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Reclaiming Detroit: Urban Village Redevelopment R e b e c c a L a r e e M c K e v i t z College of Architecture and Planning Ball State University Fall 2015 LA 451
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Reclaiming Detroit: Urban Village Redevelopment

Jul 25, 2016

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5th Year Comprehensive (Thesis) Project Proposal
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Page 1: Reclaiming Detroit: Urban Village Redevelopment

Reclaiming Detroit: Urban Village RedevelopmentR e b e c c a L a r e e M c K e v i t z College of Architecture and PlanningBall State UniversityFall 2015LA 451

Page 2: Reclaiming Detroit: Urban Village Redevelopment

Abstract

After the economic crisis of 2007, many rust-belt cit ies had a hard t ime bouncing

back from deindustrializat ion, high unemployment rates, loss of populat ion and

a complete change in the culture and structure of the economic system.

Detroit , with its industrial roots set in the automotive industry, was hit especially

hard. With a suffering economy and sprawling infrastructure, it is now t ime to

begin to think about a new way of t ransforming Detroit into a premier mid-west

city. Through the consolidation of residents and resources, the boundaries of

urban Detroit will begin to be redefined and the density of the urban core will

be increased while the less dense sprawling areas will be ut ilized for more

productive uses.

By designing at a variety of scales and considering a wide variety of issues

associated with the current condit ions of Detroit , this project will begin to

facilitate the emergence of something entirely new in the field of urban

planning and design. The creation of a template for a dense, mixed-use,

culturally rich urban village will begin to take the unsustainable sprawl of the

past and transform it into an efficient and interconnected city of the future.

Through an abundance of research, site visits and a thorough design process,

the intricate economic, cultural and transit problems of today’s Detroit will be

rearranged into an entirely new system that will improve the condit ions of

Detroit’s economy and the quality of life of the city’s residents.

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Table of Contents

Problem..........................................................................................................................................1

Sub-Problems.................................................................................................................................1

Significance of Problem...............................................................................................................1

Project Location............................................................................................................................2

Designing at a Variety of Scales.................................................................................................3

Assumptions...................................................................................................................................4

Delimitations..................................................................................................................................5

Definition of Terms.........................................................................................................................5

Review of Related Literature.......................................................................................................7

Current Conditions in the City of Detroit & Urban Sprawl.............................................8 Methods and Principals of Public Transit Systems..........................................................14

Neighborhood Redevelopment......................................................................................16

Concluding Thoughts........................................................................................................19

Methodology................................................................................................................................21

Goals and Objectives..................................................................................................................23

Timeline..........................................................................................................................................24

Maps & Graphics..........................................................................................................................25

Site Photos......................................................................................................................................27

Bibliography...................................................................................................................................30

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Problem

The intent of this research project is to explore potential opportunities for urban

infill and the economic benefits of mult i-modal t ransit in the five core districts of

Detroit . The design will then further focus on designing a vibrant mixed-use

village typology within corktown that will create a lively, compact and walkable

urban environment for residents of Detroit .

Sub-Problems

How can the best practices of urban infill be ut ilized to help communit ies

achieve or sustain populat ion density and t o increase the availability of

affordable housing?

How can a mult i-modal t ransportation network and mixed-use project

design improve economic opportunity for impoverished neighborhoods in

Detroit?

How can the development of historic neighborhoods in Detroit lead to an

enhanced urban fabric?

Significance of Problem

After the economic crisis of 2007, Detroit struggled to bounce back as quickly as

other cities across the country. Between 2000 and 2010, Detroit lost 25% of its

residents and in 2010 the unemployment rate was close to 50%. There are currently

close to 13,000 foreclosed homes and 33,000 acres of empty lots within the city

limits. Although these statistics may make Detroit sound like an unattractive place to

live and work, it wasn‟t always that way. With an incredible culture, industry, history,

sports teams and hard-working people, Detroit still has the potential to be one of

the premier cities of the Mid-West.

There are many physical and economic drivers that have led Detroit to its current

state. The existing development patterns are unsustainable, especially with the

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overwhelming loss of jobs and loss of people from the city. In order to be successful,

this project will need to focus on not only how to stop producing sprawl, but also

figure out how to trigger behaviors which will transform the sprawl of the past into

the efficiency of the future. With the implementation of culturally rich mixed-use

v illages and a strong multi-modal transit system, Detroit can begin to improve

economic opportunities and attract residents and tourists back to the city.

Redesigning Detroit will require attention to urban sprawl, gentrification, and the

rust-belt history of the city, but with careful consideration for the residents and future

v isitors of Detroit, many improvements can be made to restore Detroit to its former

glory.

Project Location

This project will attempt to create a template for dest itute cit ies needing an

urban restorat ion. The area that will be designed is located in Detroit , Michigan.

Detroit is a sprawling city with many dynamic neighborhoods and valuable

components. The v ibrant downtown area seems to be functioning better than other

areas of the city that may need more attention, and therefore offers potential for

this project. The scenic waterfront and v iews to Windsor will also be considered

along with some of Detroit‟s assets including Belle I sle, Grosse I sle, Greektown, and

the Riverwalk area.

