Michigan
High Speed Locomotive Contract for Five States Awarded to Siemans AG
A $226 million contract to build 32 higher speed diesel locomotives, capable of reaching 125 mph, was awarded to the team of the German conglomerate, Siemens AG and Indiana-based engine maker Cummins, Inc over Peoria, Ill. based Caterpillar, Inc.
Lessons for Detroit—from New Orleans
Detroit recently replaced New Orleans as the American city with the highest rate of blight. As Detroit undertakes its plans to shrink, which includes a massive blight removal campaign, what lessons from New Orleans bear repeating?
Detroit's Bankruptcy Plan Accelerates Blight Reduction
To drastically increase the rate of Detroit’s ongoing transformation, the city's bankruptcy plan, recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, would spend $520 million on its ongoing blight reduction efforts in the hopes of razing 400-500 homes a week.
More Debate About 'Saving' Rust Belt Cities
The populations of at least a dozen major cities declined by more than ten percent between 2000 and 2010, including Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Detroit. How best to regenerate those “legacy cities” is a matter of no small amount of debate.
Detroit—Model of Lean Urbanism
The Knight Foundation has announced funding for the Project for Lean Urbanism, led by Andrés Duany. In a recent article, Duany applies concepts from Lean Urbanism in examining the case of Detroit as the next in a line of revitalized urban settings.
City Visas: The Right Way to Lure Talent?
Should dying cities like Detroit get their own visa programs to attract skilled foreign workers? What about prosperous cities like New York and London?
How Does A Propane Shortage Strike Amidst A Production Boom?
Propane prices in some parts of the midwest and south had tripled; governors have demanded investigations into price gouging, and shelters have opened for those unable to afford the steep prices increases, yet production increased 15% from last year.
New Law in Michigan Makes it Easier for Bikers to Turn Right
The new law is for any bike rider who has ever paused to wonder if drivers on the road even understand the meaning of the traditional right turn hand signal.
Questioning ‘If You Demolish It, They Will Come’
Removing Detroit’s blight is highly emotional, and made more difficult by the lack of models for emulation. A recent editorial rejects the assumption that removing blight from over 100,000 vacant lots is sufficient to stimulate economic development.
Professionals Priced Out of Hot Detroit Neighborhoods
As unbelievable as it may sound in a city with tens of thousands of vacant properties, young professionals are being priced out of popular Detroit neighborhoods like Midtown and Corktown as demand far exceeds supply.
Detroit Reboots Revitalization Plans for Brush Park
Signaling a shift in fortunes for Detroit’s residential market, the city is seeking investors for Brush Park, a historic, but largely vacant, residential neighborhood adjacent to downtown.
Billionaire's Optimism on Downtown Detroit is Contagious
By investing $1.3 billion in downtown Detroit, Dan Gilbert's bullish attitude towards the city's future has stood out amidst the city's recent troubles. But developers are beginning to buy into his rosy vision for the Motor City.
Detroit Blight Fight Begins in Earnest Monday
75 teams of surveyors will fan out across Detroit on Monday to begin cataloging the city's vacant buildings block-by-block. One of the leaders of the effort is estimating that eliminating blight could cost $1 billion.
Could Detroit Be "Blight-Free" in 36 Months?
Kevyn Orr, Detroit’s emergency manager, has expressed his belief that the city can clear its backlog of 78,000 blighted buildings within the next 18-36 months.
Judge Allows Detroit Bankruptcy to Proceed
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes ruled today that the city of Detroit is eligible for bankruptcy protection, allowing the city to proceed with the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Public employee unions are expected to appeal.
Holiday Cheer Boosts Businesses Along Main Street
Eight years after downtown Rochester sparked a retail resurgence along its Main Street with a holiday light display, small towns across Metro Detroit are following suit to create a sense of place and lure shoppers away from boring big boxes.
Detroit Considers Highway Removal to Help Its Downtown Revival
By exploring whether to turn I-375 into a surface street, the city that is the United States' foremost exemplar of suburban flight is considering a historic reversal that would demonstrate its optimism in its recovering downtown.
18 Projects That Could Transform Detroit
Greenways, streetcars, and adaptive re-use projects are among the conceptual, as well as in-progress, initiatives profiled by Ashley Woods.
Getting to Know Decaying Detroit, Parcel-by-Parcel
An "unprecedented" effort being led by Detroit’s new Blight Task Force will document the city's crumbling and vacant properties. It's part of a multi-pronged effort to combat Detroit's widespread blight.
Detroit Struggles to Turn the Lights Back On
After forty years of disinvestment in public lighting, Detroit's tens of thousands of broken street and alley lights contribute to incidents of crime and traffic accidents. Can a new lighting authority grow the city's glow?
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.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
