The expansion of suburbia into undeveloped lands has had a major effect on our urban environments. These effects have resulted in both businesses and residents leaving cities for the greener pastures of suburbia. As a result many neighborhoods in cities such as Detroit have been left vacant and rundown. These left over sites offer a chance to bring new life to the communities in which they are located. New affordable communities can be created within the urban core, thus providing a new start for local residents and a reason for suburbanites to relocate back to the city.This project will be focusing on a redevelopment plan for the Historic Ford Model-T factory in Highland Park, Michigan. This small community lies within the borders of the city of Detroit and suffers from many of the previously described problems. Inadequate housing is a major issue for the city's residents along with the negative image that these vacant and run-down buildings portray. Recent developments show that there is an interest in reinvestment within the city through two recently constructed shopping plazas, and a new industrial complex that are within one city block of the site. Providing appealing housing options incorporated with places of business, can bring life back to a city that has lost so much as seen in other communities. The advent of the affordable automobile and highway system has helped in the demise of this community. This site is an important link to the areas past and present heritage as the motor capital of the world. Henry Ford was very involved in the creation of communities by building entire towns in order to provide housing for his workers, which is why this site is perfect to redevelop with housing. The main goal for this project is to create a better place to live for the current and future residents and a place that symbolizes the identity of its rich manufacturing past. The final product will be a conceptual master plan that will fit within an urban environment and meet the needs of the community. The methodology that I will use will consist of literature review and case studies of similar projects. It is my intention that this information will aid me in creating a conceptual master plan based on my two primary goals: to create a safe and unique place for the residents to call home and create a catalyst for more development. / Department of Landscape Architecture
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/187906 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Wilcox, Timothy D. |
| Contributors | Blalock, Joseph C. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vi, 70 leaves : ill. (chiefly col.), col. maps., col. plans (1 folded) ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | n-us-mi |
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