February 26, 2016
Detroit Opportunity Sites: Detroit Future City Hosts a Gallery Exhibition of Globally Significant Industrial Adaptive Reuse Precedents from Europe.
On February 25, the Detroit Future City (DFC) Implementation Office partnered with the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States to host a trans-Atlantic exchange of ideas, economies, and dedication in order to identify opportunities to transform Detroit’s portfolio of vacant industrial land and buildings into locally and globally significant assets.
In Detroit, vacant industrial land and buildings cover 6.1 square miles of the city. This land has the potential to unlock a host of social, economic and environmental opportunities. The reuse of these large-scale, vacant sites is a complex challenge, requiring time, resource, and a network of supporting actors. Detroit Opportunity Sites explores key aspects of these redevelopment hindrances and prospects through a select number of successful European and U.S. case studies.
The DFC Implementation Office collaborated with GMF to identify the challenges and opportunities of redeveloping large-scale industrial vacant properties in Detroit. The organizations’ collective ability to describe and implement an inclusive, equitable and dynamic set of futures for these sites is essential to Detroit’s long-term viability.
This initiative supports the implementation of the DFC Strategic Framework, which sets out a planning vision for Detroit in areas such as neighborhoods, city systems, civic engagement, and importantly, how to take advantage of the city’s existing land and building assets.
Support for Detroit Opportunity Sites is generously provided by The Kresge Foundation.
Here are some images from the event.