Reviving a city like Detroit requires small steps, writes Roberta Brandes Gratz, who looks at block-level projects in the city.
This article looks at small-scale projects in the city and how these efforts are more effective than large-scale planning.
"A promising group of 10 small brick buildings, varied in color and state of renovation, are thriving here. Indeed, the Michigan and 14th corner and nearby sites offer a classic example of how once thriving cities can be reborn. It's a process that develops block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, initiated by the passion and caring of local residents, in this case mostly young people recently out of college. As often happens, one individual, in this case Phillip Cooley, was the catalyst."
FULL STORY: Rebuilding Detroit the Sane Way — A Block at a Time

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
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