CircleTheUSA

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

The sign warned that it would be a strenuous climb. Could this really be the case in flat, northwestern Indiana? And for a trail just a few hundred feet long? But that's what you face in climbing Mt. Baldy, a magnificent 126 foot high, moving (4 feet/year) sand dune that's part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. If you've never climbed a steep trail made of sand, it's quite a treat!

When you reach the top you're rewarded with a remarkable view of a dune landscape, framed by a man-made industrial landscape. For more on the formation of dunes, see the end of this post.

What you see to the east are the cooling towers of the large coal-fired power plant in nearby Michigan City (click on photos to pop-up larger size images).

 Indeed, what's most striking along the 46 mile stretch of Indiana bordering Lake Michigan is the intermixing of natural beauty and heavy industry -- primarily steel mills, transmission lines, and power plants.

photo on left shows view from Dunbar Beach within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in the town of Beverly Shores; below: marshes less than a mile inland.

Northwestern Indiana is the heart of America's steel industry. But it's an industry that's been steadily shrinking. See the chart below prepared by the Northwestern Indiana RPC (you'll note that the steel industry has gone from 66,400 jobs in 1979, to 34,500 in 1990, to 16,900 in 2007, becoming a much smaller sector of the economy).

What is less well known about northwest Indiana is the natural beauty of the lakeshore area, even though it is interspersed with industrial sites.

One of the priorities of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) the past five years has been developing -- and now starting to implement -- a comprehensive plan for the lakeshore portion of the region.

It's called the Marquette Plan, and it reflects the changing realities of northwestern Indiana. Phase I of the Plan, completed in 2005, focused on some sixty square miles of land, much of it close to the Lake Michigan shoreline. Phase II extended the lakeshore study area eastward from Portage, Indiana to the Indiana/Michigan state line. Many of the Plan's recommendations underscore the shift in focus from an industrial-based economy to one featuring recreational and natural resource based amenities.

photo left: private residences overlook the lakeshore in Beverly Shores and several other small communities.

photos below: the Village in Burns Harbor, not far from the lakefront, follows new urbanist principles. It has been specially recognized as a green neighborhood by the NAHB. And, yes, there was even construction underway the day I visited -- with five houses being built (bringing the total to 70, about 1/4 of the ultimate build out).

  Developer Clifford Fleming told me house prices range from about $180,000 to $350,000, attracting many parents with young children as their "first buy-up home," but also some empty nesters. It's just an hour's commute to Chicago from the nearby commuter station. A downtown mixed-use district is planned next to the Village (detailed in the town center/subarea plan available from the web site). Fleming is committed to "the idea of developing a workingman's town" and "enhancing the image of northwest Indiana," where he grew up.

 

As highlighted on the very first page of the Marquette Plan (phase I): "In a region that is losing population, losing jobs and losing its identity in the process, we haven't lost sight of our greatest resource -- Lake Michigan. It is our drinking water, our climate, our economy, our scenery ... our lifeline.

 ... the Marquette Plan aims to ... change perceptions of the lakefront and the lakefront communities as a destination and a place that attracts new residents and investments."

photo on right: passengers getting off the Shoreliner train from Chicago at Beverly Shores.

To achieve this, the Plan largely focuses on a series of recreation-based actions aimed at creating a large-scale, linked network. (I don't want to imply that the Plan dismisses the steel industry, especially as its still a major employer; the Plan does call for trying to "find potential synergies that could improve the operational effectiveness and vitality" of the cluster of industries around the Port of Indiana).

As the Plan puts it, "At the heart of this effort is a green ribbon of connected dune and swale landscapes, river corridors, lakes, beaches, reclaimed industrial canals and a range of diverse habitat that provides the natural counterpart to the industrialized brownfield setting that has dominated the past century. ... The plan capitalizes on green space linkages, improved infrastructures and resulting community enhancements to lay a framework for reinvestment ..."

Among the Plan's ambitious goals, increasing public shoreline access from the current 57 percent to over 75 percent of the shoreline, and "to provide generous minimum setbacks for new development to ensure this access."

I spent part of the day with John Swanson, NIRPC's Executive Director. Swanson is a long-time regional planner, having previously served as deputy director of the Northeast Illinois Planning Commission.

For the past four-and-a-half years he's been at NIRPC, and a good portion of his time has gone into the Marquette Plan. Phase I of the Plan, as I noted, was adopted in 2005, and Phase II just last year. Interestingly, the Plan was first conceived back in the mid-1980s by then newly elected U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky. Not surprisingly, Visclosky has remained involved in the Marquette Plan's development.

The challenges facing the regional planners at NIRPC are multiple. To begin with, they're dealing with 41 municipalities in three counties. Add to that an incredibly diverse population, both economically and ethnically, and an economy still largely based on heavy industry. Note: NIRPC also serves as the region's transportation planning organization/MPO.

Swanson spoke to me about how the planning process has engaged a very diverse "public," including groups often "not in the loop," such as low-income advocates from cities like Gary. The process also involved local elected officials, industry representatives, and members of the Save the Dunes Council, the area's principal environmental advocacy organization.

The overarching goal, Swanson said, "is to create a unified vision for the entire 46 miles of shoreline." That also means closely coordinating with the National Park Service, which manages 15,000 acres of federal holdings in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

At the same time, however, plan implementation priorities are largely determined by the individual jurisdictions. As Swanson explained, "each community was asked to identify a catalytic project." These projects are very visibly displayed on a large map of the project area, a constant reminder both that the plan aims to satisfy a variety of constituencies, and that implementation of projects is of critical importance.

