East Downtown Redevelopment Plan

EAST DOWNTOWN DEARBORN SITE REDEVELOPMENT Establishing a Walkable, Mixed-Use, Arts & Culture District at Schaefer and Michigan Avenue April 23, 2018 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary..................................................................................................................1 Background, Context, and Planning Problem..................................................................5 Vision, Goals, and Objectives.................................................................................................7 Site Inventory and Analysis...................................................................................................9 Market Trends..........................................................................................................................18 Case Studies.............................................................................................................................19 Synthesis....................................................................................................................................27 Recommendations..................................................................................................................33 Design Options.........................................................................................................................39 Implementation........................................................................................................................51 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................54 References.................................................................................................................................55 Appendix A: Community Engagement Plan.....................................................................58 Appendix B: Demographics..................................................................................................68 Appendix C: SWOT Analysis.................................................................................................72 Appendix D: Team Biographies...........................................................................................76

Table of Contents

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Executive Summary Context and Planning Problem Southeast Michigan is undergoing a transformation. As America’s hub of innovation in the early 20th century, Dearborn is now seeking to redevelop its cores to create vibrant downtown spaces. With its redevelopment of West Downtown underway, the City has shifted its attention to the historic East Downtown district.

The intersection of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Road, located at the center of East Downtown, has seen increased development in recent years because of its solid foundation of cultural institutions and basic services. However, the obsolete 5050 Schaefer building and adjacent parking lot are an obstacle to significant revitalization of the district.

Not only are the building and parking lots in disrepair, but their condition and surrounding context have contributed to retail vacancy rates above 50%. The parking lot rarely reaches 30% capacity. Recently, the owners of 5050 Schaefer started a process to redevelop the Project Site in cooperation with the City of Dearborn.

Vision and Guiding Principles We envision the East Downtown district becoming an important Arts & Culture hub that contributes to the status of the City of Dearborn within Southeast Michigan. This project reimagines what the corner of Schaefer and Michigan Avenue means to the City and the region.

Synthesis Once we gathered all of this information, we compiled it to determine the key takeaways that our site should incorporate. Our synthesis was made up of a SWOT analysis, a site criteria matrix, and a site adjacency matrix. We completed a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each of the project’s four guiding principles. Our site criteria matrix compared the key attributes of the current condition of our site, the developments from our case studies, and our final proposal. This enabled us to compare how our proposal stacks up to other successful and ongoing projects. The adjacency matrix identifies what uses can and should be located close to one another. We used this to determine where to locate our recommended programming and how the diversity of uses relate to one another. These three tools gave us a deep understanding of what other sites have done, how our site compares, and what can be done in the East Downtown district.

Recommendations and Design We believe that the City should take this opportunity to shift away from a suburban, car-oriented district to create the vibrant, pedestrian-oriented Arts & Culture District that the Master Plan envisions. We have developed a number of recommendations to achieve this goal: •

Restore the street grid by reconnecting Calhoun Street along the site’s north-south axis, extending Colston east through the site, and creating an additional east-west street through the site that connects to the Dearborn Fresh Market parking lot.

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Create complete streets with wider sidewalks, bike access, retail opening to the sidewalk, and transit access.

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Encourage context-appropriate building design that relates to landmarks such as the Old City Hall and the Historic Schaefer Building.

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Implement a wayfinding system for East Downtown that includes street banners and gateway signs along Michigan Avenue.

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Create a community market that will provide low-cost, flexible retail space for startup businesses and community event space appropriate for farmers’ markets, artisan markets, and other community events.

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Enable low-rent retail spaces for everyday services and incubator spaces for new businesses through the preservation of outdated buildings.

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Build multifamily housing to increase residential density and provide housing at various levels of affordability.

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Facilitate a mix of commercial uses including retail, restaurants, and services.

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Conduct community engagement initiatives before finalizing any development plans.

Our research allowed us to establish foundational knowledge of the site and its context. First, we conducted four inventories, including a regional context analysis, housing analysis, retail study, and circulation analysis. These analyses taught us that our site has poor patterns of vehicular and pedestrian circulation, is surrounded by primarily detached single-family housing with little diversity or alternatives, and contains a large amount of old retail spaces that do not support a diversity of businesses.

•

Provide parks and open spaces for nearby residents and visitors to the district’s retail and cultural destinations.

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Implement environmentally friendly technologies including green infrastructure, on-site renewable energy generation, and electric car charging stations.

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Create a comprehensive and safe pedestrian access network.

Next, we identified three subjects for case studies: West Downtown Dearborn (MI), East Lansing (MI), and Belmar, Denver (CO) to see what other cities were doing to improve existing conditions that are similar to that of East Downtown. These case studies taught us that recent downtown projects, regardless of scale, place an emphasis on walkability, mixed-use, and pedestrianism. They also demonstrated the importance of market research to determine specific uses and public-private partnerships to ensure success and viability.

•

Reduce parking requirements to encourage multi-modal transit to and from the site.

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Incorporate small block sizes by dividing the 5050 Schaefer building into three distinct buildings.

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Form partnerships with local colleges and universities, including Henry Ford Community College and University of Michigan-Dearborn, to encourage aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs to start their companies in the Project Site’s incubator space and market shed.

•

Encourage round-the-clock activity by increasing residential density, providing parks and open space, and attracting businesses that typically open early or close late, like coffee shops, fitness centers, and bars and restaurants.

This entire project, from research to recommendations, was founded on four key principles: Vibrancy, Identity, Sustainability, and Quality of Life. We aim to create vibrancy through walkability and a diversity of uses that invite people to be on the streets and in public spaces. This district should have a unique identity that residents are proud to be a part of and visitors can easily recognize. In order to be successful for decades to come, East Downtown should promote social, environmental, and economic sustainability through interventions centered around diversity of people, uses, building types, and lifestyle options. Finally, any successful district should promote a quality of life that facilitates good health, accessibility, and ease of access to everyday needs.

Methodology The City of Dearborn asked our team to create a site plan in accordance with the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan, created in 2014. We assembled and consolidated information about the City’s current goals, the existing site condition, case studies of similar projects, and market trends. Next, we synthesized our findings and identified key recommendations for the site’s redevelopment. Last, we applied our recommendations to a site plan that represents an ideal concept of what the Project Site can become.

Research

Finally, we studied some of the emerging trends in national and global markets to provide a basis for what should happen on this site. Our research indicates that successful downtown spaces create demand for multifamily housing and increased density. Moreover, successful retailers in these spaces are able to provide services and experiences that Internet shopping simply cannot, such as barber shops, nail salons, and bars and restaurants.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Executive Summary

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Site Plan Highlights

4. Social Media Announcements. Announce community engagement activities on social media to both inform followers and encourage participation. Use social media to share fun, interesting, and exciting updates.

A

5. Town Hall Meeting. Hold a town hall meeting during the initial stages of the project to incorporate the community’s feedback on all potential design options. Share information and give citizens the opportunity to voice concerns, make suggestions, and ask questions about the project.

G C

A

B E

A

D

F

A F

6. Survey of Nearby Residents. Distribute surveys online and in person to give everyone the option to participate.

Use in-person surveys to target traditionally underrepresented communities. Surveys provide more specific feedback from the community and can lead to novel and innovative design solutions. The purpose of the survey is not to generalize what is important to the various stakeholders, but to solicit new ideas and solutions.

Therefore, representativeness of the sample is less important than broad distribution.

7. Bi-Annual Meetings during Construction. Hold an in-person meeting with nearby residents every six months during the project construction period.

8. Community Groundbreaking Event. Host a groundbreaking ceremony in which residents celebrate a big step in the East Downtown Dearborn revitalization effort.

9. Public Space Amenity Survey. Create an online survey to enable direct community input on the site’s public space programming.

Refine Site Plan City officials and developers should update the site plan based on the feedback received from community engagement efforts. Integration of the ideas, goals, and desires of community members will ensure that the site serves the needs of those who will be using it most. Using community engagement as a guide for the development process will help ensure the political, economic, and social success of the project.

A Mixed-use retail & residential building(s)

E Central Plaza

B Low-rent small business incubator space

F New east-west streets connected through site

C Community Market Shed

G Calhoun Street reconnected through site

D Market Square Park

At this stage, City officials and developers should consider how environmental sustainability can be implemented into the site. This includes policy amendments to reduce parking requirements and initiatives to support, fund, or encourage green infrastructure. This will help ensure the long-term viability and feasibility of the project.

Last, developers should create building designs that respond to and work within the context of the surrounding neighborhood. Building design should be carefully constructed and scrutinized to ensure that it is appropriate for both the programmatic and aesthetic wants and needs of the district’s residents.

Conclusion Implementation Our implementation plan puts the details into the hands of the community and the people who are the real experts in what the community wants and needs. The implementation framework is divided into four phases: 1) Community Engagement, 2) Refine Site Plan, 3) Execute Site Plan, and 4) Construction. This framework serves as an outline for the actualization of the ultimate vision for the site based on community input.

By reimagining what East Downtown Dearborn can be, the City has the potential to create a hub for local residents and the entire region. The collective motivation to revitalize this area is the perfect opportunity to create a truly special space that will improve the lives of all Dearborn residents. This report presents our vision for what the 5050 Schaefer building and Calhoun lot can become, but much more work is left to be done. We hope that our work will support the City of Dearborn in its efforts to create a strong East Downtown district.

Community Engagement Community engagement is a crucial step in determining the best uses for the site. We have created the following menu of options that City officials can choose from to garner feedback and advice from the community: 1. Brochures. Provide an overview of key project information and community engagement activities planned to inform stakeholders of how they can be involved in the development process.

2. Site Signage. Post signage around the perimeter of the construction site to inform passersby about the project.

3. Project Information Page on the City of Dearborn Website. Publish reports and news to the City of Dearborn website and East Downtown Dearborn website to keep residents apprised of the engagement process. Provide reliable and accessible information regarding the development of the project.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Executive Summary

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Background, Context, and Planning Problem Background The Project Site is located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street at the center of Dearborn’s East Downtown district. It encompasses three lots, two owned by the City of Dearborn and one owned by a group of private investors. The largest of the lots is an eight-acre, city-owned parking lot with over 800 parking spaces. The second lot is 1 acre and contains a 9-story apartment building with senior housing that is also owned and operated by the City. The third lot, located at 5050 Schaefer and owned by private developers, is 2 acres and contains a 120,000 sq. ft. retail building along Schaefer Street.

The parking lot is currently underused and in poor condition and will require repaving in the absence of redevelopment in the near future. 5050 Schaefer’s current owners recently acquired the property with the intention of redevelopment. The owners have struggled to attract tenants because of the building’s outdated structure, the poorly designed area, and the economic decline of the region. Currently, the building is only 50% occupied. Current tenants of the building include O’Reilly Auto Parts, the Secretary of State, Metro PCS, and Xfinity.

The City of Dearborn and the owners of 5050 Schaefer have come together to plan a comprehensive redevelopment of the property and the parking lot.

Definitions East Downtown. Is the commercial and residential district centered at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street. East Downtown is approximately bounded by Colson Street to the north, Osborn Street to the south, Jonathan Street to the east, and Schlaff Street to the west.

Planning Problem The City has asked the Planning PRACTice to create a vision for the redevelopment of the site, incorporating the Arts & Culture designation in the City of Dearborn 2030 Master Plan. The scope of the project includes updating the existing building at 5050 Schaefer and repurposing the existing surface parking to accommodate new retail, housing, and open space uses.

The Project Site’s existing condition demonstrates many of the challenges that the city faces in its built environment, including large streets with narrow sidewalks that discourage pedestrian activity, and oversized parking lots that create large voids in the urban fabric. The physical characteristics of the site impede vehicular traffic and pedestrian flow into the existing retail space, and contribute to retail storefront vacancy at the intersection of Schaefer and Michigan Ave. As a result, East Downtown has not emerged as the burgeoning Arts & Culture District that the City envisions. The redesign of the site needs to counter the historical automobile-centric use of the site and restore the grid of the surrounding neighborhood to create a pedestrian-oriented environment where new economic and cultural activities can flourish.

The transformation of the site will attract both new retail and new families looking for a more affordable location close to the main centers of the region. This will drive the demand for new multifamily housing units to house new residents at a variety of different price points. Thus, significant development on this site will need to be intentionally and critically considered to ensure it accommodates the demand it creates.

LET’S TURN THIS...

Project Site. Is the 11.89-acre comprised of 5050 Schaefer, the Calhoun Lot, and Kennedy Plaza (defined below). The Project Site is located just north of Michigan Avenue, and is bounded by Schaefer Street to the west, Bingham Street to the east, and Colson Street to the north.1,2 5050 Schaefer. Is the 120,000-square foot commercial building occupying 2.63 acres along the east side of Schaefer Street between Michigan Avenue and Colson Street. It defines the western edge of the Project Site. 5050 Schaefer is currently owned by a private investor group comprised of local businessmen.

Calhoun Lot. Is the 8.02-acre, 853-space parking lot owned and operated by the City of Dearborn. It is bounded by Colson Street to the north, Bingham Street to the east, 5050 Schaefer to the west, and the rear entrances of several buildings fronting Michigan Avenue to the south.

Kennedy Plaza. Is an apartment building owned and operated by the City of Dearborn Housing Commission that offers 119 affordable units for elderly and handicapped persons. Kennedy Plaza occupies a 1.24-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Colson Street and Bingham Street, and comprises the northeast corner of the Project Site.

Context The site is in a strategic location in the southeast region of Michigan, with good connectivity to the main centers of the region such as Downtown Detroit and Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Two main roads, Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street, connect the site to the rest of the city and accommodate both retail uses and public transportation.

The surrounding areas are primarily zoned for single family housing. The site’s proximity to downtown Detroit (about seven miles) calls for a project that can attract new residents looking for affordable housing alternatives with an easy commute to Detroit jobs. The current owners of 5050 Schaefer prepared a design alternative for the Project Site that included: • • • • • 5

Opening the outdated building in the middle to create new pedestrian and automobile access Updating the facade for the existing building Constructing a 3-story, 46-unit residential addition above the old building Constructing two new 7,000 sq. ft. commercial buildings Constructing a new 5-story, 76-unit, apartment building East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

...INTO THIS 1. “East Downtown Dearborn Development Authority.” 2018. April 21, 2018.

2. The City of Dearborn. 2015. “EDDDA Boundaries.” Dearborn, Michigan: Jessica Carreras.

Background, Context, and Planning Problem

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Vision, Goals, and Objectives The Planning PRACTice envisions East Downtown as a vibrant, mixed-use district that will contribute to the City’s status within the region.

By incorporating sustainability, the best practices for creating high quality of life, and Dearborn’s cultural character, our site design concepts will reimagine what it means to live in Dearborn while maintaining the traits that make Dearborn a cultural center. These objectives do not prescribe specific recommendations. Instead, they state common practices that are used to meet the goals in a multitude of different contexts.

#3: Sustainability

Create a lasting district that incorporates the principles of environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

Our site concepts will promote a thriving neighborhood with natural conditions, economic prosperity, and social opportunities that endure into the future.

Objectives •

Enable on-site access to needed services and infrastructure to reduce the frequency and distance of car trips.

