Downtown Detroit's Open Spaces and History

CM credit hours for mobile workshops are awarded based on the planned dedicated instructional time. Adjustments to CM hours will not be made after the live event.

Detroit's downtown revival has been shaped by decades of disinvestment, depopulation, car-dominated infrastructure, and inadequate access to public space. The COVID-19 pandemic affected urban landscapes, strained small businesses, and reshaped how people interact with public spaces. These challenges created opportunities for creative, impactful interventions.

This tour explores how Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) has helped navigate these shifts by supporting small businesses, activating open spaces, and fostering community connection. Strategic partnerships and infrastructure investments have redefined downtown as more walkable, connected, and inclusive.

Learn how planners responded to overlapping crises by balancing preservation with innovation, ensuring that public spaces were curated to serve a diverse community and retain historic authenticity. Detroit's approach - rooted in connectivity, impactful placemaking, and programming - offers actionable strategies to balance preservation and innovation.and manage disruption in your city. Be prepared to enact long-lasting change by embracing diverse communities, partnerships, and design practices that not only revitalize downtown cores but also build stronger, more connected public spaces and communities.

The presentation highlights DDP's approach to community engagement, leveraging strategic partnerships to strengthen a shared sense of place and using placemaking as a tool for creating a more connected downtown.