The idea of creating a riverfront area in downtown Detroit was first proposed in 1890 by Hazen Pingree, the current mayor. Over the years several plans had emerged to create some sort of a central riverfront, but economic conditions always seemed to prohibit it.

After WW II, when many people were moving from Detroit to the burbs, city officials wanted to create a new reason for people to come downtown. The development of the Civic Center area became a principle part of the Detroit Master Plan in 1951.

The Veteran’s Memorial Building was the first to be constructed. It was followed by hart plaza the City-County Building in 1955 and the Ford Auditorium in 1956 (which was built by donations from the Ford family). The auditorium was to be home of the Detroit Symphony. In 1960, the Albert E. Cobo Hall and Arena was completed, and in 1979 Hart Plaza (which includes the $2 million Dodge Fountain) capped off the Civic Center development. Hart Plaza serves as the summer gathering place for various musical and ethnic festivals including the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, the largest free music festival in the world.

The area will soon be building again. Cobo Hall is set to expand and the Ford Auditorium may be taken down to make way for a water front aquarium. Also, a new riverwalk, which will extend from Joe Louis Arena through the Civic Center, is part of the planned expansion of the East Riverfront.

--Jacquie Trost

Hart Plaza photo by detroitderek