Detroit Works Project - Detroit Future City

submitted by Gary Vroegindewey

http://detroitworksproject.com/for-detroit-to-work-we-need-action-today/

The Detroit Works Project was introduced in 2010 as a process to create a shared, achievable vision for Detroit’s future to improve the quality of life and business in Detroit.

It began with a series of meetings to engage residents in the process. Initially we heard from nearly 10,000 of you who told us for Detroit to work, action is needed today while we continue to plan for tomorrow.

As a response, Mayor Dave Bing introduced the separation of the Detroit Works Project into two tracks in July of 2011—Short Term Actions and Long Term Planning.

As city officials continued to spearhead Short Term Actions, they worked to realign some city services and leverage available resources to make improvements in neighborhoods based on market conditions.

At the same time, the Long Term Planning for the project continued and was led by a Steering Committee who oversaw the technical and civic engagement teams that worked with the community to produce the Long Term Strategic Framework Plan. Part of that process included the community, urban designers, landscape architects, engineers and economists collaborating during a series of activities, including community conversations and round-table meetings. These meetings blended research and data with on-the-ground experiences not usually captured in reports and studies.

That framework is now complete and called Detroit Future City. The final leg of the ground-breaking journey to create that guide for decision-making represented the end of the beginning. Within it are actionable and innovative strategies to improve the quality of life and business in Detroit as we move forward.

What is in Detroit Future City?

Detroit Future City is a comprehensive, action-oriented roadmap for decision-making. The framework will establish near and long range strategies for:

1.) economic growth and attracting new job opportunities for residents,

2.) stabilization and growth of neighborhoods and employment centers,

3.) more efficient practices for improving city systems and infrastructure,

4.) reforms to zoning that accommodate modern and innovative land uses, and

5.) strategies that help put our public land assets into more coordinated, strategic and productive use.

6.) civic engagement

Detroit Future City will help to better align Detroit’s assets over the next five-to-20-years in ways that have never been thought about before. Implementation will require the involvement of government, businesses and investors, neighborhood and community groups, philanthropic organizations, and other non-governmental organizations.