Economic Development Archives - Page 6 of 9

November 10, 2015

PlacePlans in action: the skinny on Portage Street

Last week I had the chance to check out progress on part of Kalamazoo's PlacePlan: a "road diet" on a section of Portage Street, passing through the Edison neighborhood's historic Washington Square district. Portage Street had suffered the same fate…

August 28, 2015

“The Dow of Cities” shows bull market for downtowns

The latest new voice suggesting city centers are the place to be: Fitch Ratings. In what Joe Cortright calls "maybe the most under-reported story of the year" for urbanists, the investment rating agency shows housing demand shifting towards urban centers…

August 5, 2015

Realtors say we don’t have the homes people want

When my wife and I bought our home, we were hoping to find something like a duplex or condo in walking distance to downtown Ypsilanti—to no avail. While there were dozens of single-family homes available at the time, only one…

June 22, 2015

New Blight Elimination Resource Guides Communities

A once-abandoned commercial strip in northwest Detroit's Old Redford community is now the center of activity for artists, students, business owners, and neighbors. The transformation of Artist Village wasn't quick, and it certainly wasn't easy. More the 10,000 volunteers dismantled…

June 18, 2015

Farmington/Farmington Hills Residents “Invest” in Placemaking

"Money" and conversation were flowing at Farmington Hills City Hall as residents of both Farmington and Farmington Hills gathered for the unveiling of the preliminary design plans for the 10 Mile/Orchard Lake intersection. As they walked in the door, Nate…

June 17, 2015

Benton Harbor Park Design Plans Greeted with Enthusiasm!

Dwight Pete Mitchell with his wife, Margo It was easy to see how Benton Harbor's Dwight Pete Mitchell City Center Park got its moniker. When its namesake was introduced at the park's June 16 design workshop, thunderous applause broke out!…

June 5, 2015

Learning to Play a Different Game in Suburbia

Order book Cars are king in most Michigan suburbs. We have designed our suburbs for efficiency of process, where uses are separated and car-oriented, said Ellen Dunham-Jones, co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia, at the League's Suburban Summits in May. But in…

June 4, 2015

Translating Timeless Traditions into Modern, Sustainable Suburban Design

Just because something is old doesn't make it obsolete. Take the ancient city of Budapest. It has stood the test of time because it embodies people-oriented characteristics. They are reflected in the city's walkability and connectivity, the human-scale of its…

May 19, 2015

Writing the next chapter in the suburban story

Big box stores can have second lives, as Westland's Circuit City to City Hall renovation, completed in 2014, demonstrates. In 2012, the City of Westland set aside plans to build a new city hall--the long-needed replacement to a '60s vintage…

April 16, 2015

League Event Paints a Picture of the Value of Arts and Culture

When one of our panelists showed up in a black tutu bedecked with twinkling lights and a matching head ornament, we knew we were in for something special. As board president of WonderFool Productions, Shary Brown completely embodies the whimsical…

Blog

Category Archives: Economic Development

6416