. Over time, tables and chairs have been putout creating social hot spots in the neighborhood. And whenpeople are not at the locale, the detailed murals on the groundplane continue to give these spaces character. Now whenwalking down Vernor there is more to look at, more aromas tosmell, and more people and activities to engage in.

Lunchtime

03



A Place where people meet during day-to-day activities.



Next Steps



For more information please contact:Dan Loacano (313) 297-1347Southwest Housing Solutions

1920 25th StreetDetroit, MI 48216

vista project

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