We visited one of the priority projects, just completed, the 57-acre Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Park -- on a former brownfields site. It includes a dramatic new structure (holding classroom/meeting space and refreshment stands) and a 900 foot breakwater/fishing pier jutting out into Lake Michigan.

While at Lakefront Park I met with Olga Velazquez, Portage's mayor. Portage has a population of just under 40,000 and, as Velazquez put it, "is mainly a blue-collar city, with reasonable housing prices."

Velazquez, who also serves on the NIRPC Board, grew up in Gary. "The Lake has always been part of my life," she says. She also fully supports the Marquette Plan's aim of providing, as she puts it, "opportunities to develop around natural resources." Velazquez stressed the importance of connecting natural areas along the lakeshore, and looks forward to trails linking Chicago -- visible on the horizon -- to Portage and beyond.

Velazquez described the special arrangement behind Lakefront Park, with the National Park Service owning the land, but the City managing the facility. Funding for the improvements also came from a novel source; more on this in a moment.

There's also a walkway built along Burns Waterway, a channel that borders both the huge U.S. Steel Plant (on the east) and Portage Lakefront Park and Riverwalk (on the west). It was quite a sight.

 

Click on photos to view them at larger size.

It's early to say how well the Plan will be implemented. Phase II of the Plan calls for a state-enabled (but not yet operational) Shoreline Development Commission "to continue leading the planning process through implementation and establish a consistent 'Waterfront District' for the entire Indiana lakeshore." Till this happens, NIRPC will take the lead.

I asked Swanson how the Plan and the many projects called for were to be funded. Preparation of the Plan itself was largely funded through NOAA's Coastal Zone management program, which provided 80% of the funding for Phase I of the planning process, and 50% for Phase II.

photo left taken along U.S. Route 12; natural areas and industrial facilities are never far apart along the northwest Indiana lakeshore, providing the area with a very distinctive character.

Development of projects identified in the Plan benefit from a unique source of funding: revenues from the Indiana Toll Road. About $10 million a year of toll revenues for the next ten years will go to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (a partner in developing the Marquette Plan), which will help fund the Plan's priority projects -- including the number one priority, the Portage facility I just discussed (it received about $6 million for design and construction of the building, and nearly $3 million for the fishing pier and walkway).

As an aside, the State of Indiana in 2006 entered into a 75 year lease of the 157 mile long Indiana Toll Road with a private Spanish/Australian partnership, receiving a remarkable sum: $3.85 billion. See articles on the lease arrangement from Toll Road News and from the Chesterton, IN, Tribune.

Many other funding sources are to be drawn on. In fact, Phase II of the Plan lists more than a two dozen federal and state grants programs relevant to the Plan's recommendations, along with local sources (such as impact fees for open space land acquisition, and community development funds).

Private foundations, as well as steel companies like ArcelorMittal, have also provided financial support for various projects, including the development of a "Greenways and Blueways Plan" that calls for a series of connected waterway trails.

Having a major National Park Service presence is also of tremendous benefit. The Park Service not only provides management and visitor interpretation services, but it brings a "cachet" to the region, something especially beneficial in bringing in visitors who might not otherwise associate industrial northwest Indiana with natural resources and beauty.

To the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and others, thinking green is the way to rebuild the region's economy. As planners know, this is no longer a novel approach. Citizens and local officials are increasingly recognizing that what's good for the environment most often corresponds to what's good for the economy.

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On the formation of dunes:

From Indiana: A Guide to the Hoosier State (1941) one of the books in the outstanding WPA American Guide Series:

"The formation of a dune is a curious process. Sand swept upon the shore by the waters of Lake Michigan is carried inland by the prevailing north and northwest winds. Then a struggle begins between the invading and shifting sand and the hardy vegetation that may spring up and threaten to block its way.

Grasses, vines, shrubs, and small cottonwood trees sink long surface and lateral roots and provide a nucleus around which small cones of sand are formed. In time the cone is increased in size by the wind-driven sand, and slowly a dune is formed ... "

 Part of Main Street in Niles, Michigan (click on image for larger size photo).

It was raining hard when I pulled in to Niles, Michigan. But stepping inside the offices of the Niles Downtown Development Authority/Main Street, Lisa Croteau was in a sunny mood. Despite the economic blues facing Michigan, her small city's downtown has been more than holding its own.

Croteau is the executive director, program manager, and staff of the organization, all rolled into one upbeat, engaged person -- good qualities to have in a Main Street program director.

She told me how Niles' downtown had changed dramatically over the past decade, pulling out "before and after" sets of photos of blocks along Main Street -- including the pair on the right.

The Niles DDA/Main Street, Croteau told me, has benefitted greatly from its membership in both the Michigan and National Main Street programs.

The state program is "a phenomenal resource for us," Croteau noted, providing quarterly training opportunities, including sessions on fundraising techniques and, more recently, social networking. Recently, an expert on retail merchandising came to Niles and spoke with a number of business owners, offering very specific suggestions.

This year eight of Lisa's board members attended the National Main Street conference, a "great networking and learning opportunity."

But let me back up a bit. Niles itself is a small city (population 12,000), tucked into the southwest corner of Michigan, just ten miles due north of South Bend, Indiana (more on this later).

The downtown is compact, running from the St. Joseph River, up a low hill.

Niles' Main Street fared very well in the 1950s and '60s, but then started to slump as retailers pulled out for nearby strip malls.

