Detroit Unveils Ambitious Plan to Revitalize Packard Plant, Bring Life to City's Most Notorious Industrial Ruin
A long-abandoned industrial giant on Detroit's east side is set to be reborn. The city has unveiled a proposal to redevelop 28 acres of the Packard Plant into a vibrant mixed-use district that will include affordable housing units, an indoor skate park, a museum dedicated to electronic music, and over two acres of public recreational space.
Mayor Mike Duggan on Monday announced the plan, dubbed "Packard Park," which promises to revive the site that was once the symbol of Detroit's manufacturing decline. The redevelopment project aims to bring new life to a long-faded industrial giant, turning it into an employment center and housing hub for the city.
The proposed development will include the historic Albert Kahn-designed building on West Grand Boulevard, a 117,000-square-foot structure that was once slated for demolition. A new 393,000-square-foot industrial facility will be built to create an estimated 300 full-time manufacturing jobs, according to developers Packard Development Partners LLC.
Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield praised the plan as a turning point for the site, saying it marks a new era of progress and collaboration for Detroiters, public partners, and committed developers. Councilman Scott Benson echoed her sentiments, stating that the proposal "represents better days ahead" for the Packard site.
The project is expected to be completed by 2029, pending final approvals and financing. The nonprofit Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation will serve as fiduciary for a philanthropic fundraising campaign tied to the restoration of the Kahn building. Detroit Regional Partnership also supported the project through its VIP Site Readiness Grant Program.
Developer Mark Bennett highlighted the significance of this partnership, saying it marks "the first real momentum" at the site in decades. "Where other efforts have stalled, we feel momentum and a spirit of collaboration to finally redevelop the Packard site as Packard Park," he added.
The redevelopment project promises to bring culture, housing, and jobs to the city for this generation and beyond. With detailed planning and community engagement set to begin next year, the future looks bright for Detroit's most notorious industrial ruin turned vibrant mixed-use district.
A long-abandoned industrial giant on Detroit's east side is set to be reborn. The city has unveiled a proposal to redevelop 28 acres of the Packard Plant into a vibrant mixed-use district that will include affordable housing units, an indoor skate park, a museum dedicated to electronic music, and over two acres of public recreational space.
Mayor Mike Duggan on Monday announced the plan, dubbed "Packard Park," which promises to revive the site that was once the symbol of Detroit's manufacturing decline. The redevelopment project aims to bring new life to a long-faded industrial giant, turning it into an employment center and housing hub for the city.
The proposed development will include the historic Albert Kahn-designed building on West Grand Boulevard, a 117,000-square-foot structure that was once slated for demolition. A new 393,000-square-foot industrial facility will be built to create an estimated 300 full-time manufacturing jobs, according to developers Packard Development Partners LLC.
Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield praised the plan as a turning point for the site, saying it marks a new era of progress and collaboration for Detroiters, public partners, and committed developers. Councilman Scott Benson echoed her sentiments, stating that the proposal "represents better days ahead" for the Packard site.
The project is expected to be completed by 2029, pending final approvals and financing. The nonprofit Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation will serve as fiduciary for a philanthropic fundraising campaign tied to the restoration of the Kahn building. Detroit Regional Partnership also supported the project through its VIP Site Readiness Grant Program.
Developer Mark Bennett highlighted the significance of this partnership, saying it marks "the first real momentum" at the site in decades. "Where other efforts have stalled, we feel momentum and a spirit of collaboration to finally redevelop the Packard site as Packard Park," he added.
The redevelopment project promises to bring culture, housing, and jobs to the city for this generation and beyond. With detailed planning and community engagement set to begin next year, the future looks bright for Detroit's most notorious industrial ruin turned vibrant mixed-use district.
I'm so hyped about this redevelopment plan for the Packard Plant! It's like a breath of fresh air for Detroit - who wouldn't want affordable housing, an indoor skate park, and a museum dedicated to electronic music? 
The fact that they're bringing life to such a notorious industrial ruin is a huge win. And 300 full-time manufacturing jobs? That's a game-changer for the city! 
I'm all about community engagement and collaboration, so it's awesome to see the city working with developers and public partners on this project. The timeline of 2029 feels like forever from now, but trust me when I say that this is gonna be huge! 
[a picture of a factory turning into a skate park]
. Affordable housing, an indoor skate park, and a museum dedicated to electronic music? That sounds like the perfect combo 
. And let's not forget about all the jobs that'll be created - 300 full-time manufacturing gigs alone? 
. It's gonna be a game-changer for Detroiters and visitors alike 
. And it's awesome to see local organizations stepping up to support this project 
. The Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation is doing amazing work 
, and I'm stoked to see the Philanthropic Fundraising campaign taking shape 
.
, though - 5 years feels like an eternity in development time 
. But fingers crossed for a bright future ahead of us all 
!
affordable housing is something we should all be talking about, it's not just for low-income families anymore, anyone can benefit from having a place to call home. and the fact that they're incorporating public recreational space is amazing, our cities need more of that. i'm rooting for this project, let's hope it gets the funding it needs and becomes the revitalization detroit so desperately needs 
. 300 new manufacturing jobs? That's amazing news for the local economy 
I'm not sure how much more of these redevelopment plans I can stomach... like, we've been hearing about some cool new project popping up every other day, but does it ever actually happen? This Packard Plant thing seems promising on paper though - I mean, a museum dedicated to electronic music and an indoor skate park sound awesome. But what about the working-class people who are gonna be living in those affordable housing units? Are they gonna get decent jobs or just another string of temporary gigs?
affordable housing units and an indoor skate park? yes, please! 
and a museum for electronic music? detroit needs more of that 
the fact that they're saving the historic albert kahn-designed building is a major win too 
can't wait to see packard park come to life by 2029! 
... I mean, how can you expect to revive a site that's been abandoned for decades? There'll be plenty of bureaucratic red tape and cost overruns. And what about the environmental hazards they're gonna stir up when they start digging and building? The city's gonna end up with another mess on its hands 
... And affordable housing units? Good luck with that, those'll just get flipped for cash in a few years 
. Seriously though, it's awesome that there's some actual progress happening for once. 300 full-time jobs is pretty cool too. I hope it all comes together smoothly by 2029 
. The city needs something like this to bring some life back. It's a start, right?
its kinda cool i guess but also kinda surprising how they managed to get so many different things in there like affordable housing and jobs for people i mean what kinda city gets to do that with an old factory 
. I'm all about revitalizing abandoned areas and bringing in fresh life to cities. Detroit's been through some tough times, but this seems like a great step forward 
.
Let's get this project done by 2029 & make it a reality 
! It's been a total eyesore on Detroit's east side for far too long. I mean, can you imagine what it could've been? A thriving industrial hub with a museum dedicated to electronic music? That sounds like a sick spot for music lovers and entrepreneurs alike 
.
plus, it's awesome that they're keeping the historic albert kahn-designed building, that's some serious architectural cred right there 
and let's not forget about all the new jobs that are gonna get created - 300 full-time manufacturing gigs? that's like, totally a game-changer for detroit's economy 
plus affordable housing is a game changer 4 detroiters who need it most. can't wait 2 c how it all comes together by 2029!!! 
. From affordable housing to an indoor skate park, this mixed-use district is going to bring people together and create something truly unique 
. And the fact that over 300 full-time manufacturing jobs are being created is just amazing 
... like anyone's going to actually use that indoor skate park or listen to electronic music in a museum 
️. And don't even get me started on the "affordable housing" units - we all know what that really means, right? 
. Can we please focus on making sure these developments actually benefit the community, rather than just lining the pockets of wealthy developers and city officials? 