U of M Urban Planning 505 Student Practicum Projects

Education and dynamic partnerships are two of the most valuable resources communities can utilize to combat the ill effects of the nations current economic downturn.  As many communities have been faced with dwindling staff time and resources the ability to leverage cost effective solutions and tangible plans of action has never been more essential.  Understanding the value of these two vibrant traits the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) has partnered with the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning on a series of graduate student practicum projects. 

In January of this year County Planners reached out to the University of Urban Planning Graduate School.  MCPED was able to secure six graduate student groups, 27 students total, from the Urban Planning 505 Fundamentals of Planning Practice course.  The main purpose of this course was to introduce students to the practical planning process, and to give the students an experience in going through the planning process by developing a plan for a real-life client.  During this semester, teams of students have been working alongside MCPED staff and City administrators developing planning documents and resource materials.  The projects that were selected by the student groups are:

• City of Eastpointe – Develop the administrative, legal, and legislative framework to establish the Eastpointe Corridor Improvement Authority from the south end of the City’s Downtown Development Authority to 8 Mile Road

• City of Mount Clemens – Feasibility and Sustainability analysis of establishing a Art Incubator in Mount Clemens in conjunction with the Anton Art Center and Mount Clemens Downtown Development Authority

• City of New Baltimore – Provide the City of New Baltimore Downtown Development Authority with strategic program objectives for the update of the Districts Development and Tax Increment Finance Plan Updates

• City of St Clair Shores – Formulate a strategic revitalization and redevelopment plan for the Jefferson Beach Marina property

• City of Utica – Redevelopment/Conceptual Design Plan for the Van Dyke study area of the Utica Downtown Development Authority

• City of Warren – Examination of a non-motorized trail network connection Warren City Hall to the Warren (Arden) Community Center

The services provided by the students are free of charge to the communities, and at the completion of the student’s academic semester each participating community will have a tangible planning document to assist them with implementation.  This partnership will provide Macomb county communities with professional grade planning documents and resources, while simultaneously providing the students with real world practical planning experiences.

This partnership will culminate in a day of presentations on April 23rd at the Warren Community Center located at 5460 Arden Warren, MI  48092 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.  The event is open to the general public and we encourage municipal leaders and staff members to partake in this event.