The City tried urban renewal in the 1970s, tearing out one large corner of downtown. By 2000, downtown vacancies were over 25 percent. The Main Street organization has been at the heart of the turnaround. As Lisa describes it, the change resulted from lots of one-on-one conversations, trying to convince residents that downtown was worth saving: "we went to people who had given up on downtown, and we re-engaged them, and we got the community to realize that local businesses will be there only if you shop there, if you want them to stay, you've got to support them."

 One of the downtown business I visited with Croteau was Veni's Sweet Shop -- like many of the downtown retailers, locally owned.

Besides making individual connections, the Main Street group focused on creating enjoyable events, including a weekly French Market, and the annual "Hunter Ice Festival," featuring home made ice cream in the middle of January.

Resources were also funneled into facade and sidewalk landscaping improvements, and the look of downtown started to improve noticeably.

The City's design guidelines stress the importance of facades: "The front facades of buildings are one of the most important physical components of downtown -- economically, functionally and aesthetically."

Ironically, one of the "blights" on downtown was the 1960s-era installation of "Shadowform," a Kawneer aluminum facing put on many downtown storefronts (see the photo at the top of the page, and the photo below -- one of the few remaining Shadowform facades).

I say ironic, because Kawneer (before moving to Georgia) was a Niles-based company. Indeed, in an even stranger twist, the Kawneer Foundation has helped fund the removal of some of its own facades. One result, the downtown has been designated a National Historic District. Altogether, about 30 downtown facades have been restored, many assisted by small grants (in the $5,000 range).

On Friday I met again with Croteau. We were joined by Juan Ganum, the city's community development director for the past 11 years. Our discussion covered a broad range of challenges and opportunities facing Niles.

1. The need for a more pedestrian-oriented street design. Right now, the Michigan Department of Transportation controls Main Street. Given the state's primary orientation towards keeping the state highway/Main Street flowing smoothly, features like mid-block crossings or angled parking have not been possible.

The hope is that the State will yield control over Main Street to the City in the near future, enabling the City to plan for a stronger pedestrian orientation.

2. The lack of an attractive gateway into downtown. In fact, much of the nine mile stretch of the main artery, Route 933, between South Bend and Niles is chock full of strip development.

Within the downtown district itself, part of the "renewal" provided in the late 1970s -- in the form of River Front Square, a parking dominated shopping plaza on the southwest corner of downtown -- is now viewed as part of the problem.

As the rest of downtown has regained its historic character, River Front Square (above) stands out as increasingly out of character. Click on image to view at larger size.

3. A major vacant space close to downtown. The Simplicity Pattern Company facility, which closed two years ago, now stands vacant.

The City, Ganum noted, hopes to find a new use for this 750,000 square foot space, possibly for movie production. In fact, Michigan offers a package of incentives for movie production, but there are also lots of large, empty buildings across the state. Photo of Ganum inset in shot of the Simplicity building.

4. Theater restoration in the works. Niles' old downtown movie theater is being renovated. When back in operation, it will contribute to more night-time activity downtown. Croteau notes that the long-range plans call for a fly screen that would allow the stage to be used for theatrical presentations.

5. The lack of any public transit connection between Niles and nearby South Bend. This is something, Ganum said, the City needs to work on. One problem has been an absence of much coordination across state lines.

6. Heritage tourism has tremendous potential. There's excitement about a recent major find by archaeologists from Western Michigan University: the remains of Fort St. Joseph, built by the French in 1690. As both Croteau and Ganum noted, this could have a huge impact on the city, especially given its location just half a mile from downtown (the specific site location has not been publicized).

Even now, tourism from French-Canadians interested in history has been growing. There's already a terrific resource, the City-owned Fort St. Joseph Museum. As Director Carol Bainbridge told me, the Museum will house the finds from the archaeological dig, strengthening the story it already tells about the sequence of French, British, Spanish (for just 24 hours!) and then American control over the Fort.

7. High-speed rail is coming. Niles is located along Amtrak's Chicago-Detroit line, which has been designated for development as a high-speed rail corridor. To Croteau this has the potential of bringing Niles within commuting distance of Chicago, which would provide a further boost to the city. photo: Amtrak arriving from Chicago at Niles.

8. The riverfront is key. Located on the west side of downtown, the riverfront has long been perhaps the single most important asset for downtown. Not only is it the location of summertime concerts, but it's the site of a well-used park.

The playground in Riverfront Park is near a movie complex, which is located in a former discount store. It's a fascinating & successful resue. As a fringe benefit: park users are free to use the theater's restrooms, while the theater gains from park users purchasing refreshments at its concession stand. You'll also note the screen on the theater's exterior -- used during the Summer.

There's also a bicycle path along the river, which will soon be extended both north and south, making use of the former right-of-way of the interurban line that once connected South Bend and Benton Harbor, Michigan. This extension, Ganum noted, was the number one priority  expressed in a citizen survey.

9. Diversity. Finally, one of the most important strengths of Niles, as Ganum explained, lies in the fact that "we're a diverse community racially and economically." This is also now reflected on the Planning Commission, though, Juan acknowledged, this has taken some recruitment effort.

That's a long list of challenges and opportunities for a small city. But underlying much of the progress at the heart of the city -- its downtown district -- has been the work of the Main Street organization, its 400 volunteers, its many supporters, and local businesses. The bottom line so far is this: there are now 183 businesses in the downtown district, a gain of 46 over the past five years; and the number of jobs downtown has also grown, from 415 to 548.

