June LOCUS The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros Media Clip Book

Transcription

1 June 2015 LOCUS The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros Media Clip Book

2 LOCAL PRINT/ONLINE MEDIA COVERAGE New study shows Michigan gaining on walkability By Michael Jackman Detroit Metro News June 23, Michigan s urban walkable areas growing WLNS-TV June 23, New Study Shows Walkable Urban Places Are Emerging in Michigan (Detroit) By Erin Rose Positive Detroit June 23, roit+%28positive+detroit%29 THE ATLANTA REGION IS KICKING BUTT WITH WALKABLE URBAN Just Atlanta News June 24, Interview with Chris Leinberger WDET Interview aired on June 25, 2015 Michigan metro areas becoming friendlier to walkers but still have a ways to go By Dan Rafter REJournals (Midwest Real Estate News) June 26, Study: Plymouth helps lead trend toward walkable areas By Matt Jachman Hometown Life Plymouth (Plymouth Observer) June 26,

3 Michigan s most walkable communities MLive.com June 29, TRADE PRINT/ONLINE MEDIA COVERAGE Walkable urban places growing in Michigan By Robert Steuteville Better Cities and Towns June 23, New study shows Michigan gaining on walkability By Michael Jackman BUILDER Online June 24, *Pickup of the Detroit Metro News story NAR and LOCUS research indicate walkability is increasingly important to homebuyers By Amy Swinderman Inman June 23, The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros Smart Growth Online June 25, The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros Infrastructure USA June 25, Walkable Development is on the Rise in Michigan By Tanya Snyder Streetsblog USA June 24,

4 Atlanta Region Developing More Walkable Urban Places By James Brasuell Planetizen June 26, Walk up style housing coming to Michigan in a big way By Dan Gilmartin Economics of Place June 28,

5 New study shows Michigan gaining on walkability By Michael Jackman June 23, 2015 An interesting study came out today from George Washington University's School of Business. It's co-authored by Christopher B. Leinberger, a guy who's become something of a spokesman for the bright prospects of walkable urban spaces and the demand for them. It's the kind of document that should help bolster the pitches of any entrepreneurs looking for funding for businesses in traditionally walkable places, but the study also has an eye on emerging "walkable urban places" (dubbed WalkUPs). In a way, the study is almost a point-by-point response to those whose minds are stuck in the suburban drivable "Edge City," who can't imagine why their children would want to buy a house in the neighborhoods their parents abandoned. And the fact that this report comes from a business school and not a sociology department makes it all the more difficult to dismiss. To risk generalization by tracing broad outlines, our older generation generally equates cars with "freedom." The freedom to go wherever you want (and, perhaps more importantly, park 15 feet from the entrance). Millennials, the most heavily researched generation in history, seem to enjoy cars for camping trips or visiting other cities, but regard day-to-day driving as a hassle, and have a tendency to choose neighborhoods that are historically walkable. Of course, the problem is that Michigan developers spent about 100 years almost exclusively building drivable Edge Cities, 5

6 drivable subdivisions, drivable malls, drivable industrial sites, and even a MetroPark system that is largely accessible only by car. As the report shows, that's changing. Not on the order of in such Eastern Cities as Boston and Washington, and not as rapidly as in car-centric Atlanta, but a slow, gradual shift, apparently the result of thousands of individual decisions and almost no public money. In such metropolitan regions as Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Jackson, and Kalamazoo, there's been a marked rise in new development geared toward walkable urban spaces, and select urban neighborhoods saw substantial reinvestment. In turn, property values in walkable urban places have appreciated at a considerably faster rate than those in drivable suburban locations since We're only in the first stage of this shift in where development money goes, but Detroit-Ann Arbor is one of the areas leading the way. But there will always be naysayers. "Sure," somebody will say, "some people want to live in walkable places, but only a fraction of us want to walk or bike everywhere." Yes, it's a fraction: Four-tenths! The report says: "There is significant pent-up demand for walkable urbanism in Michigan. National polls consistently show that at least 40 percent of the population would like to live in a walkable urban place.... A series of recent target market analyses conducted for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) finds substantial demand for them. Yet only 8 percent of the total housing stock in the Michigan metros is walkable and only 4 percent of the housing stock built since 1960 is walkable." "OK, OK," says our naysayer. "That may be true. But what about the schools? Once young couples have a few kids, Warren is gonna start looking pretty good to them." Well, any neighborhoods pinning their hopes on good schools should take a look at the trends: From 2000 to 2013, Michigan saw 223,000 more households without children, and 194,000 fewer households with them. Again, even here, the numbers show why redeveloping walkable spaces is "a major opportunity for developers in Michigan." On and on, the report has so many solid replies to our naysayer's erroneous "popular wisdom," that this report should be the perfect ammunition to anybody facing an unsympathetic lender, a doubtful public official, or just plain old "Uncle Sal." In truth, we forgot there were so many good reasons for walkability, from the personal, like relieving pressure on combined transportation-andhousehold budgets, to the broadly public, like reducing wear and tear on the state's roads. It's a little wonky, but have a look. Click here. 6

