Detroit Transportation Corp. officials, joined by Mayor Mike Duggan and Sterling Group founder Gary Torgow, today announced the latest project to modernize the Detroit People Mover.
As part of a transformation of the former Joe Louis Arena site, the Detroit People Mover has been renamed as the Water Square Station. In turn, the station, which is the closet transit stop to the riverfront, will be enhanced.
“We are celebrating the Water Square neighborhood,” says Robert Cramer, COO of Detroit Transportation Corp. “The clear vision that has emerged for the Water Square Station and its critical role in the development of the western portion of the district will continue to connect transit riders in the near future.”
For the past five years, the People Mover stop was called West Riverfront, and before that, Joe Louis Arena Station. More recently, the Water Square neighborhood on the former arena site is being redeveloped.
The Residences Water Square, designed by Neumann/Smith Architecture, with offices in Detroit and Southfield, opened 496 luxury apartment units across from the station 17 months ago, and the 600-room JW Marriott Detroit Water Square currently is under construction and slated to open in early 2027.
The developments are transforming the landscape, clearing the way for additional projects and increasing demand for the Water Square Station and the People Mover.
“Connecting the Water Square moniker to the Detroit People Mover provides a wonderful new addition to Detroit’s history,” says Torgow, developer of the entire Water Square project.
During the announcement, Detroit Transportation Corp. officials referenced an upcoming community benefits project, funded in part by $500,000 from Sterling Group, toward the update of Water Square Station’s exterior.
The update will be completed by the end of 2026, and is intended to be a welcoming, cohesive addition to the neighboring Residences Water Square and the upcoming JW Marriott Detroit Water Square.
The hotel, which will connect to Huntington Place via an enclosed pedestrian bridge, will offer five podium levels, 20 guest floors, a 12,000-square-foot grand ballroom, and 50,000 square feet of meeting space. It is being designed by Neumann/Smith Architecture, in association with Looney & Assocs.
“By fall 2026, Second Avenue Extension will connect the street from Yzerman Drive to Congress Street for the first time in decades, transforming the area into a well-lit, pedestrian, and bike-friendly pathway that will appeal to both residents, People Mover riders, and guests visiting the neighborhood,” says Duggan.
“The Sterling Group’s investment in the community supports public transportation, downtown living, and expands the city’s number of hotel rooms, increasing our competitive bids for national sporting events and conventions.”
Founded in 1988 in Detroit, Sterling Group is a privately held investment and real estate firm. For more information, visit sgdetroit.com/.
