Years of neglect left the Detroit riverfront a barren landscape littered with industrial remnants, derelict land, and parking lots. Access to the water's edge from the core of the city was limited, and in many cases restricted by private land. Over more than 25 years, through a multi-phased approach, Kahn has helped reinvigorate these desolate, disconnected sites, replacing them with an accessible riverfront promenade connected by plazas and park spaces, in partnership with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.

Civic Center Promenade

Starting at the Civic Center, a 3,000-foot serpentine wall winds along the promenade, creating seating both on top of and built into its length. Grassy mounds alternate along the path, offering elevated river views while buffering the promenade from nearby traffic. River birch and white pine trees frame the riverwalk with native plantings that restore the landscape and provide year-round color and texture. Large public artworks, including the Underground Railroad sculpture by Ed Dwight, are woven into the design to tell the city's history.

GM Plaza Promenade

Kahn designed the GM Plaza Promenade, the first piece of the larger Ambassador Bridge to MacArthur Bridge promenade developed by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. The site, filled with unknown industrial fill, could not initially support a plaza without risk of structural damage. Kahn's engineers designed a foundation using 12 to 14 feet of Geofoam blocking, built to support the heaviest manufactured military vehicle produced by GM, so the plaza could also serve as display space for GM vehicles outside the Renaissance Center, GM's headquarters at the time. The plaza's surface features a granite world map with GM's manufacturing facilities illuminated within the granite pavers.

Mt. Elliott Park

Mt. Elliott Park sat on the river's edge but remained disconnected from the city's core and underused as riverfront space. Kahn renovated the park and extended it to the water's edge with walkways, promenades, fishing piers, and interactive gathering spaces, connecting it to the Riverwalk system. A custom sculpture, the "Great Lakes Beached Schooner," references the Detroit River's shipbuilding history and doubles as an interactive water feature and splash pad for families.

Additional Riverfront Sites

Kahn has also designed the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater Plaza Restoration, Watermark Park, the Atwater Marina Extension, the Gabriel Richard Park Green Parking Field, and the Uniroyal Promenade. Together, these projects span miles along the Detroit River, forming a pedestrian-friendly destination within the city.