reclaiming detroit: urban village redevelopment
DESCRIPTION
5th Year Comprehensive (Thesis) Project ProposalTRANSCRIPT
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
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.
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
McKevitz | 1
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
McKevitz | 2
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
McKevitz | 3
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
McKevitz | 4
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.
McKevitz | 5
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
McKevitz | 6
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.
McKevitz | 7
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.
McKevitz | 8
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
McKevitz | 9
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)
McKevitz | 10
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.
McKevitz | 11
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
McKevitz | 12
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
McKevitz | 13
· 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
McKevitz | 14
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.
McKevitz | 15
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.
McKevitz | 16
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.
McKevitz | 17
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
McKevitz | 18
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.
McKevitz | 19
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
McKevitz | 20
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.
McKevitz | 21
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 .
McKevitz | 22
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.
McKevitz | 23
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
McKevitz | 24
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
McKevitz | 25
Figure 3: Site Diagrams
McKevitz | 26
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.
McKevitz | 27
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.
McKevitz | 28
FIGURE 5.3 : THE LOW DENSITY CREATED BY ABANDONED HOMES AND EMPTY PROPERTIES MAKES FOR
AN INEFFICIENT CITY S TRUCTURE.
FIGURE 5.4
McKevitz | 29
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.
McKevitz | 30
FIGURE 5.7
FIGURE 5.8
All Photos from Zach Fein Photography
McKevitz | 31
Works Cited
Austen, Ben. "The Post-Post-Apocalyptic Detroit." The New York Times. The New York Times,
12 July 2014. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Bekkering, Henco, and June Manning Thomas. "Mapping Detroit." VolumeOne.
VolumeOne Design Studio, Fall 2012. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Burchell, Robert W. "Sections 1 & 2." The Costs of Sprawl--revisited. Washington, D.C.:
National Academy, 1998. N. pag. Print.
"Detroit Leads the Way on Place-Centered Revitalization - Project for Public
Spaces." Project for Public Spaces. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Detroit Future City Framework Plan (Land Use and Neighborhoods)
Fein, Zach. “Detroit‟s Urban Meadows.” Zfein.com. Zach Fein, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2015
Gallagher, John. Reimagining Detroit: Opportunities for Redefining an American City.
Detroit, MI : Wayne State UP, 2010. Print.
Goodwin, Dario. "Through Bankruptcy and Boom: What's Really Happening in
Detroit?" ArchDaily. N.p., 19 June 2015. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Gupta, Prema Katari., and Kathryn Terzano. Creating Great Town Centers and Urban
Villages. Washington, DC: Urban Land Institute, 2008. Print.
Hall, Kenneth B., Gerald A. Porterfield, and Gerald A. Porterfield. Community by Design:
New Urbanism for Suburbs and Small Communities. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001.
Print.
Harris, Seymour Edwin. "City Replanning and Rebuilding." 1969. Postwar Economic
Problems. New York: McGraw-Hill Book, 1943. 207. Print.
Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities: Orig. Publ. 1961. New York:
Vintage, 1992. Print.
McGregor, Adrian. "Detroit: Where To From Here?" Landscape Architecture Austrailia 10th
ser. 144 (2014): 10-14. Print.
NACTO Urban Street Design Guide: Overview. New York: National Association of City
Transportation Officials, 2012. Print.
Neal, Peter. Urban Villages and the Making of Communities. London: Spon, 2003. Print.
McKevitz | 32
Owen, David. Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are
Keys to Sustainability. New York: Riverhead, 2009. Print.
Owens, Keith. ""I s Midtown The New Detroit? A Turnaround May Be In The
Works."" Planning 81.7 (2015): n. pag. Print.
Pyati, Archana. "The Quickening of a Reborn Detroit?" UrbanLand. The Urban Land
Institute, 01 Dec. 2014. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Robinson, Wills. "The Tiny Urban Island of Downtown Detroit, Lost in the Wide Open Spaces
of a Depopulated City: Skyscrapers Give Way to Scrubland, Farms and
Countryside in Amazing Aerial Shots." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 16
Dec. 2014. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.
Reut, Jennifer. "Detroit From The Ground Up." Landscape Architecture Magazine. LAM, 22
Dec. 2014. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
*Ryan, Brent D., and Rachel Weber. "Valuing New Development in Distressed Urban
Neighborhoods." Journal of the American Planning Association 73.1 (2007): 100-11.
Avery Index. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Sugrue, Thomas J. The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1996. Print.
Tachieva, Galina. Sprawl Repair Manual . Washington: I sland, 2010. Print.
Talen, Emily. "Fixing the Mess We Made." Planning (2010): 32-37. Avery Index. Web. 20 Oct.
2015.
Tumlin, Jeffrey. Sustainable Transportation Planning: Tools for Creating Vibrant, Healthy,
and Resilient Communities. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2012. Print.
Walters, David, and Linda Brown. Design First: Design-based Planning for Communities.
Oxford: Architectural, 2004. Print.
*Wineman, J. D., R. W. Marans, A. J. Schulz, D. L. Van Der Westhuizen, G. B. Mentz, and P.
Max. "Designing Healthy Neighborhoods: Contributions of the Built
Env ironment to Physical Activ ity in Detroit."Journal of Planning Education and
Research 34.2 (2014): 180-89. Avery Index. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Walker, Jarrett. Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our
Communities and Our Lives. Washington, DC: I sland, 2012. Print.
McKevitz | 33
Weber, Peter. "The Rise and Fall of Detroit: A Timeline." The Rise and Fall of Detroit: A
Timeline. The Week, 19 July 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.