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
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.