Design

How a New Park Fits Detroit’s Plan to Bring Its Neighborhoods Back

The reuse of over a dozen vacant lots in the Fitzgerald neighborhood illustrates the city’s holistic approach to redevelopment outside of downtown.
The recently-opened Ella Fitzgerald Park shows how Detroit is getting creative with vacant lots.Spackman Mossop Michaels

It’s been a week since Ella Fitzgerald Park opened in Detroit. It’s named after the storied jazz and blues singer who made a career in nearby clubs, but the Fitzgerald neighborhood in which it resides predates her.

As for the park’s design, the jury is still out.