7 Michigan s urban walkable areas growing June 23, 2015 (WLNS) Less suburbs and more urban, that s the trend in Michigan s larger cities, according to a report called the WalkUP Wake Up Call. A study from George Washington University in partnership with MSU shows walkable urban places are emerging in the state s top seven metro areas including Lansing and Jackson. The report backs the claim up by the rise of rent and price premiums for walkable real-estate over the last several years. National polls have shown that half of the American population wants to live in a walkable residence, but only 8 percent of the total housing stock in the Michigan metro areas is walkable. 7

8 New Study Shows Walkable Urban Places Are Emerging in Michigan (Detroit) By Erin Rose June 23, 2015 After decades of disinvestment, a new trend is beginning to emerge in Michigan metropolitan areas, with Grand Rapids and Detroit-Ann Arbor leading the way: a shift back towards walkable urban places, referred to as WalkUPs. According to a new report released today at the LOCUS (a program of Smart Growth America) Michigan Leadership Summit by the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB), in partnership with Michigan State University, there is significant pent-up demand for walkable urbanism in Michigan, evident by the rent and price premiums for walkable real estate that have emerged over the last several years. The report The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan examined the top seven metropolitan areas across Michigan, including Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, and Flint. The research analyzes and defines the different forms and economic use of all land use across these seven metro areas, revealing there are 46 WalkUPs. These WalkUPs are ranked by economic performance, measured by average rents, and by social equity performance, measured by accessibility, opportunity, and affordability for residents. Lastly, the report identifies emerging WalkUPs where new development could go. The analysis uncovers a trend becoming more apparent that tells us that Michigan metros are moving away from drivable sub-urban development, which has long been the dominant form of development so associated with the automobile industry. This shift is evident in rising rent and price premiums. Across all of the metros, apartments rent for more per square foot when they are located in a WalkUP, as compared to a drivable sub-urban location. The same is true for home prices per square foot in most of the metros. Rents for office and retail space were found to be more mixed. While walkable urban places are being seen as making a comeback in the state, it s 8

9 important to note that most of them are still in a state of transition. It would have been unthinkable 15 years ago that these metro areas within Michigan the center of the car and truck manufacturing industry would have seen any form of investment and development in walkable urban places, said Chris Leinberger, president of LOCUS, the Charles Bendit Distinguished Scholar and Research Professor at GWSB and chair of the GWSB Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis. This shift to walkable urbanism presents the opportunity for real estate developers, investors, land use regulators, public sector managers, and residents to create economic opportunities while achieving environmental sustainability and ensuring a mix of incomes in these places. Walkable urban places also yield much higher tax benefits for local governments and the State of Michigan. National polls have shown that up to half of the population wants to live in a walkable place, yet only eight percent of the total housing stock in the Michigan metro areas is walkable, whether in the central cities or urbanizing suburbs. Furthermore, people under the age of 35, particularly those with college degrees, prefer walkable urban places. Attracting and retaining these educated young professionals is critical for economic development in Michigan. As this new research demonstrates, places like Downtown Birmingham, Main Street Ann Arbor, and Downtown Grand Rapids illustrate the full potential of walkable urbanism to create value, said Mark Wyckoff, senior associate director of the Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University, a partner in the report. While Downtown and Midtown Detroit have demonstrated rapid revitalization over the past five to seven years and a promising future is seen in Lansing with a new bus-rapid transit corridor, many potentially walkable urban places in Michigan have not yet actualized their potential. The report ranks Michigan WalkUPs with platinum, gold, silver or copper ratings on both economic and social equity metrics. On the economic side, high-ranking places have reached critical mass, a point at which enough businesses and amenities are in place to attract residents without government subsidies. Top platinum level WalkUPs include Downtown Birmingham and Main Street Ann Arbor. At the other end of the spectrum, on the lowest copper level, are areas such as Downtown Dearborn East and Downtown Bay City. These WalkUPs have the potential to become vital walkable urban places but may need public support and/or a pioneering developer to realize it. The WalkUPs are also ranked on a first-of-its-kind social equity performance metric, measured by accessibility/opportunity and affordability. Places such as Midtown Detroit- Cass Park District, Downtown Grand Rapids and Downtown Lansing rose to the top with platinum social equity ratings indicating they offer a mix of both moderately priced housing and easy access to employment. On the other side of the spectrum, areas such as Downtown Northville, Downtown Flint and Downtown Battle Creek received the lower copper rankings. Gary Heidel, chief placemaking officer at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) said, We re seeing many of the walkable urban places across these Michigan metros offering a strong combination of both economic opportunity and affordability compared to the drivable suburbs. However, as walkable development continues to grow, this may generate concerns over gentrification and displacement of low-income residents. Establishing plans in advance of this gentrification to preserve affordable housing is critical. The report calls for continued support and management by local leaders, patient investment capital, 9

