Riverfront

An industrial neighborhood on the rise, Riverfront makes it easy to take advantage of one of Detroit’s most popular attractions. “You have access to recreational opportunities like walking along the river,” says Jan Dijkers, president and managing broker of Berkshire Hathaway Home Service The Loft Warehouse. “You’re close to tons of restaurants, shopping and coffee shops.” This rapidly changing neighborhood is located just southwest of Downtown Detroit. It stretches for about 1.5 miles along the Detroit River, allowing residents to get outside and enjoy the famous RiverWalk, voted the best in the country by USA Today.

The only residences in Riverfront are the Riverfront Towers, a condo complex on the neighborhood’s eastern side. These high-rise towers offer sweeping views of the river and the Detroit skyline. You can find several types of units in these buildings, including recently renovated condos with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and heated marble floors. The condos offer several community amenities, such as a 24-hour fitness center, an onsite salon, tennis courts and a covered parking garage. A recently updated two-bedroom unit will cost around $400,000, while a one-bedroom condo will cost in the $200,000 range.

The Riverfront neighborhood puts residents steps away from the Detroit RiverWalk and several parks along the river. Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park is a 20-acre open green space currently being renovated. The planned park will feature a playground, a water garden, a sports pavilion with basketball courts and an open lawn that will host concerts, movies and other events. Improvements that have already been made to the area include widening the RiverWalk to give visitors more room for running, biking or fishing. Additional security and safety features have been implemented, including new railings, lights and call boxes. On the neighborhood’s west side, you’ll find Riverside Park, a relatively new park developed over the last decade. The city bought vacant and industrial land and turned it into a state-of-the-art 29-acre green space. This park has a softball field, a basketball court, a 20,000-square-foot skate park, and the largest dog park in the city. It also has a boat launch for residents who want to spend a day on the water.

Students in the Riverfront neighborhood will likely attend Charles L. Spain Elementary-Middle School, which receives a C-minus overall rating from Niche, and Cass Technical High School, rated a B-plus. Cass Tech serves approximately 2,400 students and has a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1. It is the largest school in the Detroit Public Schools Community District and has a heavy focus on technical subjects, such as architecture, chemical engineering and computer information systems. The school offers a JROTC program, over 20 AP classes and several industry certification opportunities.

The neighborhood’s proximity to Downtown Detroit means residents will have easy access to popular restaurants. “We seem to be attracting a lot of young and talented chefs,” Dijkers says. “There’s always new restaurants opening, so if you’re a foodie, Detroit is a really great place to be.” You can go downtown to dine at chic restaurants offering New American cuisine, Coney Island hot dogs and classic Italian dishes. Within the neighborhood, you can dine at restaurants like Johnny Noodle King, a low-key eatery in a brick building serving ramen and other noodle dishes. Locals enjoy the pork belly and red curry. Make sure to go early if you plan on eating dinner here, as the line can stretch out the door during busy times. Green Dot Stables is another popular restaurant on 14th Street, offering cozy, cottage vibes and serving comfort food like venison cheese fries and sliders.

You can shop for groceries at City Market or Plum Market downtown. When you need to get around for work, errands or anything else that takes you out of the neighborhood, you’ll have easy access to interstates 75 and 96 just nearby. If you’re heading downtown, the Riverfront Towers have a skywalk that leads you to the closest Detroit People Mover station, allowing you to take the monorail throughout the central business district.

Written By

Matthew Atkins

Photography Contributed By

Noel Poage

Video By

Andrew Sutton