February 13th, 2013
By John Gardocki, Greater Ohio Policy Center Intern
“Cities are living places that require ongoing awareness and firm yet flexible approaches to decision making which acknowledge changing realities and multiple voices, leading to pragmatic and agreed-on solutions” (Detroit Future City Framework, 12).
Future City, a two year report offering short and long term solutions to restore Detroit was recently released by Detroit Works. It is the culmination of an in-depth 24 month process involving 30,000 interviews, 70,000 surveys, and hundreds of public meetings.
Below are some key statistics that demonstrate the challenges Detroit is facing and the need to come together to solve these problems.
- 79,725 out of 350,000 units are vacant in the city of Detroit-meaning the city has an astounding vacancy rate of 22.7%
- 700,000 people live in a city originally designed for 2 million people.
- There is only one job for every four Detroit residents
- A recent survey of Detroit residents revealed that nearly one-third of the respondents would leave the city within five years, citing safety as the top reason.
Four major targets are to be evaluated in 2030 that stakeholders see in their vision that will be accomplished from the framework.
By 2030, Detroit will have a stabilized population
By 2030 the city will have two or three jobs for each person living in the city
By 2030, the Detroit Metropolitan region has an integrated regional public transportation system
By 2030, Detroit will become a city for all
The plan outlines several strategies that should be put into place to make a permanent transformation in Detroit over the next 20 years or more. There are five major planning elements: Economic Growth, Land Use, City Systems, Neighborhoods, and Land and Building Assets built within the framework to enforce the strategies:
- Economic Growth is intended to make Detroit’s economy more knowledge based by utilizing four economic pillars: Global Trade/Industrial, Digital/Creative, Local Entrepreneurship, and Education & Medical. The four knowledge based sectors are meant to diversify the workforce.
- Land Use is integral to transforming Detroit by addressing four key ideas: A City of Multiple Employment Districts, A City of Connecting People to Opportunity, A Green City Where Landscapes Contribute to Health, and A City of Distinct, Attractive Neighborhoods. The city’s current footprint is too expansive to meet the current population and fiscal capacity and so it needs to be refocused to be more sustainable.
- City Systems revises the path to sustainable systems by using three transformative ideas: Strategic Infrastructure Renewal, Landscape As 21st Century Infrastructure, and Diversified Transportation for Detroit and The Region. This element is important to the city to determine which systems are critical to remain online, discontinued, or upgraded. Financially the city cannot afford to give out these resources to areas that are not populated.
- Neighborhood utilizes five ideas to create more choices for residents: A City of Many Assets, A City of Neighborhood Choices, A City of Different Strategies for Different Neighborhoods, A City of Diverse Housing Types for Diverse Populations, and A City of Residents Who Engage In Their Own Futures. To remain competitive and meet the demands of a 21st century city, Detroit needs to understand the needs of their many neighborhoods and the unique challenges each neighborhood may face.
- Land and Building Assets is critical to solving Detroit’s vacancy problems which will be initiated by: A City That Shares A Vision: Coordinating the Management of Vacant Land, A City Where Everything Is Connected: Viewing Vacant and Problem Properties Within One Interrelated System, A City of Strategic Approaches: Recognizing The Uniqueness of Each Property’s Value and Challenges, A New Urban Landscape: Using Land for Infrastructure And Innovation, and a City Where Public Facility Investments Count: Aligning Public Facilities With Land Use Transportation. Detroit has numerous neighborhoods that are beset by blight and have vacant land that needs to be utilized for new uses like parks, urban farming, and commercialization. To get a handle on the declining population will mean a critical movement to alter the vacancy problem in Detroit.
The use of info-graphics and GIS data helps to showcase Detroit’s urban crises and how they are interconnected. Figuring out exactly where the problems are heavily weighted will help impact the city’s strategy.
Detroit has a wide range of economic assets that should be capitalized on to fuel economic growth. Assets include existing businesses, institutions and transportation infrastructure. (Detroit Future City Framework, 38).
This first of its kind report can be a great tool for other cities across America facing similar problems to better assess and find new and innovative solutions.
