March 9, 2021 – Bloomfield Hills, MI – Detroit’s Robert C. Valade Park Honored with CAM’s “Special Recognition of Community Impact”
The CAM Magazine Editorial Board and staff of the Construction Association of Michigan are pleased to honor Detroit’s Robert C. Valade Park with “Special Recognition of Community Impact” for the significant impact that this redevelopment project has had on the city of Detroit.
Congratulations to The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Commercial Contracting Corporation, Groundswell Design Group, Hannah-Neumann/Smith, and the full list of consultants and contract companies that brought this urban park to life.
Robert C. Valade Park, the Detroit Riverwalk’s newest attraction, opened in October 2019 off Atwater Street east of the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre. Named after a Detroiter and former chairman and CEO of Carhartt, the 3.2-acre park originally held cement silos for a concrete plant, and more recently was used for buoy storage by the U.S. Coast Guard.
This abandoned industrial site, along one of the world’s busiest waterways, posed formidable trials for the construction team, which began clearing and installing underground utilities even before designs were final. An old seawall had been backfilled with about 200 cubic yards of trash and debris, causing a 10-day delay before support footings could be poured. The soil conditions required oversized concrete footings to offset poor bearing capacity.
The neglected site was transformed into a vibrant recreational jewel featuring a playscape for children, a food and event space, picnic areas and what would become the city’s only floating bar on a barge. In the warmer months, chairs and tables, umbrellas and barbecue grills line a sandy inland “beach,” and colorful huts mimicking lifeguard stations invite children to climb and slide. A curving walkway leads kids through a hands-on musical garden where they can tap out tunes. Winter features include oversized outdoor fire chimneys, warm drinks, marshmallow roasters, free sleds when it snows, synthetic ice curling, and more.
“Valade Park responded to a clear request from the community to have a public space in that part of the riverfront,” said Mark Wallace, president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “The park creates a cadence of kid-oriented spaces located about 10 minutes from each other. This means that a family can have a series of experiences while they move along the banks of the river.”
The Shed, at 4,850 gross square feet, offers a light-filled space for casual gatherings, along with roll-up garage doors on either side that bring the outdoors in. Visitors to The Shed can enjoy offerings from Smokey G’s Smokehouse and Geisha Girls Sushi. Food trucks also hook up to offer year-round menus. A 120-foot bar for adult patrons will operate on a refurbished barge, bridging two boat slips and floating parallel to the Detroit River.
Given the abundance of sunlight pouring into The Shed, the environmentally astute design features insulated glass and non-conductive fiberglass resins, in addition to the white roof to reduce urban heat island effect and maintain higher R-values required under the updated state energy code adopted in 2017.
An innovative system for interior framing, GreenGirtTM by SMARTci, mitigates the heat loss caused by thermal bridging that occurs with traditional framing methods. Instead of metal fasteners that hold heat, the system uses reinforced polymer materials to create a support framework with better thermal efficiency.
Elements throughout the park personify environmental responsibility and forward-thinking. For example, The Barge features a sanitary water system that recycles graywater, pumping it back onto land to prevent contaminated water from draining into the Detroit River.
Recycled materials such as reclaimed timbers were used for seating, flower boxes and for the chime posts along the musical walkway. The playscape’s cabins and walkways are constructed from Garapa wood, which is known for its natural durability for long scratch-free life. The beach area uses sand from western Michigan dunes, and bike racks promote physical activity by patrons.
Supporters of the Robert C. Valade Park project include the William Davidson Foundation, Walters Family Foundation and the Mona and Richard Alonzo Fund. The Conservancy received a $225,000 grant for the beach from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s 2017 Knight Cities Challenge. The Conservancy also received a $50,000 grant for the project from Gannett/USA Today Network as part of the “A Community Thrives” initiative.
Robert C. Valade Park
Owner: Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Concept Designer: Groundswell Design Group
Construction Manager: Commercial Contracting Corporation
Designer & Architect for The Shed: Hannah-Neumann/Smith
Engineer: The Mannick & Smith Group
MEP Engineer: Strategic Energy Solutions
Structural Engineer: IMEG Group (formerly Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers, Inc.)
This project was originally selected as one of CAM Magazine’s Top 12 Outstanding Construction Projects for 2019. CAM Magazine‘s Special Issue 2020 includes a full feature article on this project. The above detail announcing this special recognition appears in CAM Magazine‘s March 2021 issue. Links to these issues of CAM Magazine are available for free online at [www.CAMMagazineonline.com]www.CAMMagazineonline.com.
CAM Magazine, established in 1980, is the official publication of the Construction Association of Michigan (CAM). It is a monthly, full-color, glossy magazine devoted to the individuals and companies who comprise the commercial construction industry in Michigan. CAM is the oldest and largest regional construction association in the United States. Founded in 1885, CAM is a not-for-profit organization is based in Bloomfield Hills, MI, consisting of over 2,000 members, including general contractors, subcontractors, equipment and material suppliers, architects, engineers and service firms.
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