Marquee market, ampitheater opens in downtown Redford

metromode, 7/31/2008

The words "vibrant downtown" aren't typically associated with Redford Township but local leaders are working hard to change that perception.

Their latest move is the opening of the Redford Marquee this weekend. The $4.5 million project turned a blighted, vacant building into an open-air market, ampitheater and public green space in the middle of downtown Redford, which is centered in the area of Beech Daly and 5 Mile roads.

This comes on the heels of opening of the Rose Garden Park near downtown earlier this summer. Township leaders are also working on plans for $3 million in streetscape improvements along Beech Daly and bike and walking trails around and through the downtown. The idea is to revitalize the township's old central business district into a vibrant, walkable, urban center for the community.

The Redford Marquee is a key piece in that puzzle. It will serve as a public gathering place for everything from farmers' markets to public performances. This weekend's grand opening will feature a concert on Friday evening, a movie night Saturday and a farmers' market on Sunday morning.

All this will take place in the space that was once the old Redford Township District Library. The 1962 building has been vacant since 2004 when the library moved to a new home. To create the Redford Marquee, workers removed most of the structure's walls to make an open-air yet covered market area. An ampitheater that can hold a few hundred people has been built next to it.

For further information on the Redford Marquee's events, call (313) 387-2766.

Source: Michael Dennis, community development director for Redford Township
Writer: Jon Zemke

Downtown Living , Identity , Redevelopment , Wayne County