Lessons in community redevelopment

Editor's note: This story wraps up our series on developing communities in Michigan, made possible through the support of the Michigan Municipal League. This series updates reports on the same communities, Corktown, Marquette, and Heartside, from 2012. 

Three Michigan communities – Corktown in Detroit, Marquette in the Upper Peninsula, and Heartside in Grand Rapids, are experiencing urban resurgence. These successful efforts are evident in Issue Media Group’s recently completed series of special reports on these communities. Made possible with support from the Michigan Municipal League, the series updates previous reports on development in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Marquette and Heartside. 

Their long paths to revitalization vary, but they share commonalities. In all three communities, redevelopment has succeeded thanks to a combination of private enterprise, philanthropic and nonprofit organizations, government and public institutions, and involvement by local residents – in a nutshell, all of those with a vested interest in a community’s overall well-being.  And as we wrap the series we’re sharing some of the key themes and lessons that emerged from our reporting. 
 Even with incredible growth and development – sometimes unprecedented – each community has been able to maintain its unique identity. In fact, preserving authenticity was deemed vital for sustainable growth. These communities recognized that rather than emulating other successful communities, they needed to embrace and build upon their own local strengths. 

Consider Marquette. Thoughtful city planning laid the groundwork for the Upper Peninsula community to embrace its natural outdoor recreational assets, including the Lake Superior shoreline, biking and hiking trails, and ski areas. Marquette had been losing population for years, but doubling down on its access to outdoor recreation has attracted both remote workers and entrepreneurs helping to reverse population decline. 

In Grand Rapids, Heartside had long been considered the city’s arts neighborhood. The initial pioneers were artists who loved the neighborhood’s funky vibe, diversity, low rent and possibilities. Non-profit organizations also moved in, with an eye on cultivating diversity and inclusivity. Small businesses have followed as have major investments, including millions of dollars to build new housing, retail and entertainment venues. The neighborhood continues to evolve, but with an emphasis on its original status as a creative, accepting haven.

 Small and mom-and-pop businesses and entrepreneurs have had an instrumental role in redevelopment, often setting up shop in neglected and abandoned neighborhoods before big investment came along. Across the three communities we reported on, we heard that fostering a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem was critical to growth. 

That organic effort is particularly central to Corktown’s revitalization into a hub for entrepreneurship. A small entrepreneurial ecosystem created by residents and cultivated by a pair of brothers became the catalyst for change in Corktown, and over the years has lured millions of dollars in investment.

That investment culminated with Ford Motor Co.’s decision to renovate the long-abandoned Michigan Central Station in Corktown and create a hub of mobility innovation. The price tag? About $1 billion.

“From my perspective, if Corktown had no percolation, no activity, it would have been a much more difficult decision for Ford to make,” Dave Blaskiewicz, president and CEO of Invest Detroit, told Issue Media Group during the reporting about Corktown.


Collaboration is key

In each community, all those who care about the community’s well being had an important role to play. Residents’ needs were paramount to keeping that local identity strong and helping to define a place’s future. As noted above, entrepreneurs, creatives, and bold thinkers are often the drivers of progress. And major stakeholders, once they entered the picture, were critical to scaling efforts and ensuring funding.

As for local government, we found it was best positioned to serve as a facilitator: convening groups, helping navigate red tape, and providing access to resources—and not necessarily dictating what or how development should occur. Government agencies at all levels can and should help create the context for success without trying to control it.

Engaging younger demographics was also deemed crucial to community vitality. After all, the first step to growing population is to stop losing it. This means inviting young people to the table as stakeholders, listening to their needs, and taking their input seriously. By bringing younger voices into the conversation and meaningfully engaging them, communities can grow in a way that aligns with future generations’ dreams and priorities. 

While redevelopment has been good news for these communities, growth leads to other issues. All three communities face housing challenges and concerns about accommodating new residents while ensuring existing residents are not displaced. 

There are other concerns, too, as unique as the communities we covered in the series. In Heartside, maintaining inclusivity and diversity are top of mind. In Marquette, deluged with outdoor enthusiasts, there are concerns about the cost of maintaining public infrastructure. Does that burden fall entirely on residents or should visitors pay their fair share?

The success of these communities will be shared with others throughout the state, to help others learn from their insights and findings on the elements that can create thriving communities and how place-based work can help grow Michigan’s population and talent base.