Detroit 2017...II

My second day in Detroit found me visiting the Ecumenical Theological Seminary, formerly First Presbyterian Church on Woodward Avenue. While on Woodward Avenue, I went across the street to the newly-built Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Pistons basketball team and Detroit Red Wings hockey team. When I was last in Detroit, construction was just beginning on Little Caesars. What makes this arena pretty cool is that is sits in the middle of lots of shops and restaurants, which are built around it. Artist Don Kilpatrick has some larger-than-life murals of rapper Eminem, singer Aretha Franklin, former hockey player Gordie Howe and former boxer Joe Louis on the outside wall above the colleague and vendors entrance. Detroit native Kid Rock has a restaurant called "Made In Detroit" at the arena along Woodward Avenue. From there, I continue on Woodward Avenue making my way back to Ford Field and across the street to Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. On one of the walls at Comerica Park, I saw a plaque dedicated to former Detroit Stars Negro League baseball player Norman "Turkey" Stearnes. I spent a bit of time at Comerica Park photographing the Tiger statues at the ballpark. Also in that area is The Russell A. Alger Memorial Fountain inside Grand Circus Park, the Detroit Opera House, Robert Wyland's "WW76 Whale Tower" mural on the side of Broderick Tower and the Detroit Athletic Club. Across the street from the Athletic Club in the center island is A. Thomas Schomberg's statues of "6.4.3"(baseball), "The Finish"(track) and "Running Back"(football).

After a brief lunch break, I picked up shooting at the Fox Theater. And next door to the Fox, construction was going on for the Little Caesars World Headquarters. From there, I went to the Wayfingding Skate Park, which was partially designed by skate board champion Tony Hawk. There was also an art instillation of 60 "wayfinding" street signs on the back wall designed by contemporary artist Ryan McGinness. At Campus Martius Park, there were some pretty cool autumn harvest displays throughout the walkways. Leaving the park and heading towards the Riverwalk, I stopped to photograph another art installation by Steve and Dorota Coy called "Flight" right above the new esplanade on Woodward Avenue. This art installation is one of the best I've seen. I walked past the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center where Marshall Fredericks' "The Spirit Of Detroit" statue sits. Before heading into Hart Plaza across the street, I photograph Robert Graham's "Monument To Joe Louis", which hangs at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Woodward Avenue downtown. Once in Hart Plaza, I take photos looking back into downtown and Renaissance Center, home of General Motors and the Marriott Hotel. I end this day early to attend a special event at Renaissance Center.