Not bad for any city of 12,000 these days, let alone one in hard-pressed Michigan.

In part I of this post, I discussed the tough economic situation the city of Flint, Michigan finds itself in, and the role the growing role of the Genesee County Land Bank.

But while in Flint, my focus was more on what the Land Bank's planning staff does, not on how the parcel acquisition process works. I spent part of the day with planners Christina Kelly and Jeff Burdick, visiting two Flint neighborhoods.

Our first stop was the Thread Lake neighborhood.

Kelly and Burdick have been working closely with the local neighborhood association, headed up by Barbara Griffith-Wilson. Thread Lake is one of 28 "clean and green" neighborhoods, which qualifies it for attention -- and resources -- from the Land Bank.

I spoke to Griffith-Wilson about her neighborhood and asked her to briefly describe it:

Clean and green neighborhoods are required to maintain at least twenty Land Bank properties, and implement at least two gardening projects. In return, they have access to Land Bank financial and technical support. In fact, while I was visiting Thread Lake, Roxanne Adair, the Land Bank's Urban Food Gardening Coordinator, stopped by to find out what kind of vegetables the neighborhood was most interested in having planted.

 Several high school students are earning money helping with community gardens; they'll also be clearing a large vacant lot (above left) across the street from where they're planting. Lower left, Barbara Griffith-Wilson lists some of the garden needs to the Land Bank's Roxanne Adair.

As we walked through the neighborhood, Kelly and Burdick explained some of the Land Bank's programs. One involves "side lots." Homeowners with vacant Land Bank property adjacent to the side of their home have the opportunity to purchase that property as a side yard. The cost is typically under $75.

There are at least three benefits from the program. First, it brings properties back onto the tax roll. Second, it eliminates the public cost that would otherwise have gone into maintaining the vacant land. Third, it benefits the homeowners by allowing them to take control of what has often become an eyesore next to their home; unkempt vacant land can significantly reduce their own property's value. Note: the Land Bank also operates a related program allowing for residents and businesses to "adopt" a Land Bank owned lot, and then be given priority for purchasing it.

There's evidence that Thread Lake is stabilizing. One hopeful sign is that a local developer, Charles Young, has purchased and rehabbed an abandoned housing complex, Village Shores.

Not far from the Thread Lake neighborhood, and close to downtown, is the Grand Traverse neighborhood, another area Land Bank planners have been assisting. For the Land Bank it's one of their "strategic reinvestment areas."

Among the positive factors for the Land Bank: the neighborhood is close to downtown; it has a strong neighborhood association; Habitat for Humanity is active there; and the Land Bank already owns considerable property in the neighborhood.

One other more fortuitous factor: Genesee County transportation planner Heidi Phaneuf moved into the neighborhood in 2000, and has been active in the neighborhood association and is now its president.

Working with the Land Bank, the Grand Traverse neighborhood association (which has about sixty members) has put together a strategic plan. It set five goals, Phaneuf told me: increase home ownership; improve housing conditions; improve neighborhood recreational areas; build partnerships with nearby businesses; and build the neighborhood association's capacity as an organization.

 From top, clockwise: the neighborhood some blocks with considerable abandoned housing; vacant house owned by the Land Bank; former school also owned by the Land Bank; Habitat for Humanity's Margaret Kato (left) and neighborhood association president Heidi Phaneuf; one of several Habitat signs dotting the neighborhood; lot acquired by homeowner through the Land Bank; and Habitat house under construction.

This May, neighborhood residents helped install a playscape in the local park (see photo, provided by Heidi Phaneuf). Progress has also been made towards cleaning up Spring Grove a brownfield site, where the illegal dumping used to occur. The site has a natural spring and is part of a wetland restoration and nature park development project.

Habitat for Humanity has also taken a strong interest in the neighborhood. Margaret Kato, Habitat's county director told me that seven new Habitat homes will be completed by the end of the year. As Kato explained, "it was important to us that there was a plan for the neighborhood, and that the neighborhood association was welcoming and wanted to see infill housing." Moreover, Habitat has found there's "more impact to have a concentration of homes than scattered sites throughout the county."
 
My visit to Flint -- and earlier this Spring to Scranton and Wilkes-Barre -- also makes me wonder about the declining capacity of city planning departments. There's no city planner working for the City of Flint, a city of 117,000. Instead, the Land Bank has (at least in part) taken on the role of local planners. In Scranton & Wilkes-Barre it's the staff at the Chambers of Commerce who have, in various ways, done the work of city planners.

Photo above: downtown Flint is compact, and still largely "in business." Below right: the former Durant Hotel, which has sat vacant for many years, is now being converted into 93 apartments, thanks to work from the Land Bank, the Mott Foundation, and other area organizations.

Christina Kelly probably best summed up the situation: "planning in cities like Flint is always first to go." But at least in places like Flint and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, other organizations have stepped into the vacuum.

While Flint has received lots of negative attention in the media -- in some ways becoming the poster boy of urban disintegration -- what's also clear is that there are many who are not giving up on Flint. 

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

Doug Wieland, Executive Director of the Genesee County Land Bank, pulled out a sheet of paper and pushed it across the table towards me. This is the hard reality of Flint, Michigan, today. Population falling from 195,000 in 1970 to 117,000 in 2006. Abandoned housing units since 1970: 31,200.

A staggering 32 percent of all residential parcels in Flint are abandoned.