•

Design parks and open spaces to include green infrastructure.

•

Create a new, vibrant town center that builds on existing strengths of the project site and its context.

Provide reserved electric car parking spaces linked to on-site renewable energy sources to attract both potential residents and shoppers to the site.

•

Limit the overall number of parking spaces on-site to encourage alternative modes of transportation.

Our site concepts will seek to reinforce the strengths of the site and the surrounding neighborhood to create a mixed-use district that fits within Dearborn’s existing cultural, commercial, and residential context.

•

Create business incubator spaces to encourage innovation and provide equitable access to business ownership.

•

Design for a mix of dwelling unit types with a wide range of prices to ensure that residents can find a place to live regardless of their income level.

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Create a plan to ensure that homeowners in the surrounding neighborhoods will not be forced out of their homes due to rising property taxes that result from increased home values driven by this development.

#1: Vibrancy

Objectives •

Restore the street grid to the Calhoun and Neckel lots with complete streets to increase site walkability and enable critical pedestrian mass for viable cultural businesses.

•

Emphasize storefront interaction with the street to ensure no buildings “turn their back” on the city.

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Invite the surrounding residential neighborhoods into the project site by creating visual and physical connections and providing services and (destinations) that appeal to their residents.

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Take advantage of existing public transportation routes to enable travel to and from the project site.

#2: Identity

Develop a cohesive identity for the project site and the surrounding Arts & Culture District.

#4: Quality of Life

Establish the quality-of-life factors that attract and retain a diverse and engaged community.

Our site concepts will provide desirable options to live, work, shop, and play for any person who seeks to experience a vibrant and active community life.

Objectives •

Include on-site business incubation spaces to decrease the cost of starting new businesses through resource sharing.

Our site concepts will reverse the current piecemeal character of the district and create a single, unified space that is identifiable, distinctive, and welcoming to the greater community.

•

Pursue partnerships with local colleges and universities to provide entrepreneurial opportunities for graduating talent through business incubators.

Objectives

•

Provide spaces that allow for improvised, temporary, and community-driven programming that invites community engagement.

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Encourage local businesses to maintain programming and hours of operation that enable a steady presence of people on the site around the clock.

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Establish a wide range of uses on site for the convenience of residents and visitors.

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Invite a diversity of users by providing convenient access to a wide range of uses on site.

•

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Create design guidelines that build on the existing cultural and architectural context to create a sense of place.

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Develop wayfinding systems that will guide people through the site while adding to the cohesive identity of the Arts & Culture district.

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Establish an identity for the district that recognizes its mixed-use nature by celebrating its residential, commercial, and cultural character.

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Coordinate some aspects with the West Dearborn Downtown to build a city-wide identity, while maintaining other elements that clearly differentiate the two areas.

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Vision, Goals, and Objectives

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Site Inventory and Analysis The project’s success will be determined by its ability to take advantage of the strengths of its location, address its weaknesses, and attract people from its surroundings. It must move the existing condition from a deserted lot into a vibrant destination.

This section identifies the existing characteristics and analyzes the conditions of the site in relationship to the region and the neighborhood to identify opportunities and constraints for future improvements and site program.

Our research approach analyzed the context and both the regional and block scale. The regional context section describes the site in the greater Detroit Metro Area and enables us to evaluate its physical relationship to the other main centers in the region. In addition, a demographic profile at the city, state, county, and national levels provides detailed characteristics of the current residents and possible future ones.

Regional Context East Downtown Dearborn is well situated among key regional centers. It is located between Downtown Detroit, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, and multi-modal transit centers that include regional buses and Amtrak trains. In contrast to other nearby walkable districts such as Ferndale and Royal Oak, East Downtown Dearborn provides residents easy and swift access to key transportation infrastructure and cultural centers including stadiums, theaters, and museums. East Downtown Dearborn is an ideal location for people who travel often or simply want to live in places that enable them to experience many different areas of the region.

Figure 1: Regional Context Analysis. East Downtown Dearborn is well-situated between Downtown Detroit, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, and other regional centers.

The block-scale inventory evaluates the residential and retail uses in a half-a-mile radius from the site, and the existing site circulation patterns. This analysis provides a more granular insight into the operation of the nearby context and suggests the main physical, spatial and programmatic issues that the development will address.

All together, the site inventory and analysis gave us an understanding of the forces, strengths, and constraints on the site and enabled us to determine elements and conditions that informed our design proposal.

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) manages the Greater Detroit bus system. Bus route 41 runs from W. Jefferson Terminal to Joy road Terminal; bus route 37 connects West Downtown Dearborn with Downtown Detroit; and bus route 49 connects East Downtown Dearborn with Downtown Detroit.

FAST is a newly opened shuttle route from the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) that connects Downtown Detroit with Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).

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Block Scale Inventory

Figure 3: Housing Analysis. East Downtown is surrounded primarily by single-family detached units, with some townhouses and multifamily units dispersed around the district.

Housing Analysis The existing housing in the surrounding area is mostly composed of single-family detached units. These structures are organized in parallel rows aligned to streets running from north to south and east to west in a rectangular grid.

Single-family attached housing is found along Schaefer Street in a new condominium complex south of Michigan Avenue. There are two multi-family apartment buildings in the area: a senior housing residence owned by the City of Dearborn, and the City Hall Artspace lofts.

Figure 2: Artspace Lofts. “City Hall Artspace Lofts is a mixed-use arts campus that builds upon Southeast Michigan’s heritage as a world center of innovation by creating a new anchor institution for the region’s creative economy. City Hall Artspace Lofts combines 53 units of affordable live/work space for artists and their families, work studios, incubator space for entrepreneurs and artists, office space for creative businesses and nonprofits, a live/work unit for an artist-in-residency program, and galleries.”3

3. http://www.artspace.org/our-places/city-hall-artspace-lofts

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Site Inventory and Analysis

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Retail Analysis

Table 2: Summary of Retail Establishments within ½ Mile Radius of 5050 Schaefer.

The subject area is well-supplied with a variety of retail locations. This is unsurprising given its location at the intersection of East Downtown’s main commercial corridor. Dearborn Fresh Market, a grocery store located across the site from Schaefer, is the most important retail amenity for attracting additional residential development. One notable gap in the site’s current retail offering is a hardware and garden supply store.

Category Shopping Restaurant/Bar Financial Services Medical Consumer Services Beauty Legal Services Grocery

An ESRI Retail Marketplace Profile report for the 5050 Schaefer site provides a few insights for the project’s retail redevelopment strategy. Overall, the area has a significant surplus of retail supply in relation to demand by the population residing in a 5-, 10-, and 15-minute walking radius.4 This surplus of retail sales across most categories, combined with the known vacancy in the 5050 Schaefer building, indicates a limited opportunity to construct additional retail space without increasing surrounding residential and employment density. Leakage of around $2 million worth of sales for “Building Materials, Garden Equipment & Supply Stores” within the 10- to 15-minute walking radius suggests the potential for a hardware store and nursery to fill some of the renovated 5050 Schaefer retail space. An average hardware store has a footprint of approximately 9,500 sq. ft., which is about 16% of the vacant space in 5050 Schaefer.

Establishments 27 26 16 16 9 8 6 5

Category Professional Services Bank Fitness Wine/Liquor Cultural Gas Station Government Media

Establishments 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2

Category Nightlife/Entertainment Education Hotel Park Religious Veterinary Services

Establishments 2 1 1 1 1 1

Figure 4: Retail Analysis. Nearly all of the existing retail spaces for the district are located along the Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street corridors.

Table 1: Retail Sales Volume Surplus / Leakage (10-Minute Walking Distance). ESRI Business Analyst.

Summary Demographics 2017 Population 2017 Households 2017 Median Disposable Income 2017 Per Capita Income

6,619 1,941 $26,630 $13,824 Demand Supply (Retail Potential) (Retail Sales) $45,233,260 $109,181,869 $41,112,349 $99,501,261 $4,120,911 $9,680,608

Retail Gap Leakage/Surplus Factor -$63,948,609 -41.4 -$58,388,912 -41.5 -$5,559,697 -40.3

Number of Businesses 88 62 26

Demand Supply Industry Group (Retail Potential) (Retail Sales) Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers $8,857,808 $44,200,195 Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores $1,300,536 $3,572,188 Electronics & Appliance Stores $1,281,266 $1,071,644 Bldg Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply $2,734,372 $1,121,144 Food & Beverage Stores $7,399,384 $7,735,232 Health & Personal Care Stores $2,913,142 $15,325,343 Gasoline Stations $4,985,959 $4,435,149 Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores $2,037,535 $7,033,314 Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music $1,078,321 $4,601,119 General Merchandise Stores $6,329,373 $8,276,714 Miscellaneous Store Retailers $1,473,399 $1,956,186 5 Nonstore Retailers $721,250 $173,033 Food Services & Drinking Places $4,120,911 $9,680,608 Restaurants/Other Eating Places $3,790,975 $8,672,200

Retail Gap Leakage/Surplus Factor -$35,342,387 -66.6 -$2,271,652 -46.6 $209,622 8.9 $1,613,228 41.8 -$335,848 -2.2 -$12,412,201 -68.1 $550,810 5.8 -$4,995,779 -55.1 -$3,522,798 -62.0 -$1,947,341 -13.3 -$482,787 -14.1 $548,217 61.3 -$5,559,697 -40.3 -$4,881,225 -39.2

Number of Businesses 5 5 2 1 10 12 2 11 5 2 7 1 26 22

Industry Summary Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink Total Retail Trade Total Food & Drink

4. ESRI is a geographic information systems (GIS) company that produces the ArcGIS mapping and analysis tool. Retail MarketPlace is an analysis tool provided by ESRI that compares retail sales and consumer spending by industry to estimate the gap between supply and demand for a defined geographic area. More information can be found at: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/ esri-demographics/data/retail-marketplace.htm 5. Nonstore Retailers consists of the following three industry subsectors: Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses (NAICS 4541), Vending Machine Operators (NAICS 4542), and Direct Selling Establishments (NAICS 4543).

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Site Inventory and Analysis

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Circulation Analysis The main modes of circulation in the area are vehicular and pedestrian. Vehicle circulation runs along the two main roads: Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street. The 5050 Schaefer building is a barrier to circulation along the west side of the project site; cars and pedestrians enter the site from Colson, Bingham, and Michigan Ave. There is minimal pedestrian traffic around the project site. Schaefer has three pedestrian crosswalks adjacent to the 5050 Schaefer building, but people access the retail spaces from the parking lot. In fact, most stores have permanently closed their Schaefer entrances. Due to the continuous facade of the 5050 Schaefer building, it is physically impossible to access the site along a 1,000 foot stretch along Schaefer. The overall circulation pattern suppresses pedestrian movement and favors access by car.

Figure 5: Circulation Analysis. Pedestrian and vehicular access is blocked on the west side of the site by the 5050 Schaefer building.

Demographics Dearborn’s population is young relative to that of Wayne County, the State of Michigan, and the United States.

The total population is 94,430 and the poverty rate is high at 30.6%, which means that one-third of residents are below the poverty line. The percent of residents age 25 and up with a bachelor’s degree or higher is lower than the average level of the United States. Housing vacancy across all housing sectors is 10%, lower than all other geographies in our analysis. Of all the City’s housing units, 72.3% are one-unit detached houses. The three largest business sectors are manufacturing, retail trade, and health care and assistance. Few Dearborn residents ride public transportation to their job, yet the average commute time to work for residents in Dearborn is relatively low at 21.1 minutes. Despite low levels of transit ridership, average commute times are lower than the other geographies. More detailed demographic information can be found in Appendix B. Table 3: Demographics Comparison - City, County, State, and National Levels.6 Dearborn

Wayne County

Michigan

United States

Total Population

94,430

1,749,366

9,928,300

323,127,515

Population Density (Per Square Mile)

3,897.2

2,858.4

175.6

91.4

31.4

37.8

39.7

37.9

31,162

677,208

3,884,153

118,860,065

Unemployment Rate (Population 16 Years and Over)

4.1%

5.7%

3.8%

3.6%

Percent Bachelor's Degree or Higher (Population 25 Years and Over)

28.5%

23.0%

28.3%

31.3%

Vacancy Rate

10.0%

16.8%

14.8%

12.4%

One-Unit Detached

72.3%

69.2%

71.9%

61.5%

$49,257

$43,464

$52,492

$57,617

Public Transportation Ridership

0.0%

3.1%

1.4%

5.1%

Average Commute Time to Work (Minutes)

21.1

25.4

24.5

26.6

30.6%

22.7%

15%

14.1%

Median Age Total Households

Median Household Income

Poverty Rate

6. The Dearborn, MI demographics data displayed above is derived from the 2016 United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2016 1-year estimate).

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Site Inventory and Analysis

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Existing Site Conditions This site is currently in poor condition and in need of repair. Necessary resurfacing of the existing parking lot will cost upwards of $500,000 without changes to the layout. The 5050 Schaefer building requires significant renovation and reconfiguration to make future retail space viable in the building. Further, the building creates a long, uninterrupted block, discouraging pedestrian usage of the street and pushing retail locations to face the parking lot in the rear as opposed to the street. Sidewalks along Schaefer are too narrow to create a feeling of safety, and the facade creates the perception that the corridor is unsafe due to the lack of windows and entrances into the building.

Because of this poor streetscape and uninviting facade, most retail locations have chosen to close their Schaefer entrances, and instead orient their entrances to the parking lot. Furthermore, numerous empty storefronts cause a lack of activity and create an uninviting space. Lastly, the sheer size of the parking lot makes it uncomfortable for pedestrians and inhibits walkability and a meaningful sense of place.

Table 4: Project Site Summary Building Size

120,000 sq. ft.

Parking Spaces

853

Parking Lot Size

8.02 acres

Current Tenants

O’Reilly Auto Parts, Advance America, Secretary of State, Xfinity Service Center, Midwest Orthodontics Associates of Dearborn, Happy Home Furniture, Sunrise Fashion Boutique, Lizzy’s Shoes, Rainbow Shops, LA Insurance, Metro PCS

Vacancy Rate

50%

Most remaining tenants have configured their businesses to allow access only from the parking lot.

The parking is rarely used. It also needs to be resurfaced.

The Project Site is cut off from surrounding businesses that would otherwise be assets. 5050 Schaefer’s continuous facade prevents physical and visual connection to the site.

Parking lot use is concentrated near the businesses on Michigan Avenue, where the 5050 Schaefer Building has a lower vacancy rate.

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

When deciding on the highest and best use for this site, the City of Dearborn and the owners of 5050 Schaefer should take into account prevailing market trends in the retail and residential markets. Rapid disruption among brick-and-mortar retail companies will affect the types of tenants that are viable for the proposed new retail space on the site. Shifting preferences for smaller apartments and strong demand for both single family and multifamily rental homes should be considered when deciding on unit mix for the proposed new residences.

Retail Market The retail industry is evolving as online shopping replaces sales from traditional “brick-and-mortar” establishments: •

Companies that provide both online and in-store experiences - omni-channel retailers - are succeeding while single-channel brick-and-mortar retailers are struggling.

•

Retailers that provide an experience that cannot be replicated online give consumers a reason to visit the store.

