Beacon Park

In 2012, DTE Energy began developing a plan to activate a vacant lot located south of Grand River Avenue and west of Cass Avenue in downtown Detroit. What started as an idea for a temporary pop-up style park grew into a mammoth revitalization project to benefit DTE employees, neighboring organizations, residents and visitors of the city. The scope expanded from a short-term solution to a long-term vision of creating a beacon for the community.

Giffels Webster provided civil engineering services for the environmentally conscious project developed in an often-ignored section of downtown Detroit. The team overcame challenges surrounding urban form, process and overall vision for the space covering 1.2 acres.

DTE wanted to create a space representative of the company’s commitment to energy, resulting in many sustainable features, including a synthetic turf, storm water management, recycled materials, a green roof, and bike path access.

The synthetic turf supports small- and large-scale events 365 days a year while reducing water consumption, and the green infrastructure, LED lighting, recycled content products and native plantings showcase Beacon Park’s sustainable initiatives. Elements applied to the restaurant building, Lumen, also show the commitment and investment in greener construction.

Purposely created to provide a contemporary space for residents and visitors that is modular, sustainable and usable all year round, Beacon Park offers an inviting and lively destination for dining, music, sports, shopping, togetherness and more.

Beacon Park received a 2018 CREW Detroit Impact Award, 2018 AIA Detroit Architectural Honor Awards – Building Award, and 2018 Design Core Detroit – Commerce Design Detroit Award.