Grand Circus Park station

Last updated
Grand Circus Park
Grand Circus Park Station - Detroit People Mover & QLINE Detroit.jpg
Grand Circus Park station, with elevated People Mover platform in background, and a QLine train in the foreground.
General information
Location1 Park Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226
United States
Coordinates 42°20′09″N83°03′02″W / 42.33578°N 83.05052°W / 42.33578; -83.05052
Owned byDetroit Transportation Corporation (People Mover)
M-1 Rail (QLINE)
Platforms3 side platforms
Tracks1 (People Mover)
2 (QLINE)
ConnectionsAiga bus trans.svg DDOT 4
Aiga bus trans.svg SMART FAST Michigan & Woodward
Aiga bus trans.svg D2A2
History
OpenedSeptember 20, 1976 (1976-09-20) (Detroit Citizens' Railway)
July 31, 1987 (DPM)
May 12, 2017 (2017-05-12) (QLINE) [1]
ClosedJune 2003 (2003-06) (Detroit Downtown Trolley)
Rebuilt2015 (DPM)
Services
Preceding station Detroit People Mover Icon.svg Detroit People MoverFollowing station
Broadway
One-way operation
Detroit People Mover Times Square
Next counter-clockwise
Preceding station QLINE Logo.svg QLineFollowing station
Montcalm Street QLine Campus Martius
Location
Grand Circus Park station
Catching Up Detroitdude.jpg
Catching Up

Grand Circus Park station is a public transit station in downtown Detroit, Michigan, served by the Detroit People Mover and the QLine. [2] The station takes its name from the adjacent Grand Circus Park. It is also the terminus of the D2A2 commuter bus to Ann Arbor, and serves as a transfer point to SMART's FAST Michigan and Woodward express bus lines.

Contents

A station has existed since September 20, 1976 with the opening of the Detroit Citizens' Railway, later the Detroit Downtown Trolley, a heritage streetcar line operating until 2003. The People Mover station opened July 31st, 1987. Streetcar service returned with the opening of the QLine on May 12, 2017.

Detroit People Mover

The People Mover station occupies the first two floors of a structure attached to the historic David Whitney Building. It is located at the intersection of Park Street and Woodward Avenue near Washington Boulevard, in the Grand Circus Park Historic District. [2] Grand Circus Park is the nearest People Mover station to the Fox Theatre, The Fillmore Detroit, Little Caesars headquarters, Little Caesars Arena, and the Hockeytown Cafe.

The station was reachable only by an external stairway from 1999 to 2015, when the David Whitney Building was closed. A new station lobby was constructed from August 2014 to June 2015 alongside the building's restoration, with a new elevator added to restore accessibility. [3] [4]

Public art

On the platform stands Catching Up, a bronze sculpture by John Seward Johnson II, depicting a man reading a newspaper while waiting for a train. The newspaper depicted is the actual May 21, 1987 issue of The Detroit News , with a headline breaking the news of that year's merger of Chrysler and American Motors, and advertisements for defunct Detroit-area retail chains Crowley's and Farmer Jack. [5] [6] The News is said to have chosen over the competing Detroit Free Press by a coin toss; the Free Press is instead featured folded atop the man's briefcase. [7]

QLine

The QLine serves two street-level side platforms on Woodward Avenue north of Park Avenue and Witherell Street. [8] The QLine portion of the station is sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet brand. [9]

Heritage trolley

Detroit Downtown Trolley stopped at Grand Circus Park in front of the line's carhouse, 1988 Detroit Downtown Trolley 4 at the car barn, September 1988.jpg
Detroit Downtown Trolley stopped at Grand Circus Park in front of the line's carhouse, 1988

The station was the northern terminus of the Detroit Downtown Trolley, having a double-track boarding area just south of the carhouse near Park Avenue. The east half of Washington Boulevard was converted into a pedestrian mall, and later the Detroit People Mover included an exit-only staircase near the trolley stop.

