Each year, Kent State University partners with graduate students at Lawrence Tech University and Ball State University for our Midwest Urban Design Charrette, a weekend-long design workshop where we collectively tackle an urban design project. Last year the CUDC hosted our visiting universities here in Northeast Ohio, working on the Akron Innerbelt redevelopment site. This year, we were all excited to caravan up to Lawrence Tech’s beautiful facility in Midtown Detroit.Over the weekend of October 20th through the 22nd, CUDC staff and students, plus a few Cleveland State University planning students, teamed up with our counterparts at Lawrence Tech and Ball State, working collaboratively between design disciplines. Three teams generated distinct ideas for the future of the Oakland Avenue Commercial Corridor in Detroit’s North End neighborhood.
The North End is known for its Motown past, its rich and collaborative arts culture, and its recent forays into large-scale urban agriculture. As development pressure increases in the Midtown neighborhood to the south, the North End could face new market demand and resulting development opportunities; however, many community members have specific concerns and ideas about what shape those opportunities should take. The students’ task across the weekend was not merely to generate realistic design ideas, but to do so while navigating a complex social fabric already existing in the neighborhood.
Group 1 design idea. Over an intense 48 hours, the students visited the site, including unique neighborhood assets like a schvitz (a historic public bathhouse) and an urban farm. After a team dinner, we all rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Saturday afternoon each team presented their initial ideas to the community, who had useful and specific feedback; the teams were able to take their input into their final design proposals. The final presentations, on Sunday afternoon, found a receptive community heartened by the incremental and pragmatic ideas for how to move their existing commercial corridor into a new and inclusive future.
Group 2 design idea.The final design ideas will be shepherded by our Lawrence Tech University partners, and assembled into a report with ideas for implementation. We look forward to revisiting the North End again the next time we’re fortunate enough to visit our neighbors to the north (maybe to check out the Schvitz now that it’s open again!). Thanks to Lawrence Tech for hosting another successful Midwest Urban Design Charrette!
Group 3 design idea.
Students from Cleveland Compete in National ULI Competition
This past month, graduate students from Kent State University, Cleveland State University, and Case Western Reserve University collaborated to partake in the ULI Gerald D. Hines Urban Design Competition. The competition asked students from design, planning, and finance backgrounds to join forces and produce a feasible real estate pro forma and design concept for a site on Chicago’s north side. The 25-acre site, situated along the Chicago River is part of a planned manufacturing district, while also seeing development pressure for housing and tech development. Students worked to produce schemes that included flex industrial space, university partnerships, transit-oriented development, affordable housing, and other development proposals. Teams also connected to Chicago’s new multi-use trail, the 606, crossing the river to create regional connections.
Students worked in teams of five at the CUDC throughout the two-week process. Professionals from the local community including architects, planners, developers, and bankers all participated as advisors and critics throughout the process. Evening feedback sessions had students present their work to these audiences to gauge feasibility and clarity in their concepts. The local Cleveland ULI chapter helps sponsor the event each year. Four teams in total participated this year from five six different disciplinary backgrounds. Teams from the Cleveland cohort then submitted their proposals to compete in the national competition. Results from the national competition will be released later this month.