4. Make front porch a permanent feature

During the years, most Landing redevelopment talk has centered around spending big money to better integrate the center with the downtown it currently turns its back on. While many have called for demolishing the building, an event held the last few months may suggest that a viable alternative is staring us right in our face. In February, Transform Jax partnered with Downtown Vision, Inc. and the Landing to create a pop-up park during First Wednesday Art Walk called the Front Porch.

Front Porch basically reimagines the open space at the Landing, along Independent Drive, into a place featuring outdoor seating, live music, free games and a marketplace for local artisans and food trucks. Front Porch has proven to be a popular attraction and the Landing’s frontage along Independent Drive and Hogan Street serves as place for unexplored recreational opportunity.

Hogan Street is a continued missed opportunity to further integrate the Landing and the Northbank Riverwalk with downtown.

If an example is needed, Downtown Detroit Partnership’s “front porch” in Cadillac Square at Campus Martius Park is worth a visit. Instead of worrying about adding expensive brick pavers, landscaping, light fixtures and roundabouts, Detroiters have replaced these items and cars with basketball courts, ping pong, bean bag toss, bocce ball, chess and a host of other activities.

Downtown Detroit’s Cadillac Square