10 and federal, state and local government in order to continue the progress towards walkable urbanism throughout Michigan. Now, more than ever, there s a strong need for pioneers who can lead the way. In addition, an investment in rail transit throughout the state, where there is currently very little, will help propel the development of walkable urban places. The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan will be unveiled in Detroit at LOCUS s Michigan Leadership Summit: Closing the Next [Smart Growth] Deal on June 23, At the Summit, Regional Leadership Awards will be presented to Crosswinds Communities and the Gillespie Group, two real estate developers or investors who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to public leadership and development for walkable, sustainable development. To find out more information about the 2015 LOCUS Michigan Leadership Summit and the Regional Leadership Award recipients, visitwww.locusdevelopers.org/leadership-summit. The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan was funded by MSHDA, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and ten Michigan-based foundations. To see the full list of land use types, as well as the list of WalkUP economic and social equity rankings, download the report athttp:// roit+%28positive+detroit%29 10

11 THE ATLANTA REGION IS KICKING BUTT WITH WALKABLE URBAN Just Atlanta News June 24, 2015 The Atlanta region is kicking butt with walkable urban developments A new report in a series on developments in walkable urban places referred to as WalkUPs focuses on Michigan, but it contains an interesting graph that combines data from metro regions in that state with that from previous reports on Washington DC, Atlanta, and Boston. The studies are showing a shift away from car-centric development patterns that dominated development in US metros during the latter half of the 20th century, and a trend toward building new offices, retail and residential in walkable places. The graph above provides a good comparison between the regions and it also shows that the trend in Metro Atlanta is actually stronger than in the other metros. A full 50 percent of new properties developed in the Atlanta region from happened in walkable urban places, which is not only a higher amount than what s happening in the other regions as charted here, it also shows a much bigger jump between that time period versus what 11

12 was happening in , when the Atlanta region was really lagging behind and producing a lot of new construction in sprawling patterns The studies are showing a shift away from car-centric development patterns that dominated development in US metros during the latter half of the 20th century. If you haven t seen the report on the Atlanta region from 2013, it s well worth a look: The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Atlanta. Here are a couple of highlight quotes from it the first one explores the big boost in new office spaces in the region being built in walkable urban spaces: Only 19 percent of the office space delivered in the 1990s cycle was built in then-established WalkUPs. This increased to 31 percent in the 2000s and to 50 percent in the current cycle that started in 2009 The report also shows the connection between these new developments in WalkUPS and publictransit access: Within both Established and Emerging WalkUPs, the vast majority of recent development has gone to those areas that are served by MARTA rail. In the current real estate cycle, 73 percent of development in Established WalkUPs went to the MARTA-served places. Even more dramatic, 85 percent of development in Emerging WalkUPs went to places with rail transit. But wait! You also get But of course this data on new developments doesn t even tell the whole story because there s also a trend happening in the absorption of empty office space in Atlanta s walkable intown area s that are near transit. Just this week we have news that Coke is moving another 500 employees from suburbs to existing offices in Downtown Atlanta this comes on top of another recent shift that saw Coke relocating 2,000 workers to the downtown locations. About that period We should always temper this kind of exciting info with the realization of what happened in the 1990s. That was a period when the Atlanta region, by some accounts, was sprawling outward in its development at a faster rate than any urbanized place in history. So we have a heavy load of nonwalkable places that were built prior to this current trend that are weighing us down as a region. Undoing job sprawl and building better new developments, bit by bit, is a good thing. But we have a major sprawl handicap that we re working under 12