When looking at the expansive area of the city of Detroit (see Figure 3) the large

in area but small in populat ion areas of Detroit‟s East Side and West Side

communit ies are current ly one of the biggest problems Detroit is facing. The

large amount of open land, abandoned propert ies and the lack of valuable

resources and services makes these areas a prime example of the problems

associated with out migrat ion and urban sprawl. The financial cost of running

ut ilit ies and services so far out from the city center in order to benefit so few

people is not sustainable or best for the needs of the city. By increasing the

populat ion density of the core of the city, resources will be fully ut ilized and

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Detroiters will be brought back to the vibrant culture of their city, and more

importantly they will be reconnected to each other.

Designing at a Variety of Scales

This study will consider the redesign of the five core districts of Detroit, Michigan

including Midtown, Downtown, Eastern Market, the historic Corktown neighborhood

and the impoverished areas of Southwest Detroit. This area is important to consider

because it is a relatively dense area of the city and therefore will benefit from the

investment of a redesign and will be reconfigured to accommodate higher density

infrastructure as well as a higher population of Detroiters.

The neighborhood scale redesign will be focused on Detroit‟s oldest neighborhood,

Corktown, with its rich history and much potential to become a destination within

Detroit. The corktown neighborhood boundaries are as follows; Martin Luther King Jr.

Boulevard to the north, John C Lodge Freeway to the East, the Riverfront to the

south and I -96 to the west.

Scale Location Design Goals

City Scale Midtown,

Downtown, Eastern

Market, Corktown

and Southwest

Detroit

-Urban Planning and Design

-Consider the extents of the

urban fabric of Detroit

-Discover physical and spatial connections

Neighborhood

Scale

Corktown -Site design

-Specific cultural history

-Detailed design decisions

Village Scale Areas of Corktown -Village dynamics and layout

-Creation and utilization of resources within v illage

-Housing, commercial and

retail breakdown

-Promote local investment

culturally and economically

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Assumptions

The city of Detroit will look into solving the problem of uninhabited housing and

unused infrastructure across the city, especially in the East Side and West Side

communit ies.

The city of Detroit will abandon ut ilit ies and services to port ions of the expansive

and sparsely populated East Side and West Side communit ies (APPENDIX D) and

reinvest in the central neighborhoods being designed in this proposal. The city of

Detroit will relocate individuals living in this very low density area of the city to

the higher density downtown corridor of Detroit .

Recommendations for abandoned land include: Urban Farming, Urban Forestry, Energy

Production, Water Capture and Water Treatment Facilities

Brownfield remediat ion will be done by others. The designed area is assumed to

be safe, healthy and ready to build on.

Strong retail and commercial development trends along Woodward Avenue

and throughout Midtown will continue as they have for the past five years.

The Urban Mixed-Use Development, residential and commercial infill, and

recreational and aesthetic landscape improvements will be a catalyst for more

investment within the city of Detroit which will lead to the ability for the city to

sustain these changes and continue to move towards economic and social

stability.

The city of Detroit will be able to maintain the built st ructures and landscape

elements proposed within in the final design.

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Delimitations

This study will be limited to the neighborhoods located nearest to the downtown

district of Detroit including Midtown, Downtown, Eastern Market, Corktown and

Southwest Detroit.

This project will not include sources of funding for the subsequent design.

This study will be limited to urban mixed-use design and recreational spaces and

will not include the scient ific aspects of Brownfield remediat ion techniques for

the abandoned urban sites.

This design will work to create the climate and mix of land uses for businesses to

move into the area but will not work to develop policies or quantify economic

benefits.

Definition of Terms

Abandoned Industrial Corridor: An adjacent composite of abandoned

propert ies, likely including brownfields, empty land and old and extremely worn

down structures

Complete Streets: streets that are designed to ensure safe access for all users,

especially pedestrians and bicyclists, while also providing space for motorists

and transit riders with a variety of needs

Culture: the behaviors and beliefs characterist ic of a part icular social, ethnic,

or age group; the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human

beings and transmitted from one generation to another; the creation of art ,

music, cuisine, t radit ion or infrastructure by a part icular group of like-minded

people.

Landscape Urbanism: a theory of urban planning arguing that the best way to

organize cit ies is through the design of the city's landscape, rather than the

design of its buildings

Mixed-Use Development: any urban structure or any combination of structures

that blends a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, inst itutional, or

industrial uses, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated,

and that provides pedestrian connections

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Multi-modal Transit System: refers to planning an urban transportation system

that considers various transit modes (walking, cycling, automobile, public transit ,

etc.) and connections among modes.

Neighborhood: A smaller geographic area within a larger city which has strong

social and cultural bonds

Transit Oriented Development (TOD): a community that is designed around a

central t ransit node; the development is pedestrian oriented but also includes

public modes of vehicular t ransportation.

Urban Infill: the process of developing vacant or under-used parcels within an

exist ing urban area; the planned conversion of empty lots, underused or

rundown buildings, and other available space in densely built -up urban and

suburban areas for use as sites for commercial buildings, retail and/or housing

Urban Sprawl: the unplanned, uncontrolled spread of urban development into

lower density neighboring regions

Urban Revitalization: the process of a city or neighborhood improving, after

being undesirable; the process where an urban neighborhood or area is

improved and rehabilitated, which may include demolishing old or run-down

buildings, construct ing new, up-to-date housing, or adding in new features.

Urban revitalizat ion is usually undergone for the purposes attracting new

residents to an area.