In June 2003 the Detroit Downtown Trolley abruptly ended service. In February 2004 the carhouse was demolished, with mall sculptures removed that year, the pedestrian mall was fully displaced by vehicle traffic in 2005. [10] [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit People Mover</span> Public transport line in Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit People Mover (DPM) is a 2.94-mile (4.73 km) elevated automated people mover system in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The system operates in a one-way loop on a single track encircling downtown Detroit, using Intermediate Capacity Transit System linear induction motor technology developed by the Urban Transportation Development Corporation. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 656,500, or about 4,200 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M-1 (Michigan highway)</span> State highway in Michigan, United States

M-1, also known as Woodward Avenue, is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Metro Detroit area of the US state of Michigan. The highway, called "Detroit's Main Street", runs from Detroit north-northwesterly to Pontiac. It is one of the five principal avenues of Detroit, along with Michigan, Grand River, Gratiot, and Jefferson avenues. These streets were platted in 1805 by Judge Augustus B. Woodward, namesake to Woodward Avenue. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has listed the highway as the Automotive Heritage Trail, an All-American Road in the National Scenic Byways Program. It has also been designated a Pure Michigan Byway by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and was also included in the MotorCities National Heritage Area designated by the US Congress in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto streetcar system</span> Streetcar network in Ontario, Canada

The Toronto streetcar system is a network of eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It is the third busiest light-rail system in North America. The network is concentrated primarily in Downtown Toronto and in proximity to the city's waterfront. Much of the streetcar route network dates from the 19th century. Three streetcar routes operate in their own right-of-way, one in a partial right-of-way, and six operate on street trackage shared with vehicular traffic with streetcars stopping on demand at frequent stops like buses. Since 2019, the network has used low-floor streetcars, making it fully accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Circus Park Historic District</span> Historic district in Michigan, United States

The Grand Circus Park Historic District contains the 5-acre (2.0 ha) Grand Circus Park in Downtown Detroit, Michigan that connects the theatre district with its financial district. It is bisected by Woodward Avenue, four blocks north of Campus Martius Park, and is roughly bounded by Clifford, John R. and Adams Streets. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The building at 25 West Elizabeth Street was added to the district in 2000, and additional structures located within the district, but built between 1932 and 1960, were approved for inclusion in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Department of Transportation</span> Public transportation agency in Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is the primary public transportation operator serving Detroit, Michigan. In existence since 1922, DDOT is a division of the city government, headed by a director appointed by the mayor. Primarily serving Detroit and its enclaves, DDOT is supplemented by suburban service from the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 11,048,700, or about 41,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Detroit</span> Area of Detroit, Michigan, United States

Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a residential area of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Locally, downtown tends to refer to the 1.4 square mile region bordered by M-10 to the west, Interstate 75 to the north, I-375 to the east, and the Detroit River to the south. Although, it may also refer to the Greater Downtown area, a 7.2 square mile region that includes surrounding neighborhoods such as Midtown, Corktown, Rivertown, and Woodbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit station</span> Train station in Michigan, United States

Detroit station is an intermodal transit station in Detroit, Michigan. Located in New Center, the facility currently serves Amtrak and QLine streetcars. It also serves as a stop for Greyhound Lines, Detroit Department of Transportation buses, SMART and buses. Baltimore Street station, in the median of Woodward Avenue, serves streetcars to Midtown and Downtown. It is located at the southwest corner of Woodward and West Baltimore Avenues. Amtrak's Wolverine line serves an elevated platform at the main building.

Planning and development in Detroit since the late 20th century has attempted to enhance the economy and quality of life of Detroit, Michigan, United States. In 1970, the private group Detroit Renaissance began to facilitate development in the city. Its successor, Business Leaders for Michigan, has continued to facilitate development into the 21st century. Projects have included new commercial facilities, revitalization of neighborhoods, hospitality infrastructure, and improvements to recreational and public facilities, such as the QLine light rail project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Boulevard Historic District</span> Historic district in Michigan, United States

Washington Boulevard Historic District is a multi-block area of downtown Detroit, Michigan. It consists of structures facing Washington Boulevard between State and Clifford Streets. In 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It includes the Book-Cadillac Hotel, the Book Tower, the Industrial Building, and Detroit City Apartments among other architecturally significant buildings. Washington Boulevard is one of the city's main boulevards and part of Augustus Woodward's 1807-design for the city. Because Woodward's plan was never completed, the boulevard contains a sharp curve south of Michigan Avenue where it was connected to an existing street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Times Square station (Detroit)</span> Detroit People Mover station

