New Center targets infrastructure near Argonaut with $656,600 earmark

New Center just landed itself a $656,600 federal earmark that will be used to improve infrastructure in the area near the Argonaut Building, which is being developed to house the College for Creative Studies' graduate programs as well as student housing.

New Center Council had initially envisioned $3 million worth of infrastructure improvements, but scaled the plans back according to the funding received to date. "With CCS announcing their expansion to New Center we decided the best use of the funds would be to augment the areas that would support the new development," says Karen Gage, NCC's vice president.

The railroad viaducts at Woodward, Second and Cass will be cleaned up and lit. Art installations, with support from CCS and Summer in the City, also will be added. "Our hope is that we can finally clean up this dividing line between New Center and Wayne State University, and open the flow of pedestrian traffic between these areas," says Gage.

The earmark will also fund the construction of a 120-vehicle parking lot behind the White Castle on Woodward at E. Baltimore. "This is a retail parking lot that, hopefully, will spur development in the retail strip along Woodward," says Gage. The lots will be richly-landscaped and enclosed with a wrought iron fence. "We would like to make this lot a model -- set the bar for other lots in the area."

The remaining money will fund a traffic study looking at what's needed to restore two-way traffic to Second and Third Avenues between Grand Boulevard and Palmer. At the same time, bike lanes for Second Avenue will be designed.

New Center will hire a firm to produce the plans this winter. Read more about the future of the Argonaut here.