13 Michigan metro areas becoming friendlier to walkers but still have a ways to go By Dan Rafter June 26, 2015 Landlords trying to attract tenants to their buildings are increasingly focusing on how walkable their surrounding communities are. Consumers who are renting because they want to not because they can t buy a home want to live in neighborhoods in which they can walk to public transportation, shops, restaurants and movie theaters. They want to ditch their cars in secure parking places for weeks at a time. Many don t want to own a car at all. That s why a new report The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan is such good news. The report, released on June 23 at the LOCUS Michigan Leadership Summit held by the George Washington University School of Business in partnership with Michigan State University, said that there is a pent-up demand for walkable urban multifamily developments throughout the state of Michigan. Grand Rapids and the Detroit-Ann Arbor region are leading the way in creating new walkable urban places which the report calls WalkUPs in the state. And other regions of the state are slowly following their example, creating urban neighborhoods in which residents can rely more on their feet than their cars. The report looked at the top seven metropolitan areas in Michigan: Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland and Flint. Researchers found 46 WalkUPs in these areas. 13

14 According to the report, Michigan metro areas are moving away from drivable suburban development, long the dominant form of development here. Unlike WalkUPs, drivable suburban developments are associated with the automobile. There are benefits to developers who build in walkable neighborhoods. According to the report, apartments rent for higher per-square-foot prices when they are located in a WalkUP instead of a drivable suburban location. The same is true for home prices. The data on rents for office and retail spaces are more of a mixed bag, with walkability not having as much of a direct impact on rents for these spaces. It would have been unthinkable 15 years ago that these metro areas within Michigan the center of the car and truck manufacturing industry would have seen any form of investment and development in walkable urban places, said Chris Leinberger, professor of LOCUS and chair of the George Washington University School of Business, in a written statement. The shift to walkable urbanism presents the opportunity for real estate developers, investors, land use regulators, public sector managers and residents to create economic opportunities while achieving environmental sustainability. Even with the development of more walkable areas, Michigan still has a way to go in becoming a more walkable state. According to the report s authors, national polls have shown that up to half of the country s population wants to live in a walkable place, but only 8 percent of the total housing stock in Michigan metro areas is walkable. The report ranks WalkUP areas according to a variety of factors. Top platinum level WalkUPs in Michigan include downtown Birmingham and Main Street Ann Arbor. At the other end of the spectrum, on the lowest copper level of WalkUPs, are areas such as downtown Dearborn East and downtown Bay City. These WalkUPs have the potential to become more walkable urban places, but need public support and/or a pioneering developer to realize these potential. Walkable neighborhoods can come with a cost. The report notes that often when developers bring in the new housing, retailers and entertainment options that make up walkable urban neighborhoods, they displace long-time residents who can no longer afford the higher apartment rents and housing prices in these areas. We re seeing many of the walkable urban places across these Michigan metros offering a strong combination of both economic opportunity and affordability compared to the drivable suburbs, Gary Heidel, chief placemaking officer at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, in a written statement. However, as walkable development continues to grow, this may generate concerns over gentrification and displacement of low-income residents. Establishing plans in advance of this gentrification to preserve affordable housing is critical. How to provide a boost to Michigan s overall walkability? Money will help. The report says that local leaders need to call for more investment in public transportation. Investment in rail transit throughout Michigan a large need right now is also key, according to the report. 14