Flint for decades had been a solid, middle-class city, home to many General Motors employees. According to the Flint Journal (June 1, 2009), "at its peak, GM employment in Flint reached more than 82,000." But that number has dropped "to about 8,500 by the end of 2007."

photo: from left to right: Doug Wieland, and planners Christina Kelly and Jeff Burdick.

One of the central missions of the Land Bank is to purchase, hold, and then resell abandoned structures and vacant lots.

The Land Bank is an independent County authority (Dan Kildee, the County treasurer, serves as its President). It receives funding from the County, as well as from state and federal sources (such as brownfields and land revitalization funds; note that under Michigan law, land held by a land bank is considered a brownfields site). Revenue also comes from private foundation grants (including the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation) and from the resale of the properties the Land Bank holds.

This past year, the Land Bank acquired 1,545 foreclosed properties; its total inventory currently stands at 4,823 such properties.

One of its major accomplishments, Wieland told me, is that "the Land Bank has largely taken speculators out of the market." But it's impossible for the Land Bank to physically care for all the lots it has acquired, and some in the community have complained about this, Wieland noted. (As you'll see in part II of this post, one way the Land Bank addresses this concern is by encouraging neighborhood groups to maintain Land Bank properties, in return for technical assistance from Land Bank staff).

One concept that I noted during my recent visit to Cleveland, Ohio, is the idea that older, industrial cities may need to plan to shrink, not grow. In Cleveland, the strategy calls for reusing vacant land for urban agriculture, stormwater management, or recreational purposes. This would, at least over time, save the city money by enabling it to focus its infrastructure dollars (as well as resources supporting housing and economic development) on fewer areas.

The same approach is taking place in Flint. As reported in the Flint Journal (June 19, 2009) "the idea of planned shrinkage became a viable concept in Michigan a few years ago, when the state changed its laws regarding properties foreclosed for delinquent taxes. Prior to that, abandoned buildings and homes tended to be tied up in the courts, adding to blight. Now they're being snatched-up by county land banks, which have a powerful tool to change the face of communities. 'The idea is to reshape the city so we have a small collection of sustainable neighborhoods with open green space,' said Kildee, a Flint native and chief executive of the local land bank."

But compared to Cleveland, Flint -- through use of the Land Bank -- has been much more aggressive in dealing with vacant, tax foreclosed properties. Note: a land bank is being formed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, which includes Cleveland.

Take a look at a map of Flint. The red shows vacant lots currently owned by the Genesee County Land Bank Authority.

The Land Bank "bundles" many foreclosed properties coming up for auction by the County Treasurer's office. That is, Land Bank staff, based on personal inspections of the tax foreclosed parcels, determine which should be included in one huge single "bundle" of properties up for auction. This has helped ensure that these bundled parcels will end up in the hands of the Land Bank, not in the hands of speculators, as it's unlikely any one speculator will bid on a very large package of assorted properties. If property is not sold at auction, it goes to the Land Bank. 

For more information related to the above chart (from the Land Bank web site); for background on the Genesee County Land Bank, see "Land Banks as Revitalization Tools: The example of Genesee County and the City of Flint, Michigan" (pdf file) by Teresa Gillotti and Dan Kildee.

As Christina Kelly, lead planner for the Land Bank told me, too many planners across the country are unfamiliar with the importance and mechanics of the foreclosure process. At the same, she added, local officials (often in the Treasurer's office) have little knowledge of the spatial and planning-related impacts foreclosures have. Tip to planners: it might be a good idea to sit down with those in your city or county who handle tax foreclosures.

in Part II to be posted on Wednesday: visiting two Flint neighborhoods

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

Troy, Michigan, is a spread out (6 x 6 mile), auto-oriented suburb (population 81,000) about 19 miles northwest of downtown Detroit. You'll find many elements typical of the suburbs that boomed in the 1970s and '80s: corporate office parks, wide arterial roadways, pleasant single-family residential neighborhoods, ample parks, high quality schools, shopping and commercial strip malls, large auto dealerships, and many fast food outlets.

Above: Office buildings along Big Beaver Road; immediately below: corporate offices along Stephenson Parkway; second below: Troy's Auto Mall.

 

Over the last few decades Troy has thrived, becoming an economic hub in the Metro Detroit region. But, as Planning Director Mark Miller  pointed out to me, the growth curve has flattened. With the sharp decline of the automotive industry in Michigan, Troy has certainly felt the impact. Much of the city's economic prosperity has been based on automotive-related business, especially small-scale manufacturing and supply operations.

In driving through Troy with Miller and Principal Planner Brent Savidant, we passed building after building with "For Lease" or "For Sale" signs out. Some were large office buildings (including a major complex that served as a headquarters for K-Mart), but even more were modest industrial facilities, "Mom and Pop" type, as Miller noted. Here are some photos I took along one block in a light industrial district.

While its economic foundation has become a bit shaky, Troy is still a relatively prosperous suburban community, with a larger day-time workforce than resident population (daytime population of 136,000). Interestingly, nearly 20 percent of Troy's population is foreign-born, and of that, a surprising 62 percent are of Asian background. Miller attributed this to the high caliber of the K-12 schools, which has long served as a major draw for this group. Charts from the Troy Master Plan.

The evolving economy, with a reduced role for manufacturing, has provided Troy an opportunity to rethink its future. Indeed, the new City of Troy Master Plan 2008 sets out the framework for a major shift in Troy's direction. The very first paragraph of the Plan makes this clear: "Fueled by necessity and inspired by a changing population, economy and region, the City of Troy has determined that the development of a new Troy Master Plan is critical to help the community cope with the realities of the 21st century in Michigan."

