$1 will buy you one square inch of a vacant lot in Detroit, and membership in Jerry Paffendorf's club of "inchvestors." It may sound like a scheme, but Paffendorf calls it a way to network, invest in Detroit, and attract entrepreneurs.
"For $1, you can own a piece of Detroit. It will be a small piece: 1 square inch, to be exact. But your deed to that microplot of land will also buy you passage into an online community that could yield big ideas for the city."
Jerry Paffendorf's "Loveland" project started when he bought a vacant lot in Detroit for $500 and then put it up for sale online - in 10,000 1-square inch segments. Buyers worldwide have been snapping up the lots, and coming up with plenty of ideas to improve their new city.
Detractors call they project a pyramid scheme or exploitation, but Paffendorf and some of his investors see it as a way to reconnect with Detroit, to bring in new ideas, to fundraise for local charities and non-profits, and hopefully to help the City recover.
FULL STORY: Inchvesting in Detroit: A Virtual Realty
All the Reasons to Map a City's Smells
"Smell-mapping" is gaining attention from urban planners, data scientists, and nature conservationists alike.
TOD: The 'T' Stands for 'Trail'
Planning for active transportation is the new trend in urban development, according to the Urban Land Institute—and it pays off.
Virtual Reality a Game Changer for Real Estate
The New York Times details how virtual reality is expected to change the game of real estate. The possibilities for planners and architects are endless as well.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
