School of Planning, Design and Construction Urban Collaborators

Van Dyke Corridor from 8 Mile Road to Stephens Road in Warren, Michigan. The goal of this plan is to strategically promote community-driven local economic development that helps increase livability, improve walkability, and provide equity-driven solutions for attracting development.

Social and economic data was used to analyze the current conditions of the area, providing a foundation to inform subsequent findings. Overall, the local population tends be younger and more diverse compared to city and county averages. The focus area has comparatively low median incomes, slow population growth, and high unemployment, along with significant disparities with regards to educational attainment and community health conditions. However, the area has housing – both in terms of rental and home ownership tenures – that is more affordable compared to the city overall. This may present opportunities for first-time homebuyers and lower-income families. A stable housing occupancy rate, combined with rising homeownership levels, indicates a gradual shift toward ownership in the area despite it being primarily a rental market. Local employment is primarily composed of blue collar and service-based sectors such as manufacturing, which typically provide lower incomes compared to white collar fields. Commercial offerings are dominated by automobile-based businesses, with a relatively high level of vacant or underused parcels. The structure of the local built environment follows this car based commercial area, with auto-centric infrastructure such as large thoroughfares, deficiencies in non-motorized infrastructure, and low walkability. However, local bus routes provide connectivity for destinations throughout the Detroit metro area.

The focus area includes a variety of assets related to health, education, recreation, food services, religion, and culture. Healthcare offerings are not very diverse, with nursing homes and a surgical outpatient facility immediately proximate to the corridor. This lack of proximity to health services may present barriers for residents without access to an automobile. In terms of education, it is primarily served by the Van Dyke and Center Line School Districts that offer locally accessible K-12 schooling sufficient for the local population. The area also has a small variety of local recreational offerings, with a community center and two parks within the focus area. This may be augmented by school parks and state parks, but there is a need for a greater variety of recreational options.

Food access is generally adequate, with 3 markets available for residents. No tracts within the study area are classified as food insecure; however, neighboring tracts exhibit higher levels of food insecurity and the area’s below-average incomes may present barriers to food access. Cultural offerings do not currently exist in the area, but a currently closed community theatre and planned art gallery may change that fact in the future. Finally, religious institutions under Christian and Islamic faiths are available locally. These provide local social services, such as childcare, in addition to gathering spaces for residents.

This document works to incorporate and build from previous plans surrounding both the city and the corridor. These plans focus on improving walkability, preserving the existing housing stock, improving pedestrian infrastructure, increasing local attractiveness, and revitalizing local storefronts. They all work to create a more livable and accessible environment for residents, but lack collaboration and coordination that translates into goals and action.

The market analysis shows how Warren’s economy is based on manufacturing and production industries, with over 21% of local employment and a significant regional specialization. This is followed by health care, retail trade, and accommodation and food services sectors that are significant contributors to the local economy. However, high wage, knowledge-based industries such as professional/technical services and information sectors are notably underrepresented. Local market conditions emphasize the need to diversify the local economic base - attracting a greater variety of industries would help improve local economic resilience and facilitate upward mobility for Warren residents.

This area has a variety of strengths and opportunities that may help the city improve local conditions for residents and businesses along the corridor. New public amenities, such as the public library and fire station along the corridor - in addition to pedestrian improvements, public art installations, small existing setbacks, and bike lanes - are an effective foundation for continued development. Looking towards the future, there are numerous opportunities surrounding the potential for increased density, available financial support from tax increment financing, availability of space for development, and potential for further non-motorized transportation improvements such as protected bike lanes. Some threats to this vision include the presence of blighted structures, public perception of crime in the focus area, increased potential for serious flooding and heat-related events, and disruptions to the auto industry that may impact the local economy.

Recommendations included in the report, based on analyses of local conditions and existing case studies, serve to inform future planning decisions with a community-based vision for the future of the corridor. Divided into rebranding, zoning reform, community wealth building, business development, and placemaking sections, they aim to provide holistic and informed recommendations that build wealth from the ground up while improving local livability and vibrancy. Rebranding focuses on establishing a brand for the corridor in order to improve its attractiveness for and visibility to businesses, residents, and visitors alike. Zoning reforms principally aims to guide revisions of the zoning ordinance to allow for higher density and mixed-use developments that work to make the area more pedestrian friendly while developing the local economy and increasing housing diversity.

Community wealth building through cooperative ownership, pop-up businesses, and entrepreneurship works to promote community economic development that provides avenues for economic mobility and community-owned developments. Similarly, business development focuses on identifying opportunities for node activation and redevelopment of underused properties. This works to give emerging local business owners the chance to expand their businesses, promoting economic development and increased tax revenues while activating spaces. Placemaking furthers this effort expanding upon current revitalization efforts to remove barriers to development, prioritizing a greater variety of public space, and increasing environmental resilience. Together, these actions work to leverage local assets and potential to establish place, equitably develop the local economy, make the corridor more vibrant, and provide a more conducive environment for pedestrian activity.