As an aside, I found Troy's Master Plan very well-written and organized. I'd highly recommend browsing through it. To download a .pdf of the plan.

In reading through the Master Plan, there's a certain amount of disconnect between what's "on the ground" now and what's called for. Especially striking is the Plan's emphasis on increased transit and walkability, and on mixed-use development. As Miller told me, in Troy today "everything is designed for the car." Yet, he noted, one of the priorities residents expressed during input sessions on the Plan was  more places to ride bikes and walk.

The Plan does not call for developing a town center or downtown for Troy (in contrast to what I reported on in suburbs such as Creve Coeur, Missouri). Instead, the focus is on reconfiguring some 21 "nodes" -- each with an area of 40,000 square feet or more encompassing a key intersection and adjoining land (there are plenty of major intersections, given the regular rhythm of arterial roadways in Troy).

Part of the reason for favoring mixed-use is due to its tax advantages compared to purely residential development. The boxed material on the left is from the Troy Master Plan.

Implementation will involve developing a form-based optional overlay zone for each node, seeking to encourage mixed-use development. Euclidean, hierarchical zoning will fade as developers see the higher economic value from what they can do using the overlay zoning. In fact, Miller doesn't foresee any major controversy since the optional overlay "will be creating value for the properties."

Here's a portion of the philosophy behind nodal development set out in the Master Plan (p. 93):

"Neighborhood Nodes are the concentrated, commercial and mixed-use centers situated at major intersections of Troy thoroughfares that serve as the center of the City's Economic Neighborhoods. The nodes are specifically identified on pages 95 and 96. Economic Neighborhoods are destinations created as "go to" places that take on a social role, serving both as a place to meet basic needs of the community and as 21st century village centers. ... The nodes will typically permit a mix of commercial, office, and high-density residential, although the predominant uses in any Neighborhood Node development must be in keeping with the node characteristics described on pages 95 and 96. ... Each of these nodes serves four quadrants of the overlapping social neighborhoods and has the ability to bring residents of four neighborhoods together. ..."

Take a look at the map of the nodes at key intersections; they're designated by the letters A-U. Tthe numbers indicate the city's mile square sections.

I stopped with Miller and Savidant at one of these nodes (I highlighted the intersection in yellow on the map). The photos below will give you a feel for what it looks like now -- click on the panorama to view it at a larger size.

 

Here are the characteristics for this node set out in the Master Plan:

"G. Rochester Road and Wattles Road. A careful blend of commercial uses and office uses, effectively transitioned into the adjoining residential neighborhoods, should be the main uses at this intersection. Recent residential development in the area has taken pedestrian access to the intersection into consideration with effective pathways and sidewalks, and any new development at the intersection must continue this positive trend."

Obviously, it's going to be a tall order to change the existing land use pattern. As Miller put it, "it's going to be a real long-term endeavor." But over time, he believes that changes will start becoming more evident.

Just as the nodal approach will depend on incremental change, so does improved design and an increased pedestrian orientation. One example that Miller is proud of is a new Starbucks along Big Beaver Road, Troy's "Main Street" thoroughfare.

It's located where a gas station had stood. For the first time, people are actually sitting outside and eating along Big Beaver. The City insisted on the parking being pushed towards the rear, and did not allow for a drive-thru.

Troy is also investing in a new multi-modal center, to be located along an existing rail line (used by Amtrak) on ground near a major "power center" and housing development. it will also encompass the Oakland/Troy airport.

Rendering of the center, which will serve Amtrak, regional bus transit, taxi & car rentals, and connect with the airport. 

photo below of Planning Director Mark Miller (right) and Principal Planner Brent Savidant (left) taken at site of planned multi-modal center. 

The center is being jointly planned with the neighboring city of Birmingham, and straddles the two communities. One key reason Troy wants better transit is that the city relies on workers coming from Detroit and other places; the idea is that this will make working in Troy a more realistic option for many. The aim is also for the center to stimulate housing & other development.

Troy is a suburb that is proactively planning for a changing future. It will be fascinating to see how the city evolves, and how the policies called for in its new Master Plan play out.

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I also had the privilege of attending an evening meeting of the Troy Planning Commission while in town. It was well-run by Chairman Robert Schultz, with active participation by all members of the Commission.

Interestingly, the most controversial item on the agenda was a special permit application for a Sonic drive-thru restaurant -- probably one of the few chains not already in Troy! Among the concerns: the potential safety impacts on pedestrians and traffic flow. 

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

At 8 am on Tuesday (June 9th), I'm sitting in Campus Martius Park, a 2.5 acre urban park/open space in the center of downtown Detroit, waiting for Bob Gregory to arrive. Workers are busy cleaning the park, but they're not city employees. Instead, they work for the Detroit 300 Conservancy, a non-profit, business-supported organization that Gregory heads.

 

Campus Martius is noteworthy on at least two counts. First, it's a vivid demonstration of the desire Detroiters have for a downtown open space. Second, it's an indicator of the trend towards privately managed public space in our downtowns. For a report on another aspect of privatization, see my posting Doing Your BID-ing in Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2007).

Campus Martius -- for more on the strange name see the end of this post -- is actually in its second incarnation. There had been a public park in this location early in the 20th century. Back in the 1930s, Gregory tells me, downtown Detroit had the densest concentration of pedestrian traffic of any major U.S. city (note: haven't been able to verify this). But as automobiles replaced transit, Detroit's leaders replaced the park with roadways. See photo below for site of today's Campus Martius.