•

Community retail centers with coffee, sandwiches, nail salons, and hair cutteries are outperforming the traditional retail strip centers.

•

Food, fast-fashion and entertainment establishments often fill vacant space at shopping centers.

•

Grocery-anchored retail centers have proven to be successful.7

Residential Market8 Strong demand for both single family and multifamily rental homes is driven by high levels of student debt, delayed family formation, and a desire for increased flexibility among an increasingly mobile generation of young adults.

Younger renters are willing to sacrifice space for lower absolute rent levels in downtown locations. This means that studios and small 1-bedrooms are typically in higher demand than large 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units in these types of locations.

Figure 6: Pictures of Existing Site Condition.

17

Market Trends

7. http://www.nreionline.com/retail/who-are-most-likely-tenants-backfill-empty-retail-big-boxes 8. http://www.nreionline.com/multifamily/hudson-capital-s-robert-cohen-discusses-appeal-workforce-housing-hnw-investors

Market Trends

18

Case Studies

Case Study Comparison

East Downtown Dearborn’s development aspirations and goals are in line with many other projects happening around the country.

While these projects differ in size, cost, and scope, they provide valuable insights into different mixed-use developments.

Various towns, cities, and states have implemented policies that spur and encourage development in key areas as a means to improve quality of life and opportunities for current and potential residents. In particular, governments at various scales are working to redevelop infrastructure that privileges the automobile over the pedestrian, including surface parking lots, wide roads, and shopping malls.

To develop an understanding of projects similar to East Downtown Dearborn, we have compiled information about three case studies at a variety of scales. Our first case study examines West Downtown Dearborn, a district with a different vision than but similar scale to East Downtown. The second case study explores the recently initiated project in East Lansing, Michigan. This district is smaller than East Downtown, but encompasses a similar vision and desired outcome. Our last case study shifts our focus across the country to Belmar, a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

Belmar is the largest project of the case studies, encompassing the redevelopment of a regional mall and its immense parking lots. Altogether, these case studies give us an understanding of the outcomes that developments of various scales seek to achieve through their investments.

Despite these differences in scope, the projects adopted similar visions and goals for what components should be included and excluded. The table below compares the case studies to the existing conditions in East Downtown Dearborn to situate this project among the case studies.

Table 5: Comparison of Case Studies to Project Site Existing Condition.

East Downtown Dearborn, MI (Existing Condition)

Belmar - Lakewood, CO

West Downtown Dearborn, MI

East Lansing, MI

Size (Acres)

10.8

104

~78

2.2

Retail

120,000 square feet

1,100,000 square feet (80+ 48 Units (1/3 retail, 2/3 shops with multiple large restaurant) format locations such as movie theater, bowling alley, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, etc)

42,000 square feet (22,225 taken by small-format Target grocery concept)

Parking

853 spaces (plus an additional 517 in the lot across the street)

5,200 spaces (structure, street, surface)

Unknown

620 space structure

Residential

None

1,300 units of mixedmarket, leaning luxury (from 600+ sq. ft. to more than 2,500 sq. ft.)

649 Units

365 units (92 activeliving senior, 273 mixedmarket/mainly student)

Office

~40,000 square feet

248,250 square feet

302,800 square feet ( >3% of Dearborn's total)

N/A

Employment

Unknown

2,500

1,300

Unknown

Population

N/A

1,300-3,000

867

638-730

Target Population

N/A

Mixed

Median Age 55.8; Median Income $43,300;

55+ for seniors, likely students for other units

Financing

N/A

Developer equity, bonds (TIF), grants

Developer equity, TIF, MCRP grants/loans

Complex funding structure: developer equity, MCRP grant, MEGC grant, City of East Lansing Brownfield Redevelopment Authority TIF-financed revenue bond (Bond for catalytic development projects)

Community Engagement

N/A

Advisory council for visioning and goals

Through downtown development authority

Very little

Walk Score

94

89

87

94

West Downtown Summary The ongoing West Downtown Dearborn redevelopment project seeks to revitalize the vibrancy that the district lost through the 2008 economic downturn. At the outset, public officials in Dearborn sought to create a district centered around walkable experiences in public space and convenient transit. Recognizing that the real estate market was unattractive for developers, the City commissioned various studies to determine how it could target investments and craft policies to promote development. This culminated in partnerships between the City and developers, as well as a comprehensive inventory and expansion of funding mechanisms available for projects in the district.

East Lansing Summary East Lansing, Michigan has struggled with abandoned buildings and vacant storefronts within its downtown for decades. After failing to secure a developer for 15 years, City officials signed an agreement in 2016 and began an 18-month permitting and approval process for 2.2 acres of mixed-use development that includes a small-format Target and housing for both students and seniors. Though the project has a total cost of $135 million, the City has indicated that they are unwilling to take on any debt associated with this project. Thus, the RFP process pushed potential developers to think creatively about how to finance a project of this magnitude without financial guarantees from the City. This unique relationship between City and developer created an incentive to conduct research and ensure that all decisions are made with enough evidence to ensure success.

Belmar Summary Formerly a regional mall covering an astonishing 104 acres, this walkable, mixed-use neighborhood rose from the rubble of its automobile-centric past. Residents of a Denver suburb, Lakewood, recognized a need to redevelop the decrepit and abandoned Villa Italia Mall in order to save their crumbling economy. In the early 2000s, the City, working with community organizations, identified a developer who began construction immediately. This massive undertaking cost roughly $750 million and was funded with bond programs in three separate jurisdictions. Nearly two decades after construction began, this 22-square-block neighborhood contains more than 2 million square feet of mixed-use residential, commercial, and office space with an additional nine acres of open space. All of this led to property tax revenues within Belmar that are more than four times what the mall produced with additional development continuing to expand the neighborhood in all directions. This process, spurred by community activists pushing for a better community, has resulted in a massive project that has completely reshaped the neighborhood in a very short amount of time.

19

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Case Studies

20

West Downtown, Dearborn, Michigan

Partnerships

Following the 2008 Recession, West Downtown Dearborn experienced a sharp increase in retail vacancy rates as restaurants and businesses closed due to the economic downturn. In 2016, the City, and key stakeholders began a project to redevelop and revitalize the district as a regional hub of retail and dining. In fact, Ford has played a major role in reshaping the built environment and vision for this district. The company currently is in the process of redesigning their headquarters for the 30,000 Ford employees working in Dearborn. The company controls two blocks in West Downtown and is seeking to redevelop them to create office space for 600-650 employees. Members of this group will be the first Ford employees to work in this downtown district. Further, the company is planning to redevelop parts of the nearby Fairlane Mall as offices for another 2,200 employees. Ford is attempting to attract talented, young employees by providing a vibrant urban setting in which they can live and work.

The West Downtown Dearborn plan is an ambitious attempt to revitalize a downtown district in its entirety. Its success requires a broad array of developers, ample community involvement, and governmental support to ensure success. This includes a government commitment to pedestrianism, transportation, and good streetscapes, all of which serve to create a foundation upon which developers can build. The City is doing its part to create a physical environment that people want to live in. Further, the City of Dearborn has put its full weight behind these projects by tapping into various state and federal resources to fund projects. The City became a Redevelopment Ready Community to qualify for additional state funding and is rewriting the zoning ordinance to promote new development and remove bureaucratic barriers.

Vision

Dearborn identified multiple funding programs to encourage investment in the district. To simplify the process for potential developers, City officials consolidated these programs into a single document with overviews of each. We have compiled a sample of the programs that are currently in use or being considered in West Downtown. First, developers can attain municipal tax abatements that reduce property taxes for the redevelopment of brownfields or obsolete properties. This program temporarily reduces municipal property taxes to lower a developer’s operating costs in the early years of a project. Second, Dearborn identified that it could set up a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone (NEZ) to lower property taxes on mixed-use properties within downtown areas. The City is currently in the process of designating this district as an NEZ. Third, Dearborn has connected developers to the Michigan Community Revitalization Grant/Loan program. This program provides developers loans on incredibly favorable terms and grants for specific project goals and concepts. This funding has been used to fill the gaps between developer equity and traditional funding sources that are unable to provide large enough loans under current market conditions.

Last, Dearborn offers a parking offset program that enables private properties to use parking spaces in municipal lots to meet zoning requirements. For $200 per parking spot per year, developers can construct their developments without the need to worry about parking, greatly reducing development costs and administrative burden. This program is further bolstered by the city’s construction of parking structures in West Downtown.

The new vision for West Dearborn’s downtown sought to create a modern district with numerous ways to shop, dine, play, live, and work. New City-funded transit infrastructure, such as the John D. Dingell Transit Center, serves as the cornerstone for this project. Located a few blocks east of West Downtown, the transit center is a multi-modal hub serving local and regional buses, Amtrak trains, taxis, and bikes. Once development nears completion, Dearborn hopes to have a vibrant, mixed-use district where people can live, work, shop, and play in the same spaces.

Challenges of Attracting Development The Project’s success required investment from private-sector developers beyond Ford and the City. Dearborn commissioned a market assessment to develop a better understanding of the current conditions and future tools required to successfully attract investment. This study suggested that market rents in West Dearborn were insufficient to support new construction, that pedestrian activity was insufficient to create strong retail demand, and that the City would need to use tax incentives to spur private sector development. Ultimately, this culminated in a recommendation that the city needed to work with developers to prove the market was viable for investment after a decade of stagnation. This study uncovered both what the City needed to do to attract development and what type of development was needed in the area. As development begins to pick up, other developers are submitting proposals for new projects throughout the district.

Figure 7: Ford’s Wagner Redevelopment. Ford’s $60 million dollar investment will rehabilitate the historic Wagner Hotel and build two new structures on the adjacent parking lots. These buildings will serve as office space for hundreds of Ford employees, marking the first time that Ford employees will work in this district.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20161220/NEWS/161229991/ford-plans-60-million-revamp-of-4-acres-in-westdowntown-dearborn

21

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Funding

Key Takeaways This case provides important lessons for East Downtown Dearborn. It illustrates the importance of cooperation between the City and private sector to ensure that projects are successful from all angles. In places where development is unattractive, local governments can create incentives and atmosphere that welcomes developers to make proposals and examine the feasibility of various concepts. Dearborn has taken large strides toward developing and revitalizing its West Downtown. By leveraging market analyses and stakeholders’ goals, the City has created programs to provide funding and administrative support to developers interested in building in the City. This cooperative atmosphere created by the City Council and the Mayor provides developers an assurance that the City will do everything in its power to make development possible on terms that are financially and socially feasible. Though this effort is in its initial stages, it has shown promise that it will be successful in creating a vibrant district for the city and region.

Sources: http://www.dearbornwestonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/NRN-Dearborn_FinalReport_03-20-2017.pdf http://www.dearbornwestonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/WD-Report-Reduced.pdf http://www.cityofdearborn.org/business/dearborn-s-business-districts/west-downtown-dearborn https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/2016/07/02/downtown-west-dearborn-changes-fairlane/86488608/ http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180218/news/653246/dearborns-west-downtown-poised-for-surge-in-development http://www.pressandguide.com/news/destination-downtown-dearborn-s-retail-district-lauded-as-model-of/article_88845cc2836b-5f81-a2ec-e26cc017499b.html http://www.cityofdearborn.org/documents/city-departments/economic-and-community-development/redevelopment-readycommunities/3419-dearborn-guide-to-development-compressed/file https://corporate.ford.com/company/community/dearborn-campus-transformation-.html

Case Studies

22

East Lansing, Michigan East Lansing, Michigan is undergoing a transformation as the city seeks to revitalize its downtown, moving from surface parking and vacant buildings to a vibrant hub of a college town. The city is home to Michigan State University, the largest university in Michigan with more than 50,000 students and 12,500 faculty and staff. Currently, downtown East Lansing contains apartment buildings ranging from single-unit buildings to mid-rise towers, a Marriott hotel, and a variety of stores and restaurants. The student population of East Lansing makes up a large portion of local residents and is the main population visiting these establishments.

Figure 9: City Center Pedestrian Plaza. This plaza serves as a connection between Grand River Avenue and Albert Avenue. It is designed to enable programming such as festivals, performances, markets, and art exhibits.

Project Scope The project encompasses three non-contiguous parcels that will be redeveloped over the coming years. The first phase is currently underway. All of the details of this project were submitted to City Council within a Master Development Agreement. This agreement contains detailed site plans and a breakdown of the funding sources to ensure that no aspects of the project were left unresolved.

City Center District The first phase, the City Center District, will cost a total of $135 million. This budget includes significant streetscape improvements, construction of multiple new buildings, utility improvements, and a large parking structure. This 2.2-acre, mixed-use development will house students, seniors, and a grocery store in two different buildings. The Grand River Building will be 12 stories tall with 273 mixed-market residential units above a small-format Target on the ground floor. The Albert Building will be a 10-story building with 92 active-living residential units for seniors, four levels of parking with 620 parking spots, and ground floor retail. As a method of breaking up the existing superblock, this development will include two separate pedestrian paths through and between the buildings. The first is a pedestrian walkway between the two buildings that can be programmed in a variety of ways. The second is a pedestrian passage through the ground floor of the Albert Building to promote walkability through the site and between the two main corridors on Grand River Avenue and Albert Avenue. In total, the project will contain 42,000 square feet of retail space and 365 residential units.

Figure 8: Full Development. The building in the front will be ten stories, including a parking structure and senior housing units, with retail on the ground floor. The building in the back, located on Grand River Avenue, will stand at 12 stories and will house primarily students.

https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/1789/Center-City-District

Funding The private developer chosen for this project was responsible for creating a funding structure that includes no debt obligations for the City of East Lansing. The developer contributed $20 million in equity. Other funding sources include a Michigan Community Revitalization Program (MCRP) grant, construction loans, subordinate loans from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and a bond program through the City of East Lansing Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. This limited obligation revenue bond, guaranteed by the developer, will be paid through a tax increment financing district. While the developer is the guarantor of this bond program, the funds raised by it are earmarked specifically for the infrastructure improvements and the new parking structure. This bond was issued under funding mechanisms for transformative and catalytic brownfield projects. This project constituted a large enough investment to qualify for this unique program.

Market Considerations The developer conducted a housing market study to determine the level of demand for their units among students and seniors. Preleasing the retail space to Target was key to the success of the development; over half of the retail space was leased prior to construction beginning. This mitigates the risk of creating new retail space and also helps to secure traditional project financing.

Key Takeaways

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2017/10/31/east-lansing-center-city-project-back-on-demolitionbegin-mid-november/818934001/ Sources: https://msu.edu/about/thisismsu/facts.html https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/DocumentCenter/View/6740 https://www.eastlansingbuzz.org/centercitydistrict

23

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

This case illustrates important processes and design concepts for East Downtown Dearborn. It provides an example of a good working relationship between developer and city. The developer was responsible for establishing a sound plan, securing funding, and developing adequate market demand for the new development.

The City worked closely with the developer to ensure that the project was viable and included the proper combination of social and economic goals. The City has sought to redevelop this area since an initial RFP in 2003. Once a developer was identified, it took more than 18 months to acquire approvals for construction.

