Since opening its doors in the 1800, Eastern Market in Detroit has been among the most important stories about how food can be a cornerstone of urban revitalization. The market place has provided the Detroit residents with fresh and nutritious food produced locally throughout Southeastern Michigan.
According to planner Adam Lubinsky with WXY, Eastern Market Corporation is building and expanding its infrastructure to enrich Detroit — nutritionally, culturally and economically. Led by landscape architect OLIN and with WXY, a detailed new plan has been published to help expand and guide the influence of this regional food hub and the millions in market and infrastructure investments it has attracted to Detroit.
One of the key elements of the recently released plan is a "food innovation district" that will transform a large swath of the city into an incubator for food entrepreneurs. The plan also improves transportation, access, training and education, so that more Detroit residents have sustainable access to fresh, nutritious foods, local farmers and community gardens, according to WXY's Lubinsky, a planner known for data-intensive and transformational urban approaches. Eastern Market also aims to create a vibrant hub of food merchants and incubation spaces for food manufacturing businesses, where new ideas can happen.
Set to be complete in 2025, Eastern Market embarks on the strategic planning process in hopes to help guide economic development in the district.
Visit easternmarket.com for more details of upcoming plans.
