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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Detroit Grand Prix draws fans, families from far and wide
When the doors opened on a full People Mover car at the Millender Center station in downtown Detroit, the unmistakable whine of race cars enveloped the space like a thunderclap. The passengers, some of whom had been looking down at their phones or talking amongst each other, stopped at the sound and looked toward the windows facing Jefferson Avenue. After all, people love cars, said Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence at S&P Global Mobility. While the race has undergone many changes since its first run in 1982, there is still a strong draw to the track – and the city – that inspires residents across the state, even if they wouldn't consider themselves car enthusiasts. More: Detroit Grand Prix signs new contract through 2028 'Is this race important to Detroit? Yes, it is,' Brinley said. 'Because it keeps coming back. The city loves it.' The Detroit Grand Prix roared across downtown streets on Sunday, June 1, with the featured NTT IndyCar race won by Kyle Kirkwood before the organizers announced the event would stay in Detroit through at least 2028. The Grand Prix draws more than 100,000 people each year to downtown Detroit, according to the organizers. In the third year since making the switch from Belle Isle, the Detroit Grand Prix likely has more attendance than ticket sales can account for. Up in the corporate suites, Paul Waatti, director of industry analysis for AutoPacific, pointed out there were far more spectators watching the race from the parking structures than in the paid stands. 'Belle Isle is literally an island. The economic impact to Detroit may be negligible, but it is right downtown,' he said, of the move. 'You don't have to bypass the city to get to the race.' Detroit resident Lauryn Barlow, a traveling bartender, rates the Christmas Tree Lighting as the most attended event she works, with the Grand Prix falling slightly behind the Detroit Auto Show. As for those she served this weekend, she said most spectators arrived from out of town. 'Everybody that I talk to is either from Ohio, Wisconsin," shes said, "and I was just like, "Well dang, where's everybody from Detroit?'' Families congregated on Woodward Avenue and in Hart Plaza to enjoy free events throughout the weekend and the cooler weather. This is the third Grand Prix for Aaron Norton, who drove from Owosso with his son Evan, an incoming freshman of Michigan State University. 'It's something to do,' he said. 'I just drove an hour and forty minutes to get here. My other kids didn't want to come.' The two walked through to Hart Plaza to admire GM's latest vehicles and ask questions of the product specialists on staff. During their stroll, they caught a bit of the race. 'I've learned a lot watching this, and Googling to see how fast they're going. I'm blown away with how much they're worth,' Norton said. 'The safety gear, the halo, is like $17,000 just to protect their head. The crazy prices of the motor. I never knew that.' Sponsoring the race serves a dual purpose for automakers like Honda and General Motors. In addition to seeding goodwill at the community level and showcasing vehicles around the city in an open-air showroom, the race itself acts as a proving ground, S&P Global Mobility's Brinley said. Participating automakers calculate vehicle performance on the track, such as engine fatigue, steering, suspension, lift and driving dynamics, and apply what they learn to the vehicles they retail. 'Not every street car needs to drive like a race car, but lessons learned about performances and tolerances can be applied to street cars,' she said, adding that tire manufacturers also learn about tire wear and performance from extreme racing. Sitting in the center of the track and host to many media events surrounding the Grand Prix is the Renaissance Center, the soon to be former headquarters of GM, which is relocating this year to the new Hudson's Detroit building on Woodward Avenue. While the RenCen's massive office and commercial retail space remains an icon of the city's skyline, it no longer serves its original purpose, Waatti said. Because of GM's broad footprint, with offices across the U.S. as well as other countries, maintaining such a large property no longer makes good business sense. 'The Detroit Grand Prix is a powerful showcase of GM's performance brands and a celebration of Detroit's comeback story. That's what makes GM's decision to leave the RenCen all the more bittersweet,' he said. 'While the race energizes the riverfront and spotlights GM's roots, the company itself is stepping back from the landmark that defines both.' Detroit resident Travis Foster said he's 'heartbroken' that it would be GM's last time hosting the event from its RenCen headquarters. 'As a native Detroiter, I'm really hoping that at the last minute someone is either going to have a change of heart or there's some type of financial decision that will make them at least give that a second thought,' he said. 'This building is iconic when it comes to the city of Detroit. These buildings are supposed to be here, it's meant to be here, it deserves to be here, and we need it here.' Foster, a federal employee, considers the Detroit Grand Prix a pivotal part of the city's summer event schedule. He pointed to the diversity in the crowd and said the race shows off the beauty of downtown and invite tourists and other Michigan residents into the fabric of the community. Embracing change is necessary for GM's success and the city of Detroit, according to Anthony Abbott, a retired GM employee from Farmington Hills who has attended the Detroit Grand Prix 10 times. 