Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

If you've traveled down Southfield Road or Outer Drive just east of Jefferson Avenue these past few months, no doubt you encountered the nemesis of Michigan drivers: orange construction barrels. While they are a frustrating delay as you attempt to reach your destination, orange barrels are indicators of government funds at work.

Ecorse Mayor Lamar Tidwell explains the city worked with Wayne County and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to accomplish the work badly needed along the two roads. The city pitched in $600,000 for the project. "It's the curb appeal. People like riding on smooth roads," he says, adding that those roadways are two of the main routes visitors use to enter the city of Ecorse. "I've always said that you have to clean up that exterior before you clean up the interior, so that's what we're doing. We're cleaning up the perception so when people ride through the city, they say, 'Oh man, look what they've got going on, streets are paved and they've got bike lanes!'"

It has been nearly a year since the city established its Downtown Development Authority (DDA), which has the power to plan and propose construction and redevelopment, acquire financing via grants or loans, manage property, and execute contracts and agreements to fulfil its goals for the city.

Projects the city is aiming to complete include renovations to the city's library, a new, state-of-the art police department, a new DPW facility, road improvements through the city's neighborhoods, replacement of lead water pipes, and expanded waterfront development that will attract visitors to the city. Tidwell says that in all, more than 30 projects are in various stages of planning and undertaking. Thanks to a grant from MDOT, the city completed installation of bike lane markings along Jefferson Avenue in collaboration with the city of River Rouge last year. Other recreational features the city continues to work on include adding a kayak launch along the Ecorse Creek at Pepper Road Park, in cooperation with the International Wildlife Federation, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the cities of Lincoln Park and Wyandotte, and adding more amenities to the city's parks such a playground equipment and benches.

Tidwell says the city continues to remove blighted properties in an effort improve the city's image, particularly the boarded-up businesses along Jefferson Ave. "You get rid of the eyesores and when people ride through your community, there may not be a whole lot of buildings but people come through and see a clean little town," he says. Eliminating blighted properties in the neighborhoods and downtown areas means property values go up, inviting others to bring their businesses to the city. Tidwell says the city will continue to enforce its ordinances regarding properties that are out of compliance. "We're holding people accountable."

Bike lanes stretch down W. Jefferson between Ecorse and River Rouge

He applauds the recent demolition of the Ecorse Rowing Club building, which had been sitting unused for years. While some residents wanted to see the building preserved, Tidwell says no one actually stepped up with a plan of action for how to raise the funds necessary to renovate the building. "Over at the rowing club, no one got involved. They were always talking but no action," he says. "They wanted us to fix it up and let them use it, but it can't work that way; we don't have the resources or the money to do that anymore. Would you rather see empty space or would you rather see an eyesore?"

Tidwell says when people invest in the city and what it offers, everyone benefits. Ecorse is still persisting with plans to obtain roughly 30 acres of waterfront land from U.S. Steel for mixed-use development. The city's Mill Street Development site, which is being done in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), is moving forward with plans to add a light manufacturing facilty which will provide more than 1,000 much needed jobs. But Tidwell concedes these projects will not be completed overnight. "We're steady-going, but it's a long process," he says. "We're taking Ecorse to another level. We want people to look at Ecorse different, we want to change the image of Ecorse and it's going to take the residents to be a part of it."