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Review of Related Literature

Introduction and Vision

Although the bankruptcy of Detroit is commonly blamed on de-

industrializat ion and the collapse of the automotive industry associated with the

economic crisis of 2007, there are a few very important physical and polit ical

problems that attributed to the state of Detroit today. Urban Sprawl is not an

uncommon phenomenon across the United States, but it is a problematic one.

According to Paul Krugman “what brought Detroit to this low point, more than

the loss of factory jobs, was decades of unsustainable development patterns.”

Twenty years ago Detroit and Pittsburg were in similar economic situations but

Pittsburgh has been able to bounce back more easily due to the strength of the

central city. In order to regain stability, Detroit will need to work towards

reversing sprawl and facilitat ing the emergence of a completely new pattern of

developing city centers. Through the process of implementing an efficient and

affordable public transit system and mixed use development, the city will

become more interconnected and accessible, which will lead to creation and

access to jobs and an improved economic situation. It has been shown that

urban sprawl can be associated with an increase of driving and less public

transit use, especially because people live further from work places and other

urban supports. By making Detroit a city that is accessible by public transit and

where people live closer to work and cultural amenit ies, individuals will be able

to access city services, important infrastructure, employment opportunit ies and

most importantly, each other.

This review of related literature will explain and crit ique relevant written

works that address how to reverse urban sprawl, ut ilize mixed-use urban and

residential infill techniques, create a successful mult i-modal t ransit systems, etc. It

is important to consider and discuss, compare, contrast and take a posit ion on

how the implementation of all three will create linkages between exist ing

neighborhoods and strengthen the core of Detroit economically and culturally

to transform it into dest ination for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

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Current Conditions in the City of Detroit

In the past, Detroit was a city full of culture, innovation and hard working

people. In 1896 Henry Ford test drove his first automobile on the streets of Detroit

and by 1925, the „Big Three‟ automotive companies had set up shop and Detroit

became known as the “motor city”. Music has always been a large part of

Detroit‟s culture with Motown Records being located at 2648 West Grand

Boulevard, many noteworthy art ists like Supremes, the Temptations, Martha and

the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson 5 got their start

here. Detroit was the country's 5th largest city in 1950 when its populat ion hit 1.8

million (Weber). So how did such a thriving, influential city fall so hard in a matter

of 50 years? Available literature seems to agree that there are a few important

factors that lead to Detroit‟s downfall: Urban Sprawl, industrial collapse and

sensit ive racial and social factors.

Although the area of Detroit makes it one of the largest cit ies in the

Midwest, the U.S. Census Bureau tells us that the recent decline in populat ion

(57% since 1970) means that the sprawling 143 square miles may no longer be

necessary for the current populat ion of Detroit . The problem is that there are too

few people across too much land which makes for an inefficient and

unsustainable city layout. Jennifer Reut addresses her demographics research in

Landscape Architecture Magazine (2014) and explains that in Detroit there are

current ly over 80,000 vacant propert ies scattered across city limits (Reut). John

Gallagher argues that these lots can be the start ing points of recovery, or they

can infect the city and lead to an overwhelming feeling of instability and

danger. Gallagher states that the most important thing Detroit can do to

revitalize the city is to find a use for these vacant lots. Fortunately, this is a well-

known and well-understood problem that many designers and economists have

been studying in order to improve derelict cit ies across the country.

1.1 Impacts of Urban Sprawl

In the American Planning Associat ion academic journal Planning, Emily

Talen gives a focused look at urban sprawl and smart growth. She states that

“the 19th century was the century of rapid city growth and the 20th century was

marked by rapid suburban growth (Talen).” In the past, rapid expansion was felt

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to be necessary in order to accommodate changes in the economy and

industry of U.S. cit ies. Unfortunately, lack of future planning led to

unmanageable and unsustainable development patterns and it is now t ime to

correct the mistakes of the past and instead of retrofitting our cit ies to reflect the

lifestyle of the 21st century, a completely new development model needs to be

created in order to plan for the highest quality of life for future citydwellers.

Sprawl repair is an important part of this project because although the

downtown district of Detroit is fairly compact, the city is sprawling and current ly

contains most ly urban prairie and the remnants of old homes and businesses.

Creating walkable, mixed use, sustainable neighborhoods is not a new concept

for planners, but what is different now is the severity of the problem (Talen). One

of the largest problems was created when we began designing for complete

car dependency; spatially separated land uses, wide roadways, expansive

parking lots and a lack of pedestrian friendly urban spaces. Emily Talen discusses

the need to fix these problems by reusing exist ing infrastructure to provide

denser, more walkable housing options in response to demographic change.

This is a challenging idea to implement in Detroit because there is current ly not

enough people to be able to ut ilize the expansive abandoned infrastructure. It

will be important to use this design philosophy in the denser core districts of the

city, but it is not a blanket solut ion for the unique problems happening in

different parts of the city.

