Revitalizing in Motion: Exploring Oak Park’s 9Line

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.

The Nine Mile corridor historically faced disinvestment, limited access to open space, fragmented municipal efforts, uneven economic opportunities and scarce funding for multi-jurisdictional projects. Disruptors include addressing racial and socioeconomic inequities, ensuring inclusive engagement, and balancing redevelopment with existing small-business support.

Interventions showcased at key stops along Oak Park's 9Line addressed these challenges. 9Line is the first built segment of a collaborative, multijurisdictional pathway plan led by Oakland County Parks and developed by OHM Advisors.

At Connector Park, see how community-driven design created equitable open space; at Seneca and Sherman Pocket Parks, small-scale placemaking strengthens neighborhood identity and fosters inclusive recreation. See public art that amplifies cultural identity and celebrates diversity, and visit local businesses that demonstrate how pedestrian-oriented investment spurs economic development.

At The Nine housing development, observe equitable redevelopment strategies and activation of underutilized parcels. Finally, at Pie Sci and Hansen's Hall, discover collaborative branding and small-business partnerships that sustain corridor-wide economic growth.

These interventions highlight replicable, actionable methods - equitable design, inclusive engagement, regional collaboration, and community-based economic development - that advance resilient community planning. Leave with funding, placemaking, and branding tools that produce tangible outcomes for equitable, resilient, connected communities.