Detroit's business leaders have eliminated the asphalt roadways and returned a public space to the heart of downtown, in the form of a new, "souped up," Campus Martius.

The open space is pleasant enough early in the morning. But it comes to life at lunch time, when nearby office workers crowd in with their brown bags, or swing through the Au Bon Pain cafe.

As Gregory explains, the Detroit 300 Conservancy is responsible for programming at Campus Martius. In fact, programming is central to its mission, because it is the programs and planned activities that draw people not just at lunch time, but during evenings and cold Winter days.

Gregory ticked off some of the events: Saturday night movies; outdoor theater and dance; the Jazz Festival in September; the Motown Winter Blast; car festivals; daily ice skating from November through March; and more. Campus Martius also draws many going to Detroit Tigers games in Comerica ballpark, just a few blocks away. (note: aerial, skating, & night concert photos provided by Detroit 300).

 Campus Martius is loaded with high-tech features designed to enhance the visitor experience. Gregory pointed out two carefully tucked away hydraulic stages used for concerts, and described the sophisticated lighting and specially zoned sound systems.

The capstone, at the center of Campus Martius, is its fountain, with 100 programmed jets of water (obviously not operating at full power at 8 am!). It was designed by WET Design, the firm responsible for the fountains in front of Las Vegas' Bellagio Hotel.

 

The impetus of the re-born Campus Martius, Gregory told me, came from a plan prepared for Detroit's Downtown Partnership in the late 1990's by the Toronto firm, Urban Strategies. The business community, in celebration of Detroit's 300th birthday, wanted to leave a "legacy gift" to the City, in the form of this new open space.

As the City didn't have the financial resources, this was the only way Campus Martius could be built and maintained. The model drawn on was New York City's Bryant Park and Central Park, also maintained by private non-profit conservancies. Twenty million dollars was raised from Detroit corporations and private foundations. The result, an attractive, well-used, open space (opened in 2004, and expanded in 2007), managed by the Detroit 300 Conservancy under contract from the City.

It's an interesting question whether one of the key downtown open spaces for a wide range of events should be developed and managed by a private entity, even if it's a non-profit with the best interests of the city at its heart. But that's the reality of 21st century America, at least in fiscally-strapped cities, where the only money available to invest comes from the private corporations (motivated by civic values, a desire to preserve the value of their own corporate assets, or perhaps some combination of the two).

There are some restrictions on use of the park. As Gregory informed me, "there is no soliciting, leaflet distributing, etc. in the Park, except for companies and organizations that are approved Park sponsors and partners."

One of the key aims of Campus Martius, Gregory told me during my visit, is to be "a catalyst for economic development" and "counter the view of Detroit as a devastated, bombed out city."

Compuware, a major provider of information technology services, moved its headquarters from the suburbs to a new 1.1 million square foot building overlooking the open space.

Gregory also pointed to the restoration of the nearby Book-Cadillac building (left) as a new Westin hotel -- something that Preservation Wayne Director Karen Nagher also mentioned to me as a positive sign.

But there's still no major retail businesses downtown in America's 11th largest city (population 917,000). Part of the site of the huge Hudson Department store demolished in 1998, just a block away from Campus Martius, is still vacant. Photo below left shows this site; the other photo is of the Compuware headquarters, which also occupies part of former Hudson's property, while fronting on Campus Martius. 

In today's tough economic climate, Gregory notes, "the challenge is to keep Campus Martius going." That was further highlighted during my visit to Detroit by talk about General Motors possibly pulling its headquarters out of downtown.

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Why "Campus Martius"? The name is from the Latin for "field of Mars," and was used in the early 18th century to reflect the military origins of Detroit as a French, and then British, controlled Fort. The only military aspect that I spotted in the Park today are the Civil War figures sculpted on the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial located at one end of Campus Martius.

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

For several generations it was one of the iconic images of Detroit: the majestic Michigan Central Railroad Station & Tower. For newcomers to Detroit, the Station was often the entry point to this once prosperous city, capital of the world automobile industry.

The image of the Station today still carries a message -- but it's a message of a city in decline.

 

But does that mean the best solution is for the City to tear down the structure?

The city's economic development agency is advocating demolition. The structure's a health and safety hazard, they say. Moreover, the 500,000 square foot building -- listed on the National Register of Historic Places -- has stood vacant since the mid-1980s, and, they argue, there's little likelihood of it being restored. [Many more photos of the station are posted on seedetroit.com]

The alternative approach, described to me by Karen Nagher, Executive Director of Preservation Wayne (a citizens advocacy group for preservation in the Detroit area), is to "mothball" and stabilize the building for now, and wait for the economy to improve.

The hope is that sometime in the future an innovative adaptive reuse will emerge. Moreover, as Nagher points out, the City has no plans for the site after the Station is demolished; there will just be one more large vacant lot in the heart of Detroit.

Complicating matters is the fact that the Station's billionaire owner Manuel Moroun (also owner of the nearby Ambassador toll bridge, which handles one-fourth of all commerce between the U.S. and Canada) has not invested much in the structure. It's time for the structure to come down, city officials argue.

But once torn down, preservationists point out, Detroit will have lost an important part of its heritage -- one more structure among many that have been demolished.

Indeed, on the very same day I was in Detroit, Preservation Wayne had just lost a court hearing to try to prevent the final demolition of old Tiger Stadium, not far from the Michigan Central Station. In fact, in this photo both are visible.