In 1998, Robert Burchell was considering a different aspect of sprawl when

he explained that sprawl often occurs due to local governments encouraging

this form of development. If they create zoning and subdivision ordinances that

appeal to the masses because it

· “Dilutes congestion while accommodating unlimited

use of the automobile;

· Distances new development from the fiscal and

social problems of older core areas;

· Provides a heterogeneous economic mix;

· Fosters neighborhoods in which schools provide

both education and appropriate socialization for youth;

and

· Requires lower property taxes to pay for local and

school district operating than locations closer in” (Burchell

2)

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Another reason sprawl seems to occur is not because these locations for

new development are just ifiable, but instead because they are large,

untouched sites that are inexpensive and easy to amass (Burchell 3). Although

these ideas associated with sprawl sound convenient and rat ional, there are

many problems associated with sprawl that clearly make this kind of

development unethical and not sustainable. Even with the desirable qualit ies of

sprawling development, the general consensus seems to be that we can no

longer afford the extensive infrastructure necessary to develop further and

further from city centers. Although I think this is part of the problem, it seems that

the issue might even be bigger than this. Even without future sprawl, we cannot

seem to sustain the exist ing system that is in place now. The development

pattern itself is not sustainable, but managing what has already been

developed is also proving to be a big dilemma. It seems that this is surely the

case in Detroit as the inner core of the city is vibrant and self-sustaining while the

large middle ring of the city has been abandoned and therefore lacks funding

to maintain it , leading it to become increasingly unattractive and so on. It is

becoming clear that sprawl is expensive, and Robert Burchell discusses exactly

how expensive this development model can be. There are two different ways

the cost of sprawl is analyzed- Engineering-per capita analyses which “examine

the costs of different types of development by applying such factors as cost per

linear foot of roadway, expense per gallon of t reated sewage and police

expenditures per resident”. There is also Alt ernative Growth Analyses which “are

broader-scale analyses that employ a series of land use, t ransportation, and

infrastructure models to examine the effects of t wo differing growth scenarios on

development costs. These models begin with per capita averages but extend

them to capture the effects of variable that affect costs.” (Burchell 45) It was

astounding to see the dollar amounts associated with sprawl as compared to

compact development. When comparing the implementation of facilit ies, roads

were 60% more expensive and ut ilit ies were 40% more cost ly when a Florida

Growth Pattern Study was completed in 1990 (Burchell 48). This source seems to

include valuable data about the issues associated with sprawl and how to

prevent future sprawl. It seems though, that there could have been more of a

focus on how to deal with the sprawl that has already occurred. There does not

seem to be a solut ion presented in this source about the exist ing sprawl

problems, which would have been most helpful for this project. Burchell does

though, present data is a crucial argument against urban sprawl and only

strengthens the design idea of creating dense urban villages in Detroit ,

especially if these villages could be retrofitted from exist ing infrastructure.

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1.2 Sprawl Repair

Sprawl Repair, a design theory that Emily Talen put forth in her art icle in

2010, is described as a response to “failing malls, widespread housing

foreclosures, and the need to st imulate new forms of investment” (Talen). It is

important here to discuss how we begin reversing the damage we have done

and transit ioning into a denser, more walkable and sustainable development

and living model. This t ransit ion will clearly require a large change in how we

ut ilize our exist ing infrastructure, development patterns and polit ical ideas, but it

will require a lot from the users of these developments as well. The success of

sprawl repair depends on a substantial behavior change and may include

“accepting the loss of automotive freedom and making walking the main mode

of travel, being willing to live more compactly, and tolerat ing far more social

diversity and varied land uses” (Talen 33). The need for these social and

behavioral changes are undeniable for the sake of our economy, our

environment and our culture and society. Designing a dense urban mixed use

village that includes housing opportunit ies along with retail and commercial

development will allow for the convenience of living in a suburb but will allow for

the elimination of automotive dependency and social and cultural segregation.

When looking at the Sprawl Repair Manual by sustainable planning and

urban redevelopment expert Galina Tachieva, her thought process is certainly in

line with Emily Talen‟s definit ion of urban sprawl and sprawl repair. In her book

she states that “sprawl repair t ransforms failing or potentially failing, single-use,

and car-dominated developments into complete communit ies that have better

economic, social, and environmental performance” (Tachieva). The Sprawl

Repair Manual goes into much detail about challenges, opportunit ies and

techniques for sprawl repair. One of her main ideas is that sprawl repair should

begin in areas where the crisis is most extreme and “where traffic congest ion,

falling real estate values, outdated infrastructure, and lack of public amenit ies

become unbearable – as well as the places with regional importance and

manageable ownership patterns” in which case Detroit falls into both

categories.

Tachieva outlines six important challenges associated with sprawl repair

including transportation constraints, open space management, parking

requirements, land-development regulat ions, municipal ordinances and

homeowners associat ions and absence of a diverse and compact

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neighborhood structure. Talen also writes about the complexit ies behind

transit ioning from sprawl development to more sustainable development. Both

authors discuss the behavioral and ideological changes which must occur for a

city to embrace a changing urban fabric. At this point, Detroit is in such

desperate need of an intervention that I believe the city will be willing to

change their exist ing beliefs about the landscape of their city and embrace a

posit ive change in the form of urban infill development and relocating the

density to the core of the city.

1.3 Mixed-Use Urban Infill as an Antidote to Urban Sprawl and

Catalyst for Economic Rev italization

In Tachieva‟s book, it is clear that urban sprawl is unsustainable

economically, socially and environmentally, so the challenge now is deciding

on the best use for these vacant urban spaces, and implementing a

development plan that reflects the elements Detroit needs most. According to

the Sprawl Repair Manual, “complete communit ies consist of corridors, districts

and neighborhoods. These elements have defined edges and connect to form

balanced urban and rural systems” (Tachieva). In the past, Detroit had a

complex urban fabric which included a series of st rong and diverse

neighborhoods. With Tachieva‟s detailed outline of Infill at the regional scale,

community scale and the block scale, the proposed design will create a

systematic pattern for future infill development.

