Dearborn residents will get the chance this month to have their say in plans for development near Dearborn’s Intermodal Passenger Rail Station.
A Dec. 12 forum on Transit Oriented Development and ask for resident input on planning for future economic, housing and environmental developments surrounding the train station.
Global Green Report: More Pedestrians, Housing Needed
As construction began last summer on the federally funded train station, Dearborn was also .
TOD is a process by which municipalities build their community around a transportation hub—in this case, the train station. The project is centered on creating a vibrant district for living and working, as well as ensuring that the space is sustainable, pedestrian-friendly, and welcoming to a diverse range of residents and visitors.
Dearborn’s TOD district extends a quarter-mile radius from the train station.
Global Green’s recently released study—which extends further into west downtown but encompasses the TOD district—examines ways in which the city can improve the area’s appeal and use in sustainable ways.
Download the full report from the City of Dearborn website.
Among their observations, explained Jessica Turner of the city’s Planning Department, Global Green felt that the district needs to be more pedestrian friendly, have more downtown housing, as well as encourage higher environmental standards for new and existing developments.
“This is ultimately building a future that’s … more environmentally responsible,” Turner explained, adding that the city “should promote housing developments … particularly student housing.”
Ideas for the district included both specific and general recommendations:
- West downtown, as a district, should extend to the train station
- Eliminating the right-hand turn lane at Michigan Avenue onto Brady Street to make the crossing safer for pedestrians and bicyclists
- Planting more trees
- Developing a defined bicycle plan for the district
- Long term, creating on-street parking on Michigan Avenue in west downtown, as well as a “bike share” program with drop off/pick up stations near downtown
- Filling in “empty” space—such as at Michigan and Brady, or near the parking decks on West Village Drive—with student housing
“There’s no need for any further non-residential development,” Turner said, “yet the area could benefit from a larger residential population.”
Residents: What Do You Think?
The next step in the process is gauging residents’ feelings on the proposals, which will be done at the Dec. 12 TOD forum.
The forum will be in Studio A at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and will include food and the possibility of prizes.
Though TOD is not a familiar concept to most, Dearborn Economic and Community Development Department Barry Murray said he hopes the concept won’t deter residents from joining in the conversation.
“Please come and share your ideas about how the west Dearborn area can capitalize on the benefits of having a major train station in one of our downtowns, and how we can build on our community’s traditions to generate a unique sense of place,” Murray urged. “It’s meant to be fun, while at the same time giving people a chance to speak up about what they think should be included in the future development of west Dearborn neighborhoods and business areas.”
The forum is open to all, including residents throughout Dearborn, business owners, and those who work and go to school in Dearborn.
A three-day forum on TOD will take place in January.
Supporting the event through door prizes, food and beverages are: Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse, Bailey’s Pub & Grille, BD's Mongolian Grill, L.A. Bistro, Merle Norman, Sophia’s Giftique, Starbucks, The Post Bar, Westborn Market and PizzaPapalis.
Correction: This article originally stated that the TOD district extends to Military Street. This is incorrect.
As a part-time Los Angeleno, the City Carbon Index is completely unknown locally and likely means more taxes heaped on businesses. What is known: Is that Santa Monica has gone beyond sensibility with shared-lanes on the streets. There are "sharrows" painted everywhere. Recent legislation prohibits motorists from coming within 3 feet of a cyclist. Somehow, all of the responsibility accrues to the driver as your license plate can be reported to the police by cyclists, whereas the cyclists have no identifying markings and cannot be reported for riding on sidewalks, etc. Keep in mind, that Santa Monica has a mild climate and biking is a year-round activity - not so much in Dearborn. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
Don't get me started on the bicycle sharing (rental) program, which are stalled in large metropolitan areas like Chicago and New York: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/14315965-418/citys-bike-sharing-program-delayed-until-next-year.html. These concepts are urban planner fantasies that will only end badly (cost overruns and implementing bike lanes) in cold weather climates.
The city hopes to see Dearborn become a "destination," as well as a place where residents can hop on a train to head out to Ann Arbor or Chicago for a weekend, or even a class at U of M. Your comments about the biking-related aspects of this are very interesting. Do you think making Dearborn a bicycle-friendly city would be a waste of funds that wouldn't pay off?