15 15

16 Study: Plymouth helps lead trend toward walkable areas By Matt Jachman June 26, 2015 Michigan is seeing increasing demand for walkable communities, which add economic value and mean opportunities for developers, business owners and the communities themselves, according to the authors of a new study. And downtown Plymouth, the study says, is one of the Walkable Urban Places or WalkUPs in the diverse Detroit-Ann Arbor area that, along with Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, is leading the trend. The WalkUP Wake Up Call: Michigan, by Christopher B. Leinberger and Patrick Lynch, was published Tuesday by the George Washington University School of Business, in conjunction with Smart Growth America and LOCUS. Smart Growth America advocates for walkable communities and LOCUS is a group of developers and investors within SGA. The findings were no surprise to Tony Bruscato, director of Plymouth s Downtown Development Authority. It s not unusual to talk with Plymouth residents who cite the reasons they moved to town was because of the walkability to downtown, whether it be Kellogg Park for events or just plain relaxing or the ability to walk to enjoy the many restaurants and retail shops, Bruscato said. New and potential residents often cite our walkability as the reason they chose the Plymouth community, said Wes Graff, president of the Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce. Rapid shift The study says that walkable areas, after decades of decline and disinvestment in a car-centered state, are becoming more popular with Michigan residents. Between 2009 and 2014, the study says, 22 percent of new residential, office, retail and office construction in the state took place in WalkUPs, compared to 12 percent between 2001 and 2008 and just 6 percent in the real estate cycle before that in the 1990s. It would have been unthinkable 15 years ago that these metro areas within Michigan the center of the car and truck manufacturing industry would have seen any form of investment and development in walkable urban places, Leinberger, a professor at George Washington and chairman of its Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, said in a press release. 16

17 Still, only 8 percent of the housing stock in the seven Michigan metropolitan areas studied is in walkable neighborhoods and only 4 percent of the housing built since 1960, the study says, and a limited supply and increasing demand mean opportunity. The study also cited economic advantages of WalkUPs: higher rents and selling prices for owners, lower transportation costs for residents and closer proximity to job centers. People under age 35, especially those with college degrees, are more likely to favor WalkUPs, the study suggests, and it s that demographic, it says, that s vital to a knowledge economy. Bruscato said he s seen that trend, too. We need to recognize that young people moving to Plymouth today want to settle in places that offer the amenities, plus social and professional networks, to support their lifestyles, he said. It s called place-making and we are always working to improve our city to keep it a place where people want to live and work. The WalkUP Wake Up Call: Michigan was released during the LOCUS Michigan Leadership Summit in Detroit. The study was funded by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and 10 Michigan-based foundations. Michigan State University s Land Policy Institute was a local partner in the study. 17

18 Michigan s most walkable communities June 29, 2015 What is 'walkability'? 18

19 Walking is in; driving is out. Well, in Michigan's metropolitan areas, that is. A new report by LOCUS (a program of Smart Growth America) and the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB), in partnership with Michigan State University, revealed that walkable urban places are blossoming in Michigan. The report The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan examines the top seven metro areas across Michigan, including Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, and Flint. Walkability is determined by an algorithm, created by Walk Score, that asseses walkable urban area versus drivable sub-urban areas. The score is also, and mostly, determined by the number of retail, restaurant, services, and other destinations within walking distance. WalkUPs in Michigan metros fall into four metal levels measured by economic and social equity performance. Each WalkUP level has different growth, risk, and investment potential. The metal levels, from highest to lowest, are copper, silver, gold and platinum. Economic rankings for WalkUps are based on the rents per square foot achieved for four product types: office, rental, rental apartments and for-sale housing. The social equity rankings are determined by affordability and accessibility/opportunity. Walkability rankings: Copper Economic rankings: Copper areas have the potential to be walkable urban places, as they have a significant of destinations and commercial space. But the low ranking is because they ve seen little new development in recent years. These areas are outside of the favored quarter, which is a part of the metro location where there s a greater concentration of high-income households and job growth 19

20 Social equity rankings: Downtown Northville and Downtown Birmingham both score above average in the accessibility/opportunity category, but they fall below average on affordability. Whereas Downtown Flint, Downtown Muskegon, and Downtown Battle Creek are the opposite. High unemployment rates of above 18 percent, a low jobs-to-working-age population ratio within 45 minutes, and below average school test scores are the main reasons for their ranking, according to the report. Copper WalkUps in Grand Rapids - Muskegon Holland Economic Copper WalkUps Downtown Grand Rapids - Westside Downtown Holland Downtown Muskegon Social Equity Copper WalkUps Downtown Muskegon 20

21 Copper WalkUps in Detroit - Ann Arbor - Flint Economic Copper WalkUps: Downtown Dearborn East Downtown Lincoln Park Downtown Monroe Downtown Mt. Clemens Downtown Wayne Downtown Wyandotte Downtown Ypsilanti Eastpointe Grosse Pointe Park Hamtramck Hubbard Farms - Mexicantown Social Equity Copper WalkUp Rankings Downtown Northville Grosse Point Park 21