The Detroit Future City Framework Plan was also referenced in order to get

a better look at Detroit‟s vision for itself and to ensure the considerat ion the

goals set forth by Detroiters themselves (DFC). Detroit Future City is an

independent nonprofit organizat ion that, since 2010, has been working in

collaboration with the City of Detroit to implement the DFC framework plan

across the city. Below are the five main goals of this organizat ion.

· Employ More Detroiters

· Fulfill Regulatory Reform

· Renew City Systems Strategically and Innovatively

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· Stabilize Neighborhoods

· Transform Vacant Land into an Innovative Open Space Network (DFC)

These detailed framework plans employ many similar ideas to that of

Tachieva in that it is designed at a variety of scales and plans to interconnect

new and exist ing assets across the city to create an integrated whole. The

Detroit Future City „Land Use‟ and „Neighborhoods‟ frameworks clearly out line

many goals and strategies for making the most of the available land within the

city and how interconnecting these nodes will enhance the richness of the city

and provide new opportunit ies for cit izens of these neighborhoods. The Land

Use framework will be useful in understanding how development is moving

forward in Detroit and the Neighborhoods framework points out important assets

of the landscape as well as aspects of quality of life that will inform the infill

design concept for these areas.

1.4 Conclusion

After the fall of the automotive industry and the loss of many blue collar

jobs, Detroit has been abandoned by many and left as “a clutter of high-rises

surrounded by empty housing plots” (Robinson). The vast ly depopulated city

was voted the most dangerous city in the nation for four years in a row (2008-

2012) and consists of vast open spaces spattered with crumbling industrial

buildings and dismantled Victorian houses. The urban sprawl development

pattern has made the situation in Detroit incomprehensible and largely

unsustainable due to the expansive footprint of the city. There is such a large

area where these problems are occurring that the city looks and feels

irreparable.

Sprawl repair and urban infill are two possible solut ions set forth by this

project to reverse the problems associated with Detroit‟s desolate landscape.

One of the ways this will work will be through the consolidation of the city and

the relocation of residents from the lowest density neighborhoods into the urban

core. Unfortunately, the urban core of Detroit st ill includes abandoned

infrastructure and vacant lots, which will be where urban infill techniques will be

the most beneficial for the city and its residents. The above research and further

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future research will aid in developing a plan for the best uses for Detroit‟s vast

open spaces and how to create productive, excit ing places back to these

important neighborhoods. Designing at a variety of scales and ensuring the

interconnectedness of the city will create a rich, unique and holist ic design to

attract individuals back to this premier midwest city to live, work and play.

Methods and Principles of Public Transit Systems

Although public transit can be defined in many different ways, author

Jarrett Walker puts forward a great definit ion in his book Human Transit (2012).

Walker defines public transit as “regularly scheduled vehicle trips, open to all

paying passengers, with the capacity to carry mult iple passengers whose trips

may have different origins, dest inations and purposes” (Walker). Although this

design will plan to include the proposal of infrastructure to accommodate

public transit , it will be important to pay close attention that a collaboration of

t ransit modes are available and encouraged. Addit ionally, the implementation

of motorized public transit does not mean to deny the role of active transit such

as biking or walking or the undeniable role of the private car, especially

considering Detroit‟s role in the American automotive industry. This design

proposal is solely meant to enhance the availability of t ransportation options,

especially affordable and safe options that will benefit visitors, but especially

residents all across the city of Detroit .

The idea of public transit and the implementation of successful t ransit

systems across the country have often been associated with high density urban

areas. Current ly, Detroit is facing the problem of many low density areas spread

out across an expansive land area. A unique public transit system will be

important for economic and cultural growth in the city as it will connect

individuals to employment opportunit ies, educational resources and also to their

communit ies. In order for the density of Detroit to be high enough for a mult i-

modal t ransit system to be successful, it will be important to, once again,

consolidate the infrastructure and individuals to the central core district of the

city and by increasing the density and decreasing the area where these people

are living, an efficient and navigable public transit system will improve the

quality of life for Detroiters.

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As discussed in the last section, urban sprawl is one of the main issues

plaguing many midwest cit ies, especially Detroit . Our dependence on

automobiles has caused adverse effects in many aspects of our lives, but for this

project, we are concerned with poor land use planning and sprawling

development. One of the ways to reverse this t rend is to increase the density of

our cit ies and offer alternative options for navigating these cit ies on a daily basis.

In his book, Sust ainable Transport ation Planning (2012), architect and

planner Jeffrey Tumlin explains two main reasons why public transportation is so

important: economic development, and quality of life. Tumlin explains that

“although some polit icians promote major t ransportation capital projects to

“reduce congest ion”, in fact the prime mot ivation for most major t ransportation

investments is the economic development, because access drives real estate

values, Places with excellent access by various modes of t ransportation tend to

attract jobs and residents” (Tumlin). He goes on to explain that quality of life is

another important reason to consider invest ing in a transportation plan. The

ability for people to get to and from their dest inations efficient ly, inexpensively

and without confusion will make a strong framework for a great city. Last ly,

social equity comes into play with public transit systems. A public transit project

like this one has the potential to significantly expand mobility and job

opportunit ies for Detroiters who cannot afford their own vehicle. There can, of

course, be unforeseen social impacts of the implementation of said systems, but

for the sake of Detroit , increasing mobility and accessibility are crucial steps to

improve the economic and social state of the city.