Enticing businesses to Dearborn is achieved by making it easy and attractive to locate or start a business not by removing existing paved thoroughfares to create bike lanes and shared lanes. Communities claiming some degree of bicycle-friendliness are located in semi-arid Mediterranean climates like California. In mild climates, bicycling is dependable transportation, whereas the Great Lakes are blessed with fresh water due to copious amounts of precipitation as well as frigid winters. Dearborn would be wise to walk before it runs...er, bikes. Keep in mind that the Global Green folks headquartered in Santa Monica live in a different world. Santa Monica is blessed with ocean beachfront where bicycle rentals along the bike paths ARE a business http://www.labikepaths.com/bike-paths/santa-monica-venice/. We're talking Dearborn here. Bike paths along the Rouge River and around Ford Field - fine. Taking a precious traffic lane from Michigan Avenue for bikes is a nutty idea.
Be advised; Amtrak is not well suited for commuter needs. This is why Chicago's light rail is provided by the CTA, Metra and South Shore lines: http://metrarail.com/content/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/metra_system_map.html.
Moreover, the Twin Cities experience less precipitation but colder average temperatures. You get more sunshine in the winter in Minneapolis, but the cold temperatures maintain the snow cover. For this reason, Minneapolis also offers the Skyway connecting buildings downtown http://www.skywaymyway.com/.
You are putting the cart before the horse. Why should interesting businesses come to Dearborn if customers can't access them? Other communities such as Northville, Plymouth, Farmington have walkability and interesting businesses as a result. Royal Oak in the 60s was a 'loser' city. They slowed down the main thoroughfare, made it pedestrian friendly, and the result is a thriving business climate. If we slow down Michigan ave, allow folks to see the businesses and access them from front and back, we will give a reason for interesting businesses to open their doors, in fact, folk will take the train all the way from Ann Arbor just to visit our city, if we provide the means of access and a reason for them to come. As a cynic, you are not suited to be a business owner, so stick to the 'eat out and get drunk' scenario, Dearborn appreciates your business no matter how you spend your money....and thanks for being a part of this forum....all views count.....
You can only have so many Royal Oaks and Ann Arbors. Look at all the empty store fronts in Northville and Plymouth. Take Troy for example. They're a big suburb with lots of businesses without a downtown area. I'm sure people could argue that the Big Beaver corridor is a downtown area, but Troy doesn't have that cool downtown Ann Arbor vibe. What Troy does have is a nice set of posh shopping establishments, restaurants, hotels, etc. They found out how to be the best Troy they could be- it might not be Ann Arbor, but that's OK. We need to learn to be the best Dearborn we can be and stop immitating other cities. It's OK if we don't have the best downtown this side of the Mississippi. We need to find out what works fo us. What I am most cynical about is how are tax dollars are so flippantly thrown around, whether the economy is boom or bust. We're being asked to make an investment in something that is rather high stakes- after all look at the empty most recent developments in downtown west Dearborn. I can't imagine all those empty storefronts are an asset to this city.
Bicycle paths? SPoon covered that very well. Parking on the street????What happens to all the parking structure? Maybe we can find some answers at the 12th meeting.
Regarding parking, once we slow down Michigan Ave with free parallel parking, on both sides, leaving two lane traffic and a center left turn lane, interesting stores will reopen due to the increased customer traffic, on foot and via car, and , in decent weather, bikes. With more stores opening, and even more customers, the parking structures will fill up with the overflow. The free parallel parking is simply the 'hook'. If store vouchers for parking happens, that will certainly help matters. Folk shop for a reason, and we need the shops as a reason to attract folk. However, shops need customers to see them, need impulse shoppers to stop and buy things, and an expressway thru downtown Dearborn does not help. Slow the cars down, let them see and stop at the shops, and even more interesting and unique shops will come. Leave it as it is, well, is everyone happy with Dearborn's current stores? Perhaps, but we need more! The stores still with us need reinforcements, more stores to attract more folk, and, in turn, they will help each other with a larger customer base, which is us, and of course all the folk from the RR station. Fantasy? Why not?