Detroit
The Feral Houses of Detroit
Plant life is taking over the abandoned houses of Detroit. These photos from James D. Griffioen offer a tour.
Can Michigan -- and Detroit -- Come Back?
Having fallen to near-bottom according to most indicators of urban vitality, Detroit is now facing the possibility of bankruptcy. But there are still reasons for optimism, writes John Ibbitson.
Eight Cities on the Edge
WebUrbanist features photographs of abandoned spaces in cities that are in decline, from the ramshackle homes of Detroit to the sinking piazzas of Venice.
Struggling Cities Meet to Brainstorm Survival Strategies
Representatives from a handful of the country's "fastest-dying cities" met recently in Dayton, Ohio to try to figure out how they could revive their economies and reverse the decline that has been slowly strangling them of jobs, money and people.
The Fall of Windsor, Canada's Detroit
The Economist reports that the collapse of Detroit's auto industry has had a ripple effect up north, particularly in Windsor, Ontario.
Don't Fear the 'Dozer
Opinions are flying in the debate over whether or not ailing cities like Detroit should bulldoze their empty neighborhoods. John Kromer of the Fels Institute of Government adds a rational note with this op-ed, explaining what The Flint Model for shrinking cities actually entails.
Next Steps for Shrinking Cities: Results of the Planetizen Brainstorm
Bulldoze? Densify? Walk away? There are many ways cities can react to shrinking populations and abandoned neighborhoods. Planetizen readers decide which ways are the best.
Struggling Cities Could Become Bike Utopias
As some cities in the Rust Belt depopulate, they present opportunities to develop into new bike utopias. This op-ed from The New York Times argues Detroit is a perfect example.
The Shared Woes of the Auto Industry and the Black Middle Class
The downfall of the American auto industry is also having a major impact on middle and working class African-American families. This piece from the The New York Times Magazine looks at the connection.
Retailers Fleeing Detroit
As recently as the turn of this century, retailers were taking a chance on downtown Detroit. But today, Starbucks, Borders and others are pulling their stores out.
In Detroit, Tiger Stadium Demolition Enters the Home Stretch
After a long battle by preservationists, what's left of the 97-year-old ballpark -- home of the Detroit Tigers from 1912-1999 -- is being demolished.
Americans Love Their Cars, But Are They Willing to Share?
Car industry analysts try to assess the future of the market - will Zipcar and public transit change car ownership forever?
Detroit Could Become Countryside, Planners Say
A team of visiting planners suggested that Detroit could evolve into a series of urban villages connected by countryside.
Plea for Preservation
Detroit, now no stranger to demolitions, ought to rethink what it does with its abandoned, historic buildings--which have long been bulldozed without much of a second thought.
From Motor City to Garden City
Detroit may be struggling economically, but community groups and citizen activists are keeping the city vibrant with a wide variety of urban farming projects throughout the shrinking city.
Detroit Needs More Than Auto Industry Revival
As the automotive industry takes a deep hit during the current economic recession, many tie the Detroit's hopes to those of the auto industry. But Richard Florida argues Detroit needs to think beyond the car business.
Shrinking Cities, On Purpose
Flint, Michigan is another ailing city that is considering demolishing entire neighborhoods and returning them to nature as a way to save the rest of the city from blight.
Can Detroit Come Back?
As Time Magazine observes, Detroit is the icon of the failing American city, but 'vast swaths of it don't look like a city at all.' Some say 'missing teeth' of Detroit make it a prime candidate to infill appropriately, and 'right-size'.
Can Detroit be Reinvented?
The near-bankruptcy of the American auto industry is just the latest in a long history of challenges Detroit has endured.
Rebirth Through Art in Abandoned Detroit
This piece from NPR looks at what artists are doing in Detroit to snatch up abandoned homes and convert them into community centers and art spaces.
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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