While keeping the above information in mind, it is important to think about

how a system like this will be implemented within a city that does not current ly

have the funds to invest in such a cost ly and invasive project. In order for the city

to get to a place where it can afford to do so, an increase in populat ion,

employment opportunit ies,and property values along with a decrease in crime

and abandoned propert ies will need to occur. Implementing the previously

discussed sprawl repair and urban infill techniques will enhance the urban fabric

of Detroit and bring it to a place where it is t ransit -ready both physically and

financially. The design proposal will focus on a two-step design process that will

focus on first upgrading the urban core of the city, which will help to move

Detroit towards becoming more financially stable. Secondly, the design will

prepare the physical st ructures and layout of the city so that it is ready to

implement a mult i-modal public transit system in a future stage of design.

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For the future of this project, more than any other section, it will be

important to continue to study principles of successful t ransit systems. Walker‟s

book proves especially useful when it comes to understanding different forms of

t ransit and the benefits and downfalls of each. He also out lines what specific

traits may make a transit system more or less successful and desirable for users.

In addit ion, Tumlin provides practical advice for designing sustainable transport

systems and gives an overview of how to ensure various modes of t ransport are

coordinating with each other. Last ly, it will be important to continue to reference

the Urban St reet Design Guide by the National Associat ion of City Transportation

Officials. This well-illustrated guide provides even more specific studies focusing

on more inclusive, mult i-modal urban corridors. Unlike Walters and Tumlin, who

give advice on the overall system and the function of the transport system, the

book by NACTO gives a better idea of what these places might look like, and

what physical changes need to happen on the ground and throughout the

streetscape.

Neighborhood Redevelopment

Peter Neal reiterates Emily Talen‟s thoughts in his book Urban Villages and

the Making of Communit ies (2003) where he explains that “the latter half of the

twentieth century was marked by a significant decline in the quality and vitality

of many of our urban centres” (Neal). It has been discussed how urban infill and

mult i-modal t ransit will posit ively improve the physical, social and economic

function of the city of Detroit , and we must move forward with this newfound

vision whilst respecting the culture and history of this important midwestern

metropolis.

In March of 2013, Project For Public Spaces, the premier resource on

placemaking, presented many of Detroit‟s projected plans for a strong

promenade of districts along Woodward Avenue from Adams Street to the

riverfront. The plan involves ten dist inct districts and places and a focus on

“creating great public dest inations with residents rather than building trophy

buildings or designing spaces as showpieces without involving the people who

will use them” (PPS). Many of these places are evolving and growing to become

dest inations within the city. These projected designs will surely improve the

overall fabric of the city and will create a vibrant connection through the center

of Detroit and will be especially important to consider when moving forward

with the design of this project.

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3.1 The Influence of Culture and History

Urban villages have become a popular component of urban planning as

they provide a mixture of uses for a variety of people while maintaining a

degree of self-sufficiency. There is no quest ion about the fundamental role that

neighborhoods play in our cit ies, but there are a variety of design techniques

that can work to achieve these rich environments including determining a

neighborhood design model, deciding on density, sett ing out a framework

sequence and planning for connectivity and movement (Neal). It is imperative

that the design of new urban villages in Detroit respect the individuality of the

place of implementation. The diverse pockets of the city of Detroit each have a

unique and vibrant cultural heritage that should be considered during the

redesign process to “ensure to enhance the exist ing fabric and sp irit of the

place” (Neal). Prema Gupta and Kathryn Terzano of the Urban land Inst itute

make many of the same points in their book Creat ing Great Town Cent ers and

Urban Villages. Some of the main design principles out lined here are retrofitting

exist ing infrastructure as well as moving away from car-oriented retail and

developing for flexibility of future use and most importantly, incorporating the

exist ing fabric (Gupta, Terzano). This source also discussed in depth the

importance of t ransportation, connect ivity and mult i-modal streets which has

been a main theme in the research of this topic. Another valuable port ion of this

publication is the series of case studies towards the end of the book. The study of

SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh explains the reasons for the impressive success of

this $300 Million Urban Village on a Redevelopment Site that opened in 2002. This

information will prove useful when ult imately designing urban villages within the

city of Detroit .

David Walters, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at UNC

Charlotte writes about the importance of place in his book Design First (2004).

He explains that “the physical sett ings that support and enrich our daily lives

matter to the extent they are functional, beautiful and special to us” (Walters

and Brown). Walters then goes on to discuss how to relate the history of the site

to key physical characterist ics like centers, edges and streets to redesign the

dilapidated neighborhood into a revived village that respects and holds onto

the historic character of the place. All three of these literatures agree that the

inclusion of historic elements into the design will enrich the design for visitors and

make the neighborhood more meaningful for residents. Walters‟ book will be

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valuable in that it s out line of this neighborhood design process will direct ly

correlate with the redesign of urban villages in Detroit .