Projects of this scale can be cumbersome and difficult, so close cooperation and communication between the City and developers are crucial. Furthermore, it is possible to achieve social goals with strong economic returns for developers. The East Downtown Dearborn development must rely on strong cooperation between the City and the private sector and in-depth research about what types of uses are needed, what funding mechanisms exist, and what ultimately what needs to change to make development happen.

Sources: Michigan Public Acts 46-50 https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/DocumentCenter/View/6449

Case Studies

24

Lakewood, Denver, Colorado Denver’s Lakewood neighborhood is undergoing a revitalization process centered on the redevelopment of its downtown. Located 8 miles from Downtown Denver and 1.5 miles from the nearest light rail stop, the area resembles a suburban neighborhood within city limits. Before this project began, the area housed a declining regional mall that experienced high retail vacancy and low pedestrian activity. The mall, the Villa Italia, was a traditional regional mall surrounded by seas of parking lots. As the 1.4-million-square-foot mall began to die, residents of Lakewood sought to revitalize their town and create a new identity for this large area. In the early 2000s, the city tapped a private development company to create the future of Lakewood.

Figure 11: Central Public Plaza. Belmar has been intentionally developed to create public spaces in central locations. They provide open spaces throughout the district to create livability and promote intermingling of different people.

Project Overview The developers purchased the property and promptly began demolition. They secured a large loan from the EPA to mitigate contamination from dry cleaners that operated in the mall. These loans were accompanied by brownfield redevelopment grants that are meant to mitigate environmental contamination that can cause adverse public health consequences. This new downtown district, renamed Belmar, currently encompasses 22 square blocks of mixeduse space including restaurants, galleries, coffee shops, a movie theater, a bowling alley, and much more. After redevelopment, the 104 acres contain 1.1 million square feet of retail space; 900,000 square feet of office and hotel space, including a 250-room hotel; 1,300 residential units; and 9 acres of parks, plazas, and public spaces. Moreover, this development includes 5,200 parking spaces in parking decks, surface lots, and street parking. In an effort to implement environmental sustainability in a suburban area, the developers sought tax incentives to install more than 8,300 solar panels to meet some of the indoor electricity demand and installed wind turbines on all of the light posts to meet all of the street lighting demand.

Tax Revenue Impact The first phase of this project cost $750 million and, as of 2013, garners property tax revenues of more than $17 million per year. This property tax revenue is more than four times what the mall produced. There is also a renewed effort to create residential districts around Belmar, further bolstering property tax revenues and increasing the availability of high-quality housing stock. Residential and retail vacancy rates are in the low single digits, and the office spaces are 100% occupied. This transformation was created in spite of poor connectivity to downtown Denver, and it demonstrates the importance of well-designed and programmed spaces.

Figure 10: Wide Sidewalks. The sidewalks in Belmar are wide enough to support a large amount of pedestrian traffic with streets trees and outdoor seating. They promote walkability and enable people to walk, stand, sit, and relax among the crowds.

http://continuumpartners.com/project/belmar-shopping-district/

Funding In order to fund this project, the developer worked closely with government officials to leverage as many of the grants, loans, and tax devices as possible. 60% of this project was funded through bonds in three districts, with the developer paying the remaining 40% of the costs. A large portion of these bonds are set to be repaid through tax increment financing and a public improvement fee in lieu of sales tax on site.

Community Engagement Community engagement was a critical piece in shaping the vision for this site. The initial impetus for redevelopment stemmed from the organization of the Southwest Quadrant Committee, a citizens’ advisory group whose role was to consider the future for the district and adopt guiding principles for its development. The project team worked with neighborhood groups, civic groups, and homeowners’ associations to garner input from the Lakewood community about what they envisioned for the site. Recommendations from this committee led to the selection of Continuum Partners and their proposal for a new mixed-use urban mall.

Key Takeaways This case illustrates the importance of a strong vision for projects such as East Downtown Dearborn. In the end, this site was developed to promote flexibility in design and use for an ever-changing landscape of urban life. The buildings can be adapted to serve different commercial needs, and the mixing of commercial and residential spaces is critical in driving demand in a rapidly shifting economy. In relation to East Downtown Dearborn, this project proves that even the most car-oriented of spaces can be radically transformed to create significant economic, social, and environmental benefits. The scale of this project is remarkable, but the concept itself is simple: create a space where people want to live that is mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly, and sustainable. These goals can be applied in any project regardless of scale, which makes them ideal for implementation in East Downtown Dearborn’s Arts & Culture District.

http://continuumpartners.com/project/belmar-shopping-district/

25

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Sources: https://starwoodretail.com/files/belmar_1217.pdf http://coloradobrownfields.org/portfolio/belmar-mixed-use-redevelopment-lakewood/ https://urbanland.uli.org/development-business/belmar-urbanizing-a-suburban-colorado-mall/ http://continuumpartners.com/project/belmar-shopping-district/ http://www.lakewood.org/City_Managers_Office/Economic_Development/Urban_Renewal/Reinvestment_Projects/Belmar_ Project.aspx

Case Studies

26

Synthesis

Site Adjacency Matrix

SITE INVENTORY

CASE STUDIES

MARKET TRENDS

27

A A

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

AB A C

Retail

SWOT ANALYSIS Open Space

CRITERIA MATRIX

Trash

Loading Zones

Transit Stops

Parking

Park /Greenscape

Pedestrian Street

Plaza /Hardscape

Temporary Market Shed

Business Incubator

Dearborn Fresh Market

AA

ADJACENCY MATRIX

Independent Shops

A

Residential

National / Chain Retail

Site Criteria Matrix that identifies the key criteria for any mixed-use development to achieve the four goals, then compares how the existing site condition meets those criteria

Bars

•

Coffee Houses

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) Analysis to assess the key factors that influence the present and future states of the project

Restaurants

•

Single-Family Residential

Site Adjacency Matrix that identifies what site uses should (and should not) be placed near each other

Senior Apartments

•

Multi-Family Residential

Our synthesis included:

Green Infrastructure

We used the below site-adjacency matrix to organize programming and land use in a way that minimized incompatible uses in close proximity and maximized uses that complement each other.

Improvisational / Informal Uses

Completing the site inventory and analysis, identifying market trends, and understanding representative case studies provides valuable raw data. Our recommendations result from processing this data through a framework based on the project’s Visions, Goals, and Objectives.

Multi-Family Residential Senior Apartments

o

Single-Family Residential

o

+

Restaurants

+

o

o

Coffee Houses

+

+

o

+

Bars

-

-

-

+

+

National / Chain Retail

o

o

o

o

o

o

Independent Shops

+

+

o

+

+

+

o

Dearborn Fresh Market

+

+

+

o

o

o

+

o

Business Incubator

o

o

o

+

+

o

o

+

o

Temporary Market Shed

+

+

+

+

+

o

o

+

-

+

Improv / Informal Uses

o

o

o

+

+

o

o

+

o

+

+

Green Infrastructure

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Plaza/Hardscape

o

o

o

+

+

+

o

o

o

+

+

+

+

Pedestrian Street

o

o

o

+

+

+

o

+

o

+

+

+

+

+

Park/Greenscape

+

+

+

o

+

+

o

+

o

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

o

+

+

o

+

+

+

+

+

o

+

o

o

o

+

+

o

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

o

o

o

o

o

o

Loading Zones

-

-

-

o

o

o

+

o

+

o

o

-

o

o

o

o

o

o

Trash

-

-

-

o

o

o

+

o

+

o

o

-

-

-

-

-

o

-

Services / Parking Infrastructure Transit Stops

+

+ proximity is desired o proximity is neutral - proximity is to be avoided

Synthesis

28

SWOT Analysis Through our analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the project site and its context, we found a variety of conditions, factors, and needs that we then used to shape our recommendations for the site. The full SWOT analysis is included in Appendix C.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

•

Proximity to City Hall Artspace lofts and Michigan Avenue attracts activity to the area.

•

5050 Schaefer is oriented towards the parking lot and is inaccessible from Schaefer Street.

•

•

Decline in the regional economy could prevent development or make the project unsuccessful.

•

The City of Dearborn Master Plan recommends rezoning the project site to Town Center, which calls for vibrant, dense, mixed-use development.

•

Current zoning of the Calhoun Lot as Local Business District does not allow for mixed-use or residential development.

•

The current zoning of 5050 Schaefer as Community Business District allows mixed-use development.

•

Suburban-style redevelopment would not add the density necessary to reach a critical mass of pedestrian activity to support a mixed-use Arts & Culture District.

•

Failure to integrate the development into the Arts & Culture District would diminish the success of the project and East Downtown.

•

Issues surrounding the legality and equity of a transfer of ownership of parts of the Cityowned Calhoun lot have the potential to derail development.

•

Desired federal and state funding is distributed competitively and may not be readily available.

•

Both East Downtown and West Downtown Dearborn are identified as “Town Centers” in the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan, setting up potential competition between the two for partnerships with local colleges/universities and local business startups.

•

West Downtown’s proximity to University of Michigan-Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College, The Henry Ford Museum, and the Ford Research Complex gives it an advantage when attracting new businesses and residential development.

•

•

Michigan Avenue & Schaefer is the historic center of the city.

•

The East Downtown district is forming a cultural identity, shaped by the presence of the Arab American National Museum and the Artspace Artist lofts.

•

•

The project site is within the Arts & Culture District designated by the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan.

The site is located on two bus lines, including a route to the Detroit Metro Airport, which can reduce motorized vehicle trips and miles.

•

Affordable senior housing is located adjacent to the Project Site at Kennedy Plaza.

•

The Project Site is located just off of Michigan Avenue, a main thoroughfare through Dearborn, which provides access to many potential customers.

•

•

•

29

Close proximity of the Dearborn Fresh supermarket increases walkability and access to daily grocery needs.

The site is located within walking distance of Fordson High School, Miller Elementary School, and The Academy for Business and Technology.

Potential low-cost retail and office space at 5050 Schaefer could attract budget-conscious startups.

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

•

•

•

Homogeneity of existing programming does not enable activity after regular business hours.

The architecture of the 5050 Schaefer building does not add or respond to the identity of the district.

The long, uninterrupted facade of 5050 Schaefer cuts the project site off visually and functionally from the rest of the Arts & Culture District.

The site is almost entirely composed of impervious surfaces.

•

Accessibility by car is maximized, which places a strain on the environment and reduces the desirability of the area.

•

The Project Site lacks open space that can accommodate improvised, temporary, and community-driven programming.

•

•

Relatively low-density housing prevents a “critical mass” of people from forming, thus reducing the potential for round-the-clock activity.

Restoring the street grid (Calhoun Street, Colson Street, & Dearborn Fresh “Street”) can provide more opportunities for economic development and businesses.

•

Identification as an Arts & Culture district can increase the diversity of businesses in the area and provide support to cultural activities on site.

•

Highlighting the rich history of the site with informational and commemorative signs would help create an identity for the Arts & Culture District and improve the image of the Project Site.

•

Creating wayfinding signs on the project site would promote a cohesive identity while making navigation of the site easier and more pleasant.

•

Proximity to Downtown Detroit presents an opportunity to build housing for people priced out of Detroit’s downtown.

•

5050 Schaefer’s large rooftops are ideal for solar panels and renewable energy production.

•

Lack of nearby multi-family housing developments presents an opportunity to fulfill an unmet demand while diversifying the available housing unit typologies and tenures which tends to increase housing affordability.

•

Vacant space in the 5050 Schaefer building can be repurposed to attract a variety of new tenants.

•

Open parking lot space provides a “blank slate” for development of new apartments, offices, retail, and recreational/park space.

•

There is potential to create a pipeline of graduating talent from University of MichiganDearborn and Henry Ford College to feed entrepreneurial opportunities on the Project Site.

Visual and physical access from Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Road is limited.

Synthesis

30

Site Criteria Matrix

Goal #3: Sustainability

This site criteria matrix assesses the current condition of East Downtown Dearborn as well as the ideal condition relative to the three case studies. These criteria were selected because they constituted important goals of the case studies and are important components of the goals of this project. A indicates full integration, a indicates limited integration, and a indicates an absence of the criteria from the site.

These criteria provide a point of comparison across case studies and an assessment of how the proposed site plan for East Downtown improves the current conditions. This is not a comprehensive scorecard for successful places; the criteria are merely meant to inform the goals we have identified.

Ideal Project Site Condition

West Downtown Dearborn, MI East Lansing, MI

Belmar, Denver, CO

Ideal Project Site Condition

West Downtown Dearborn, MI East Lansing, MI

Belmar, Denver, CO

Walkability to everyday services and errands Parks and open space Green Infrastructure

Renewable energy production Current Project Site Condition

Ideal Project Site Condition

West Downtown Dearborn, MI East Lansing, MI

Belmar, Denver, CO

Connected street grid

Reduction of need for car parking Mix of dwelling unit typologies

Complete streets

Mixed income housing

Storefronts that interact with the street and sidewalk

Goal #4: Quality of Life

Visual connections to surrounding neighborhood Physical connection to surrounding neighborhood

Criteria

Services and destinations that appeal to the residents

On-site business incubators

Public transportation routes that enable travel between the site and employment destinations

Temporary space for community activities

Current Project Site Condition

Walkability

Partnerships with local colleges and universities

Goal #2: Identity Criteria

Current Project Site Condition

Electric car charging

Goal #1: Vibrancy Criteria

Criteria

Extended hours of operation Current Project Site Condition

Ideal Project Site Condition

West Downtown Dearborn, MI East Lansing, MI

Belmar, Denver, CO

Cohesive architectural design that adds to a unique sense of place

Nearby educational institutions (both K-12 and Higher-Ed) Diversity of uses Diversity of users

Legible wayfinding system applied consistently throughout development district District-wide identity that speaks to residential, commercial, and cultural wants and needs Site uses that respond to the surrounding context

Absence of Criteria from Site 31

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Limited Integration

Full Integration

Absence of Criteria from Site

Limited Integration

Full Integration Synthesis

32

Recommendations

Goal #1: Vibrancy

Below is a summary of our recommendations to achieve each of the project’s four goals. Descriptions of each goal follow in the sections ahead.

Reconnected Street Grid

Goal #1: Vibrancy •

Reconnect the street grid through the site.

•

Make Schaefer Street and Michigan Avenue into complete streets.

•

Widen sidewalks and add landscaping to encourage pedestrian and storefront activity.

•

Encourage bike accessibility with bike lanes, bike parking, and an on-site bike-sharing corral.

•

Move bus stops close to the site to enable multi-modal transportation.

•

Require retail spaces to respond to the street and excite the sidewalk.

Goal #2: Identity •

Ensure building design relates to and works with existing structures.

•

Work with East Dearborn DDA to implement a district-wide wayfinding (signage) system.

•

Maintain a portion of 5050 Schaefer as an affordable, flexible space for new and emerging businesses.

•

Create an enclosed community market “shed” that will host farmers’ markets, art fairs, and community events that encourage activity on the site.

•

Construct multi-family housing to encourage increased density.

•

Design retail spaces to promote a mix of food and beverage, retail, and commercial uses that provide for the daily needs of residents.

Goal #3: Sustainability

To promote walkability, vibrancy, and the flow of people, it is crucial to re-establish the street grid through the site.