22 Downtown Birmingham Downtown Flint Copper WalkUps in Lansing Economic Copper WalkUps Downtown Charlotte 22

23 The Bay City Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors approved a deal that puts a majority of downtown streets on schedule to be milled and resurfaced this summer. (Andrew Dodson The Bay City Times) Copper WalkUps in Saginaw - Bay City - Midland Economic Copper WalkUps Downtown Bay City Walkability rankings: Silver Economic Silver WalkUps: Silver areas have even more potential to be strong, walkable metros because they've seen recent development and investment. But much of this development has recieved some kind of public assistance. Silver WalkUPs have not reached "critical mass," according to the report, but for the most part, they're on their way to becoming more desirable, walkable urban places. Social Equity WalkUps: This is a diverse group with areas that rank relatively high on accessibility/opportunity, but below average on affordability. 23

24 Silver WalkUps in Detroit - Ann Arbor Economic Silver WalkUps Berkley Downtown Dearborn - West Downtown Farmington Downtown Ferndale Downtown Pontiac Downtown Port Huron Downtown Rochester Midtown - Arts Center District Midtown - Cass Park District Midtown - Medical Center District New Center Social Equity Silver WalkUps Berkley Downtown Dearborn - West Downtown Dearborn East 24

25 Downtown Farmington Downtown Ferndale Downtown Lincoln Park Downtown Monroe Downtown Mt. Clemens Downtown Plymouth Downtown Pontiac Downtown Port Huron Downtown Rochester Downtown Royal Oak Downtown Wayne Downtown Wyandotte Downtown Ypsilanti Eastpointe Hamtramck Hubbard Farms/Mexican Town Midtown - Arts Center District 25

26 Silver WalkUps in Grand Rapids - Muskeon - Holland Economic Silver WalkUps Downtown Grand Haven Social Equity Silver WalkUps Downtown Grand Haven Downtown Grand Rapids - Westside Downtown Holland 26

27 Silver WalkUps in Lansing - Jackson Economic Silver WalkUps Downtown Jackson Downtown Lansing Michigan Avenue - Sparrow - Lansing Social Equity Silver WalkUps Downtown Charlotte Downtown East Lansing MSU Campus - North Silver WalkUps in Kalamazoo - Battle Creek Economic Silver WalkUps Downtown Kalamazoo Downtown Battle Creek Social Equity Silver WalkUps Western Michigan University 27

28 Walkability rankings: Gold Economic WalkUps: Some of these Gold WalkUPs include prime examples of the WalkUP revitalization, such as downtown Detroit and downtown Grand Rapids. Higher rents and selling prices per square foot that have been achieved bump these golden areas up to the higher metal level as well. The upward move to a successful walkable metro area is fueled by interest from developers and investors. Millennials especially are eyeing these types of areas to live in. Social Equity WalkUps: In addition to the greater accessibility to jobs, these Gold WalkUPs are significantly more affordable than the average Silver WalkUP. The average housing and transportation costs in the Gold WalkUPs are 35 percent, eight percentage points lower than the same costs in the Silver WalkUPs. 28

29 Gold WalkUps in Detroit - Ann Arbor Economic Gold WalkUps Downtown Detroit Downtown Royal Oak Downtown Northville Downtown Plymouth Social Equity WalkUps Downtown Detroit Main St. Ann Arbor Midtown - Medical Center District Midtown - University Center New Center University of Michigan - Central Campus Gold WalkUps in Grand Rapids - Muskegon - Holland Economic Gold WalkUps 29

30 Downtown Grand Rapids Gold WalkUps in Lansing - Jackson Economic Gold WalkUps Downtown East Lansing Social Equity Gold WalkUps Jackson 30

31 Walkability rankings: Platinum Economic: Attractive investment opportunities and higher average rents nudge these two areas into the Platinum WalkUP category. On average, rents in these WalkUPs are 44 percent higher than the Gold WalkUPs, and 123 percent higher than the average for Edge Cities.An average Walk Score of 90 between them makes these platinum urban areas among the most walkable in the entire state. Social equity: These WalkUPs combine that above-average accessibility/opportunity with excellent affordability. The average housing and transportation cost as a percentage of income in these WalkUPs is just 34 percent, one point lower than the Gold WalkUPs. In addition, the share of housing stock that is affordable in these WalKUPs compares favorably with the number of employees earning less than $15,000 that work in them, according to the report. Platinum WalkUps in Detroit - Ann Arbor Downtown Birmingham Main Street Ann Arbor 31

