Corktown Detroit, Michigan Michigan Central Station, Ford, Corktown, Detroit, and the Future of Mobility A ULI Advisory Services Panel Report December 2–7, 2018 Corktown Detroit, Michigan Michigan Central Station, Ford, Corktown, Detroit, and the Future of Mobility A ULI Advisory Services Panel Report December 2–7, 2018 Urban Land Institute 2001 L Street, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036-4948 uli.org About the Urban Land Institute THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE is a global, member-driven Peer-to-peer learning is achieved through the knowledge organization comprising more than 42,000 real estate shared by members at thousands of convenings each year that and urban development professionals dedicated to advancing reinforce ULI’s position as a global authority on land use and the Institute’s mission of providing leadership in the real estate. In 2018 alone, more than 2,200 events were held in responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining about 330 cities around the world. thriving communities worldwide. Drawing on the work of its members, the Institute recognizes ULI’s interdisciplinary membership represents all aspects and shares best practices in urban design and development of the industry, including developers, property owners, for the benefit of communities around the globe. investors, architects, urban planners, public officials, real estate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, financiers, More information is available at uli.org. Follow ULI on and academics. Established in 1936, the Institute has a Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. presence in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific region, with members in 81 countries. ULI’s extraordinary impact on land use decision making is based on its members’ sharing expertise on a variety of factors affecting the built environment, including urbanization, demographic and population changes, new economic drivers, technology advancements, and environmental concerns. COVER PHOTO: Cali Slepin © 2019 by the Urban Land Institute 2001 L Street, NW | Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20036-4948 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or any part of the contents of this publication without written permission of the copyright holder is prohibited. About ULI Advisory Services THE GOAL OF THE ULI ADVISORY SERVICES program is to A major strength of the program is ULI’s unique ability bring the finest expertise in the real estate field to bear on to draw on the knowledge and expertise of its members, complex land use planning and development projects, programs, including land developers and owners, public officials, and policies. academics, representatives of financial institutions, and others. In fulfillment of the mission of the Urban Land Since 1947, this program has assembled well over 700 ULI- Institute, this Advisory Services panel report is intended member teams to help sponsors find creative, practical to provide objective advice that will promote the responsible solutions for issues such as downtown redevelopment, land use of land to enhance the environment. management strategies, evaluation of development potential, growth management, community revitalization, brownfield ULI Program Staff redevelopment, military base reuse, provision of low-cost and affordable housing, and asset management strategies, among Paul Bernard other matters. A wide variety of public, private, and nonprofit Executive Vice President, Advisory Services organizations have contracted for ULI’s advisory services. Thomas W. Eitler Each panel team is composed of highly qualified professionals Senior Vice President, Advisory Services who volunteer their time to ULI. They are chosen for their Paul Angelone knowledge of the panel topic and screened to ensure their Director, Advisory Services objectivity. ULI’s interdisciplinary panel teams provide a holistic look at development problems. A respected ULI member who Lauren M. Callaghan has previous panel experience chairs each panel. Director, Advisory Services The agenda for a five-day panel assignment is intensive. It Jaqueline Canales includes an in-depth briefing day composed of a tour of the Director, Advisory Services site and meetings with sponsor representatives; a day of hour-long interviews of typically 50 to 100 key community Cali Slepin representatives; and two days of formulating recommendations. Senior Associate, Advisory Services Long nights of discussion precede the panel’s conclusions. On James A. Mulligan the final day on site, the panel makes an oral presentation of Senior Editor its findings and conclusions to the sponsor. A written report is prepared and published. Joanne Platt, Publications Professionals LLC Manuscript Editor Because the sponsoring entities are