Michigan

Blogging the Blight of a Deteriorated Detroit Neighborhood

Amid the citywide blight of Detroit is the City Airport neighborhood -- rife with crime and virtually deserted by residents. But now former residents have begun to write and blog about the neighborhood, its better times and its possible futures.

December 22, 2008 - Utne Reader

Shrinking City Planning

Detroit's population is rapidly declining, but the answer to revitalizing the city may lie in part in urban farming.

December 22, 2008 - The Salt Lake Tribune

From Motor City to Metaphor City

Detroit's decay epitomizes the collapse not just of the American auto industry, but the entire American consumer economy as well, writes Jennifer Wells.

December 15, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

Bike Racks as Public Art Gaining Popularity

Quirky, artistic bike racks are cropping up in cities around the country--a trend that benefits more than just cyclists.

November 5, 2008 - USA Today

Hospitals Flee Poor Areas

Unable to bear the financial burden of serving the community's poor, inner-city nonprofit hospitals have been shutting down while investing in suburban hospitals, where patients are more likely to be insured.

October 15, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal

Affordable Housing in a Tough Market

Ann Arbor, Michigan bought a former YMCA building to serve as affordable housing. Four years later, it sits empty, a piece of the difficult housing puzzle. 'Given the environment now, it would be tough,' says one planner about the site.

October 14, 2008 - Mlive.com

The Future of Urban Agriculture

Whether through community gardening or high-tech "vertical farms" interest is growing in urban agriculture.

October 3, 2008 - AlterNet

Doug Farr on Detroit, His Hometown

A Detroit weekly talks to Doug Farr about his life growing up in Detroit and his ideas for bringing sustainable urbanism to the city.

September 30, 2008 - Model D

Budget Cuts? Fire Your Planning Director

Benzie County, Michigan has canned their planning director in the name of budget cuts. County Commissioner Mary Pitcher said, "I believe that we can get considerably more bang for the buck if we contract for services."

September 26, 2008 - Michigan Land Institute

Art, Beauty and Land Use in Detroit

Arts and Culture editor Rebecca Mazzei looks at public art - both official and unofficial - across the landscape of Detroit, and advocates for a bold new public art fund for the city.

September 18, 2008 - Detroit Metro Times

Reality TV-Style Competition Meets Landscape Architecture

Three teams of landscape architects were given 24 hrs. to develop a master plan for the growing Michigan town of New Buffalo.

September 17, 2008 - Metropolis Magazine

Retooling the Exurbs for Global Warming

Scientists at the University of Michigan are studying ways to replant exurbs in order to capture more atmosphere-warming carbon dioxide.

August 27, 2008 - Ann Arbor News

The $1 Home

A foreclosed property in Detroit was recently put on the market at a selling price of just one dollar.

August 14, 2008 - The Detroit News

Motor City Reconsiders Transit

After over fifty years without public transportation, new support for transit from Detroit leaders.

July 25, 2008 - National Public Radio

Building a 'Frybrid'

Students at Petoskey High School in Michigan are building the first “frybrid” -- a grease-powered hybrid -- in Northern Michigan.

July 17, 2008 - Petoskey News-Review

Detroit Auto Critic Reviews New Ride -- the Bus

Joe White, who reports on the auto industry in Detroit, steps out his car and reflects on the city's mixed history of transit. To get the full picture, he tries to ride the bus himself.

June 27, 2008 - Wall St. Journal

Pushing for Adaptive Reuse in Detroit

Urban decay blankets much of downtown Detroit. More and more people are pushing for adaptive reuse of the aging and underused buildings, but some city policies may get in the way.

June 19, 2008 - The Next American City

Container Condos Planned in Detroit

Developers in Detroit are planning a condominium project completely made out of used shipping containers. But city approval is needed before the project can move forward.

May 19, 2008 - The Detroit Free Press

How To Encourage Brownfield Redevelopment

Builders and planners are gathering in Detroit to discuss funding options for brownfield redevelopment and learn from region's experience transforming these community eyesores.

May 9, 2008 - Christian Madera

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.