'Belle Isle was a beautiful place to have a race, it almost seems like it was built to have a race. But I really enjoy it down here better,' he said. 'And you can watch the event from the garages and see so much.' For Abbott, changes to the Renaissance Center could improve the riverfront landscape and open up more space for future Grand Prix events. 'Embrace change. GM moved down here, I forgot how many years ago, and rehabbed the towers, did a really great job with it. They're not leaving, they're just moving down the street. They're going to blow up a few towers and really open it up,' he said. 'It's iconic, it still will be – just with one or two less towers.' Christian Romo contributed to this report. Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. Reach her at jcharniga@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Grand Prix draws fans, families from far and wide
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 'old school' roots of Delray Beach's Old School Square Center for the Arts
Visitors to downtown Delray Beach cannot miss the city's crowning jewel — and achievement — that sits at the northeast intersection of Atlantic and Swinton avenues. Now called Old School Square Center for the Arts, the 6-acre complex has a long and storied history. With a covered outdoor stage, large lawn spaces for public gatherings, a parking garage, the property importantly hosts three historic buildings — all of which predate the great 1928 hurricane: The Cornell Museum of Art is in the former 1913 Delray Elementary building that faces Atlantic Avenue. On Swinton Avenue is the Crest Theatre, which occupies the former 1925 high school building. And the Vintage Gymnasium on Northeast First Street dates to around 1925. The site is managed by the Downtown Development Authority with the mission to "create a welcoming space" for the community while honoring the 100-year-old historic campus. For nearly 75 years, the complex was a center of culture and education, hosting church services, community meetings and band performances. But as Delray grew, the hub changed. The high school closed in 1950 and moved to a larger facility on Seacrest Boulevard. By the mid-1980s, the entire parcel was an eyesore. The stained and crumbling buildings, surrounded by a chain-link fence, had become a totem of despair. When the elementary school graduated its final class on June 7, 1988, many advised just tearing it all down. Though it's hard to imagine it now, all of downtown was similarly suffering. With little business and no nightlife to speak of, it earned the nickname "Dull-ray." But some still saw potential. Starting in 1985, a small group, led by resident Frances Bourque, vice-chair of the city's historical society, and Mayor Doak Campbell, envisioned the old school site as a cultural hub that could spark the city's revitalization. The hard sell was made a bit easier when voters agreed in 1989 to a $21.5 million bond referendum that promised significant street, sidewalk and drainage improvements throughout the city and set aside more than $2 million for Old School Square. The city bought the property for $392,000 that year. The former elementary school opened in 1990 as the Cornell. The gym reopened in 1991 as a community events room. The old high school and auditorium opened in 1993 as the Crest. The remainder of the $7 million renovation was finished by 1998. And the gamble worked: Cultural center activities, coupled with DDA and Community Redevelopment Agency programs such as Art & Jazz on the Avenue, as well as big events such as the Delray Affair and the 100-foot Christmas Tree Lighting, began drawing people back to the downtown — in droves. By 2013, Old School Square was hosting 1,500 activities a year, and the museum's budget had grown from $230,000 in 1992 to $2.7 million. The downtown also thrived: The Avenue brought a plethora of top chefs who opened high-end restaurants with outdoor seating along the wide sidewalks. Events were plentiful, even year-round. In fact, the city's biggest problems became crowding (especially on weekends) and parking. But trouble was brewing — and the coronavirus pandemic brought it to a head. Old School Square Center for the Arts, the non-profit that had managed Old School Square since its inception, navigated through the COVID lockdown to survive, barely. However, in August 2021, city commissioners abruptly terminated its lease, citing years of fiscal mismanagement. Lawsuits and countersuits followed, with the complex being effectively shut down until the issue was settled in March 2023. The city took over management of the site, in partnership with the DDA, and retained the name Old School Square (which also had been in dispute). Since then, things have begun to look brighter. The museum is open and mounting new art exhibits. The gymnasium hosts private events such as parties and weddings. The outdoor stage sees a steady stream of musical acts. And the Crest Theatre has undergone renovations to its lobby, reception area and entry restrooms for guests. These projects have brought the building up to current building codes. Improvements also were made to the theater's kitchen, including a space for culinary arts classes. More work is planned for the 323-seat auditorium, which is not currently hosting entertainment events — though big names such as The Drifters and Chris Botti and have performed there in the past. Previous reporting by staff writer Jasmine Fernández and former staff writer Eliot Kleinberg contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach history: Beginnings, development of Old School Square
