Wayne State University is actively crowdfunding to transform the greenspace at Woodward and Warren avenues into an active, family friendly public park. Funds raised during the campaign will go toward sustainable landscaping, pop-up seating, shade sails and lawn games for the existing greenspace. The project will also create a WSU Placemaking and Detroit Experience Factory satellite kiosk, which will serve as a place where students, employees, residents and visitors can go for information.

If Wayne State reaches its $25,000 goal by Nov. 17, the Michigan Economic Development Corporations (MEDC) will provide a match of $25,000 through its Public Spaces, Community Places program, for a total of $50,000. To date, the campaign has raised over $10,000, with significant contributions from the Michigan Department of Transportation, Rainbow Child Care Center and the Detroit Public Library Foundation. If each of the university’s more than 27,000 students and its staff and faculty members donate just $1, the campaign will exceed its goal. Improvements will be made 2018.

Woodward and Warren is a highly visible, high-traffic area that is ripe for improvement given its proximity to DDOT, SMART and QLINE routes; MoGo stations; and numerous cultural institutions. "The corner of Woodward and Warren is the front door to our campus,” said Wayne State President M. Roy Wilson. “It's where Wayne State University welcomes the world. As we prepare to celebrate the university's 150th anniversary in 2018, we look forward to improving this key intersection for our campus and for the city of Detroit."

This prototype park builds upon existing efforts led by Wayne State’s Office of Economic Development to make campus more interactive and engaging. This project will help WSU understand how students, employees, residents and visitors use this space before deciding on a longer-term use.

For project details and to donate, please visit patronicity.com/woodwardandwarren. You can also support the project by visiting the park between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Fridays during the campaign, which runs Sept. 29 through Nov. 17. Wayne State staff and volunteers will be there with seating, games, yoga and a Drifter Coffee pop-up. All are welcome to come experience the park and learn more about the project.

Public Spaces, Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League and Patronicity, in which residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities. As of June 15, 2017, MEDC has provided $3,766,500 in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 125 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $4.5 million raised from 19,988 individual donors.