Michigan
Derelict Detroit Home Used as Architecture Studio Project
Five young architects have taken over a derelict home in Detroit and are using it as a full-scale studio for new design ideas.
Canada Loans Michigan $550m For Bridge
With no US government or private funding available, the Canadian government has announced it will pony up the remaining funds for a new toll bridge connecting their country with Detroit, which they see as a jobs creator.
Could Detroit Feed Itself?
It may be one of the worst food deserts in the country, but Detroit has enough open land in the city's 103,000 vacant lots to become self-sufficient in terms of food production, argues Mark Dowie.
Can Mass Demolitions Save Detroit?
In this video report from CNN, Detroit politicians and residents voice both opposition and support for the plan to demolish up to 3,000 abandoned homes and densify remaining housing.
How Should Obama Tackle Detroit?
This TIME article looks at possible federal approaches to assist Detroit, from new alternative energy factories to urban agriculture initiatives.
Public Space Creation in Three Midwestern Cities
This piece from The Architect's Newspaper takes a look at three midwestern cities that have recently benefited from outside investments in their urban centers.
High-Density Development Nixed in Ann Arbor
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a high-density, 62 unit apartment complex was approved 6-4 by the city council, but a local law requires a supermajority to pass if members of the public file an 'opposition petition.'
Streetcar Coming to Detroit, But Locals Call for Broader BRT
Funding seems locked for a planned streetcar line in Detroit, but some locals argue that what the metro region really needs is a wider-reaching bus rapid transit system. The Transport Politic profiles the proposals.
Detroit Makes Big Investment in Bike Lanes
In the next year, Detroit will be putting in 30 miles of bike lanes throughout the city. But an ambitious new plan imagines up to 400 miles of bicycling infrastructure.
Detroit Cosmopolitanism: An Open Letter to a Ballplayer's Skeptical Wife
When baseball player Johnny Damon signed a contract to play for the Detroit Tigers, his wife voiced concerns about the city not being cosmopolitan enough. This open letter to Mrs. Damon argues that the city has more going for it than many assume.
Act Now to Create a Successful Detroit
This op-ed from The Detroit Free Press looks at ambitious goals for the city ten years into the future, and argues that citizens will need to start acting soon to turn those dreams into reality.
Is My City Shrinking?
Justin B. Hollander at Tufts University looks at the increasing shrinkage of cities like Flint, Michigan and Youngstown, Ohio and the myriad strategies these cities are taking to shrink effectively.
Detroit Mayor Makes Big Plans in State of City Speech
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing recently delivered his first "state of the city" speech since taking office, and included a broad list of proposals that could bring about a widespread revisioning of the struggling city.
Detroit Makes Big Hire to Aid Downsizing
Urban planning expert Toni Griffin has been recruited to help Detroit downsize and recover -- thanks to an infusion of money from a private philanthropic foundation.
WalMart Purchase Thwarted, Family Sues City of Rezoning - And Wins
WalMart made an offer to purchase a plot from a family in Frankenmuth, Michigan, but withdrew the offer when the City Council rezoned the land for a limited building size. The family sued, and a federal judge awarded them $3.6 million.
Detroit's Central Depot: The Next Alcatraz?
Could Detroit turn its crumbling buildings into tourist attractions? The Urbanophile says there are worse ideas.
Inchvesting in Detroit
$1 will buy you one square inch of a vacant lot in Detroit, and membership in Jerry Paffendorf's club of "inchvestors." It may sound like a scheme, but Paffendorf calls it a way to network, invest in Detroit, and attract entrepreneurs.
Tough Times in Detroit, But Some Hope Remains
One in five Detroit homes is in foreclosure and asking prices are dropping to extreme lows. Many in the city question what lies in the future for the struggling city.
Mayor Bing Says It's Time to Downsize Detroit
"If we don't do it, you know this whole city is going to go down," said the Mayor. A new study by the mayor's staff shows that roughly one in three parcels are vacant lots or abandoned homes.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