32 Platinum WalkUps in Grand Rapids - Muskegon - Holland Social Equity Platinum WalkUps Downtown Grand Rapids Platinum WalkUps in Lansing - Jackson 32

33 Social Equity Platinum WalkUps Downtown Lansing Michigan Avenue - Sparrow 33

34 Walkable urban places growing in Michigan By Robert Steuteville June 23, 2015 Compact urbanism is not just a trend in big coastal cities but reaches deep into the heartland of Michigan. A study of the state's seven top metro areas shows that after decades of disinvestment, walkable urban places, referred to as WalkUPs, are coming back to life. According to a new report released by LOCUS (a program of Smart Growth America), Michigan Leadership Summit, George Washington University School of Business and Michigan State University, pent-up demand for walkable urbanism in Michigan is evident by rent and price premiums that have emerged over recent years. The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan is the fourth in the series. The first three covered Washington DC, Atlanta, and Boston. Another WalkUP report examined the top 30 metro areas in the US. This was the first that looked at smaller and mid-size metros. The trend is nascent but clear in Michigan. In the current real estate cycle in Michigan, the authors find: "22 percent of all new income property development has located in the 2.7 percent of land that is walkable urban. This share of new development is up from only 6 percent in the 1990s real estate cycle and 12 percent from the cycle." 34

35 The state's larger metro, Detroit-Ann Arbor, is the statewide leader in this trend with 30 existing and 10 emerging WalkUPs, many in the suburbs. Downtown and Midtown Detroit are undergoing one of the most dramatic revitalizations in the country. "Since Quicken Loans announced in 2010 it was moving its headquarters to Downtown Detroit from an Edge City location, a number of other companies have followed, including 3,400 employees from Blue Cross Blue Shield and 600 from Campbell Ewald, among others." Downtown and Midtown have seen over $2 billion in investments in new construction and renovation over the last three-to-four years. Ann Arbor and Birgmingham are also booming. "More than 376 new apartment units, a Marriott hotel, and high-end condominiums are planned or already under construction in Main Street-Ann Arbor." Grand Rapids, with 5 walkable urban centers, leads michigan in percent of income property that is being built in these locations. In the other metros Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, and Flint the trend is just beginning but still evident, for example, in the reuse of old buildings. Statewide, this shift is evident in rising rent and price premiums. Across all of the metros, apartments rent for more per square foot when they are located in a WalkUP. The same is true for home prices, and rents for office space. It would have been unthinkable 15 years ago that these metro areas within Michigan the center of the car and truck manufacturing industry would have seen any form of investment and 35

36 development in walkable urban places, said Chris Leinberger, president of LOCUS and Distinguished Scholar at George Washington School of Business Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis. National polls have shown that up to half of the population wants to live in a walkable place, yet only eight percent of the total housing stock in the Michigan metro areas is walkable, whether in the central cities or urbanizing suburbs. Furthermore, people under the age of 35, particularly those with college degrees, prefer walkable urban places. Attracting and retaining these educated young professionals is critical for economic development in Michigan. Gary Heidel, chief placemaking officer at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) said, We re seeing many of the walkable urban places across these Michigan metros offering a strong combination of both economic opportunity and affordability compared to the drivable suburbs. However, as walkable development continues to grow, this may generate concerns over gentrification and displacement of low-income residents. Establishing plans in advance of this gentrification to preserve affordable housing is critical. The authors conclude: "If this emerging trend in favor of walkable urbanism plays out in Michigan as it has in the other metro areas studied by GeorgeWashington University Atlanta, Boston, and Washington, D.C. it will mean an historic shift away from the drivable development patterns that have dominated development for the latter half of the 20th century. The state could return to the walkable urban development pattern that predominated before World War II." To see the full list of land use types, as well as the list of WalkUP economic and social equity rankings, download the report here. 36

