Detroitisit

06/10/2025

The City of Detroit Government is investing $800,000 in a new study to reimagine the Detroit People Mover and make it more useful for today’s downtown.

The review will look at potential upgrades, expansions, and ways to better connect the system to how Detroiters actually move through the city. Originally launched in 1987, the People Mover was designed as a transit solution but has often been seen as more of a novelty.

With new investment and fresh planning, the study could shape how this familiar loop fits into Detroit’s future mobility.

What would make you ride the People Mover more often?

PC: Detroit People Mover

03/10/2025

This photo captures the abandoned Uniroyal plant as seen from the Douglas MacArthur Bridge in May 1985, five years after the factory closed and shortly before its demolition.

Once a major tire manufacturing site along Jefferson Avenue near Belle Isle, the plant operated under names including Morgan & Wright, U.S. Rubber, and later Uniroyal. For decades, it produced tires that were shipped worldwide, anchoring Detroit’s industrial waterfront.

By the 1980s, however, shifting markets and declining production led to its closure, leaving the massive site empty until demolition began later that year.

Photo from the HistoricDetroit.org collection; original photographer unknown.

02/10/2025

Detroit is introducing a new program to help more residents become homeowners by covering up to 40% of a home’s purchase price for qualified first-time buyers.

The initiative, launched in partnership with NBA player Tobias Harris and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), provides down payment assistance through shared-appreciation mortgages.

This structure allows buyers to access immediate financial help and then repay the assistance, along with a portion of the home’s appreciated value, when they sell or refinance.

The program is designed to reduce barriers like private mortgage insurance (PMI), making homeownership more attainable.

PC: Warren LeMay, Flickr

01/10/2025

We rounded up to celebrate Halloween in Detroit this year, geared towards youth and younger children in the city of Detroit. There are more events in the area, so check out what else is going on this month for everyone.

Frightful Nights & Days are a Treat this Month for the Whole Family

01/10/2025

"My vision is a balance — a Detroit where business thrives, communities are strong, and natural systems are integrated into daily life. We have a chance to rethink how cities operate, and I want Detroit to be a model for how to turn adversity into innovation." – Tepfirah Rushdan, director of sustainability, City of Detroit Office of Sustainability

Detroit’s sustainability journey is still young, but it is already reshaping how the city thinks about land, infrastructure, and community. At the center of this work is Rushdan, who leads the city’s Office of Sustainability with a focus on climate resilience, equity, and community-driven solutions.

Rushdan, who has a long history in grassroots organizing and food equity, emphasizes that Detroit’s path forward must reflect the lived experiences and priorities of its residents. As the city prepares to showcase its efforts at the 2025 , she spoke with us about what sustainability means for Detroit today — and what opportunities lie ahead.

Read more here: https://champ.ly/CRJQtahf

Register for the summit on Nov, 6, 2025, to listen to her speak on the topics she resonates with the most – sustainable community impact:
sustainableurbandesignsummit.com

A Conversation with Tepfirah Rushdan, Detroit’s Director of Sustainability

01/10/2025

Detroit has launched the James Baldwin Sidewalk Libraries initiative, a citywide project placing small public libraries across neighborhoods.

Each library is stocked with works by James Baldwin, the American novelist, essayist, playwright, and activist known for exploring race, identity, and social justice, along with other authors. The initiative is a collaboration between Detroit ACE, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Detroit Public Library.

The library boxes were designed by local Detroit artists and serve as both functional book-sharing spaces and public art installations. Residents can borrow or contribute books, creating rotating collections that are available at any time.

The initiative increases access to literature while also recognizing Baldwin’s cultural and historical impact.

30/09/2025

📷: A concept for the central cap park along Woodward Avenue. Rendering by Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP)

Detroit is moving forward with a feasibility study to cap I-75, with the goal of reconnecting downtown neighborhoods like Brush Park and the arena district that were divided by the highway.

The yearlong study, supported by a $2 million federal grant, will explore the possibility of creating new public space above the freeway trench between 3rd Avenue and Brush Street. Engineering work could begin as early as 2026, with potential construction starting in 2028.

DDP will share more details about the project, explain its necessity, and answer public questions during a virtual public meeting from 5:30–6:30 p.m. this Thursday.

Learn more and register here: http://bit.ly/4mylYY7

29/09/2025

Detroit’s historic Eastern Market Partnership district is at the center of a major development opportunity with 22 properties recently listed for sale.

The portfolio spans over 10 acres and includes more than 430,000 square feet of commercial buildings, vacant lots, and mixed-use sites.

FIRM Real Estate Detroit, which assembled the properties, is marketing them as a chance for investors and developers to shape the future of one of Detroit’s most iconic neighborhoods. Some sites are active with businesses, while others offer space for new ideas and redevelopment.

The listing represents one of the largest coordinated property offerings in Eastern Market in recent years.

PC: Katai

26/09/2025

Looking to get outside this weekend? Skip the usual trails and check out some of Detroit’s lesser-known hiking gems. These spots offer quiet paths, unexpected scenery, and a different perspective on the city.

• Rouge Park’s Stone Bridge & Prairie Pathway: winding routes through woodlands, creeks, and open prairie.
• Southwest Greenway: a newer trail linking Corktown, Mexicantown, and the riverfront with murals and greenery along the way.
• Palmer Park’s Witherell Woods: tucked-away wooded trails that feel far removed from the city.
• Eliza Howell Nature Trail: meadows and forest paths perfect for birdwatching and quiet walks.
• Clark Park Loop: a smaller but peaceful path in Southwest Detroit, great for a short reset.

Detroit’s hiking trails don’t always make the guidebooks, which is exactly why they’re worth discovering. Where will you head first?

25/09/2025

We hand-picked some popular Detroit events in October this year to mark your calendars. Take a good look because the first of the month is coming in hot with things to do in Detroit that’ll get you ready to take on the rest of October.

Detroit Tigers The Fisher Theatre

We have a brief guide of the best Detroit events in October for an all-around exciting month. There's a unique lineup of things to do in Detroit this month to

25/09/2025

The building pictured here is United Sound Systems (U.S.S.), a recording studio established in the 1930s on Second Avenue in Detroit’s Cass Corridor. It is recognized as one of the first independent recording studios in the United States.

Over the decades, the studio was used by artists across genres. John Lee Ho**er recorded early blues tracks here, Parliament-Funkadelic created funk records, and Aretha Franklin recorded selections that highlighted her vocal range. Other sessions included jazz, rock, and soul musicians throughout the mid-20th century.

Because it operated independently rather than under a record label, United Sound Systems served a wide range of performers and projects. The recordings made there are part of Detroit’s broader influence on American music.

Today, the building remains a historic site connected to that legacy.

PC: HistoricDetroit.org

24/09/2025

Detroit’s cultural infrastructure took a big step forward this summer as Artpack Services Inc., the city’s longtime leader in art storage and logistics, officially became part of UOVO, one of the nation’s leading providers of fine art, fashion, and wine collection management.

For Caroline Page-Katz, President and COO of UOVO, Detroit represents more than just a new market. Click the link to read more.

What the Expansion Means for Detroit’s Creative Future