Posted in Best Practices, Cities in Transition, Innovation, Quality of Place, Smart Growth, Vacant and Abandoned Property | 1 Comment »
January 25th, 2013
On our journey from Cincinnati to Columbus to Cleveland for the joint ULI/GOPC/LOCUS event series, “Advancing Ohio’s Urban Agenda: Walkable Communities for Globally Competitive Cities,” trends amongst the three cities became apparent as participants engaged in the dialogue about addressing the market demand for walkable development in Ohio. We were able to capture some of these trends in both text and film (yes, videos are coming!) form and would like to share some of the key highlights with you.
Highlights from the Events:
Tags: Christopher Leinberger, LOCUS, ULI, Walkable Development
Posted in Infrastructure, On The GO, Quality of Place, Smart Growth, Transit | No Comments »
January 18th, 2013
In Ohio and around the country, real estate developers and investors are recognizing pent-up demand for and a market shift toward sustainable, walkable urban places. Despite this paradigm shift and change in market momentum, many local, state and federal policies currently in place distort development incentives and hamper efforts to create the development consumers want and that support strong local economies. Urban developers and real estate and land use experts can align to provide state and national policy makers with expert advice on current consumer demand and the many benefits of urban and metropolitan growth strategies.
Over the past few days—January 16th and 17th—Greater Ohio traveled to Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland to co-host events with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) district councils of Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, as well as LOCUS to host “Advancing Ohio’s Urban Agenda: Walkable Communities for Globally Competitive Cities,” an exclusive series featuring Christopher Leinberger, President of LOCUS—a national network of real estate developers and investors that advocates for sustainable, walkable urban development in America’s metropolitan areas.
These first-of-their-kind events in Ohio provided a forum to connect developers from urban centers across the state to discuss the demand for sustainable communities. The gatherings were a critical first step toward identifying ways to inform policymakers and ultimately help more communities across Ohio develop in ways that are sustainable for the environment, the people living in them, and their bottom lines.
Click here to read Mark Ferenchick’s Columbus Dispatch article on the Columbus event: “Walkable urban development will keep younger professionals in Columbus, expert says”.
Posted in Events, Infrastructure, On The GO, Quality of Place, Smart Growth, Transit | No Comments »
December 27th, 2012
On December 11, 2012, Greater Ohio Policy Center’s Executive Director Lavea Brachman joined a panel of urban experts at the “Revitalizing the Legacy Cities of Upstate New York” convening. The panel held at Syracuse University, opened the two day event, discussing shared challenges and new strategies “legacy cities” can utilize to become globally competitive, build a world class innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and be more innovative with vacant property and land.
Brachman stressed the importance of collaboration between legacy cities in disseminating best practices and new polices. Brachman also spoke of the need for cities to work more regionally and convince people of the center city’s connectedness to a region’s strength.
For more information about the event, visit the SyracuseU Live twitter feed.
Posted in Cities in Transition, Innovation, On The GO, Quality of Place, Vacant and Abandoned Property | 1 Comment »
December 27th, 2012
By Lavea Brachman, Executive Director, Greater Ohio Policy Center
With the aftermath of the election barely behind us and the so-called “fiscal cliff” looming, political polarization seems unabated. But beneath the surface and beyond the drama of the national election in “battleground Ohio,” Ohio is less divided in ways that matter to economic progress. As a bipartisan state policy organization, we are privileged to observe the similarities of governing and good policies among policymakers of both parties.
First, the urban-rural divide characterizing Ohio for decades has quietly and gradually begun to fade away. Seven major regions in the state exist now, centered around cities. Rural places are increasingly economically dependent on the urban areas and their satellites. But benefits extend in both directions- for example, urban Columbus-ites enjoy the proximity of the Hocking Hills while those in the Appalachian region benefit from health care and spin off jobs from the city.