Reconnecting the street grid will enable the City-owned Calhoun lot will become more viable and attractive for new development because new buildings can be built on connected streets instead of in a parking lot.

Complete Streets This project should strive to create complete streets that enable access for all users. By creating and updating pedestrian, bike, transit, and car infrastructure, visitors will be able to access this site in a variety of ways. This strategy will also make Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street a safer space that is simply a better place to live.

Among some of the important strategies are mechanisms to facilitate safe crossing of streets, traffic-calming measures to slow cars on streets with pedestrian activity, and accommodation of multiple modes of transit in a shared space.

Wider Sidewalks Pedestrian activity is necessary to promote retail, attract potential residents, and turn the district into a vibrant hub of activity. Widening the sidewalks on the major roads and throughout the site will create the physical space necessary to create a sense of safety for pedestrians.

Bike Accessibility As this district expands and attracts people from across the city and region, the transportation networks must accommodate a variety of modes of travel. One key component of this is the creation and maintenance of bike lanes and bike racks both around and within the site. This will enable people to access the site in an environmentally friendly, low-cost, and healthy way. Furthermore, a Dearborn bike-share station should be placed on-site to increase system usability, making it a feasible transportation option for district visitors and residents.

•

Conduct community engagement to ensure that the project serves existing residents.

•

Encourage a diversity of uses that eliminate the need to commute to other areas.

•

Create a central, public open space that serves as the heart of the development and articulates the site’s pedestrian circulation.

•

Incorporate green infrastructure and Best Management Practices (BMPs) to retain and absorb runoff water, improve water quality, and enhance the site’s aesthetics.

•

Consider placing electric car charging stations in the parking lot.

Retail Visibility and Orientation

•

Incorporate renewable energy sources to diminish ongoing energy expenses for tenants and landlords.

•

Encourage a mix of housing options that are affordable at various income levels.

•

Reduce the amount of parking needed on-site by encouraging multi-modal transportation.

Retail spaces should face the street and promote activity along the sidewalks. This includes having main entrances on the street, placing signage on sidewalks, and orienting the business toward the street. For example, restaurants and coffee shops should be encouraged to create outdoor seating on sidewalks and patios. Storefronts should also have large windows that enable window shopping to create an atmosphere of activity and excitement. Last, landscaping should be used to delineate the road from pedestrian spaces to create a safer pedestrian experience.

Goal #4: Quality of Life •

Incorporate small block sizes to encourage a greater variety of paths through the site, increase accessibility, and provide a richer pedestrian experience.

•

Maintain enough open space for community activities such as festivals, celebration, markets, food trucks, etc.

•

Establish relationships with University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College to create a pipeline of graduates to occupy the incubator spaces.

•

Create spaces to accommodate businesses that naturally open earlier and close later than standard business hours (coffee shops, bars, restaurants, etc.).

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Transportation Access Transit stops for local and regional bus lines should be located on or near this site to increase accessibility to the residences and retail on site. Connectivity improvements will make this a desirable location to live and work as it will provide easy access around the city and region. In addition, a shuttle from this site to Downtown Detroit during peak travel times would increase access and decrease traffic congestion.

Recommendations

34

Goal #2: Identity

A New Business Begins...

Building Design

Our proposed East Downtown Community Market and Incubator Space would create opportunities to grow small businesses within the Project Site. Follow the path of one example startup food business below.

Buildings within the renewed district should relate to and work with existing structures, particularly the John H. Schaefer Building and Old City Hall. By considering and responding to the architectural heritage of existing buildings, the district will create a unique and clear identity that respects local culture and character.

Wayfinding To promote activity and identity on the site, the city should work with all developers and the East Dearborn DDA to implement a district-wide wayfinding system. This would include signs that show how to get to key destinations and display the history of the area. This can also include street sign designs that are unique to the area and a gateway sign that differentiates this space from other areas of the city.

East Downtown Community Market To meet community needs and create a unique identity and experience, we recommend building a market shed on this site. This market should be able to accommodate a variety of uses such as farmers’ markets, artists’ markets, rummage sales/flea markets, small performances, community meetings, holiday celebrations, and other parties.

This market can be constructed as a temporary structure initially and subsequently made more permanent through community involvement.

Incubator Space Part of the 5050 Schaefer Building should be maintained as an affordable, flexible space for new and emerging business. This incubator space can operate on a revolving basis, offering low rents to tenants for a short period of time (six months to three years). This space can give potential businesses the space and brand recognition they need to grow into successful businesses in Dearborn and beyond.

To ensure the success and maximum community benefit of this space, the East Downtown Dearborn Development Authority (EDDDA) and the City should establish strong relationships with local institutions, such as U of M Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College. This partnership can create a pipeline of ideas for the space and can give prospective business owners the opportunity they need to succeed in Dearborn. This space can either be owned and managed by the City, owned by the City and leased to the EDDDA, or owned and managed by the EDDDA.

MARKET SHED Imagine a young entrepreneurial chef, perhaps a graduate of Henry Ford Community College, or a longtime line cook. She wants to branch out, but lacks sufficient funding to launch a full service restaurant, or even a food truck. So, she begins her business by preparing food in the Incubator Space’s community kitchen and selling it in the Community Market.

FOOD TRUCK Business is good, and revenue from market shed sales enable her to finance and launch a food truck. She still utilizes the community kitchen in the Incubator Space to prepare food for each day.

Create Multifamily Housing This site should be made denser through the construction of new multifamily housing that is more appropriate for the desired urban environment. These apartment buildings and other units will locate people close to new retail spaces and facilitate activity and vibrancy along the street. This will also help to shift the character of the district from a residential bedroom community to an urban center. These units will broaden the range of housing types and create a space that is affordable and accessible to a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, providing denser types of residential housing encourages a more efficient use of the space and supports new and better public transportation.

Retail Programming The retail spaces should be designed to promote a mix of food and beverage, retail, and commercial uses that include daily needs for surrounding residents. By designing spaces that attract these specific uses, the City can ensure activity around the clock while meeting the everyday needs of residents around this space.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

BRAND NEW SPACE

INCUBATOR SPACE

Eventually, she is so successful that she is now prepared to open her own full-service restaurant in one of the new retail buildings on the Project Site.

Demand surpasses the capacity of her food truck, so she rents a small partial-service restaurant space along Shaefer Avenue in the Incubator Space.

Recommendations

36

Goal #3: Sustainability

Goal #4: Quality of Life

Community Engagement

Incorporate Small Blocks

For this renewed downtown space, Dearborn should consult with the community to understand what services and destination are important to them and what would attract them to the site. By understanding the needs and desires of local residents, project leaders can capitalize on existing demand and ensure immediate success.

The City should create small block sizes to provide comfortable, accessible spaces. Smaller blocks define physical boundaries for functional division of spaces. Further, small blocks give pedestrians choices about how they want to move through space. This promotes pedestrianism by making it easier and more interesting for the same person to have a multitude of experiences within the same space.

Diversity of Uses The success of the development relies on its capacity to respond to the needs of nearby neighborhoods and future residents. Therefore, new uses and services that will eliminate the need to commute to other areas of the city should be included. A pharmacy, hardware store, or home and garden store will provide useful daily amenities to the East Dearborn community and should be encouraged.

Parks and Open Space This project should strive to provide parks and open space that will not only serve future and nearby residents, but also enhance the aesthetics and value of nearby properties, incorporate green infrastructure, diminish stormwater runoff and heat island effect, and accommodate temporary uses. Parks and open space will become the thriving heart of the development and will articulate the new pedestrian network on site.

Green Infrastructure The site currently presents environmental issues associated with the high percentage of impervious surface and the lack of stormwater runoff management. To address this, we recommend incorporating the EPA’s Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater.9 Doing so will reduce the stormwater load on the City’s sewer system, improve water quality, and enhance aesthetics. Some BMPs include bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable pavement.

Temporary Space for Community Activities To create a vibrant, energetic and distinctive area for local residents, the City should keep enough open space for community activities such as festivals, celebrations, markets, and services. These social activities can help promote communication among residents and encourage open spaces to improve mixed-use. These community activities also define the district’s identity.

Partnerships with Local Colleges and Universities The City should establish partnerships with University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College to create a pipeline of graduates to start their businesses in incubator spaces. This is a small investment with a large return that will create a virtuous cycle of collaboration between the City, small businesses, and local colleges.

Extended Hours of Operation The City should create spaces for businesses that naturally open early and close late, including coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. These amenities will encourage increased activity during off-peak hours, and will in turn promote new residential development on the site.

Electric Car Charging Stations As electric vehicle (EV) technology improves and market share increases, EV infrastructure will become an important attraction developers can offer their customers. EV charging stations will initially attract early EV adopters to live and shop on site, and eventually become an expected amenity. Although most EV charging stations currently generate less revenue than they cost to operate, technological advances and renewable energy could turn EV charging stations into profit centers in the future, beyond the value they offer in attracting visitors to the site.10

Renewable Energy Due to the absence of nearby tall buildings that would block solar access, the project site is a good candidate for rooftop solar panels. Beyond the established environmental benefits, rooftop solar offers financial benefits like tax deductions or credits and increased demand for leasable space. Pairing rooftop solar with EV charging infrastructure could be profitable as well.

Mix of Housing and Income Levels A mix of housing options that are accessible to all income levels promotes a more efficient and intense use of site amenities. Providing varied accommodations will attract different groups of people with different needs and will support a wider variety of activities. A mix of income levels will encourage social sustainability and promote equal opportunities to enjoy the new amenities.

Reduce Parking Requirement Since peak usage occupies less than 50% of the parking spaces we recommend reducing the amount of parking located on site. We also recommend promoting alternative modes of transit to increase accessibility to the site from different parts of the City, including pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, bike lanes, public transportation stops, and bikesharing corrals or dockless bike-sharing.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

9. “National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater.” 2018. United States Environmental Protection Agency.

10. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. 2017. “Global EV Outlook 2017.” Paris, France: International Energy Agency; Clean Energy Ministerial; Electric Vehicles Initiative.

Recommendations

38

Design Options

Figure 13: Perspective View of Site Plan Proposed by Owners of 5050 Schaefer.

Based on our research and the goals laid out in the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan, we believe that this site should be developed to incorporate walkability, urbanism, and local culture.

We have identified a number of key characteristics and recommendations that support the vision of the Master Plan and promote vibrancy. In order to create the Arts & Culture District that is conceptualized in the Master Plan, we believe that certain concepts and strategies must be implemented into the final site plan.

Current Proposal We have reviewed the proposal from the current owners of the 5050 Schaefer building. This plan begins to create density and consider ways to reinvigorate the sidewalk while making it easy for customers to patronize these businesses by car. Their plan achieves this by maintaining a large portion of the existing parking lot and simply adding three new structures into that space. In order to increase access, their plan calls for a gap in the building to facilitate car and pedestrian access. The building spans over this entrance, making it an underpass of the building.

This layout does not create a new street and simply creates a new entrance to the parking lot and new retail in the rear. Overall, this plan fails to consider the urban setting in which it is proposed and is a more suburban style of development.

Figure 12: Site Plan Proposed by Owners of 5050 Schaefer.

Sourced from the City of Dearborn Department of Planning & Development.

Positives and Negatives of Current Proposal The proposal presented by the owners of 5050 Schaefer addresses some of the problems with the current site, while failing to address others.

Positive •

Resurfaced parking lots

•

Updated retail space

•

Addition of multi-family housing units

•

Opening of the long facade of the 5050 Schaefer building

•

Creation of physical connection to the Neckel Parking Lot

• Sourced from the City of Dearborn Department of Planning & Development.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Increased density

Negative •

Suburban-style development, architecturally and programmatically

•

Site circulation favors cars over pedestrians

•

Lack of green space

•

Lack of open space

•

Lack of green infrastructure

•

No visual connections beyond the site

•

No connection to Arts & Culture district aspirations

•

Inequitable land swap

Design Options

40

Proposed Site Plan We are proposing a new plan for the Project Site, rather than a reworking of the existing proposal.

Our design addresses the shortcomings of the existing proposal for the Project Site while maintaining the same initial square footages for retail and residential space. This site plan, informed by our research, analysis, and synthesis, includes design elements and programming that follow the recommendations made in previous sections.

The new plan also incorporates the visions, goals, and objectives we identified from the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan. Embodiment of these goals will lead to a more successful development for the City of Dearborn, the developers, and future residents of the development.

Figure 14: Site Perspective

41

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Design Options

42

Reconnect the Street Grid

Commercial Spaces

Reconnect Calhoun St. through the Site

ST

Incubator Space 36,800 sq. ft.

ST

COL SON

ST

Market Shed 14,100 sq. ft.

ER EF HA

MICHIG AN AVE

Create East-West Connections through the Site

BI

NG

HA

M

ST

SC BI

NG

HA

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ST

SC

HA

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ER

ST

COL SON

CA LH OU

N

ST

N

ST

COL SON

ST

COL SON

CA LH OU

Divide 5050 Schaefer into Three Separate Buildings

ST

Renovated Commercial 65,200 sq. ft.

New Commercial MIC 14,000 sq. ft. HIGAN AVE

Figure 15: Reconnected Street Grid and Split 5050 Schaefer Building

Figure 16: New and Renovated Commercial Spaces

First, our proposal seeks complete integration with the East Downtown Arts & Culture District presented in the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan. We accomplish this integration through programming and physical design. Most importantly, our design restores the street grid on the project site by reconnecting Calhoun Street, continuing Colson Street from the west across the site, and connecting the Neckel lot across Schaefer with a new street. These circulatory connections also create visual connections and create three more human-scaled buildings from 5050 Schaefer by cutting entirely through the building rather than creating a pass through. Recreating the street grid will make retail and residential development within the site more successful and will create a cohesive district that promotes walkability. Short blocks and numerous paths creates a pedestrian experience that is more exciting and has the potential to enable people to have different experiences within the same space.

Second, our proposal seeks to diversify the types of activities on site by changing the mix of retail spaces available.

Providing retail spaces of varying size and age is crucial to enable a multitude of unique businesses to operate within this space.

The division of the 5050 Schaefer Building into three smaller buildings enables a more equitable land swap. We propose that the owners of 5050 Schaefer trade the southernmost of the three buildings that result from the division to the City of Dearborn for the proposed development lots. This will allow the developers to build the same amount of new square footage as proposed in the existing proposal, but the City of Dearborn would gain control of 36,000 sq. ft. of retail space.

The heart of this effort is the creation of a new market space and a business incubator. The business incubator occupies the southernmost portion of the split 5050 Schaefer building. We propose leaving this space only lightly renovated to provide low-cost retail and commercial space to new businesses led by local entrepreneurs. The market space can be used for farmers’ markets, artisan markets, cultural festivals, and a variety of other events.

This space will provide low-cost opportunities for people to sell goods and will create a vibrant and exciting space with room for improvisational and community-led events. Together, the incubator and market space will lower barriers to business ownership and enable a progression from startup to established business.

To create density and provide for new businesses, we recommend constructing two new retail buildings on the site.

These buildings will help to re-establish the street grid and provide space to attract high-performing businesses.

The two northern parts of the old 5050 Schaefer building should be renovated to improve the quality of space for established businesses. The northern building will continue to house the national tenants that are already on-site, such as O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Verizon, and the Secretary of State. The middle portion of the 5050 Schaefer Building will consist of high-quality, renovated spaces to attract more businesses to the site.

These interventions add vibrancy and sustainability through the use of incubator spaces and contribute to identity and quality of life through temporary and improvisational uses, such as farmers’ markets. The diversity of retail spaces promotes a diversity of retail tenants that will make this development vibrant and unique. New and existing tenants will provide much-needed services and goods to local residents and will make East Downtown Dearborn more livable.

43

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Design Options

44

Multi-Family Residential

Plazas and Parks

COL SON

ST

N

N

ST

Park Area COLS ON 37,000 sq. ft.

ST

ST

CA LH OU

ST

COL SON

CA LH OU

COL SON

ST

122 Residential Units 158,860 Residential sq. ft.

ST ER EF HA

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Festival Street

MICHIG AN AVE

MICHIG AN AVE Plaza Area 23,300 sq. ft.

Figure 17: New Multi-Family Residential Spaces

Figure 18: Plazas and Parks

Third, our proposal seeks to add density and increase the diversity of housing options by adding new multi-family housing. New apartment units will provide homes for a critical mass of customers for the new retail spaces and add to activity and vibrancy along the street. Adding multi-family housing will also contribute to the urban feel and help define the identity of the district. Further, a broadened mix of housing options will improve housing affordability and accessibility for area residents. Creating new housing types on this site will enable people from a variety of backgrounds to live in this district and will promote integration of people in public spaces. This will also enable the district to serve as an option for people who are priced out of Downtown and Midtown Detroit.

Fourth, our proposal seeks to favor the pedestrian over the car. The Dearborn 2030 Master Plan calls for the East Dearborn Downtown Arts & Culture District to embody walkability and human-scale developments. It is meant to be a place for people to relax, shop, and live.

45

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

The first component of this recommendation is to create a new plaza adjacent to the proposed mixed-use buildings.

This plaza will define the center of activity on the site and include space for outdoor restaurant seating, musical performances, and other retail or community-led events. The second component is a set of public parks. Green spaces are crucial for creating vibrancy, building an identity, fostering sustainability, and raising the overall quality of life provided by the development. The two parks will provide different atmospheres to promote different needs.

The park that extends south from the market can be used for commercial activity and will act as an extension of the pedestrian street. People will be able to buy food at a local restaurant or in the market and eat in the park while vendors will be able to sell their products here. The park behind the new apartment building will include play areas for children and picnic areas. This space is meant to provide a space for families with young children and residents of the senior living facility to relax in a quieter, more controlled environment. These spaces should also include green infrastructure to mitigate stormwater runoff.

Design Options

46

Pedestrian Network

Future Build Out

N

ST

COL SON

ST

ST

ER EF HA

BI

NG

HA

M

ST

SC BI

NG

HA

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HA

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ER

ST

COL SON

CA LH OU

N

ST

CA LH OU

ST

COL SON

ST

COL SON

ST

30,000 SF Pedestrian Street + Complete Sidewalk Network

MICHIG AN AVE

MICHIG AN AVE

Figure 19: Pedestrian Network

Figure 20: Future Build Out

Fifth, our proposal seeks to establish a connected and comprehensive pedestrian network. The main feature of the network is a pedestrian-only street running north-south along the 5050 Schaefer buildings. The pedestrian street connects pedestrians to Schaefer Street through a pedestrian alley and to the sidewalks around the Project Site. This extensive sidewalk network will allow people to quickly and safely move throughout the development on protected paths. Further, the pedestrian network takes the public domain away from the car and returns it to the pedestrian. This commitment to pedestrianism is further exemplified by the placement of parking lots on the perimeter of the development and away from pedestrian spaces.

Sixth, our proposal seeks to allow flexibility for future development. We strongly believe that the first phase of our proposal will set the stage for a vibrant, mixed-use, walkable, and desirable development. Once this phase is complete and established, the rest of the City of Dearborn-owned property on the site will become much more valuable as demand for residential, retail, or office spaces increases. The City will be able to sell the remaining developable parcels on the project site to encourage further densification of the site near the main intersection of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Street.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

The full buildout phase takes advantage of the added vibrancy, established identity, sustainability, and quality of life that the first phase will create. The future development opportunities are clustered in the southern part of the site, and upon full buildout would complete Calhoun Street’s transformation into a desirable shopping, dining, and entertainment street. The final mix of uses would be determined by market demand. The PUD requirements established in the first phase would ensure that the form of future development would be compatible with the first phase, regardless of whether residential, retail, or office space is ultimately built. If parking demand increases, the southeast corner of the project site is an appropriate place to build a parking deck with first-floor retail. The southernmost portion of the 5050 Schaefer building could be sold or maintained as an incubator space with the air rights sold to subsidize the businesses. The City-owned portion of 5050 Schaefer could be sold off or maintained as an incubator space with air rights for development sold off. The final buildout is flexible, which allows the City of Dearborn to react to the market as the East Downtown develops and becomes the Arts & Culture District it is meant to be.

Design Options

48

Parking

Comparison of Design Options

COL SON

CA LH OU

N

ST

ST

Residential Area

0

157,275 sq. ft.

158,860 sq. ft.

158,860 sq. ft. + Market Demand

Residential Units

0

122

122

120 + Market Demand

Total Retail Area

120,000 sq. ft.

122,405 sq. ft.

118,900 sq. ft.

118,900 sq. ft. + Market Demand

Retail Area Owned by Developers

120,000 sq. ft.

122,405 sq. ft.

79,200 sq. ft.

79,200 sq. ft. + Option for Further Investment

0

0

36,800 sq. ft.

0 - 36,800 sq. ft.

120,000 sq. ft.

279,680 sq. ft.

277,560 sq. ft.

Market Demand

Number of Parks

0

0

2

2

Park Area

0

0

37,000 sq. ft.

37,000 sq. ft.

Number of Plazas

0

0

2

2

Plaza Area

0

0

23,300 sq. ft.

11,700 sq. ft.

4,000 sq. ft.

4,000 sq. ft.

30,000 sq. ft.

30,000 sq. ft.

Market Shed Area

0

0

14,100 sq. ft.

14,100 sq. ft.

Other Temporary/ Improvisational Use Area

0

0

15,900 sq. ft.

0

853

647

341

Potential for Parking Deck to Meet Full Need

Incubator Space Total Floor Space, All Uses

BI

NG

HA

M

ST

SC

HA

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ER

ST

COL SON

ST

Existing Condition

Proposal from 5050 Schaefer Planning PRACTice Planning PRACTice Owners First Phase Full Build Out

MICHIG AN AVE

Figure 21: Parking

Finally, our proposal retains the existing parking lots on the northwest portion of the site. In addition to the Neckel parking lot across Schaefer Street and the 500+ spot parking structure to the south of the Project Site on Schaefer Street, these retained lots will provide a sufficient amount of parking without dominating the site. These lots will need to be reconfigured to coexist with the re-established street grid and will need to be resurfaced. Further, these parking lots should be viewed as potential sites for future development, especially if a parking structure is built onsite.

Pedestrian Street Area

Parking Spaces

The exact square footages of the full buildout depend on a variety of factors beyond the scope of this report.

Potential alternatives for future development depend on trends in residential demand, retail demand, transportation modes, and the presence or absence of development in the rest of the East Dearborn Downtown District. Full buildout scenarios could include ten-story residential towers with no retail space; less-intense residential development, such as townhouses or row houses; or street-level retail with multiple levels of parking above. We propose that our site master plan will spur future development, but note that future development will require its own planning process.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Design Options

50

Implementation

Phase 2: Refining Site Master Plan

The following steps outline the process for redevelopment of the project site. This action plan offers recommendations based on our SWOT analysis, the Dearborn 2030 Master Plan, and the goals of each stakeholder.

Cooperation between partners is necessary to ensure that implementation is as efficient and effective as possible.

Within the first three months of receiving this plan, the City of Dearborn and 5050 Schaefer owners should create a task force with all required parties to: •

Prioritize and agree on aspects of the plan for implementation

•

Establish a regular meeting schedule

•

Identify a responsible party for sending meeting notices, chairing meetings and taking notes

•

Formalize methods of communication between leads and partners

•

Designate an individual representative from each stakeholder group to enable accountability

•

Create realistic definitions for short-term, mid-term, and long-term timeframes that account for the capacities and schedules of all stakeholders

Phase 1: Implement Community Engagement Plan Action Item

Lead

Partners

Inform residents about the project through brochures, site signage, City of Dearborn website and social media

City of Dearborn

City of Dearborn, East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority, Homeowners’ Associations, Neighborhood Associations

Select methods of community engagement from the included Community Engagement Plan (CEP)

City of Dearborn

Select lead and guidelines for execution of each method of community engagement

City of Dearborn

Execute selected methods according to steps outlined in CEP

City of Dearborn

51

Resources Needed Graphic designer, funding for printing and signs

Performance Measures

Timeframe

Number of brochures printed, number of signs erected, number of posts on City’s website and social media profiles

Ongoing

Homeowners Associations, None Neighborhood Associations

Calendar of community engagement events

Short-term

Homeowners’ Associations, Neighborhood Associations, East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

None

Leads chosen

Short-term

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority, Homeowners Associations, Neighborhood Associations

See Community Engagement Plan

Action Item

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Short-term

Partners

Resources Needed

Performance Measures

Timeframe

Rezone site to Planned Unit Development (PUD)

City of Dearborn

Homeowners’ Associations, Neighborhood Associations

None

Success of rezoning

Short-term

Conduct market study to determine demand for retail square footage and uses within the East Downtown district

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

Funding to commission market study

Complete identification of retail opportunities

Mid-term

Conduct market study to determine demand for residential units and typologies within the East Downtown district

City of Dearborn

Homeowners’ Associations, Neighborhood Associations

Funding to commission market study

Complete identification of residential needs

Mid-term

Analyze walkability and identify further improvements to on-site circulation and open space networks

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

None OR funding for consultant

Connectivity of parks and public spaces

Mid-term

Analyze potential demand for utilities and other infrastructure that would result from various phases of development

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

None OR funding for consultant

Complete identification of forecasted demand

Mid-term

Phase 3: Execute Site Master Plan Action Item

See Community Engagement Plan

Lead

Lead

Partners

Resources Needed

Performance Measures

Timeframe

Negotiate and execute land swap with owners of 5050 Schaefer

Owners, City of Dearborn

Owners, East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

None

Completion of land swap

Short-term

Establish land use and design requirements for Planned Unit Development

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

None OR funding for consultant

Creation of land use and design requirements

Short-term

Subdivide city-owned parcels for future development sites

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

None

Completion of subdivision plan

Short-term

Sponsor design competition for community market shed

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

Funding for marketing, project information packet

Selection of winning Short-term design

Implementation

52

Conclusion

Phase 4: Construction Action Item

Lead

Partners

Complete redevelopment Owners of 5050 Schaefer building

City of Dearborn

Build streets extending through the site

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

City of Dearborn

Resources Needed

Performance Measures

Funding for development, various professional construction services

Time and cost to complete

Funding for development, various professional construction services

Number of streets

Timeframe Short-term

Mid-term

Build incubator space in East City’s portion of swapped Dearborn 5050 Schaefer building Downtown Development Authority

City of Dearborn

Funding for development, various professional construction services

Area of incubator space

Mid-term

Build the temporary use shed and enable consistent programming

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

City of Dearborn

Funding for development, various professional construction services

Density of uses and users in market

Mid-term

Reconfigure and resurface remaining portion of parking lot

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

Funding for development, various professional construction services

Density of uses and users

Mid-term

Build plaza and open space

City of Dearborn

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority

Funding for development, various professional construction services

Density of uses and users

Mid-term

This plan seeks to rectify the issues currently present in East Downtown Dearborn and create a new space that represents Dearborn’s unique culture and character.

We synthesized our research to develop recommendations that are built into a design proposal for what this district can become. This proposal is meant to guide the City of Dearborn and developers to make an efficient, researched, and significant improvement in the urban fabric of this neighborhood and the city as a whole. The strategies delineated in this plan aim to achieve the goals of vibrancy, sustainability, identity, and quality of life, operationalizing the master plan’s designation for this area. If this plan is used as a guide to direct future development in this area, the benefits for the city, developers, and the public will be monumental.

This is the beginning of restoring East Downtown Dearborn to its prior significance and meaning to the residents of Dearborn. This space can once again become a place where people make memories, share happy moments, and celebrate their culture and heritage. Through a new vision of what this district can be, Dearborn can reinvent itself and create a community that is truly diverse and equitable.

Note: Specific time frame definitions are to be determined collaboratively by stakeholders, based on their known limitations, capacities, and abilities.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Conclusion

54

References

Lim, Luanne. 2016. “Dearborn’s City Hall Artspace Lofts Open for Rental.” The Metrotimes, February 23, 2016. https:// www.metrotimes.com/the-scene/archives/2016/02/23/dearborns-city-hall-artspace-lofts-open-for-rental.

Beggs, Brad. 2017. “Due Diligence Review for Center City District,” July 7, 2017. https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/ DocumentCenter/View/6449.

Meadows, Mark, Mark Bell, Tom Yeadon, Jill Feldpausch, Marie Wicks, Peter Dewan, and William Danhof. 2017.

“East Lansing Center City District Master Development Agreement.” https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/ DocumentCenter/View/6740.

Bell, Diana. 2017. “Who Are the Most Likely Tenants to Backfill Empty Retail Big Boxes?” National Real Estate Investor, June 7, 2017. http://www.nreionline.com/multifamily/hudson-capital-s-robert-cohen-discusses-appealworkforce-housing-hnw-investors.

“Belmar.” 2017. Denver, Colorado: Starwood Retail Partners. https://starwoodretail.com/files/belmar_1217.pdf.

“Belmar: A Colorado Brownfields Success Story.” 2015. Colorado Brownfields Partnership. 2015. http:// coloradobrownfields.org/portfolio/belmar-mixed-use-redevelopment-lakewood/.

“Belmar Case Study.” 2018. Urban Land Institute. 2018. https://casestudies.uli.org/belmar/.

“Belmar Shopping District: Lakewood, Colorado.” 2015. Continuum Partners. 2015. http://continuumpartners.com/ project/belmar-shopping-district/.

“Center City District.” 2018. City of East Lansing. 2018. https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/1789/Center-City-District.

“Center City District (Albert Avenue).” 2017. East Lansing Buzz. 2017. https://www.eastlansingbuzz.org/ centercitydistrict.

City of Dearborn Economic and Community Development Department. 2016. “City of Dearborn Guide to Development.” Dearborn, Michigan: Redevelopment Ready Communities. http://www.cityofdearborn.org/ documents/city-departments/economic-and-community-development/redevelopment-ready-communities/3419dearborn-guide-to-development-compressed/file.

“Dearborn.” 2017. Wayne County Economic Development Corporation. 2017. https://accesswayne.org/dearborn-2/.

“Dearborn 2030 Master Plan.” 2014. Dearborn, Michigan: City of Dearborn. http://www.cityofdearborn.org/ documents/city-departments/city-plan/2223-master-plan-2030/file.