3.2 Placemaking

Considering the role of „Placemaking‟ in an Urban Redesign of Detroit will

help to ensure the inclusion of public spaces as the heart of every community

(PPS). Current ly, Detroiters are lacking access to safe and attractive public

spaces where social, cultural and commercial activities can take place to

improve the quality of life for these residents. The Project for Public Spaces (PPS)

refers to placemaking as“a collaborative process by which we can shape our

public realm in order to maximize shared value”(PPS). The “Eleven Principles for

Creating Great Community Places” clearly out lines intangible analyt ical steps as

well as tangible physical design steps that can be taken to create effective and

self-sustaining public spaces. One of the most important suggestions on this list is

that “The Community is the Expert”. It will be important to understand and

implement the needs of these individual communit ies so that these important

public spaces can be designed to accommodate these needs.

The literature in this section provides a starting point for understanding

how to incorporate placemaking into the design of urban v illages across the

city. The main goal of this project is to create a template for dense urban

villages through the redesign of the Corktown neighborhood. The historic and

cultural differences within these important areas must be considered when

making design decisions about individual uses, aesthetics, program elements,

and functions of these unique places. There is not going to be one uniform

design that will be applicable to all of these neighborhoods and although each

unique design should be connected to the other port ions of the city, the history,

culture and individual needs of each space should inform the designs for these

five dist inct neighborhoods.

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Concluding Thoughts

Although previously a hub of activity, innovation, knowledge and development,

Detroit is current ly struggling with many issues associated with rust -belt cit ies.

Deindustrializat ion, loss of jobs, sprawling abandoned spaces and high crime

rates have turned Detroit into an unattractive and widely unsafe wasteland. The

aim of this project is to take steps towards restoring Detroit to its former prest ige.

With access to beautiful waterways, vibrant cultural districts and plenty of open

land, Detroit has the potential to become a future premier midwest city.

In order to effectively solve Detroit‟s current problems, it will be important to

consider the previously discussed research, but it seems that the solut ion to this

intricate problem may be something new entirely. This project will attempt to

formulate and facilitate the emergence of a new way of thinking about the

development of our cit ies. Not only do we need to halt the design of sprawl and

reverse the damage we have done, we need to work to transform the exist ing

sprawl into an efficient form of development that involves retrofitting our

infrastructure to accommodate higher density, an increase in employment

opportunit ies, accessible and navigable resources and a strong connection to

our cit ies residents and culture.

The implementation of urban villages will accomplish these goals and lead us to

a new mindset when it comes to what a healthy city might look like. The allure of

the village design is that it will ut ilize exist ing land and structures to create

interest ing, culturally-rich, mult i-faceted places that offer housing opportunit ies,

retail and commercial development, job creation, entrepreneurship, local

investment, and access to education and culture. From maker‟s spaces to food

hubs, local art isans, business owners, innovative thinkers and a strong sense of

community, urban villages will create a place for like-minded individuals to live

together and redefine the city they live and work in.

There are endless components that, when united, create a successful, dynamic

city, and creating an urban framework and design plan will help to move Detroit

in that direction. Through consolidating the urban core of Detroit and ut ilizing

urban infill techniques to increase density, the urban fabric of Detroit can begin

to repair itself and create a strong physical, economic and social foundation

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that is prepared for modernizat ion and future growth. With the addit ion of an

efficient public mult i-modal t ransit system, Detroiters will receive the mobility they

have been lacking and individuals will be able to access people, jobs and

services safely and inexpensively.

One of the most important parts of this design project will be to consider the

best elements and functions for the people living and working here. In her book

„The Deat h and Life of Great American Cit ies‟, Jane Jacobs explains,

“...the best way to plan for downtown is to see how people use it today; to look for its strengths

and to exploit and reinforce them. There is no logic that can be superimposed on the city;

people make it, and it is to them, not buildings, that we must fit our plans. This does not mean

accepting the present; downtown does need an overhaul, it is dirty, it is congested. But there

are things that are right about it too, and by simple old-fashioned observation we can see what

they are. We can see what people like.”

Through the compilat ion of these three major elements, the urban

redevelopment of downtown Detroit will create a dense, navigable city for

residents and visitors alike.

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Methodology

The proposed methodology will be used to complete the research process on

how to ut ilize urban infill as a revit alizat ion catalyst and how implementing a

mult i-modal t ransit system will create linkages between neighborhoods to unify

and restore the culture and economy of the city of Detroit . Many research

methods will be used to gather primary and secondary information on each

proposed sub problem.

In order to get a feel for exactly how much available space there is in corktown,

data will be gathered about vacant lots and vacant buildings across the

neighborhood. This will be done via a site visit and confirmed with various

available maps and census data. This information will be diagrammed in order

to get a sense for how much development can occur and where it will be

located. This will also confirm how much open space is ready for redevelopment

and if there are abandoned buildings that will need to be demolished.

In order to better understand how a mult i-modal t ransit system will fit within the

exist ing framework of Detroit , the 37 current but unreliable bus routes will be

studied. The routes locations, schedules and other information is available on

the City of Detroit‟s website. A variety of case studies on urban transit systems will

also be studied in order to learn about best practices for t ransit systems along

with designing for connectivity of established cit ies. The applicable case studies

being ut ilized are Towards Sustainable Urban Transportation by R. M. R. Hussein,

Transit Oriented Development by Reconnecting America, Grow Chicago by the

Metropolitan Planning Council and A Case Study of Job Access and Reverse

Commute Programs in the Chicago, Kansas City, and San Francisco

Metropolitan Regions J.S. Onésimo Sandoval, St . Louis University Eric Petersen,

Cambridge Systematics Kim L. Hunt, O-H Community Partners, Ltd.

