DEGC Delivers

The corner of Michigan and Cass will soon become a landmark for people navigating the streets of downtown Detroit when the Rosa Park Transit Center is completed this year. With its striking contemporary design, multi-story fabric canopy, it's going to be hard to miss – whether you are walking, driving or riding a bus or People Mover train.

The City of Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) will open the Transit Center this summer as part of a $23 million, multi-phased project funded by the federal government. DDOT's leaders had a bold vision for this project. They requested project management assistance from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC),to help them deliver that vision and we were honored by the request.

The DDOT came to the DEGC's Project Group because we have a strong track record of delivering projects with great results on behalf of the City of Detroit through the powers of the City of Detroit Downtown Development Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit and other public authorities. In fact, it's hard NOT to come across the DEGC Project Group's contributions to the City of Detroit and other clientele doing business in greater downtown, other key neighborhoods and industrial areas around the city.

Allow me to highlight our newest members to the Project Group:

• T'Chana Bradford has been recently promoted to project manager from associate project manager. She is responsible for managing the real estate activities and the new streetscape amenities being installed in the Harmonie Park area as part of the Paradise Valley Cultural and Entertainment District Project. T"Chana is also working plans to construct streetscape enhancements at Capitol Park, scheduled for implementation later this year.
• Orza Robertson is our newest project manager who is working on plans to improve various streetscapes within the Greek Town entertainment district, assisting with other downtown redevelopment activities, and is currently managing various street improvements within the central business district in preparation for the NCAA Final Four activities.

These new team members join the other seasoned professionals who have had a part in managing projects that are transforming Detroit.

• Will Tamminga, director of project management, was active in the implementation of the Campus Martius Project, and currently leads redevelopment efforts for the DEGC regarding the East Riverfront Project, economic development initiatives for the west riverfront, the Dequindre Cut, Dequindre Cut Extension and Riopelle Linear Park Projects, and provides oversight to project managers involved with other city-wide redevelopment projects.

• Cleveland Dailey, III, project manager, has been active in the management of important streetscape and infrastructure improvement projects located in the Midtown and Lower Woodward areas of downtown Detroit, such as Washington Boulevard and various segments of Woodward Avenue. Cleveland will continue the DEGC's improvement agenda for the Lower Woodward area of downtown by managing the enhancements to certain secondary streets such as Grand River, John R./ Clifford and those streets surrounding Grand Circus Park.

• Tim Miles, project manager, was active in management of the infrastructure improvements that assisted the City in retaining important waterfront-dependent industrial businesses, which helped make the vision of public waterfront access recreational activities between downtown and Belle Isle turn into a reality. Tim is currently managing the Rosa Parks Transit Center on behalf of the City of Detroit Department of Transportation and working on plans to improve a segment of Michigan Avenue in the Lower Woodward area of downtown.

• Donna Rice, project manager, was active in the management of the road and infrastructure improvements associated with the Campus Martius development project. Donna is currently working on the East Riverfront Project, which includes managing the planning and implementation of certain infrastructure improvements, and conducting land assemblage activities.

• Scott Veldhuis, project manager, has been active as the lead manager of the DDA's Façade Improvement Program, which over time, has leveraged substantial private investment in significant downtown buildings. Scott is currently managing road and infrastructure improvements in the "Fox Creek" neighborhood located on Detroit's east side, and is managing the Jefferson Avenue Retail Readiness Program.

• Denise Colona, project manager, has been active in the management of land assemblage efforts as part of the I-94 Industrial Park project. Denise is currently working on the East Riverfront Project, which includes plans to improve an extension of the Dequindre Cut from Woodbridge towards Atwater Street, and plans to create a linear park along Riopelle Street from Jefferson to Atwater.

• Carla Hudson, is a project assistant who has been active with the I-94 Industrial Park and Jefferson Village Projects. Carla is managing site maintenance activities for various projects and coordinates contract compliance activities for the Project Group.

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Malik Goodwin is vice president of project management at Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, a non-profit organization that works with businesses, government and other organizations throughout Detroit to encourage and manage economic development projects.