Second, for over a decade, policymakers have been turning these regions into the building blocks of the new economy. Democratic and Republican governors alike embraced the concepts found in a seminal report completed in the mid-2000’s during the Taft Administration, identifying key economic regions in the state and critical industries. A regional economic development approach was initiated under Governor Strickland with now Governor Kasich working on economic redevelopment through on-the-ground regional organizations. While implementation scenarios vary, regional economic growth efforts – corresponding loosely to metropolitan regions — are starting to take hold.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Economic Development, Governance Reform, Innovation, Latest News, Quality of Place, Regionalism, Vacant and Abandoned Property | No Comments »
December 14th, 2012
By John Gardocki, Greater Ohio Policy Center Intern
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman recently announced a plan to roll out the first bike share program in the state in the summer of 2013. The metropolitan cities of Chicago, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, and Portland all have successful programs. New York City and Columbus seem to be the next big ones to join in the craze.
Managed by Alta Bicycle Share, the program will include approximately 30 stations with 10 bikes at each station for a total of 300 bicycles- however you can return the bike at any of the 30 stations located at major spots in Downtown and the surrounding communities.
Public involvement will be integral for the locations of the bike share stations. With the addition of the bike share program, Columbus will have an additional transit option in the downtown area for residents and business people. Alta operates Capital Bike share in the Washington, D.C. area, Hubway in the Boston Metro, Melbourne Bike Share (Australia), and Chattanooga’s Bicycle Transit System. Capital Bike Share has seen an increase in all types of memberships since beginning operations in 2010.
There are many pro-bike coalitions across the U.S. that collect statistics to compare with other modes of transportation. It is important to document the statistics of bicycling so people can see whether or not it will be beneficial for them to switch modes of transportation. Bikes Belong is an organization devoted to increasing the amount of bikers on the roads. Bike commuters report lower stress and greater feelings of freedom, relaxation, and excitement than car commuters. Appleton, M., 2011 While Columbus has a relatively stress-free commute compared to other metropolitan cities; it still puts a hamper on people’s behaviors.
Bike share is a cost effective solution for urban center residents and workers to commute sustainably. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics in 2010 stated, “The average American household spends $7,179 per year on owning and driving their cars. Cost savings for riding a bicycle are incredible especially if it is done on a daily basis.”
With the implementation of the bike share Columbus will not only be providing more transit options; but also improving the region’s health by reducing carbon emissions and encouraging exercise. With more people bicycling on the streets, drivers should be more willing to share the road thus making it safer for all types of transportation modes. This exciting development will be watched closely as implementation occurs because Columbus residents have been seeking greater investment into transportation choices.
Posted in Infrastructure, Innovation, Quality of Place, Transit | 1 Comment »
November 9th, 2012
By John Gardocki, Greater Ohio Intern
I attended the 2012 Ohio Kentucky Indiana (OKI) Regional Conference in Columbus, Ohio on September 19. Experts from around the Midwest gave insight into how their cities and partners are striving for economic growth based around places of value during the “Economies of Place” workshop.
Bringing back value into communities to spark economic and population growth is of key importance in the 21st century where millennials are getting into the workplace and housing market. The baby boomers are retiring at growing rates and want to move to more urban areas where they have amenities and public places to visit.
Strong Towns is a group that supports models for growth that allow town’s to become financially strong and resilient. Charles Marohn, the Executive Director of Strong Towns talked about his hometown in rural Minnesota that had built a strong community with valuable areas for the town people. High density was visible along main roadways with pedestrian amenities and a park right in the middle of the town for people to congregate. Today, that town is mainly one story commercial buildings with parking lots for each of them. He hopes his hometown will see the potential in putting value back into the once strong town.
Columbus is home to a new investment into community value, the Columbus Commons project developed by Columbus Downtown Development Corporation. Phase 1 has been completed with an urban park located in the urban core of downtown. Phase 2 has broken ground to complete an apartment style complex along one of the busiest streets downtown. Columbus is following New York’s example of Central Park. The edges of the park are set to be developed just like Central Park’s edges were built up over the years that sustained high values of buildings.
The event ended with a push to bring back the placemaking education we learned to our own communities. People from the age of 18-retirement age at the conference are making a difference in how we view our communities. It is now my turn as a millennial to start making a difference and bring back a feeling of “place” into the Columbus community.
Posted in Economic Development, Quality of Place | No Comments »
August 29th, 2012
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine wrote an Op-Ed in the Dayton Business Journal on his innovative Moving Ohio Forward Program, highlighting efforts already underway in Fayette, Licking Mahoning, and Richland Counties.