Times Square station is a Detroit People Mover station in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located on Grand River Avenue between Cass Avenue and Washington Boulevard, adjacent to the Rosa Parks Transit Center, the main downtown hub of the Detroit Department of Transportation bus network. The station takes its name from nearby Times Square, which in turn, took the name from the defunct Detroit Times newspaper formerly headquartered there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Avenue station</span> Detroit People Mover station

Michigan Avenue station is a Detroit People Mover station in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located at the corner of Michigan and Cass Avenues, across the street from the Rosa Parks Transit Center, the main downtown hub of the Detroit Department of Transportation bus network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadillac Center station</span> Detroit People Mover station

Cadillac Center station is a Detroit People Mover station in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located at the intersection of Gratiot Avenue and Library Street, beneath the One Campus Martius parking garage. It is named for the Cadillac Center, a shopping center proposed for construction nearby in the 1980s, but never built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Financial District station (Detroit)</span> Detroit People Mover station

Financial District station is a Detroit People Mover station in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Located on Larned Street in the city's Financial District, the station is attached to 150 West Jefferson, with direct access from the platform to the building's lobby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">QLine</span> Streetcar system in Detroit, Michigan

The QLINE is a 3.3-mile-long (5.3 km) streetcar system in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened on May 12, 2017, it connects Downtown Detroit with Midtown and New Center, running along Woodward Avenue (M-1) for its entire route. The system is operated by M-1 Rail, a nonprofit organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in metropolitan Detroit</span>

Transportation in metropolitan Detroit comprises an expansive system of roadways, multiple public transit systems, a major international airport, freight railroads, and ports. Located on the Detroit River along the Great Lakes Waterway, Detroit is a significant city in international trade, with two land crossings to Canada. Three primary Interstate highways serve the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcars in Atlanta</span> Aspect of the history of Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Streetcars originally operated in Atlanta downtown and into the surrounding areas from 1871 until the final line's closure in 1949.

Montcalm Street is a QLine streetcar station in Detroit, Michigan. The station opened for service on May 12, 2017, and is located at the northern end of Downtown Detroit. During the planning stage the station was known as Foxtown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congress Street station</span> Light rail station in Detroit, Michigan, US

Congress Street is a QLINE streetcar station in Detroit, Michigan. Located in the city's Financial District near the edge of Downtown, Congress Street serves as the QLINE's southern terminus. The station opened for service on May 12, 2017. It is two blocks away from the Detroit People Mover's Financial District station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Luther King Boulevard/Mack Avenue station</span>

Martin Luther King Boulevard/Mack Avenue is a streetcar station on the QLINE in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. The station opened for service on May 12, 2017. The station services the northern Brush Park and middle Cass Corridor neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Downtown Trolley</span> Former downtown heritage trolley in Detroit

The Detroit Downtown Trolley, also known as the Washington Boulevard Trolley and Detroit Citizens Railway, was a heritage trolley line in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. The narrow-gauge system opened September 20, 1976, as a United States Bicentennial project, and was closed on June 21, 2003. The line was operated and maintained by the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT).

References

  1. Fleming, Leonard (March 9, 2017). "QLine to begin offering rides on May 12". Detroit News. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Detroit Transportation Corporation Archived 2009-03-21 at the Wayback Machine . accessed 4.04.2012
  3. "Local Contractor for Grand Circus Park Station". Detroit Transportation Corporation. 20 October 2014. Archived from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. Lawrence, Eric D. (2015-06-24). "People Mover's Grand Circus Station back in service". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  5. Baetens, Melody (2023-03-26). "What's special about the May 21, 1987 issue of The Detroit News". The Detroit News .
  6. Walt, Irene (2004). Art in the Stations: The Detroit People Mover. Art in the Stations Committee. ISBN   0-9745392-0-1.
  7. Cox, Sarah (2014-09-17). "The 13 People Mover stations are loaded with impressive art". Curbed Detroit.
  8. Runyan, Robin (December 9, 2016). "Here's what the QLINE stations will look like". curbed.com. Vox Media . Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  9. "M-1 Rail Station Stops". M-1Rail.com. M-1 Rail. Archived from the original on 5 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  10. "U.S. Streetcar Systems- Michigan". Railway Preservation Resources. July 2, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  11. "Washington Boulevard Historic District". Detroit Historical Society. Retrieved January 2, 2024.