Detroit
The Hipster States of America
Writing from Austin, Texas, one of the current centers for hipster culture in the U.S., Lauren Modery proposes a list of the next cities she believes are ripe for an explosion of old-timey facial hair, geeky eyewear, and overall hipsterfication.
Detroit For Sale?
Detroit's municipal financial crisis may force the city to sell some of its most venerable assets including Belle Isle, City Airport, and even the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, reports Darren A. Nichols.
Investing in Detroit's Renaissance
Dan Gilbert, the founder and chairman of Quicken Loans Inc., is perhaps one of Detroit's biggest boosters of late. And he's putting his money where his mouth is.
On the Front Lines of the Future: New Orleans, Detroit, Phoenix
What do New Orleans, Detroit, and Phoenix all have in common? Each one has confronted some of our most pressing challenges of our time and has a lesson of survival to teach us.
Are Plans for Detroit's Light Rail Back On Track?
Just three weeks after the city announced it was cancelling plans for a 9.3-mile light rail line, a truncated version may be built, but with some key caveats.
The Best and Worst Run Cities in Amercia
A new study concludes that encouraging businesses to prosper and create jobs is the most important function of local government.
Detroit May Not Be In 'Severe Financial Stress'
According to a team reviewing the city's finances, a state-appointed emergency manager may not have to be put in place, indicating that Detroit isn't necessarily going broke. However, the city and union leaders must act quickly to prove so.
Detroit Scraps Train Plans
The city and federal DOT have decided against a $600 million plan that would introduce light rail and, subsequently, more residents to the city. Instead, money will go to improving a notoriously unreliable bus system.
Michigan Cities See Placemaking as the Key to a Brighter Future
Officials in recession-battered Michigan increasingly see placemaking as an important economic recovery strategy. The Michigan Municipal League, a coalition of local governments, is leading efforts to make the state's cities talent magnets.
Icon of Detroit "Ruin Porn" Being Renovated
Manuel "Matty" Moroun has spent millions cleaning up Michigan Central Depot, cleaning out debris and hiring architects and feasibility experts to figure out how much of the building is worth saving.
A New Light for Motor City
How grassroots entrepreneurs and inspired religious leaders are working to erase urban blight in Detroit.
Talking Placemaking with Fred Kent
Michelle Bruch talks with placemaking expert Fred Kent about the makeover he helped orchestrate of Detroit's Campus Martius Park.
The Second Coming of Marked-Down Detroit
The 2010 Census reveals that Detroit's population is approaching the 1910's level. Of the City's 714,000 residents, 83% are black and nearly 40% live in poverty. With virtually every statistic going against its favor, can Motown make a comeback?
Urban Pioneers Attracted to Detroit
The Economist paints a gloomy picture of an ailing Detroit, but also says there is hope in the form of urban pioneers attracted by the affordability of space.
Looking to Catalyst Projects to Revitalize Cities
Atlanta's BeltLine is a great example of a big "catalyst project," writes Ryan Gravel, which repurposes a 22-mile railroad into a linear park. Other cities can follow suit.
The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States
While many stories have been written about Detroit's turnaround, it took the top spot on Forbes list of most dangerous cities. Detroit had 1,111 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents, which included 345 murders, writes John Giuffo.
Detroit's Transit Boondoggle
Bill Johnson says that Detroit would do well to remember 1987's People Mover, which cost 7 times more than projected and has never reached its expected ridership.
Companies Flee Suburbs for Detroit Office Space
More and more businesses in suburban Detroit are packing up an moving into the center of the city.
Squatting on the Rise in Detroit
With more than 100,000 empty homes within the city of Detroit, squatters are increasingly moving in.
Young and Idealistic Take Over Detroit
Meagan Elliott, an urban planning student at the University of Michigan, writes about a young, idealistic generation that is moving to Detroit.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
