Mayor Mike Duggan Celebrates Development, Revitalization in Detroit

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is on a mission to eradicate blight and promote development in Detroit. 

To demonstrate this commitment, Duggan recently took News 7 Detroit's Simon Shaykhet on a tour of the city's revitalization efforts. 

"From day one, I've felt like the train station was a symbol of Detroit's decline," Duggan said, speaking about the development efforts at Michigan Central Station. "If you put windows in, people would see the potential." 

Michigan Central Station joins projects in downtown, Corktown, and Midtown experiencing a rebirth. In the midst of his final year in office, Duggan points to structures like the Commonwealth Building on Michigan Avenue as a continuation of his commitment to revitalizing Detroit. 

"We are preserving it. We're not going to knock it down. It's a historic part of this neighborhood," he said to 7 News Detroit. "My great-grandfather had a blacksmith shop on Michigan and 31st. My grandmother taught at DPS and grew up here. I think of this in terms of generations of Detroiters."

Other examples of projects in the works include the site of the former Southwest Detroit Hospital, which will be demolished to make way for a new soccer stadium for Detroit City FC. 

Over on West Grand Boulevard, Lee Plaza is rising from decades of neglect with new housing. The Henry Ford Hospital has committed to a $2 billion expansion of its facility.

Duggan explained to Shaykhet that economic stability remains at the cornerstone of Detroit's revitalization. He recently shared plans to relocate General Motors' headquarters to the new Hudson's building on Woodward Avenue. He is also collaborating with Bedrock to identify investors who will reimagine Renaissance Center as a site offering a first-class pier, outdoor venue, office space, and housing.