A suburban Detroit developer is promoting an alternative vision for Detroit's Belle Isle: transforming the island park into a commonwealth free market utopia for the elite.
Like the city it belongs to, Detroit's 982-acre Belle Isle, designed as an urban park in the 1880's by Frederick Law Olmsted, has seen better days. The island, which sits in the middle of the Detroit River, has suffered from disinvestment along with the rest of the City; its partially stocked aquarium is open one day per week after a five-year closure, and other amenities, like the zoo and canoe livery, have been closed for years.
Still, Belle Isle looms large in the hearts of Detroiters, and a proposal to turn over management of the island to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has met with resistance from some residents and City Council.
Given reluctance to lease the island to the State of Michigan, it seems highly unlikely a new proposal from Bingham Farms developer Rodney Lockwood- to buy the island from the cash-strapped city for $1 billion dollars to have it secede from Michigan and become a semi-independent commonwealth like Puerto Rico- would gain any traction. According to Lockwood's plan, approximately 35,000 citizenships would be available for $300,000 each. A reduced fee or sponsorship for 20% citizens would be reserved for entrepreneurs, immigrants and artists who cannot meet the financial requirement.
Due to a rapidly deteriorating financial situation, Detroit may soon be placed under the control of an Emergency Financial Manager. Under the previous Emergency Manager law, which voters rejected in November, an EFM had unilateral power to sell city assets. It is unclear if a new EFM would have such powers under the replacement law, passed by the Michigan Legislature's lame duck session last month.
FULL STORY: Developer pitches $1B commonwealth for Belle Isle

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie