- Second Ave. will be a critical thoroughfare to connect downtown Detroit to the riverfront
- Dignitaries and officials gathered to commemorate by signing the first beam to be put in place
DETROIT, MI – 8/13/2025 – Huntington Place, Detroit’s premier convention destination, recently recognized the official start of construction of one of the city’s most exciting and important projects – The Second Ave. Extension – with an event that included a gathering of dignitaries and leaders to sign the first beam before it was put in place in downtown Detroit. See pics of the event here.
The initial beam officially marks the start of a critical stretch of road that for the first time will provide Detroiters and visitors a pedestrian and vehicle friendly access from downtown around Huntington Place from Congress St. to Atwater St. opening up a critical artery to the Detroit River and the array of exciting new projects such as construction of the JW Marriott Hotel and the soon-to-be opened amazing greenspace, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
“In reality, this is a short stretch of concrete and steel, but its significance cannot be overstated. For the first time, we are opening connectivity from downtown to the amazing riverfront west of Huntington Place without having to drive or walk several blocks,” said Claude Molinari, Chairman of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority, which oversees Huntington Place. “This has been needed and requested for a long time, and the fact that we can now get it done for the people of our great city is nothing short of inspiring.”
The Second Avenue Extension, which stretches from Congress Street to the south and Steve Yzerman Drive to the north, and crosses over the M-10 Freeway (The Lodge), is slated to open to traffic in the summer of 2026. It will provide a welcome vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle-friendly access point.
“Huntington Place is buzzing right now with numerous important projects, and the Second Avenue Extension, while not the most visible, is certainly one of the most important,” said Bryan Crowe, CEO of DRCFA and Huntington Place. “This is another milestone in our journey to provide an unsurpassed customer experience at the best convention center in the world.”
On hand for the ceremony were the Hon. David Viviano, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, DRCFA; Elie Torgow, CEO of Sterling Group; Kenneth Kucel, Deputy Group Executive Operations, the City of Detroit; Becky Bixby, Executive Director of Venue Operations, Huntington Place; and Dustin DiNicola, Senior Consultant, Plante Moran Realpoint, among other representatives from partner companies.
Plante Moran Realpoint is the project manager for Second Avenue and several ongoing projects, including the Sky Bridge Connector, which will provide another first: a hotel – the new JW Marriott – directly connected to Huntington Place. Other companies involved in the project include Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc. (AEW), Mannik Smith Group, C.A. Hull, and Dan’s Excavating.
# # #
About Huntington Place
With 723,000 square feet of exhibit space, Huntington Place, Detroit’s convention center, boasts one of the largest contiguous exhibit floor spaces in North America and has the largest ballroom in Michigan with 40,000 square feet. It is a LEED Gold-certified venue and has received numerous industry awards for excellence, including the 2020 USGBC Leadership Award for Building Performance, making it the only convention center in the award’s history to receive it. It is the 16th largest convention center in the United States. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and huntingtonplacedetroit.com.
About ASM Global
ASM Global is the world’s No. 1 development and full-service venue company focused on client-first approaches for driving significant financial success. Acquired by Legends in 2024, the company’s elite network spans five continents, featuring a portfolio of more than 400 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention/exhibition centers, and performing arts venues.
ASM Global translates its unique, visionary ownership experience into innovative project development, planning, and execution; content programming; curated, guest-immersive experiences; locally tailored solutions; and optimized revenue streams for our clients’ properties and surrounding communities. Focused on value creation and economic growth, ASM Global realizes venue business potential to elevate the profitability and profile of our clients and partners. We cultivate strong, inclusive relationships with the communities in which we work and live, while championing the welfare and development of our employees and small business partners, resulting in a more cohesive, resilient, and vibrant community.
