Chevy Commons, Flint MI - Healing a scar in the middle of the city
 

Chevy Commons is a newly-formed park in heart of Flint. It is located along the Flint River, in the area formerly known as Chevy-In-The-Hole. At one time, around 20 buildings housed tens of thousands of GM employees. Only one building remains today - the rest were torn down and the site was covered with a concrete slab. Due to the high levels of contamination, the decision was about 5 years ago to turn this area into a park by simply covering the concrete with dirt and planting trees and other vegetation. A new pedestrian bridge connects this area to downtown.

Even though I work nearby and have kept up with the news about the development of this park, this was my first time walking through. I started with a beer at Tenacity Brewing (old firehouse on the right). This picture is looking east towards downtown, and the river is right behind me.
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New pedestrian bridge
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Kayak Flint has recently opened behind Tenacity and offers kayak rentals for trips down the river.
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The converenge of Swartz Creek and the Flint River
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Looking down Swartz Creek
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Looking across the river at the historic, 10,000 seat Atwood Stadium and Hurley Hospital
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The lone industrial building
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Looking back towards downtown
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Kettering University in the background. Their auto proving grounds is directly across the river
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The main parking lot for Chevy Commons is on the west side of the site, just south of Kettering
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Walking back east, towards downtown got me closer to this building
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The other parking lot for the park
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Thanks for bringing some new angles with decent Flint skyline views that even hardly googled.

I'm glad to know at least one person apprecited this thread! LOL. I realized it isn't the most interesting photo thread, but it is an important development in Flint and gives some unique views of the city.

Only hard-core, hot-blooded urban skyline fan, truely, appreciates the soul of

Going across the street from Tenacity will give you this view:

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I think it is very interesting that all that soil was imported to the site! I wonder how deep it is and what unique drainage system, if any, is required due to the mostly impermeable layer beneath?

Much of the soil actually came from the city's compost collection - they brought all of the leaves, grass clippings, etc. to the site for a couple years. If you google "compost flint chevy in the hole" you will find a number of news articles and pictures showing the large piles of compost.

Thanks for sharing! I've only been to Flint once, but I had a nice time there. I hope Flint is able to battle through these tough times and come back stronger than ever.

very interesting to see this thx. not bad at all considering.

unfortunately on a trip we drove right by here and then down rt23 --- i regret not being able to stop because we had to beat it down to the airport.

i had picked visiting flint, but my spouse picked frankenmuth, guess who won? :haha:

Lmao... fucking Frankenmuth man... the bane of my existence. :haha: