Portfolio Mengwei Sun Email: mengweis@umich.edu
MENGWEI SUN EDUCATION University of Michigan, Taubman College Master of Urban Planning; Concentration in Transportation, expected Apr.2016 Xiamen University Bachelor of Urban Planning, Jul.2014
Ann Arbor, MI Xiamen, China
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Metropolitan Planning Council Chicago, IL Research Assistant |Summer Intern, June–Sept. 2015 • Great Rivers Chicago Project Identified and classified trails system along the Chicago rivers and connected existing trails to Chicago non-motorized transportation system; created maps with GIS and illustrator and presented to the rivers team. • Cermak-McCormick ‘L’ station Impact Analysis Project Compared ridership change between citywide and research area; identified real estate potential created by infill station; posted research blog on MPC website. • Assisted with reception coordination and event logistic for the National Mobility Conference Michigan Association of Planning Ann Arbor, MI Student Presenter in Student MAP Conference 2015, Feb.2015 • Presented project using GIS to investigate urban planning issues, ensuring that the professional analysis was readable for the public China Construction Engineering Design Group Corporation Ltd Beijing, China Associate Urban Planner, Third Urban Planning & Design Institute, Oct. –Dec.2013 • Participated in the project of Development Strategy Research and Urban Design of Zhongsha Island Fuyang City
SKILLS Computer: Proficient in GIS, Microsoft Office, Sketch-up, CAD, Photoshop, 3Dmax, Illustrate, Indesign Language: Mandarin Chinese (Native Speaker), English (Working Proficiency), French (Daily Communication)
URBAN PLANNING Ypsilanti Linked
Great Rivers Chicago
Muti-modal transportation plan to increase Accessibility and Connectivity in Ypsilanti, Michigan
Rebuilding the walking trail system along the Chicago rivers and exploring funding options
P2-5
CONTENTS SELECTED WORKS
P6-9
GIS ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN
Cermark Station Impact
Detroit Blight Removal
Porous Border
Claiborne Garden
Investigating infill station impact by identifying the opportunities brought by total ridership increase under current land use and zoning framework
Challenging the traditional blight definition and revel the hidden value behind the properties
An art-driven neighborhood revitalization plan in NoHam, Detroit, MI
A neighborhood plan to promote urban sustainability and celebrate community culture in New Orleans, LA
P10-13
P14-17
P18-23
P24-27
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Ypsilanti Linked Coursework
Location: Ypsilanti, MI Advisor: Larissa Larsen Time: Feb-April, 2015 Team members: Bonnie Wang, Kaleah Mabin, Mengwei Sun, Yuting Sun
Our vision is to create a more sustainable, pedestrian-friendly Ypsilanti by prioritizing accessibility for all over the mobility of singleoccupancy automobiles. This vision will build on Ypsilanti’s existing assets, such as the businesses and amenities of Depot Town, by creating and modifying multiple modes of transportation, such as protected bicycle lanes and altered bus routes, to improve connectivity within Ypsilanti as well as with Ann Arbor’s downtown. Additionally, this vision will link all modes of transportation to the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail in Depot Town, which will incentivize economic growth and attract more residents to Ypsilanti. This project will serve as a multi-modal, accessibility-based transportation model for other cities in the Midwest. 2
BACKGROUD
What attracted us to this project was the strong connection Ypsilanti has with Ann Arbor, the potential development of the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail, and the liveliness and great potential of Depot Town in Ypsilanti. We plan to coordinate existing bus transit and nonmotorized transportation with this future rail service so that Ypsilanti can attract more residents and experience greater economic growth and job opportunities within its city. Our proposals will also benefit existing businesses, such as Sidetracks, Aubrey’s, and the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, by attracting more residents to Depot Town and encouraging more people to move to Ypsilanti.
Ypsilanti, Michigan is a city in Washtenaw County that is approximately 4.52 square miles in size and located just southeast of the City of Ann Arbor. Compared with the State of Michigan and Washtenaw County, Ypsilanti has a higher percentage of people living below the poverty level and overall lower household, family, and per capita incomes.
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ASPIRATIONAL PROPOSALS Proposal 1 Create protected bicycle infrastructure to connect Depot Town in Ypsilanti with downtown Ann Arbor. To increase bicycle ridership, we propose creating fully connected, protected bicycle infrastructure from the heart of downtown Ann Arbor to Depot Town in Ypsilanti, with its main connector being Washtenaw Ave. Currently, there are a series of inconsistent bicycle lanes that are occasionally separated from the roadway via a single white painted line. At about $8-10,000 per lane, per mile, this style of bicycle lane is one of the least expensive methods of separating uses (PeopleForBikes 2014). Unfortunately it is also one of the least protected, durable, and aesthetically appealing methods of separating uses. A safer, more durable method of separating bicycles from traffic is through the implementation of bicycle lanes protected by a wall of “large bumps” . Proposal 2 Rezone and promote mixed use development. The original plan for the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail proposed a new platform to the north of the Old Depot. However, the Old Depot building is currently vacant and appears to be in good condition according to Google Maps. Thus, we would like to propose repurposing the Old Depot as Ypsilanti’s boarding platform, which would bring the platform closer to E. Cross St. Furthermore, E. Cross St. is Ypsilanti’s main street that carries several businesses and is connected o AAATA bus lines. After carefully examining the site, we concluded that the land close to the rail station is underdeveloped and used improperly at some parcels. Because this area is likely to become a sub-center of Ypsilanti after the implementation of the commuter rail, we propose rezoning the land east of Frog Island Park and south of E. Forest Ave to promote higher density, mixed-use development around the rail station. 4
Proposal 3 Maintain pedestrian safety around the commuter rail stop. As a means of improving the safety of pedestrians and reducing pollution from emissions, we would like to maintain a pedestrian-oriented design around the boarding platform through the creation of complete streets to encourage the use of transit and non-motorized transportation over singleoccupancy vehicles. The following ranks the different modes of access that should be prioritized in the area surrounding the platform: 1. Pedestrians 2. Bicycles 3. Transit and Shuttles 4. Carpool, Cabs, Pick-ups and Drop-offs 5. Single-Occupancy Automobiles
Proposal 4 Connect Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA) buses to the proposed Ypsilanti rail stop. We would like to enhance the bus service by increasing bus frequencies during peak hours, creating dedicated bus lanes, and implementing methods of fare pre-payment. Additionally, the proposed location of the boarding platform only connects with Route 10. Thus, we would like to connect more AAATA buses to the Ypsilanti rail stop to increase its accessibility to Ypsilanti residents. We would also like to extend a route to census tract 4112. This proposal will increase multi-modal transportation in Ypsilanti by allowing residents who work in Ann Arbor to take the commuter rail from Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti and, from the rail stop, reliably take a bus home. 5
Great Rivers Chicago Intern project
Location: Chicago, IL Advisor: Josh Ellis, Yonah Freemark, Kara Riggio, Chrissy Mancini Nichols Time: Aug- Sept,2015
The Chicago River and Calumet River System are two of our city’s greatest and most undervalued assets. As investments, such as new boat houses and riverbank restoration are helping Chicagoans change the way that they think of and experience our rivers, it is clear that there is a need to collectively develop a vision for the future of our rivers and riverfronts. If the Chicago community does not clearly articulate a vision for our rivers, we risk the ability to maximize the benefits that open space, recreation, community and economic development can have on our neighborhoods. Improved access to Chicago’s rivers will raise the profile of these assets, and ideally spur additional local investment and prioritization of the future health and use of the rivers. 6
TRAILS ALONG THE RIVER
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REBUILDING TRAIL SYSTEM
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FUNDING OPTIONS
Summary of Land Use (1/4 mile)
Area(sq ft)
Assessment($)
Residentail
70339427
$673,185,327
Commercial
39500735
$1,480,708,763
Institutional
34106201
$20,484,095
Industrial
74506089
$59,116,856
Trans/Comm/Util/Waste
55679129
$582,203,889
Open Space
50113743
$35,156,996
Vacant/Under Construction
17888478
$89,805,595
Water
8258548
$1,565,517
Non-parcel areas
19279773
$227,450,462
Not classifiable
14893
$31,069,932
Total
369687015
$3,200,747,432
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How the CermakMcCormick ‘L’ station could create a real estate boom in the South Loop Intern project
Location: Chicago, IL Advisor: Yonah Freemark Time: June- July, 2015
Over the past few years, Chicago has invested in three new infill stations, which are attracting more riders and creating opportunities for transit-oriented development. This research is based on CermakMcCormick ‘L’ station, which was built in early 2015. We tried to identify the impact of the new infill station.
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Over the past few years, Chicago has invested in three new “infill” stations located along existing ‘L’ tracks, filling service gaps between stops and expanding access to the transit system. The Chicago Transit Authority ‘L’ has seen dramatic ridership increases over the past 10 years, increasing 29 percent from 474,478 average weekday boardings in 2004 to 614,220 last year—and some of that change can be attributed to these new stations, which are attracting more riders and creating opportunities for transitoriented development.
between 2007 and 2015. Comparing March 2007 and March 2014, ridership at the Cermak-Chinatown station, a stop on the Red Line about a quartermile to the west, generally tracked changes on the ‘L’ system as a whole, increasing about 20 percent over that period, as the following chart shows.
The CTA opened two stations in 2012, one at Morgan Street on the Green and Pink Lines and one at Oakton Street on the Yellow Line. The Morgan Station has been particularly effective in bringing new development to the West Loop and now attracts more than 2,300 daily riders as of March 2015. In February 2015, CTA added another station at Cermak Road on the Green Line near the McCormick Place convention center in the South Loop neighborhood. The stop cost $50 million to build and was completed by the Chicago Dept. of Transportation using tax increment financing funds. It filled what had been a 2.5-mile gap between the Roosevelt Road and 35th Street stations on the line.
Cermak-McCormick Place station is already attracting additional ridership Though the station is virtually brand new, initial ridership figures for March 2015 released by the CTA already point to the benefits of the new station in growing ridership and producing neighborhood growth. The Metropolitan Planning Council conducted this preliminary review on the effects of the station so far by comparing ridership in the area in the month of March
Once the Cermak-McCormick Place station was added in early 2015, however, the ridership at that plus the CermakChinatown station increased, despite the fact that overall ‘L’ weekday boardings in March 2015 were actually slightly lower overall than they were in March 2014. While there are variable effects such as weather to consider, and it is still early to draw firm conclusions, this indicates that the new station may be attracting additional riders to the system as a whole, not just moving people from one station to another. Nor does it appear that the opening of the new station has moved people away from nearby bus routes, as the following chart shows. Several bus routes that stop near the Cermak-McCormick 11
Place station, including the 1, 3 and 4 buses, run roughly similar routes to the Green Line as they run north-south into downtown. So a new train station could have theoretically moved people away from those lines and onto the ‘L.’
The new station increased the amount of land in the neighborhood within a quarter-mile, or about a five-minute walk, of the ‘L’ by about 60 percent. It also made the convention center more accessible.
Yet, while ridership on those lines actually fell more than the CTA bus average between 2013 and 2014, they increased between 2014 and 2015 (March only), even as CTA bus ridership continued to fall. So the addition of the new station not only seems to have contributed to increased overall rail boardings in the Cermak Red and Green Line area, but it also does not appear to have reduced bus route use in the surrounding area.
Existing land use and zoning regulations in the area newly accessible to the rail system suggest that the station has the potential to spur major new real estate investments in the form of dense, mixed-use transit-oriented development.
Change in ridership, March 2013, March 2014, March 2015 102%
Change from 2013
100% 98% 96% 94% 92% 90% 2013
2014 Cermak Area - Bus
2015 City - Bus
Land use and zoning Despite the fact that it is close to the Cermak-Chinatown station, the Cermak-McCormick Place station does offer a significant area of the South Loop neighborhood much better access to the ‘L’ system, particularly in areas to the south and east of the new station’s entrances. 12
Data provided by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning on land use in the area show that the new station roughly doubles the amount of vacant land accessible by transit in the surrounding neighborhood, in effect adding almost 400,000 sq. ft. of developable land, as shown in the following table and map. If this land were developed at a typical downtown density, about 1,500 apartments could fit—enough to house more than 2,000 new residents in the community. As the following table and map illustrate, more than twothirds of land within the newly Green Line-accessible area has a “Downtown” zoning designation—quite a change from the land within a quarter-mile of the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line station. This “Downtown” designation allows dense, mixed-use buildings that combine offices, apartments, retail and other needs—exactly the type of new building needed for areas near transit. Together with the increase in ridership the station is already generating, the Green Line stop will likely generate significant new development, as has the new station at Morgan. For Chicago, that’s great news, since it means more people living and working in environmentally friendly and congestion minimizing areas near transit.
Summary of Land Use, 2010
Cermak Red Line Station (sq ft)
Summary of Parcel Zoning, 2010
Cermak Green Line Station(sq ft)
Cermak Red Line Station (sq ft)
Cermak Green Line Station(sq ft)
Residential
2,291,440
524,127
Residential
895,708
312,589
Commercial
761,452
1,171,656
Business
259,772
-
Institutional
388,804
120,654
Commercial
316,289
-
Industrial
4,978
206,556
Downtown
240,560
2,101,808
Trans/Comm/Util/Waste
901,316
452,819
Manufacturing
827,857
108,089
Open Space
106,820
109,923
Planned Develpment
2,179,325
437,475
Under Construction
1,869
-
Parks and Open Space
106,820
-
Vacant
398,858
377,961
Transportation
29,185
3,663
Total
4,855,537
2,963,696
Total
4,855,516
2,963,624
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Detroit Blight Removal Coursework
Location: Detroit MI Advisor: Michael McCulloch Time: Nov- Dec,2015 Team members: Mengwei Sun, Shuo Gong
This project focuses on Detroit blight issues based on the study of Detroit Blight Removal Task Force Plan. In this project, we discussed the defination of blight and explored different anti-blight interventions. In addtion, we tried to zoom in to reveal the hidden value of those so called “ blighted properties�.
10,275 dumping properties 12,898 properties in poor condition 48,321 unoccupied properties 14
67,453 unmaintained properties
PROPERTIES OVERVIEW IN DETROIT
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BLIGHT DEFINATION AND CLASSIFICATION & BLIGHT REMOVAL ACTIONS From Detroit Blight Removal Task Force Plan 1. Legal intervention a) Volunteer Transfer b) Nuisance Abatement c) Demolition Judgement Lien and Foreclosure.
2. Physical intervention a)Repair & Rehab b)Secure c) Remove Neighborhood Structures -Deconstruction -Demolition -Recycling
Large-Scale Structures -Demolition
Vacant Lots - Clearing and maintaining 16
“As we dig into these properties and see what’s possible with them, we are recognizing that more can be saved — much more than people originally thought. Just because they have indications of blight doesn’t mean they have a fatal flaw. There had to be some intervention in order for all of those structures to not need to be torn down. That was the question: whether or not there would be appropriate intervention.” -- spokesman for the Detroit land bank 17
Porous Border Coursework
Location: Detroit MI Advisor: Michael McCulloch Time: Nov- Dec,2015 Team members: Mengwei Sun, Shuo Gong
|Affordable Housing Housing Rehabilitation Different types For artists: studios, art performance For communities: Affordable Housing Housing Construction
|Community Engaging Activities Neighborhood Arts Festival Performance in renovated abandoned houses Open Performance Bangla Music and language classes
|Funding Sources From The National Endowment for the Arts, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Team Detroit Private institutions and individuals
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EXISTING ART ENDEAVORS
Porous Border Festival
Outdoor Summer Concert Series
Popps Emporium
ACTORS & MECHANISM
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REHAB TYPE I
REHAB TYPE II
NEW CONSTRUCT
Solar Roof window repairing New electiral, plumbing and heat system SECTION
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Wall painting Art Installation
Cooperati
TION I
ive Housing
NEW CONSTRUCTION II
Multi-family house
NEW CONSTRUCTION III
Art Open House
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BIRDVIEW
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PHASING
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Claiborne Garden 2015 ULI Hines Competition
Location: New Orleans, LA Advisor: El Hadi Jazairy Time: Jan 12-26,2015 Team members: Mingchuan Yang, Mengwei Sun, Shuo Gong, Yubo Qiao, Zhencheng Cui
| Promoting Flood-Control Sustainability The Lafitte Greenway Flood-Control System Green Infrastructure Reduced Auto-independence | Reclaiming Claiborne Identity Transportation Accessibility Cultural Institutions Parade Route Festival & Music Plaza | Enhancing Local Economic Vibrancy Sharing Economy Neighborhood Retails Small Business Office Farmers Market Basic Education and Job Training Live-Work Units | Revitalizing Diversified Community Community Center Community Garden Affordable Housing Diversifies Activities
John & Amy “We just got married lately, and decided to live near Lafitte Greenway. It is very easy for us to walk dogs. We ofter ride bikes and do jogging to keep fit. Love this place, we can do anything we like.”
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Eric “I Live in affordable rentals. I am also the community college student. I Like living in downtown. In my spare time, I often play basketball, or hanging with friends.”
Peter “I own a restaurant selling local New Orleans cuisine. New Orleans is the city famous for food. I love eating. I have 15 employees. I choose this place due to its location. I lease commercial offices.”
Betty “I am a touring mania. I love to find the city legacy and beautiful sightseeing. Enjoy travelling and hearing the history stories. I found I love New Orleans once I came here for its diversified culture and history.”
SITE ANALYSIS
Alex & Katie & Anna & Douglas “Our family have lived for a while. We enjoy having picnic on Lafitte Greenway. We live in the apartment; and our two children go the community college to learn art, music or culture on weekends.
Lauren “I Work at UMC hospital complex. I am a dentist. I Rent an apartment and walk to my job. I Like public transit. I always take street car to New Orleans CDB or Mississipi River Front.
Charlie “I am a Jazz musician. I Live in the art studio. I often write my own song, I sell my personal CD, and do the street show under the space of the Claiborne Street. Many people love my music.”
Jason & Erin & Alice & Dan We are African-American family. We Live in an affordable housing; we often plant some vegetables in the community garden and share our food with our neighbor also sell it under Claiborne Street.
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READING GARDEN
TIME & EVENTS
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