The Quicken Loans founder and real estate mogul now controls 78 downtown properties. His investment choices can set the tone for life in what used to be an abandoned city center.

Much of what we hear about resurrection in Detroit comes from Dan Gilbert, the billionaire aspiring to own downtown. Over the past five years, Gilbert has invested over $1.5 billion in properties lying fallow since Detroit became poster-city for Rust Belt blight.
The push started when Gilbert moved Quicken Loans' headquarters downtown from the suburbs, bringing with him a young and numerous workforce. "Today, Gilbert and his partners own or control through leases 78 properties downtown, including much of the retail space along Woodward Avenue in the core of downtown."
Offices, residents, and retail have moved into Gilbert's properties, enlivening the street scene under the watchful eye of an extensive private security force. "Gilbert began to station colorful furniture on the sidewalks and plazas outside his buildings. He attracted food trucks and musicians. He even worked with Campus Martius managers to install a sandy beach [at the park]."
Gilbert's plan for downtown has also attracted criticism. "There are also some who feel the renaissance has been a lopsided one, favoring corporations and professionals living and working downtown. Critics stress that the city's neighborhoods and residents, so far, are mostly being left out of the new activity and investment."
FULL STORY: Five years in, and Dan Gilbert's just beginning

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure
After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.

The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?
In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.

Quantifying Social Infrastructure
New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions