Amy Chesterton part of two teams involved in developing new Alger Center

Amy Chesterton, AICP had a unique perspective as the new Fred M. Alger Center went from merely an idea, to being a home for art, culture, and the humanities in Grosse Pointe Farms.

Chesterton, of Grosse Pointe Park, has been on The War Memorial Association Board of Directors for about seven years. She is also a partner at ROSSETTI, a Detroit architecture firm, and the director of urban planning. Chesterton has worked at ROSSETTI for five years. ROSSETTI was the architect for the new 25,000 square foot facility at The War Memorial, which opened in November.    

“We direct all physical and policy planning in the office for our local Detroit projects and our sports developments nationally,” she said.  

Chesterton described the development of the Alger Center as nerve-wracking for her.

“I joke with everybody that I got my chocolate mixed with my peanut butter on that one,” she said. “When we were going through it, considering the possible renovation, I was hesitant to recommend ROSSETTI, but knew that we were the best from a hospitality standpoint.”

She explained her involvement in the project as an “arms-length” partner, trying to not get involved in the day-to-day work, rather, she received a monthly update about the project’s progress from ROSSETTI colleagues.

“The Alger Center was the first thing we’ve done at ROSSETTI that was in our backyard,” Chesterton said. “So much of our work is national and international. It’s something that I’m going to see every day.”  

Walking through the center for the first time last year, Chesterton said she was super proud of the work done by all.

“It was exciting to see a very high-quality and modern venue in Grosse Pointe,” she said. “It signified the road ahead for us at The War Memorial in terms of the organization.”  

In December, Chesterton was a panelist on the 2022 Michigan Women in Green Discussion Forum. This forum celebrated women in their roles in the green building, environment stewardship and sustainability field and amplifies their experience lifting up the work and their colleagues work in this space.    

“We talked a lot about work-life balance, being a parent, a professional and someone who works in the community,” Chesterton said.

Chesterton grew up in Columbus, Ohio then lived on the east coast, living in Manhattan, New York prior to moving to Michigan. She and her husband Patrick have two children – Henry and Lainey. Henry is a freshman at Grosse Pointe South High School and Lainey is in sixth grade at Pierce Middle School.  

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Source: The War Memorial

The War Memorial, located on the shores of Lake Saint Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, is an experiential space open to everyone from everywhere. For more than 70 years, it has served as a patriotic, cultural, and community center. Its unique environment attracts more than 3,000 events and 250,000 visitors annually while offering premier hospitality services for community and private gatherings. Its diverse lineup of innovative programming includes live and virtual engagement experiences for adults and children. At its core, The War Memorial celebrates the ideas of American democracy while honoring those who have defended those ideas with tireless effort and personal sacrifice. Numerous patriotic and veterans’ events are held as well as history and civics offerings on the origin, traditions, and challenges facing American democracy. The War Memorial remains committed to serving the community as a unique, dynamic, and forward-thinking hub for southeast Michigan.

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