“East Downtown Dearborn Development Authority.” 2018. April 21, 2018. http://www.eastdowntowndearborn.com/.

Egan, John. 2018. “Hudson Capital’s Robert Cohen Discusses the Appeal of Workforce Housing to HNW Investors.”

National Real Estate Investor, March 23, 2018. http://www.nreionline.com/multifamily/hudson-capital-s-robertcohen-discusses-appeal-workforce-housing-hnw-investors.

ESRI. 2018. “Retail MarketPlace.” Environmental Research Systems Institute. 2018. https://doc.arcgis.com/en/esridemographics/data/retail-marketplace.htm.

Ford. 2016. “Ford Invests $60 Million to Develop Wagner Place into New Urban Office, Retail Space in West Dearborn.” Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, December 20, 2016. https://www.dearbornareachamber.org/ ford-invests-60-million-to-develop-wagner-place-into-new-urban-office-retail-space-in-west-dearborn/.

“Ford Motor Company Dearborn Campus Transformation.” 2018. Ford. 2018. https://corporate.ford.com/company/ community/dearborn-campus-transformation-.html.

Hain, Karen. 2017. “Destination Downtown: Dearborn’s Retail District Lauded as Model of Partnership.” Press and Guide, October 10, 2017. http://www.pressandguide.com/news/destination-downtown-dearborn-s-retail-districtlauded-as-model-of/article_88845cc2-836b-5f81-a2ec-e26cc017499b.html.

Hansen, Haley. 2017. “East Lansing Center City Project Is Back On, Demolition to Begin in Mid-November.” Lansing State Journal, October 31, 2017. https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2017/10/31/east-lansingcenter-city-project-back-on-demolition-begin-mid-november/818934001/.

Lakewood Reinvestment Authority. 2018. “Belmar Project.” Lakewood, Colorado. 2018. http://www.lakewood.org/ City_Managers_Office/Economic_Development/Urban_Renewal/Reinvestment_Projects/Belmar_Project.aspx.

55

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

“MSU Facts.” 2018. Michigan State University. 2018. https://msu.edu/about/thisismsu/facts.html.

Murdock, Riley. 2017. “Target Coming to Downtown E.L. as Part of Center City Development.” The State News, April 12, 2017. http://statenews.com/article/2017/04/target-coming-to-downtown-e-l-as-part-of-center-citydevelopment.

Myers, David. 2013. “Belmar: ‘Urbanizing’ a Suburban Colorado Mall.” Urban Land, July 25, 2013. https://urbanland. uli.org/development-business/belmar-urbanizing-a-suburban-colorado-mall/.

“National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater.” 2018. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2018. https://www.epa.gov/npdes/national-menu-best-management-practices-bmpsstormwater#post.

National Research Network, HR&A, and Smithgroup JJR. 2017. “National Resource Network Engagement, West Downtown Activation Strategy.” Dearborn, Michigan. http://www.dearbornwestonline.com/wp-content/ uploads/2008/07/NRN-Dearborn_FinalReport_03-20-2017.pdf.

Nigro, Nick, Dan Welch, Janet Peace, and Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. 2015. “Strategic Planning to Implement Publicly Available EV Charging Stations: A Guide for Businesses and Policymakers.” Arlington, Virginia: Center for Climate and Energy Solutions; National Association of State Energy Officials; US Department of Energy. https://www.c2es.org/site/assets/uploads/2015/11/strategic-planning-implement-publicly-availableev-charging-stations-guide-businesses.pdf.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. 2017. “Global EV Outlook 2017.” Paris, France: International Energy Agency; Clean Energy Ministerial; Electric Vehicles Initiative. https://www.iea.org/ publications/freepublications/publication/GlobalEVOutlook2017.pdf.

Pinho, Kirk. 2016. “Ford Plans $60 Million Revamp of 4 Acres in West Downtown Dearborn.” Crain’s Detroit Business, December 20, 2016. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20161220/NEWS/161229991/ford-plans-60-millionrevamp-of-4-acres-in-west-downtown-dearborn.

Pinho, Kirk. 2018. “Dearborn’s West Downtown Poised for Surge in Development.” Crain’s Detroit Business, February 21, 2018. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180218/news/653246/dearborns-west-downtown-poised-forsurge-in-development.

Reindl, JC. 2016. “Big Changes Ahead for Downtown West Dearborn.” Detroit Free Press, July 2, 2016. https://www. freep.com/story/money/business/2016/07/02/downtown-west-dearborn-changes-fairlane/86488608/.

The City of Dearborn. 2015. “EDDDA Boundaries.” Dearborn, Michigan: Jessica Carreras. http://www.cityofdearborn. org/documents/city-departments/economic-and-community-development/2695-eddda-map/file.

The City of Dearborn. 2016. “West Downtown Dearborn District.” The City of Dearborn. 2016. http://www. cityofdearborn.org/business/dearborn-s-business-districts/west-downtown-dearborn.

The Strategic Edge. 2016. “West Downtown Dearborn Market Analysis, Market Area and Recruitment Strategy.”

Dearborn, Michigan: West Downtown Dearborn Development Authority. http://www.dearbornwestonline.com/ wp-content/uploads/2016/10/WD-Report-Reduced.pdf.

United States Census Bureau. 2016. “American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.” American FactFinder. 2016. https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.

“What Are Complete Streets?” 2018. Smart Growth America. 2018. https://smartgrowthamerica.org/program/ national-complete-streets-coalition/what-are-complete-streets/.

References

56

APPENDIX A: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment April 23, 2018 57

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Appendix A: Community Engagement Plan

58

Introduction

Our Vision of Equitable and Inclusive Development

This Community Engagement Plan identifies and expresses the City of Dearborn’s commitment to public participation in decision-making in plans, programs, and projects.

Our vision for community engagement has four components:

The mission of this plan is to encourage developments that are inclusive and diverse so that they are able to support livable communities and economic vitality for people and businesses. This goal requires interaction and coordination with community and advocacy groups, associations, governmental agencies, other stakeholders, and the general public. The City of Dearborn must find ways to build informed consent from stakeholders during the planning and development process to ensure that the public’s best interest is considered and achieved. The goal is to cooperatively create alternatives that work to achieve diverse measures of success.

Successful community engagement pays dividends for the City of Dearborn and the owners of 5050 Schaefer far beyond the benefits accrued during the development process. An engaged community that is invited into the process as partners will develop a sense of ownership for the project and the East Downtown Arts & Culture District, which will foster a desire to see the area thrive and prosper. The surrounding community will be more likely to support the local businesses, patronize the restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, and view the homes as desirable places to live.

When the community is invited and enabled to be a partner in the development process, the community, the City of Dearborn, and the owners of 5050 Schaefer all win.

The purpose of this plan is to suggest specific strategies for the City of Dearborn to use to engage with its residents within the framework of Dearborn’s unique culture. The plan offers guidance to the City staff and recommends methods to more deeply understand the needs of the local community. At the core of this plan is a community engagement framework that provides specific goals and systematic strategies for creating neighborhoods that reflect the needs and wants of the citizens of Dearborn.

How To Use This Document IF YOU ARE A CITY OF DEARBORN PLANNER, this plan outlines strategies to engage with the broad range of stakeholders who will have their lives affected by this development. By utilizing the framework within this plan, you can build and strengthen the relationship between residents and the decision makers of the City of Dearborn, and seek authentic community participation.

IF YOU ARE AN OWNER OF 5050 SCHAEFER, you can use the strategies within this plan to interact with

the community to identify novel ideas that will lead to a more successful development. Inviting the community to participate in the design and development process is crucial to success. This will create an end result that will be more vibrant and sustainable with a unique sense of place and a desirable quality of life. When the community is engaged and empowered, you also benefit through the prosperity of your businesses and the local economy.

Purpose Statement The purpose of this document is to suggest specific strategies for The City of Dearborn to use to engage with its residents within the framework of Dearborn’s unique culture. The plan offers guidance to the City staff and recommends methods to more deeply understand the needs of the local community. At the core of this plan is a community engagement framework that provides specific goals and systematic strategies for creating neighborhoods that reflect the needs and wants of the citizens of Dearborn.

59

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

To Foster Excitement and Sense of Ownership

To Understand Community Wants and Needs The City of Dearborn sees this development as an opportunity to increase its tax base and continue to grow as a cultural hub. The owners of 5050 Schaefer see this development as an opportunity to turn a functionally obsolete building into profitable real estate by fulfilling unmet demand for retail, residential, and office space. These wants and needs are known to those making decisions about the design process, but they do not necessarily represent all stakeholders. The City of Dearborn and the owners of 5050 Schaefer will need to invite input from surrounding residents and business owners in order to ensure that the final product is representative of what the community both needs and wants.

To Provide Venues for Concerns and Questions Providing venues for the community to share input will enable the generation of ideas that can lead to innovative development plans that match the goals of the community. These venues for input are valuable beyond the data generated about those communal goals if venues for input are not provided, the result may be community frustration, and ultimately opposition to the project. Bringing community members into the process, giving them a voice, and making the community a partner in the process will strengthen the development and improve its likelihood of success.

To Hear and Acknowledge all Voices Providing multiple venues for community input and engagement is only the first step. In order to be successful, community engagement must include all voices and must hear and acknowledge all input. The City of Dearborn and the owners of 5050 Schaefer will need to reach out to all stakeholders, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, disability status, and citizenship. Community members that have historically been excluded from the process of community development need to be brought into the process and given a voice. This requires directed outreach and accommodation. However, successful engagement requires more than just allowing the community to speak. Community members needs to be a partner in the process and have their input heard, acknowledged, valued and acted upon.

Appendix A: Community Engagement Plan

60

Engagement Strategies Community engagement is intended to enable continuous community involvement in the planning and decisionmaking processes. Through several specific strategies, we encourage engagement on multiple levels of participation as identified by the American Planning Association:

1. INFORM

2. CONSULT

3. INVOLVE

4. COLLABORATE

5. EMPOWER

LANGUAGE CONSIDERATIONS: All of the following strategies should provide communication (written materials, translators, etc.) in English, Arabic and Spanish whenever possible.

1. BROCHURES

PREPARATION

•

Design brochures to illustrate general conditions, current strengths and weaknesses, and preliminary design alternatives.

EXECUTION

•

Distribute brochures through the mail to residents within a half-mile radius of the project site.

•

Place brochures at the front desk of the relevant City departments.

•

Reply to any communication that results from the distribution of brochures.

PREPARATION

•

Create a project information page, similar to the brochure, on the “Programs and Projects” section of the City’s website.

EXECUTION

•

Post notable updates to build citizen excitement and engagement.

•

Provide essential information about the project site, the current conditions, and the future plan.

•

Post links to minutes from the Town Hall and other community outreach meetings.

•

Reply to any communication related to the website content in a timely manner.

FOLLOW-UP

4. SOCIAL MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES

EXECUTION

Post signage around the perimeter of the construction site to inform passersby about the project.

PREPARATION

•

Design a large sign explaining the project and directing passersby to the designated City of Dearborn website for more information.

EXECUTION

•

Attach copies of the sign to the construction fencing at various points to allow passersby to read about the project and discover sources for learning more information.

FOLLOW-UP

•

Periodically update the signs as the project evolves.

•

Periodically monitor the site to make sure that the signage stays posted.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

INFORM

Announce community engagement activities on social media to both inform followers and encourage participation. Use social media to share fun, interesting, and exciting updates.

PREPARATION

INFORM

2. SITE SIGNAGE

INFORM

Publish reports and news to the City of Dearborn website and East Downtown Dearborn website to keep residents apprised of the engagement process. Provide reliable and accessible information regarding the development of the project.

INFORM

Provide an overview of key project information and community engagement activities planned to inform stakeholders of how they can be involved in the development process.

FOLLOW-UP

3. CITY OF DEARBORN WEBSITE

FOLLOW-UP

•

Design social media posts to be shareable and reach broad audiences.

•

Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to release the latest developments.

•

Encourage the 5,000+ users following the Dearborn social media accounts to engage in lively discussion and post diverse comments.

•

Post topics to Facebook that encourage discussion and participation.

•

Direct those who engage with the City of Dearborn on social media to visit the website and attend in-person community engagement events.

•

Adjust development goals and designs where appropriate based on viewpoints, perspectives, and other data gathered from social media participants.

Appendix A: Community Engagement Plan

62

5. TOWN HALL

CONSULT

Hold a town hall meeting during the initial stages of the project to incorporate the community’s feedback on all potential design options. Share information and give citizens the opportunity to voice concerns, make suggestions, and ask questions about the project.

RECRUITMENT

CONSULT

Distribute surveys online and in person to give everyone the option to participate. Use in-person surveys to target traditionally underrepresented communities.

•

Publicize this event widely through posts on social media, the City’s website, and doorhanger announcements for all residents within a half-mile radius.

Surveys provide more specific feedback from the community and can lead to novel and innovative design solutions. The purpose of the survey is not to generalize what is important to the various stakeholders, but to solicit new ideas and solutions. Therefore, representativeness of the sample is less important than broad distribution.

•

Coordinate social media posts and contact community leaders to ensure maximum participation.

PREPARATION

•

ENGAGEMENT

6. SURVEY OF NEARBY RESIDENTS

Target participation of at least fifty community members, prioritizing residents within a half-mile radius.

•

Design a survey that gauges public perception about the project and solicits feedback about various elements within the plan.

•

Target residents within a half-mile radius of the project site.

•

Publish the survey on social media and the City’s website.

•

Deliver paper surveys to residents living within a half-mile radius.

•

Distribute paper copies to local hubs of community life to garner feedback from those who have limited access to the internet and social media.

•

Publish survey results, including both the anonymized raw data and compiled versions.

•

Begin the meeting with a presentation of the project, including the work already complete, plans for the design and programming, and expected timeline for completion.

•

End the meeting with a moderated discussion during which citizens can ask questions, make suggestions and air grievances.

•

Allow attendees to place post-it note comments on the design boards.

•

Live-stream the event on social media to reach those who cannot attend in-person.

LOCATION TYPE

•

Select a place in a central location that has sufficient capacity to hold 75-100 people, with contingency plans for any overflow.

MATERIALS NEEDED IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT

•

Compile a script of information for the moderator to share.

•

Create a procedure for public comment and response.

•

Create posters presenting the proposed design and programming for the project.

WELCOMING/ HOSTING NEEDS

•

Bring a sign-in sheet and name tags for all participants.

These meetings will ensure that the residents have a consistent way to learn about project developments, voice their concerns as the project progresses, and work with the City to create policy solutions that protect them from the potential negative impacts of the project. These events will also help address the concerns of nearby residents and reassure them that the collected survey data is valued and used.

•

Consider providing on-site child care. As an added amenity, consider providing snacks and beverages to participants.

PREPARATION

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE EVENT

•

Flipchart with markers to document public comments

•

Posters presenting the proposed design and programming

•

Post-it notes for public to provide written comments directly on the design posters

•

Scribe to document meeting minutes

•

Camera and wireless connection to livestream the event

•

Post meeting minutes to the City website and social media profiles within one week of the town hall meeting.

•

Send a follow-up email to all participants, including the meeting minutes, information about future avenues for community engagement, and contact information for a project spokesperson.

FOLLOW-UP TASKS

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

EXECUTION

FOLLOW-UP

7. MEETINGS OF NEARBY RESIDENTS

INVOLVE

Hold an in-person meeting with nearby residents every six months during the project construction period.

EXECUTION

FOLLOW-UP

•

Reserve space at a centrally located venue, such as Fordson High School, and provide name tags, paper and markers, microphones and speakers, and extra copies of survey data to facilitate discussion.

•

Provide light refreshments to thank attendees for their contributions and demonstrate hospitality.

•

Encourage participation of local leaders, including religious leaders and business owners.

•

Hold a meeting every six months during the construction period to ensure that residents have space to present ongoing and evolving concerns, and receive updates on the project’s progress.

•

Designate a representative of the City of Dearborn Planning Division to moderate a discussion about the key conclusions of the survey.

•

Give the residents time to raise issues that were not covered by the moderator.

•

Post minutes of the meeting discussion in the designated City of Dearborn web page within one week.

Appendix A: Community Engagement Plan

64

65

East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Year 1 • # of survey respondents • Representativeness of survey responses compared to composition of Dearborn population, or affected neighborhood composition Year 3 • % of outcomes survey into final project plan Accountability, Longevity 9. Survey on Site Use

Empower

Year 1 • # of event attendees Involve Inclusivity, Accountability 8. Community Groundbreaking

Year 1 • # of survey respondents • Representativeness of survey responses compared to composition of Dearborn population, or affected neighborhood composition

Year 1 • # of new issues raised Year 3 • % of nearby residents feeling that their participation impacted decisions Involve Inclusivity, Accountability, Longevity 7. Meetings of Nearby Residents

Inclusivity, Accessibility, Longevity, Transparency 5. Town Hall / Public Hearing

Consult

Year 1-3 • # of page views • # of attendees at events announced on the website

Accessibility, Transparency

Since the Community Engagement Plan is composed of several strategies at different levels of participation, in different time periods, and with different stakeholders, every activity requires continuously updated information as part of the process itself. The City of Dearborn should report on its performance under the proposed Community Engagement Plan at the end of the first year of engagement and should post summaries of public meetings on a dedicated web page for the project site in a timely manner.

4. Social Media Announcements & Updates

Accountability

Inform

The City of Dearborn Planning Division will work with other interested stakeholders to identify short and intermediate measures of success. A variety of measures will enable an objective assessment for each of the strategies defined in the different levels of participation. Detailed descriptions of each measurement are included below.

Accessibility, Transparency

Measurement

3. City of Dearborn Website

Measurement and Accountability

Inform

Publicize the results of the survey, including vote totals for each alternative, to the designated website and social media accounts.

Transparency, Accessibility

•

2. Site Signage

FOLLOW-UP

Year 1-3 • # of brochures distributed

Enable multiple voting methods to ensure widespread participation.

Inform

•

Accessibility, Transparency

EXECUTION

1. Brochures

Publicize the survey on the City’s website, social media accounts, and direct mail to residents within half-mile of the project site.

POTENTIAL MEASURES

•

SPECTRUM OF ENGAGEMENT

Develop three or four plausible amenities using community-derived data.

VALUE

•

STRATEGY

PREPARATION

Potential Measures of Program Achievement

For example, the City could identify three or four potential open space uses, such as a playscape, water feature, or fire pit and allow the citizens to choose. The goal of this effort is to empower citizens to make decisions about what amenities are added to their community. To be successful, this survey should be announced to residents within a half-mile radius and made available online.

Year 1-3 • # of people stopping to look at the signage

Create an online survey to enable direct community input on the site’s public space programming.

6. Survey of Nearby Equity, Inclusivity, Residents Accountability, Longevity

EMPOWER

Inform

9. SURVEY TO DETERMINE A PORTION OF PUBLIC SPACE PROGRAMMING

Year 1-3 • # of engagements with posts (likes, retweets, comments, etc.)

• % change in followers

Host a groundbreaking ceremony in which residents celebrate a big step in the East Downtown Dearborn revitalization effort. Identify a community representative to participate in the official groundbreaking along with the Mayor of Dearborn and a member of the development team.

Year 1 • # of attendees • Attendance at town hall/public hearing representative of nearby neighborhoods Year 2 • Feedback on effectiveness of town hall / public hearing in identifying community concerns and ideas

INVOLVE

Consult

8. COMMUNITY GROUNDBREAKING EVENT

Appendix A: Community Engagement Plan

66

Appendix B: Demographics of Dearborn, Wayne County, Michigan, and the United States Population Dearborn

Wayne County

Michigan

National

Population

94,430

1,749,366

9,928,300

323,127,515

Population Density (Per sq. mi.)

3,897.2

2,858.4

175.6

91.4

Median Age

31.4

37.8

39.7

37.9

Male to Female Ratio

0.9:1

0.9:1

1.1:1

1.0:1

One-Unit Attached

72.3%

69.2%

71.9%

61.5%

White Alone

91.7%

52.8%

78.5%

72.6%

Black or African American Alone

3.6%

38.9%

13.7%

12.7%

Asian Alone

1.5%

3.1%

2.9%

5.4%

Some Other Race Alone

0.1%

2.1%

1.2%

5.1%

Two or More Races

2.9%

2.8%

3.1%

3.2

Sources: The Dearborn, MI demographics data displayed above is derived from the 2016 United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2016 1-year estimate) File: S101; DP04; DP05.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Appendix B: Demographics

68

Industry

Education Dearborn

Civilian Employed Population 16 years and Over

Wayne County

36,043

737,706

Michigan

National

4,586,513

Dearborn

152,571,041

Wayne County

Michigan

National

Less than 9th Grade

14.2%

4.4%

3.0%

5.4%

9th to 12th Grade, No Diploma

8.2%

9.8%

6.6%

7.2%

High School Graduate (Includes Equivalency)

21.3%

29.9%

29.3%

27.2%

20.7%

24.7%

23.6%

20.6%

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, and Mining

0.4%

0.3%

1.2%

1.7%

Construction

4.3%

4.1%

5.2%

6.4%

20.7%

17.7%

18.4%

10.1%

Some College, No Degree

1.2%

2.4%

2.4%

2.7%

Associate’s Degree

7.1%

8.1%

9.3%

8.4%

13.3%

10.6%

11.1%

11.5%

Bachelor's Degree

16.3%

13.7%

17.2%

19.3%

Transportation and Warehousing, and Utilities

6.4%

5.8%

4.3%

5.2%

Graduate or Professional Degree

12.2%

9.3%

11.1%

11.9%

Information

0.8%

1.6%

1.5%

2.1%

Finance and Insurance, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

5.3%

5.9%

5.6%

6.6%

Professional, Scientific, and Management, and Administrative and Waste Management Services

9.3%

10.5%

9.6%

11.4%

Educational Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance

19.3%

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, and Accommodation and Food Services

10.7%

Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Retail Trade

22.0%

10.8%

23.2%

9.4%

23.0%

9.8%

Source: The Dearborn, MI demographics data displayed above is derived from the 2016 United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2016 1-year estimate) File: DP02.

Employment Dearborn

5.9%

5.0%

4.8%

4.9%

Public Administration

2.4%

3.2%

3.3%

4.6%

Michigan

National

Income Per Capita

$22,039

$25,269

$29,128

$31,128

Median Household Income

$49,257

$43,464

$52,492

$57,617

Mean Earnings

$69,527

$68,307

$75,228

$83,372

Unemployment Rate

4.1%

5.7%

3.8%

3.6%

Public Transportation Ridership

0.0%

3.1%

1.4%

5.1%

30.6%

22.7%

15%

14.1%

Poverty Rate

Other Services, Except Public Administration

Wayne County

Source: The Dearborn, MI demographics data displayed above is derived from the 2016 United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2016 1-year estimate) File: DP03.

Source: The Dearborn, MI demographics data displayed above is derived from the 2016 United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2016 1-year estimate) File: S0802.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Appendix B: Demographics

70

Appendix C: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis Goal #1: Vibrancy Strengths

Weaknesses

•

Proximity to new Artspace Lofts in Old City Hall

•

•

Relatively connected transportation infrastructure

Building faces away from street and towards parking lot

•

Diversity of nearby housing types

•

Current zoning does not allow for mixed-use or residential

•

Proximity to Downtown Detroit

•

Concrete jungle

•

High vacancy rate

•

Blank facade

•

Homogeneity of businesses in area limits activity to typical business hours

•

Narrow sidewalks with no street trees or shade

•

Wind tunnel

Opportunities

Threats

•

Restore street grid

•

Recent declines in regional economy

•

Place transit stops on site

•

Low level of regional job growth

•

Rezoning as a Town Center under Master Plan

•

Importance of well-structured public transit

•

Width of street

•

Importance of effective community engagement

•

Low levels of traffic

Objectives for Vibrancy Identified by SWOT

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

•

Design the site to incorporate more pedestrian open space as a way to provide more visibility to the site and enable activity during different times of the day.

•

Provide reliable public transportation options to and from the site to facilitate pedestrian access.

•

Encourage a multitude of businesses with diverse hours of operation to promote round-the-clock activity.

•

Revise current zoning policies to allow for more diverse uses of the site.

Appendix C: SWOT Analysis

72

Goal #2: Identity

Goal #3: Sustainability

Strengths

Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

•

Michigan and Schaefer as the historic center of East Dearborn (Springwells)

•

High vacancy rate

•

Active bike-share system

•

Concrete jungle

•

Close to existing cultural facilities

•

Single-use structures

•

Proximity to local and regional bus lines

•

Automobile-oriented design and layout

•

High turnover rate

•

Proximity to regional transit center

•

Poor condition of building

•

Lack of pedestrian and vehicular pathways

•

Proximity to affordable senior housing

•

Lack of community or open spaces

•

Lack of physical distinctiveness

•

Location on main thoroughfares

•

High vacancy rate

•

Strength of current tenants

•

Poor biking conditions

Opportunities

Threats

•

Abundance of nearby parking

•

•

Master Plan designation as Arts & Culture District

•

New and existing cultural facilities

•

Rich history of the area

Preference for parking and automobile-oriented design

•

Importance of buy-in from existing cultural institutions

•

Highly reliant on economic trends

Objectives for Identity Identified by SWOT •

Create design guidelines that build on the existing cultural and architectural context to achieve a sense of place.

•

Develop wayfinding systems that will guide people through the site while adding to the cohesive identity of the Art & Culture district.

•

Establish an identity for the district that recognizes its mixed-use nature by celebrating its residential, commercial, and cultural character.

•

Coordinate some aspects with the West Dearborn Downtown to build a city-wide identity, while maintaining other elements that clearly differentiate the two areas.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

Opportunities

Threats

•

Proximity to Detroit

•

Dearborn on-site parking requirements

•

Shorten building facade

•

Condition of parking lot

•

Existence of potential partners

•

•

Large rooftops for solar energy production

Issues surrounding viability and legality of land swap

•

Lack of nearby multi-family housing

•

Budgetary momentum

•

Qualification for government funding mechanisms

•

Competitive nature of government funding

•

Large residential demand

Objectives for Sustainability Identified by SWOT •

Design the site to include parks and open spaces that serve the dual purposes of providing community spaces that are accessible to everyone and mitigating stormwater runoff.

•

Design the site to provide dwelling unit typologies that increase the variety of typologies and tenures within the Arts & Culture district to ensure that residents can find a place to live regardless of their income level.

•

Limit the overall number of parking spaces on-site to encourage alternative modes of transportation and reduce vehicle trips and vehicle miles driven.

•

Explore a wide range of funding sources.

Appendix C: SWOT Analysis

74

Appendix D: Team Biographies

Goal #4: Quality of Life Strengths

Weaknesses

•

Existing mix of residential, retail and office uses in area

•

Poor pedestrian conditions

•

Nearby supermarket

•

•

Within walking distance of multiple schools

Lack of open space that can accommodate improvised, temporary, and/or community-driven programming

•

Aging, obsolete, and “commoditized” buildings in and around the site

•

Relatively low-density housing

RYAN SCHELL Masters of Urban and Regional Planning and Business, University of Michigan

•

Poor visibility into the site

•

Limited access from Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Road

Ryan received his bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Economics from Harvard University in 2011. He has extensive experience in investment banking for municipalities and not-for-profit healthcare systems, and more recent experience in real estate investment and development. On this project, Ryan contributed to research, analysis, and representation.

Opportunities

Threats

•

Vacant space in the 5050 Schaefer building

•

•

Undeveloped and underutilized parking lot

Competition between West Downtown and East Downtown

•

Master Plan designation as Arts & Culture District

•

West Downtown’s relative proximity to local institutions

•

Existing and new cultural institutions

•

•

Proximity to Higher-Ed institutions

Small scale of project compared to size of East Downtown Dearborn

Objectives for Quality of Life Identified by SWOT •

Establish a mix of high and low quality (and thus high and low rent) commercial office and retail space that will accommodate a mix of local businesses that provide necessary services to residents of East Downtown.

•

Encourage local business ownership and innovative startups through on-site incubator spaces.

•

Partner with local colleges and universities to provide a steady pipeline of talented graduates to feed local businesses and startups.

•

Create strong visual and physical connections to existing quality of life factors like the Dearborn Fresh grocery store.

•

Provide spaces (both indoor and outdoor) that allow for improvised, temporary, and community-driven programming that invite community engagement.

•

Create a pedestrian-friendly streetscape and add sufficient density to encourage local businesses to maintain programming and hours of operation that enable a steady presence of people on the site around the clock.

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment

PEIWEI WU Master of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Michigan Peiwei received her bachelor’s degree from the SHANXI University of Finance and Economics in 2017 in Human Geography and Urban Rural planning. She has experience working in transportation, social research and analysis. On this project, Peiwei contributed to research, analysis and representation.

ANDREW MOSS Master of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Michigan Andrew received his bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan in 2017 in Political Science and International Studies with a Minor in Sustainability. He has experience working in a number of different fields, including nonprofits, residential services, and market analysis. On this project, Andrew contributed to research and analysis.

CRISTIAN MUNOZ Master of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Michigan Cristian received his bachelor’s degree from University of Bio Bio, Chile in 2015 in Architecture.

He has experience working in design firms and nonprofit organizations. On this project, Cristian contributed to the site inventory research and the proposed Site Plan design.

TOM McKEE Master of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Michigan Tom received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 2017 in Architecture.

He has extensive work experience in the design, planning, and management of fine dining restaurants. Tom also has worked on a municipal sustainability planning project. On this project, Tom contributed to analysis, design and representation.

Appendix D: Team Biographies

76

CONTACT US PEIWEI WU Master of Urban and Regional Planning (734) 882-9599 wupeiwei@umich.edu RYAN SCHELL Master of Urban and Regional Planning Master of Business Administration (937) 573-9056 rkschell@umich.edu ANDREW MOSS Master of Urban and Regional Planning (248) 410-5199 andmoss@umich.edu CRISTIAN MUNOZ ABARCA Master of Urban and Regional Planning (734) 773-5044 cmunozab@umich.edu TOM McKEE Master of Urban and Regional Planning (734) 545-0948 mckeetho@umich.edu

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East Downtown Dearborn Site Redevelopment