Detroit

Official's Embrace of Gentrification Causes Stir in Detroit

Speaking at an event this week, Detroit's economic development czar was unabashed in his support of gentrification for the troubled city. The subject is a sore one for a city that still recalls the rampant black displacement of the 1940s and ’50s.

May 17, 2013 - Motor City Muckraker

Biking in the Motor City: How Detroit is Returning to its Roots

Detroit is moving away from its focus of investing solely in automobile infrastructure. The city is now turning towards bicycle infrastructure as a means of appealing to a different demographic, one that seeks alternatives to the car.

May 14, 2013 - Global Site Plans - The Grid

Gilbert Doubles Down on Downtown Detroit With Ambitious Placemaking Plan

Rather than succumb to the negative news surrounding Detroit's dire financial situation, businessman and booster Dan Gilbert is doubling down on his extensive investment in the city with an ambitious effort to enliven downtown's public spaces.

March 29, 2013 - The Detroit News

Bike-Share Spreads Across Sprawling Midwest

Bike-share is continuing its march towards world domination, with seemingly every large Midwestern American city now jumping on the bike lending bandwagon, reports Angie Schmitt.

March 15, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

Tracing Detroit's Decline

The need to put Detroit under emergency management wasn't the result of a single failed strategy, but the culmination of decades of poor leadership, bad decisions, and "crossed fingers," report Monica Davey and Mary Williams Walsh.

March 12, 2013 - The New York Times

'First They Tried to Make Moons': The Fascinating History of Electric Streetlights

When electricity was still in its infancy, municipal leaders turned to "moonlight towers" to provide mass illumination for their cities. Megan Garber explores the "brief and literally shining moment" in the history of electric streetlights.

March 7, 2013 - The Atlantic

One Detroit Rises, While the Other Falls

Monica Davey describes the divergent paths of Detroit's public and private sectors.

March 7, 2013 - The New York Times

In Dire Financial Straits, Detroit to Receive Emergency Manager

Despite a wealth of upbeat news of late (surging downtown, encouraging long range plan, etc.), Detroit received a very unpleasant reminder of its intractable problems when Gov. Rick Snyder announced he will appoint an emergency financial manager.

March 2, 2013 - Detroit Free Press

Wild Detroit

A Plan To Shrink Detroit (Well)

Justin Hollander, PhD, AICP, looks closely at Detroit’s new Strategic Framework Plan and finds a compelling plan to manage depopulation. The plan takes a realistic view of what it would take to make Detroit a great city without growing.

February 26, 2013 - Justin Hollander

A Stark Visualization of Detroit's Tax Mess

A Detroit-based maker of "crowdfunding and social mapping systems," has developed an interactive map of the tax status of every property in Detroit. In bright yellows, oranges, and reds, the city's property tax "black hole" is brutally clear.

January 31, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Revealing Modernism’s ‘Holy Grail’

Lafayette Park is a thriving and diverse neighborhood of high rises and townhouses designed by Mies van der Rohe. This unique modern architecture success story in Detroit is showcased in a new book "Thanks for the View, Mr. Mies."

January 16, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Design

Developer Dreams of Turning Detroit Park Into Free Market Utopia

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.

January 14, 2013 - The Detroit News

Downtown Detroit

Kresge Pledges Additional $120 Million Toward Detroit Revitalization

Detroit has received a significant showing of confidence from its benefactor, The Kresge Foundation (based in Troy, MI) after it unveiled its new strategic plan known as Detroit Future City. As the city downsizes, the challenges are significant.

January 13, 2013 - The Wall Street Jounal

Long-Term Plan for a Stabilized, Revitalized Detroit Unveiled

After two years of work, hundreds of meetings, and 70,000 survey responses and comments from participants, Detroit will today release the strategic framework plan that will guide the city's long-term recovery, reports Leonard N. Fleming.

January 9, 2013 - The Detroit News

Marking an 'Exciting Day' for Detroit's Development

This week Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a series of bills passed during the State Legislature's recent lame-duck session that will have long-term impacts on the revival of Detroit and its suburbs, reports Kathleen Gray.

December 20, 2012 - Detroit Free Press

Detroit Struggles to Slake Thirst for Urban Living

In Detroit's downtown and midtown neighborhoods, 96 percent of rental apartments are occupied by young professionals, students and empty nesters. The city now faces the problem of meeting the high demand for urban living, reports Susan Stellin.

December 14, 2012 - The New York Times

North view

Detroit Gives Go-Ahead to Controversial Urban Farm Project

By a narrow vote, Detroit's City Council has given approval for the city to sell 140 acres of vacant land to financial services business owner John Hantz for the creation of an urban agriculture project. Some are calling the deal a "land grab."

December 12, 2012 - The Detroit News

Detroit - Renaissance Center

Detroit's Unreal Estate

On Places, Andrew Herscher of the University of Michigan challenges the usual view of Detroit's decline.

December 8, 2012 - Places Journal

A Tale of Two Detroits

It's a baffling time in the history of Detroit. For optimists, one can look to the rise of downtown and proposals for mega-development projects. For pessimists, there's the messy reality of impending municipal default. In Detroit, "paradox rules."

December 6, 2012 - The Detroit News

Excitement for Detroit Condo Project Hard to Contain

A Detroit developer is moving ahead with plans for an innovative condo project that will repurpose shipping containers for medium-density housing, reports John Gallagher.

November 19, 2012 - Detroit Free Press

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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