Midtown Detroit

Midtown Detroit is a mixed-use commercial and residential district situated along both sides of Woodward Avenue, immediately north of Downtown Detroit and south of the New Center area. The neighborhood contains a residential population of some 14,550 people and covers 2.09 square miles, bounded by the Chrysler Freeway (I-75) on the east, the Lodge Freeway (M-10) on the west, the Edsel Ford Freeway (I-94) on the north, and the Fisher Freeway (I-75) on the south. Midtown has the highest concentration of cultural institutions in Southeast Michigan, including the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Michigan Science Center, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. Once commonly known as the Cass Corridor, the neighborhood has undergone significant physical and economic transformation since the early 2000s and stands today as one of Detroit's most active centers of education, medicine, arts, and urban life.

History and Early Development

The land that is now Midtown was first mapped out after a major fire devastated Detroit in 1805. The area west of Woodward Avenue was known as "Cass Farm," a tract purchased by Lewis Cass — a prominent figure in Michigan history — in 1816. East of Woodward Avenue, the land was owned by the Brush family; Edmund Brush began dividing his farm into lots in the late nineteenth century.

It was not until the Civil War era, as the downtown district became more business-oriented, that northern Woodward Avenue began to be developed. Construction transformed what is now Midtown into a primarily upscale, quiet residential district, removed from the activity of the city center. Urban development accelerated in 1870, when Detroit's population reached nearly 80,000. Streetcar lines established in the 1860s allowed residents to travel more conveniently between Midtown and downtown. The West Canfield Historic District, platted in 1871, was one of the first recorded subdivisions in the area, featuring large and expensive lots where many prominent Detroiters settled.

A severe economic depression slowed development, but it resumed in the late 1870s. The period from 1880 to 1895 brought a boom in the construction of elegant single-family and duplex homes throughout the Midtown area. The Brush Park district, which runs from Mack Avenue to the Fisher Freeway, was developed beginning in the 1850s as a residential neighborhood for Detroit's elite citizens. Construction in Brush Park peaked in the 1870s and 1880s; one of the last homes built there was constructed in 1906 by architect Albert Kahn for his personal use.

The Detroit Public Library and the Detroit Institute of Arts were both built in the 1920s, heralding a City Beautiful movement in Detroit that aimed to establish the area along Woodward as the cultural center of the city. Wayne State University, then housed in the former Central High School, began offering four-year degrees, and these institutions formed a core that attracted other public-oriented organizations to the area, including several music schools, the Merrill-Palmer Institute, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the College for Creative Studies.

Geography and Sub-Neighborhoods

Nestled in the heart of Detroit, Midtown is surrounded by Downtown Detroit to the south, North Corktown and Woodbridge to the west, Eastern Market and Milwaukee Junction to the east, and Virginia Park and the North End at its northernmost boundary. Within these districts lies a diverse collection of smaller neighborhoods, each with its own identity and history.

Notable sub-neighborhoods include the Wayne State area, the Art Center, North and South Cass (historically known as the Cass Corridor), Medical Center, and Brush Park. Woodward Avenue, running north and south through the center of the neighborhood, is primarily lined with commercial businesses, public-oriented and cultural institutions, and religious buildings. The heart of the cultural center — anchored by the Detroit Public Library Main Branch and the Detroit Institute of Arts — is located directly on Woodward in the northern part of Midtown.

The north part of Midtown west of Woodward Avenue is dominated by Wayne State University, whose campus subsumes nearly the entire northwest portion of Midtown north of Warren Avenue. Wayne State University's campus covers 203 acres in this northwestern section. South of Wayne State University, the North Cass area contains a substantial number of multi-unit apartment houses, many mixed with earlier single-family homes. This area has been heavily influenced by the expansion of Wayne State, with much of the residential housing stock occupied by university students.

Woodward Avenue itself is one of the five principal avenues of Detroit. Platted in 1805 by Judge Augustus B. Woodward, the thoroughfare is commonly called "Detroit's Main Street" and serves as the central commercial spine through Midtown Detroit.

Cultural Institutions and the Arts

Midtown's identity as a cultural district is anchored by the Detroit Institute of Arts, one of the country's most significant art museums. Founded in 1885 as the Detroit Museum of Art by prominent citizens including James E. Scripps, D.M. Ferry, and James McMillan, the museum debuted on September 1, 1888, in a building on Jefferson Avenue. In 1927, the museum opened in its current location on Woodward Avenue, just north of Warren Avenue. Most notable among the museum's collection is the Detroit Industry murals by Diego Rivera, created in 1932–33. The museum also became the first in the United States to own a Van Gogh work, Self-Portrait.

The Cultural Center Historic District — a historic district located in Midtown Detroit that includes the Detroit Public Library, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Horace H. Rackham Education Memorial Building — was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History was founded in 1965 and is one of the leading museums in the world dedicated to African-American history and experience. The neighborhood is also home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

The area's artistic legacy extends beyond its major institutions. The Cass Corridor Art Movement, which took place roughly between 1960 and 1980 in the heart of what is now Midtown, is regarded as the only major contemporary art movement to originate in Detroit. Artists began renting cheap studio space in the Cass Corridor near Detroit's Cultural Center Historic District, primarily in three major studio complexes: the Convention Hall, Common Ground of the Arts, and the Forsythe Building. The Willis Gallery, located in the same building as Cobb's Corner — a popular gathering place for artists — was instrumental in connecting the local creative community. In 1980, a keystone exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Kick Out the Jams: Detroit's Cass Corridor, 1963–1977, was organized by curators Mary Jane Jacob and Jay Belloli and featured 22 artists.

Education and Medicine

Midtown is home to both Wayne State University, the third-largest public research university in Michigan, and the College for Creative Studies, a top-ranked art and design school, attracting students and faculty from across the country.

Wayne State University started as a small institution in 1868 as the Detroit Medical College. Over the years, additional schools joined, and in 1933 they came together as Wayne University. In 1956, the institution was officially renamed Wayne State University. Wayne State's campus covers 203 acres in the northwestern section of Midtown. The campus is irregular, with parts extending south of Warren Avenue — notably Old Main — and north of I-94 into the New Center neighborhood.

In addition to its educational institutions, Midtown is home to various hospitals and medical centers, including the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), the John Dingell VA Hospital, and the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Revitalization and Midtown Detroit Inc.

Midtown Detroit, Inc. (MDI) is the result of a collaborative merger between the University Cultural Center Association (UCCA), established in 1976, and the New Center Council (NCC), established in 1980 — two organizations with similar missions focused on real estate, economic development, and the preservation of the district's history. In 1976, leaders from Wayne State University, the College for Creative Studies, the DIA, and the Engineering Society of Detroit originally formed the University Cultural Center Association, which was instrumental in rebranding the neighborhood and its smaller communities.

In 2011, the University Cultural Center Association merged with the New Center Council to form Midtown Detroit, Inc. The nonprofit has since raised over $80 million for a variety of initiatives, including a pedestrian walkway, the establishment of the Sugar Hill Arts District, and the restoration of six historic homes.

Notable progress by MDI includes the creation of the Midtown Greenway — providing an enhanced walkway for pedestrians and bicyclists — Woodward Avenue streetscape enhancements, the renovation of numerous commercial facades, and the establishment of two community gardens.

Detroit has endured significant negative public perception in recent decades, but Midtown's resurgence over the past decade can be traced to committed planners and organizers who did not give up on the neighborhood. The retail, residential, and restaurant scenes have expanded considerably in recent years, with breweries, eateries, coffee shops, lofts, and boutiques all moving into this walkable and eclectic community, making it a popular place to work, live, and play.

Transportation and Walkability

The QLINE is a 3.3-mile modern streetcar line that connects Midtown with Downtown Detroit and New Center. On Woodward, the Q-Line moves riders from New Center to Downtown in minutes. The Warren, Cass, and Woodward DDOT bus lines are also accessible in Midtown, along with SMART Bus routes 461, 462, 562, and 851.

A compact layout, well-kept sidewalks, and paved bike lanes make Midtown one of Detroit's most navigable neighborhoods on foot or by bicycle. Every year, the entire neighborhood gears up for Dally in the Alley, the largest annual community festival in Detroit and a celebration of live music, visual arts, food, and beer.

Historic Districts and Landmarks

Midtown contains within its boundaries a number of historic districts and neighborhoods. In addition to those historic districts, there are numerous historically significant structures located within Midtown, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and include structures from three multiple property submissions: the University–Cultural Center Multiple Resource Area Phases I and II, and the Cass Farm Multiple Property Submission.

Notable landmarks and historic structures within Midtown include:

• The Detroit Masonic Temple, one of the largest Masonic temples in the world
• The Bonstelle Theatre (formerly Temple Beth-El)
• Orchestra Hall, home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
• The Scarab Club, an arts club founded in 1907
• Cass Technical High School
• The East Ferry Avenue Historic District, featuring late-19th-century residential architecture

The Warren-Prentis Historic District, a historic district that has been transforming since 1915, includes historical residential, commercial, institutional, and religious buildings. Most of the buildings constructed between 1915 and 1930 remain and many have been restored. Due to its proximity to public transportation and automobile factories, it was a prime location for working-class families up until the Great Depression.