Shipping Container Restaurant-Bar To Open On Detroit's Campus Martius Beach

DETROIT (WWJ) - There's something new and unique in Downtown Detroit's Campus Martius Park.

WWJ's Vickie Thomas reports the first thing you'll notice is the bright aqua blue color of a huge steel shipping container that was dropped on the park's "urban beach" area Thursday morning.

What's the deal?

"It's going to be a new restaurant a beach sort of bar right on the beach of Campus Martius," said Eric Larson, of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. "Very cool, expanded menu and really, quite honestly, it's really innovative to be able to do this."

Replacing the former Beach Bar and Grill, the new restaurant boasts a "cargotecture" design that's the first of its kind in Detroit —  creatively built from a decommissioned 40-foot-long steel industrial shipping container.

It will offer a casual al fresco dining experience, serving snacks, sausages, sandwiches and salads, overlooking the park's centerpiece fountain.

"With The Fountain Detroit, our goal was to create a casual, fun and exciting outdoor environment where we can provide stellar service and a memorable experience to thousands of guests at any given time," said Zaid Elia of 800 Parc LLC, which partnert with the DDP for the project. "Our world-class venue, custom-built facility, and experienced team of industry professionals will bring this goal to life for the enjoyment of all who live, work and play in downtown Detroit."

The Fountain Detroit is scheduled to open for full-bar service on Friday, May 27 for the spring/summer season.

In the meantime, the restaurant is looking to hire "experienced and outgoing" staff for all positions — including servers, bartenders and cooks. For more information, visit www.fountaindetroit.com or email hello@fountaindetroit.com.