The city of Detroit will review the presentations of seven finalists tasked with creating a new vision for the east riverfront—a part of Detroit poised for redevelopment momentum.
According to an article by John Gallagher, "a new city [of Detroit] panel this week will hear from seven teams of experts that hope to win a commission to fashion a new vision for the east riverfront." Gallagher describes the east riverfront—connecting downtown to Belle Isle—as ripe for new development.
Once selected, the winning team will finalize a presentation to be made this summer. Gallagher describes the scope of the planning exercise:
Among the issues the winning team must grapple with are how to overcome parking shortages in the district as more people visit the RiverWalk; how to make it easier for residents north of Jefferson Avenue to cross the nine-lane roadway to get down to the waterfront; how to include greenways and bicycle paths in the district; and figuring out the proper mix of residential units, retail, and commercial space.
Gallagher also reports that several of the seven finalists represent local architecture and planning firms, including Hamilton-Anderson Associates, McIntosh Poris, the Detroit office of Gensler, and the engineering firm Giffels Webster. Also on the list of finalists are national firms like Skidmore Owings & Merrill. Maurice Cox, Detroit's planning director, and Mark Wallace, CEO of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy are included on the committee that selects the winning team.
FULL STORY: Panel set to hear from potential riverfront planners

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.

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

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie