The District Detroit, City of Detroit and University of Michigan Host Community Meetings for Planned Public Plaza

Olympia Development of Michigan, Related Companies, City of Detroit and University of Michigan Center for Innovation held two public meetings during which members of the community were invited to share their ideas for a planned community plaza in The District Detroit. Currently referred to as the M-Block Plaza, the public space will be adjacent to the University of Michigan Center for Innovation near the intersection of Columbia Street and Cass Avenue.

The University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI) is now under construction near the intersection of Grand River and Columbia Street in The District Detroit and is expected to open in 2027. The UMCI will be a world-class research, education and entrepreneurship center designed to advance innovation and talent-focused community development intended to propel city, region and statewide job creation and inclusive economic growth by stimulating economic development in Detroit.

The M-Block Plaza will be a public connector to the UMCI and other proposed developments including a residential tower and a business incubator. The charrette-style community meetings are intended to help ensure the plaza is a purposeful, culturally relevant, and useful place for Detroit. The M-Block Plaza will be approximately 20,000 square feet.

Community members heard from Rian English Barnhill, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at Olympia Development; Stephanie Calhoun, Vice President of Construction at Related Midwest; Ryan Friedrichs, Vice President of Development at Related Companies; and Lutalo Sanifu, Director of Community Engagement for the University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit.

Speaking at the event, Sanifu told attendees: “Our engagement philosophy is ‘Nothing about us without us.’ We want to engage with 30,000 community members a year.”

The public input and ideas from the two sessions will help determine the plaza’s design, activation and amenities.

The meetings were held on Wednesday, October 16, and Wednesday, October 23 and were held at The District Detroit Opportunity Center.