The Detroit Thread: Weaving Together Campus and Community

Explore how the City of Detroit, Midtown Detroit, Inc., Wayne State University, and the College for Creative Studies are reimagining their relationship through collaborative planning, with a focus on reconnecting the campus to surrounding neighborhoods, cultural assets, and the Henry Ford Health "Future of Health" development. Learn how planners from institutions aligned land use, mobility, and capital improvement goals to foster a shared urban vision. Presenters highlight specific tools - such as joint master planning, cross-sector working groups, community engagement strategies, and placemaking frameworks - that helped overcome institutional silos and physical barriers.

Gain practical insights into stitching together campus and city spaces, with examples of how streetscape redesigns, pedestrian connections, and land-activation projects are supporting a more cohesive and vibrant urban fabric. The presentation emphasizes how these efforts center equity by improving access to resources, engaging historically underrepresented voices, and creating public spaces that serve diverse users.

Leave with actionable ideas for building town-and-gown partnerships that advance inclusive growth, enhance connectivity, and elevate the university as an anchor for neighborhood revitalization and talent attraction. Obtain a replicable model for cities seeking to align institutional expansion with broader community development goals.
Closed Captioning