Chinatown, Unveiled
On Tuesday, you heard Peter Lui and Al Teshuba on ScaleDown Radio discuss their resurrected project of turning a section of Wyandotte Street West into Windsor’s Chinatown. Peter, an architect and developer himself, has agreed to let me reproduce some of his preliminary drawings to Scaledown readers. They wanted to make sure that everyone knew that these were, in fact, preliminary as there is such a lot more work to do before they can start finalizing their plans. Even so, if their successful project is anywher close to what these renderings show, it will be a monumental development that would be sure to revitalize a good chunk of Windsor’s core. Let’s take a closer look…
So here’s the location. The rail cut adjacent to Lui’s Thunder Court property is the subject property. Lui has rights of first refusal on the properties on either side of the rail cut on either side of Wyandotte. Notice the rectangular white culvert under Wyandotte. It is apparently big enough for a two lane bike path following the international gardens Running south from Riverside Drive.
This is one of the key aspects of the plan, not only to the optimistic plans for Chinatown but also for the revitalization of Windsor’s core as a whole. This bubble diagram illustrates how the light rail line would integrate with the PeopleMover over in downtown Detroit. And with Roger Penske wanting to invest $103 million in expanding the PeopleMover down Woodward Avenue, it isn’t a big stretch that it could be benefitial to bring it over to Windsor and link it to our downtown - or beyond to follow the old streetcar line to Walkerville. I wonder if this project would see the light of day quicker if there was a passenger ferry between Windsor and Detroit, with a dock located at the Fujisawa Gardens rail cut?
Here is the detailed plan of the international gardens planned for the rail cut. Notice that where the gardens terminate is where this 1999 City of Windsor plan has dedicated to a “Chinatown”.
I told you that Lui’s plans were BIG, didn’t I? In this cross section of his proposed development, you can see that it actually straddles the rail cut on both sides of Wyandotte, integrating the light rail stop from downtown Detroit, as well as preserving the public domain space of the international gardens beneath.
I’ll let you just wander through the following floor plans for the development. By the way, all these diagrams are linked to their full-sized scans. (thanks to Andrew Foot for actually scanning them for me)
Obviously, this is probably pretty different than what the final development would look like. What I see is evidence that we still have a visionary in this city in Peter Lui. He obviously believes in this city and is willing to to invest in a community that a lot of people have written off. I truly hope that the citizens of Windsor throw their support behind Peter and Al and call their councilors to voice their support. A lot of ducks will have to be in a row to make these plans a reality, and a wave of public support is an important first step. Teshuba states that he plans on getting before council in mid-October to ask for their support. Let’s make sure that before that happens every councilor knows that this is what Windsorites want in their city.
Tags: Alternative Transportation, community building, detroit, local economic development, place making, revitalization, ScaleDown Radio
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I think a ferry would be the #1 thing that could help revitalize Windsor/Detroit cross border tourism. However, the City would certainly not want one, as it would be a direct competitor to their tunnel. I think that we coud easily convince Americans to cross if they knew they were looking at a guarnteed 15 minute crossing time.
Chris the article you linked to above however is dated April, 2000. I will bet my house that that plan is long dead. Don’t forget there was an event in September of the next year that changed the border forever, and helped create the “fortress America” we have today.
However, this is a very interesting plan, but I would worry about the impact it would have on the “real” Chinatown a few blocks west.
That is a real organically grown district. Once people start planning out districts (much like “branding”) they become fake and stale, and the charm of an area or district that has naturally evolved over decades is lost.
I wish Peter and Al the best of luck, and I think a plan like this would help to bridge the “dead zone” along Wyandotte that exists between the real Chinatown and the Downtown area.
I am looking for the recent news, as Mark just called me the other day with it. Apparently, someone is looking to invest in a passenger ferry on the Detroit side, and wants an investor to partner up with them on the Canadian side. (Oops! I didn’t even notice the date on that article!) Mark - can you help us out with that info?
Pedestrian ferries would be a great old idea! I can recall the stories of my grandparents and parents about just hopping on a ferry and visiting and shopping in downtown Detroit. I don’t see how a pedestrian ferry would compete with the car tunnel, you can’t walk in the tunnel! But then there is the paranoia of Homeland Security to consider and then getting Customs etc. on side.
Altogether I like the idea of a China Town, a Middle-east souk/market district. We have the diversity to enrich this city.
I don’t see how a pedestrian ferry would compete with the car tunnel, you can’t walk in the tunnel!
Yes, but every car that’s parked in Windsor or Detroit, and doesn’t pass though the tunnel is less toll that’s paid. Seeing as the City is in charge of half (and sadly maybe the whole thing soon), they wouldn’t want to jeoprdize their investment by helping to reduce traffic.
If I’m going to a ball game or to dinner in Greektown, I would chose the ferry every time. No chance of spending a hour sitting in the tunnel, you know you’ll be across the river in 10-15 minutes, guarnteed. I think a guaranteed crossing time with no delays would do more to increase traffic between Windsor - Detroit than anything else the city could dream up.
“I think a guaranteed crossing time with no delays would do more to increase traffic between Windsor - Detroit than anything else the city could dream up.”
A truer statement has never been said!
Do you think that is the reason those uber-cool Gondolas between the Casinos never saw the light of day? Is this city (and their 50 - 100% stake in the tunnel) the main roadblock to a pedestrian crossing between the two countries? And if it is, is this not one of the prime reasons for our lack-of-revitalization and access to the millions of visitors from the US?
So, for our councilors to support Lui’s China Town concept, they would have to support the opposition to their tunnel monopoly dreams. This may just be the linchpin in their concept and I hope Lui and Teshuba are progressively addressing this angle of opposition. Imagine - having your city work against you to protect their own auto-based transportation infrastructure!?!
Imagine? Come on it’s already happening.
I bet we could have had a ferry up and running for the Million that’s been spent trying to get the Detroit Half of the tunnel secured.
Have this passenger ferry connect with public transit on both sides of the border and you have a solution that is almost utopic. Imagine including in the fare price of the ferry a transfer to the bus or people mover? A little international cooperation and it could happen. If you talk to any senior citizen, there was a time when people did go to/from Detroit on foot, crossing the bridge even at one time. Like Andrew I don’t find any satisfaction in sitting in the tunnel or on the bridge for 45+ minutes (burning gasoline idling most the time).
FYI, The “international garden” is in fact the Gateway Public Park.
Though due to no money and few volunteers Gateway had to vacate the premises until more funding could be found.
As for Chinatown. Great idea but there is a Chinatown (somewhat) west of that site and there is one on University Ave just west of Crawford. Still I would support it.