For the design of the specific features of the transit, the book Urban Street

Design Guide by the National Associat ion of City Transportation Officials, which

has detailed design information about the required pieces of an urban transit

system and how it fits into the exist ing streetscape of the city of Detroit .

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In addit ion to the review of literature, there will also be a general collect ion of

information to complete the research and design process of this project. The

guidance of my project advisor as well as a range of Ball State University

professors of Landscape Architecture will allow for valuable conversat ion about

important design decisions. Information will also be acquired about the

demographics and density analysis from the United States Census Bureau and

informational maps will be acquired via ArcGIS software and high resolut ion

aerial imagery, and Sanborn Maps will be used to better understand the sites

past and current condit ion, and will make known important historical site

information. Some of the most applicable maps will be figure-ground maps of

the development of Detroit city infrastructure over t ime which will help give a

more informed view of past and potential future development patterns. It will be

especially interest ing to analyze sprawling development patterns in order to

avoid that in the upcoming design proposal. Populat ion density, socio-

economic maps and the location of school systems and transit hubs will also be

important to understand so the proposed design can work with exist ing services

and structures and expand upon these where necessary.

There will be mult iple visits to the site in order to record site inventory and

understand the exact extents of the site and the condit ions of the adjacent

areas. This site inventory will be recorded with photographs along with written

and diagrammed reports of what is there and how it changes from one site visit

to the next. One site visit will be in early January and another will be in early

March.

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Appendices

Figure 1: Goals and Objectives

1. Create a dense mixed-use urban village template that can be

implemented in deteriorat ing cit ies across the country

Ensure the opportunity for economic growth and business development

along with connections to culture and sociability within each village

2. Employ a strong mult i-modal t ransit system across the city of Detroit

Maximize pedestrian and bicycle transportation opportunities on site and

in connections to diverse surrounding context and public transportation

opportunit ies

3. Design to encourage strong social and cultural connectivity to the exit ing

context

Keep in mind recognizing exist ing patterns of development and socio-

economic groups

4. Design an urban village in the Corktown neighborhood

Provide common, public, private, and natural open space within the

designed Corktown district

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Figure 2: Schedule

WINTER BREAK

Site Inventory

Detailed Case Study Research

WEEK OF JAN 11 Digitize Site Inventory and Analysis

Define Specific Site Boundaries

Determine Graphic Standards

Meeting with Advisor

WEEK OF JAN 18 Site Analysis

Traffic Information and Road

Analysis

Decide on uses for existing

structures

GIS Mapping

Case Study Comparison

WEEK OF JAN 25 Site Analysis

Existing Conditions Diagrams

Future Use Diagrams

Refine Goals and Objectives

Design Concepts

Village Typologies

Program Elements and Locations

Propose New Infrastructure

Propose Transit Infrastructure

WEEK OF FEB 1 Design Concepts

Focus on Transit Design

WEEK OF FEB 8 Meeting with Advisor

Concept Revisions

WEEK OF FEB 15

Continue Case Study Research

Begin detailed design of v illage

Focus on architecture

Focus on Programming

WEEK OF FEB 22 Continue Programming and site design

within context of the city

WEEK OF FEB 29 Detail/Site Feature Design Concepts

Drawing Production

MIDTERM PRESENTATION/ REVIEW

WEEK OF MAR 14 Meeting with Advisor

Final Detail Features

WEEK OF MAR 28 Drawing Production

Presentation Prep

Book Layout

WEEK OF APR 4 Meeting with Advisor

Presentation Prep

Book Layout

Final Drawings

WEEK OF APRIL 11 Book Layout

WEEK OF APRIL 18 Book Layout

FINAL PRESENTATION

WEEK OF APRIL 25 Revisions (Presentation Feedback)

WEEK OF MAY 2 Revisions (Presentation Feedback) FINAL BOOK DUE

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Figure 3: Site Diagrams

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Figure 4: Project Location

THIS MAP S HOWS THE L ARGER FOCUS AREA OF THE PROJECT AT THE CORE OF THE

CITY AND THE DARKER PORTION IS THE CORKTOW N NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE

URBAN V ILLAGE WILL BE DES IGNED.

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Figure 5: Site Photos

FIGURE 5.1 : THE DOW NTOWN AREA OF DETROIT IS A S MALL URBAN ISLAND W ITH A V AST

URBAN MEADOW OF ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.

F IGURE 5.2 : THE EXCES S OF PARKING LOTS AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE CITY

MAKES FOR AN UNATTRACTIVE AND UNUSABLE AREA.

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FIGURE 5.3 : THE LOW DENSITY CREATED BY ABANDONED HOMES AND EMPTY PROPERTIES MAKES FOR

AN INEFFICIENT CITY S TRUCTURE.

FIGURE 5.4

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FIGURE 5 .6 : ROADS ARE NOT MAINTAINED, HOUSES ARE ABANDONED AND THE LANDSCAPE IS

OVERGROW N, MAKING DETROIT AN UNATTRACTIVE PLACE TO L IVE AND WORK.

FIGURE 5.5: URBAN S PRAWL FOLLOWED BY URBAN FL IGHT RES ULTED IN MANY ABANDONED

PROPERTIES AND VAST OPEN S PACE.

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FIGURE 5.7

FIGURE 5.8

All Photos from Zach Fein Photography

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