Hart Plaza

Philip A. Hart Plaza is a 14-acre outdoor civic space on the Detroit River in downtown Detroit, opened in 1975 and named for late U.S. Senator Philip A. Hart. Designed by Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls with sculptor Isamu Noguchi, the plaza is anchored by the Horace E. Dodge and Son Memorial Fountain — a 30-foot stainless steel fountain with 300 jets and 300 computerized lights — along with the 120-foot stainless steel Pylon. The site marks the location where Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit in 1701, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024. With a capacity of up to 40,000 guests, Hart Plaza hosts the Detroit International Jazz Festival, Movement Electronic Music Festival, African World Festival, Motor City Pride, and the Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival each year. The plaza connects directly to the Detroit Riverwalk and features two open-air amphitheaters, Pylon Square, the Pyramid Theater, kitchen facilities, and river views across to Windsor, Ontario.