responsible for significant preparation before the panel’s visit, including sending extensive Brandon Weil briefing materials to each member and arranging for the panel Art Director to meet with key local community members and stakeholders Deanna Pineda, Muse Advertising Design in the project under consideration, participants in ULI’s five-day Graphic Designer panel assignments are able to make accurate assessments of a sponsor’s issues to provide recommendations in a compressed Craig Chapman amount of time. Senior Director, Publishing Operations Acknowledgments On behalf of the Urban Land Institute, the panel would like to thank Ford Motor Company, the sponsor, for the invitation to come to Detroit to examine its investment in Michigan Central Station and several properties in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. A special thank-you goes to Chris Small and Jackie Shuk with Ford Land and Paul Urbiel with Gensler for their support and for putting together the panel’s briefing materials. In addition, thank you to the many other sponsor committee members who made the week a success, including Mary Culler, Dave Dubensky, Todd Brooks, and Jim Malloure. The panel also thanks Shannon Sclafani, Corissa Green, Lisa Youngs, and ULI Michigan for their help with scheduling stakeholder interviews, answering questions, and providing insight to the panel. Finally, the panel would like to thank the more than 90 residents, business and community leaders, and representatives from Corktown, Detroit, and the surrounding area who shared their perspectives, experiences, and insights with the panel over the week. Contents 2 19 ULI Panel and Make a Place That Project Staff Is Inclusive, Authentic, and Equitable 3 Background and 23 the Panel’s Assignment Celebrate Heritage and Legacy of Place 7 Introduction 27 Build the Foundation for Success 9 Optimize for Innovation and Integration 30 Conclusion 15 Facilitate the Future 31 of Mobility About the Panel CALISLEPIN ULI Panel and Project Staff Panel Chair Malaika Abernathy Scriven Interim Chief of Staff Marilee Utter D.C. Office of Planning President and Founder Washington, D.C. CitiVenture Associates LLC Denver, Colorado Lynn Thurber Chairman of the Board LaSalle Investment Management Panel Members Chicago, Illinois Darnell Grisby Robert Yakas Director, Policy Development and Research Senior Designer American Public Transportation Association MSA Consulting Inc. Washington, D.C. Rancho Mirage, California Paul Lang Paul Bernard (Strategic Adviser) Vice Chair Executive Vice President, Advisory Services Central Terminal Restoration Corporation Urban Land Institute Buffalo, New York Washington, D.C. Molly McCabe CEO and Founder HaydenTanner ULI Project Staff Bigfork, Montana Lauren M. Callaghan Director, Advisory Services Alysia Davis Osborne Vice President, Planning and Development Alissa Akins Charlotte Center City Partners Manager, Member Meetings Charlotte, North Carolina Cali Slepin Robert Palmer Senior Associate, Advisory Services Planning/Mobility Leader RS&H Michaela Kadonoff Jacksonville, Florida Associate, Meetings and Events Janet Protas Senior Vice President of Development IBT Group LLC Chicago, Illinois 2 A ULI Advisory Services Panel Report ULI, GOOGLE ULI, Background and the Panel’s Assignment ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC BUILDINGS IN DETROIT, Michigan Central Station opened to the public in 1913 to serve trains and passengers on the Michigan Central Railroad, a subsidiary of the New York Central Railroad. However, by 1988, the station had closed, and passenger rail was rerouted to a station on West Baltimore Avenue, a short distance away in downtown Detroit. A large building with both a grand passenger waiting area and a connected office tower, the station has been vacant since its closure and for some has become a symbol of the disinvestment and disconnection challenges the city has faced. Towering above the surrounding commercial and residential Over the past several years, Corktown has experienced buildings, the station is visible from most parts of Corktown, a resurgence of interest, particularly with the addition of the neighborhood where it is located. Corktown is considered new businesses along Michigan Avenue. In addition to its the oldest neighborhood in Detroit today. Given its history and established historic housing stock, a few development surviving stock of Victorian homes, much of the neighborhood projects in and immediately around Corktown are also adding is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has residences, among other uses. As the title of an August 2018 been designated a historic district by the city of Detroit. article on visitdetroit.com states, “There’s a Reason for All the Founded in 1834, Corktown began as a neighborhood of largely Hype about Corktown.” Irish immigrants. Over the