Demolishing buildings like the Michigan Central Station and Tiger Stadium may actually carry an economic cost. Not only does a city's historic fabric draw tourists, it also makes a city more attractive for business -- and it helps instill that "pride in community" city officials often talk about.

There's one other benefit that Michael Boettcher, a city planner who also volunteers for Preservation Wayne, mentioned. Younger people are especially drawn to authentic places, where historic structures are valued. The bottom line is that cities that care about their past are also investing in their future.

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update June 16, 2009: shortly after posting my report from Detroit I learned of an effort in Buffalo, New York, to restore that city's old New York Central Terminal (see photo below). It's an example of how hard work is starting to pay off in a restoration comparable to what may be needed in Detroit. I hope that Detroiters will take a look at the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation's web site, and pay a visit to Buffalo. Success can happen even with a building that poses daunting challenges.

Too often these days, you hear about frictions between colleges and the communities they're located in. But my visit to Allegheny College in the northwestern Pennsylvania city of Meadville (population 13,253) proved this doesn't have to be the case. Indeed, the relationship between Meadville, Crawford County, and Allegheny College is best viewed as a partnership that brings benefits to all.

Let me back up first. Allegheny College is a small, well-respected liberal arts school, with an enrollment of 2,100. Meadville is a city with a strong industrial heritage. County Commissioner Morris Waid described to me how the area was stunned back in the mid 1980's when two of its largest manufacturers closed down, putting over 2,000 people out of work.

 

[photos above show some of rehab of the huge (1.4 million square foot) American Viscose plant in Meadville -- Pennsylvania's first brownfields restoration project; over 20 businesses employing 900 workers now occupy 900,000 square feet of this space, including Acutec Precision Machining and Universal Well Services. The wall art was an Allegheny College project illustrating some of the plant's heritage. For detailed background on the project -- pdf file]

Over the past decade, the paths taken by the city and county in their efforts at economic recovery and by the college in its focus on student "service learning," have become increasingly intertwined.

Amara Geffen is an artist and professor of art (since 1982) at Allegheny College. Twelve years ago she became involved in the creation of an interdisciplinary environmental studies program. And, before you ask the question, the answer is "yes, there's a link between art and the environment." Many of the faculty participating in the environmental studies program were interested in applied learning opportunities. This led, in turn, to the creation of the Center for Environmental and Economic Development, or "CEED" as its called, which Geffen now directs.

As Geffen explained, the CEED program was aimed at linking students with the Meadville community, with a focus on projects involving "sustainability." "CEED has provided a mechanism for place-based education tied to the educational curriculum," she told me. When Geffen saw my puzzled look, she added, "think of it as an applied liberal arts education where students learn by being engaged with the community while working on different projects."

Elise Swanekamp is an Allegheny College freshman, already active in CEED. She's from West Seneca, New York, and was drawn to Allegheny in large part by the school's reputation for service learning and its political participation programs. She's particularly interested in working with area farmers and finding ways of helping them out.

 

Right now, she's involved in assisting the downtown farmers' market. In fact, Geffen took a ten minute time-out from her meeting with me to go over the design and contents of a brochure Swanekamp has been working on for the downtown Meadville Market House-- the oldest continuously operating market house in Pennsylvania (since 1870). As Swanekamp told me, working on projects like this will help her gain valuable experience. "Volunteering at a soup kitchen is great, but I wanted to extend my effectiveness into the community."

[Photo of Market House. According to Alice Sjolander, the Market House Master, 60 vendors sell products there, primarily locally grown food. The Market House Authority rents the building for $1/year from the City. It's open 6 days/week, year-round. Last year, it generated $188,000 in sales, and is on pace to reach $200,000 this year.]

Allegheny students last year put in a remarkable 25,000 hours of time on service learning projects. Some 60 percent of students participate in community service and/or community-centered learning activities.

But at Allegheny College it's not just students who are actively involved with the community, it's also faculty. Twenty-four faculty members have participated in the College's "Community Based Research" program. One of several examples that Geffen related to me involved a faculty member who recently worked with the City to write up a grant proposal for a greenhouse gas inventory of the city. Another faculty member has worked with the Crawford County Head Start program on developing and conducting a community survey.

Another key element in cementing the working partnership between city (and county) and college has been through Pennsylvania's Keystone Innovation Zone ("KIZ") program. The map on the right shows KIZ zones within Meadville in light red (green is the historic district).

As County Commissioner Morris Waid told me, the goal of the KIZ is for "faculty to have a way to bring their research into the marketplace." Eligible businesses in designated KIZ's can gain valuable tax credits and small grants. They also gain access to paid interns, such as students at Allegheny and other area colleges.

One point that nearly everyone I met with in Meadville made is that the community has a strong "sense of place."Indeed, the CEED program and Allegheny College's commitment to the city and county is evidence of the value it puts on this place. As Crawford County Planning Director Jack Lynch added, "this is also a pretty pro-active place, with strong collaboration between government, business, and the academic community." 

[in photo from left to right: Etienne Ozorak, CEED Coordinator; Andy Walker, Northwest Region Director of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (and former CEED student); County Comm'r Morris Waid; Amara Geffen; County Planning Director Jack Lynch; and Meadville city planner Gary Johnson]

I'll return with just a bit more on Allegheny College and Meadville in my next post.

just a quick p.s. for those of you following my search for that strong cup of morning coffee -- you can hit the jackpot in Meadville at the Artist's Cup, located inside what used to be a bank. With a local artists' gallery also inside, it's a great meeting place in Meadville (it's also where our group met for lunch).