The MOF grant supports Ohio’s communities undertaking activities to demolish abandoned and vacant residential properties. It is estimated that 100,000 residential buildings across Ohio need to be demolished. Abandoned and vacant properties often pose significant barriers to neighborhood revitalization and so, demolition funding from the Attorney General’s office will help encourage productive reuse of formerly vibrant properties in our cities, villages and townships. The Ohio Attorney General contracted with GOPC to provide technical assistance to southern Ohio counties on strategic planning.
Funding for the Moving Ohio Forward Program comes from a $25 billion national settlement with the nation’s five largest mortgage lenders and services over foreclosure abuses, fraud and unacceptable mortgage practices.
Posted in Quality of Place, Vacant and Abandoned Property | 2 Comments »
July 19th, 2012
Image from the Over-the-Rhine Blog
By Ezra Katz and Marianne Eppig
A Cincinnati neighborhood recently on a downward spiral is showing signs of revitalization. Over-the-Rhine, a historic district in Cincinnati famous for its Italianate architecture and proximity to the city center, recently re-opened its 150-year-old Washington Park after over a year and a half of renovations.
Over-the-Rhine, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been in a state of decline since WWII. Anti-German sentiment following the war led city residents to “Americanize” the neighborhood’s German heritage, including German street names and organizations. The neighborhood attracted a lower-income demographic with its affordable housing and labor opportunities. With time the neighborhood went into decline, at one point becoming one of the poorest and most crime ridden neighborhoods in the country; the rate of poverty reached 58% and unemployment came just over 25%.
In 2003, the City of Cincinnati partnered with the city’s private sector to create the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) to help revitalize the area. 3CDC has focused on acquiring and leading the rehabilitation of abandoned properties within a 110 square block area of Over-the-Rhine. Among other initiatives, 3CDC, alongside the City of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Parks, helped to renovate Washington Park—an indication that Over-the-Rhine is making great strides toward revitalization.
The park has grown from 6 to 8 acres and includes some new amenities: a kids’ section, interactive water fountains, a dog park, updated restrooms, a concessions building, and a “civic lawn” that will host concerts and events. Neighborhood leaders are hopeful that Washington Park will serve as a civic center for Over-the-Rhine, fostering a sense of community and drawing people to public spaces that could attract future development for the district.
For more about the revitalization of Washington Park and Over-the-Rhine, visit these links:
The Park at the Forefront of Cincinnati’s Revitalization
Over-the-Rhine Blog
3CDC Website
Tags: 3CDC, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation, Over-the-Rhine, Washington Park
Posted in Guest Post, Quality of Place | No Comments »
July 9th, 2012
The recent upsurge in demand for rental properties in Columbus’ downtown neighborhoods has gained increasing exposure in news sources. The Columbus Dispatch article “Urban Renewal” notes that, “The urban-living renaissance is real” and that
“more and more people, especially young singles, have come to demand the benefits that only city life can bestow: restaurants, entertainment, parks and workplaces within walking distance; a lively atmosphere; and plenty of other young professionals as neighbors.”
These trends are also apparent in U.S. Census data: between 2000 and 2010, the City of Columbus grew in population by 10.6%.
National trends, cited by the likes of LOCUS President Chris Leinberger and the Urban Land Institute, have suggested that both Baby Boomers and Generation Y are moving back to inner cities to take advantage of the many available amenities and walkable communities. At Greater Ohio Policy Center, we were interested in finding whether these trends held true for Ohio’s eight largest cities.
An upcoming GOPC report will explain the trends for Baby Boomers and Generation Y living in and around Ohio’s major cities. The graphs below present a preview of some of our findings:
Figure 1. The above chart compares the percentage of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1965 for this study) and Generation Y (born between 1981 and 2000 for this study) in the City of Columbus and the surrounding metropolitan area between 1970 and 2010. There was a 6.04% growth of Generation Y in City of Columbus from 2000 to 2010. Source: U.S. Census.
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Tags: Baby Boomers, Chris Leinberger, Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Underground, Generation Y, LOCUS, Ohio, ULI, Urban Land Institute
Posted in Cities in Transition, Quality of Place, Smart Growth | 1 Comment »
