February 7, 2023

Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy Breaks Ground on much anticipated Seven-acre Broadway Park West in Ann Arbor

by DTE Energy

Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy Breaks Ground on much anticipated Broadway Park West in Ann Arbor

• Transformative project will be the first public space in the City to be developed and operated by a conservancy
• The valuable site, a former DTE Energy operation, will connect 1,200 feet of riverfront trails to Washtenaw County’s ‘Border to Border’ trail system
• Initial phase of the park to open by early 2024

 ANN ARBOR, JAN. 31, 2023 – The Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy today broke ground on Broadway Park West, a transformational project along the Huron River at Broadway Street in Ann Arbor.  The project will convert nearly seven acres of currently unused industrial land into a world-class public space.  

The finished project will connect miles of pathways, and include an ice-ribbon, a pedestrian bridge to the Argo Cascades, event lawns, and a year-round pavilion for community gatherings and entertainment.  The centerpiece of the park will be the Commons – a two- acre, tree-lined elliptical lawn that will sit adjacent to a 1,200-foot riverfront trail, connecting Broadway Park West to the Washtenaw County’s Border to Border trail system.  When complete, the project will open up riverfront land that has been closed to the public since the 19^th  century.

DTE Energy gas company operations occupied the site for years, conducting extensive remediation so that it could ultimately be repurposed as a public place to be enjoyed by Ann Arbor residents.  After collaborating for over 7 years, the company sold the property to the Roxbury Group with the intention of this exact project.

“DTE has been committed to a redevelopment of this site from the start, partnering with the City of Ann Arbor and community members to preserve the urban greenspace bordering the riverfront and creating a world-class public park,” said Jerry Norcia, DTE Chairman and CEO. “This is an exciting example of an adaptive reuse project, which provides important access to the public and serves as a model for the rest of the state. We’re thrilled that this project will serve as a catalyst for continued growth and economic development in this region.”

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor agreed.

“This is probably the most important real estate projects I have seen in Ann Arbor in 75 years” said Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor. “Ensuring that this riverfront property is available for the public to enjoy in perpetuity was a major factor in why we approved this project so overwhelmingly. The public-private partnership between the conservancy, the city and the developers meets all of the objectives we had in trying to determine best uses for this important site.” 

As part of initial planning for the site, Roxbury, in collaboration with DTE, hosted over 60 meetings involving more than 400 individuals from the neighborhoods, community groups and local businesses.  The plan that emerged from that effort established priorities for the site and was ultimately approved by City Council on a 10-1 vote.

A critical part of the City’s approval process for the project was the requirement that the developer form an independent 501c3 non-profit entity that would ultimately be responsible for the funding and oversight of the public space.  In accordance with that requirement, the Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy was formed in 2020.  Since then, the Conservancy has formed an independent Board of Directors, established a collaboration with the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and secured both public and private funding necessary to construct the public space components required by the City.

“The Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy is extremely grateful for the strong support it has received both from the State of Michigan and our private donors toward the development of this long-awaited public space and trail project for the Ann Arbor community” said Marie Klopf, President of the Conservancy.  “When we finish construction of the public space next year, it will not only transform over seven acres of blighted and historically industrial land into a world-class public space but will serve as a model in our city for how public, private and philanthropic sectors can collaborate to achieve community goals.” 

The public space is the first phase of the larger redevelopment plan for the 14-acre site.  Once the public space and related infrastructure improvements are completed, work will begin on the next phase, which will include approximately 100 for sale residences, a boutique hotel and approximately 20,000 square feet of neighborhood retail.  A groundbreaking on these elements of the project is expected in early 2024, after the public space is complete.  Major design, engineering and consulting support for the project has been provided by Smithgroup, Stantec, SME, Hamilton Anderson Associates, Project for Public Spaces and Fishbeck.

About the Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy

The Lower Town Riverfront Conservancy is a 501c3 enterprise which was formed in connection with the entitlement and redevelopment of the former Michigan Consolidated Gas Company property located at 841 Broadway in Ann Arbor.  That property is currently owned by DTE Energy and is under a Development Agreement with the Roxbury Group. The overall project is generally known as “Broadway Park West.”  Roxbury is acting as master developer on the project, and per the development plan approved by the City. The Conservancy was specifically formed for the establishment, improvement, operation, maintenance, conservation and preservation of publicly accessible green space, trails and pathways, and park amenities along 1200 feet of the Huron River, which comprises more than half the site.    The formation of the Conservancy was required of the developer by the City of Ann Arbor as part of the Zoning and Site Plan process that took place between 2019 and 2021.  The City wanted to ensure that the substantial public space and waterways components of the project described above were ultimately held in trust for the benefit of the community in perpetuity, and that there would be sufficient funds raised by the developer, both public and private, for the construction and ongoing maintenance of the public space.   A central component of the Conservancy’s mission is the restoration and perpetual care and maintenance of the natural habitat along the Huron River, as well as the restoration of the uplands, which will include, among other things, the planting of over 100 trees. 

 About The Roxbury Group

The Roxbury Group is a real estate development and investment firm founded in 2005. The firm specializes in complex real estate and economic development projects.  Since its founding, the Roxbury Group has developed $300 million in projects with $150 million of projects in the pipeline. In addition to the David Whitney and the Element Detroit at the Metropolitan Building, Roxbury’s hospitality work includes the AC Detroit at the Bonstelle in midtown Detroit which is targeted to break ground later this year, and a planned 150 key hotel at Ann Arbor’s Broadway Park West development.

 About DTE Energy

 DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, renewable natural gas, and energy marketing and trading. DTE Electric plans to reduce Scope 1 CO2 emissions by 90% and DTE Gas plans to reduce Scope 3 methane emissions by 35% by 2040, while keeping energy safe, reliable and affordable. DTE Electric and Gas aspire to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. DTE is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy. 

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