37 New study shows Michigan gaining on walkability By Michael Jackman June 24, 2015 An interesting study came out today from George Washington University's School of Business. It's co-authored by Christopher B. Leinberger, a guy who's become something of a spokesman for the bright prospects of walkable urban spaces and the demand for them. It's the kind of document that should help bolster the pitches of any entrepreneurs looking for funding for businesses in traditionally walkable places, but the study also has an eye on emerging "walkable urban places" (dubbed WalkUPs). In a way, the study is almost a point-by-point response to those whose minds are stuck in the suburban drivable "Edge City," who can't imagine why their children would want to buy a house in the neighborhoods their parents abandoned. And the fact that this report comes from a business school and not a sociology department makes it all the more difficult to dismiss. To risk generalization by tracing broad outlines, our older generation generally equates cars with "freedom." The freedom to go wherever you want (and, perhaps more importantly, park 15 feet from the entrance). Millennials, the most heavily researched generation in history, seem to enjoy cars for camping trips or visiting other cities, but regard day-to-day driving as a hassle, and have a tendency to choose neighborhoods that are historically walkable. Of course, the problem is that Michigan developers spent about 100 years almost exclusively building drivable Edge Cities, drivable subdivisions, drivable malls, drivable industrial sites, and even a MetroPark system that is largely accessible only by car. As the report shows, that's changing. Not on the order of in such Eastern Cities as Boston and Washington, and not as rapidly as in car-centric Atlanta, but a slow, gradual shift, apparently the result of thousands of individual decisions and almost no public money. In such metropolitan regions as Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Jackson, and Kalamazoo, there's been a marked rise in new development geared toward walkable urban spaces, and select urban neighborhoods saw substantial reinvestment. In turn, property values in walkable urban places have appreciated at a considerably faster rate than those in drivable suburban locations since We're only in the first stage of this shift in where development money goes, but Detroit-Ann Arbor is one of the areas leading the way. But there will always be naysayers. "Sure," somebody will say, "some people want to live in walkable places, but only a fraction of us want to walk or bike everywhere." Yes, it's a fraction: Four-tenths! The report says: "There is significant pent-up demand for 37

38 walkable urbanism in Michigan. National polls consistently show that at least 40 percent of the population would like to live in a walkable urban place.... A series of recent target market analyses conducted for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) finds substantial demand for them. Yet only 8 percent of the total housing stock in the Michigan metros is walkable and only 4 percent of the housing stock built since 1960 is walkable." "OK, OK," says our naysayer. "That may be true. But what about the schools? Once young couples have a few kids, Warren is gonna start looking pretty good to them." Well, any neighborhoods pinning their hopes on good schools should take a look at the trends: From 2000 to 2013, Michigan saw 223,000 more households without children, and 194,000 fewer households with them. Again, even here, the numbers show why redeveloping walkable spaces is "a major opportunity for developers in Michigan." On and on, the report has so many solid replies to our naysayer's erroneous "popular wisdom," that this report should be the perfect ammunition to anybody facing an unsympathetic lender, a doubtful public official, or just plain old "Uncle Sal." In truth, we forgot there were so many good reasons for walkability, from the personal, like relieving pressure on combined transportation-andhousehold budgets, to the broadly public, like reducing wear and tear on the state's roads. It's a little wonky, but have a look. Click here. 38

39 NAR and LOCUS research indicate walkability is increasingly important to homebuyers By Amy Swinderman June 23, 2015 Studies show homebuyers are flocking to walkable residential communities in urban settings, creating new real estate development and sales opportunities The American dream of a house in the suburbs with a neatly trimmed lawn and two cars in the driveway is giving way to a new trend as buyers are flocking to walkable residential communities in urban settings. According to national polls, half of Americans particularly people under the age of 35 with college degrees want to live somewhere walkable, where they can safely and easily walk from their homes to stores, banks, restaurants, schools and even their place of employment. The National Association of Realtors examined this trend and its impact on real estate development at its Legislative Meeting & Trade Expo last month. Christopher Leinberger, professor at George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) and president of LOCUS, a national coalition of real estate developers and investors who advocate for sustainable, walkable urban development in metropolitan areas, told the Realtors in attendance that residential walkable communities generate four times the tax revenue of regional and business malls, bringing more value to the area. Walkable urban regions in the U.S. have a 41 percent higher gross domestic product over nonwalkable regions, Leinberger said. 39

40 That s because individuals who live in walkable areas usually spend about 43 percent of their income on housing and transportation, compared to those living in nonwalkable areas, Leinberger said. An infographic from LOCUS s Foot Traffic Ahead study. If a family can get rid of one car, they can increase their mortgage capacity by as much as $150,000, he said. It may come as a surprise, then, that real estate developers, investors, land use regulators, public sector managers and residents in Michigan a metropolitan area that for decades has been the center of the car and truck manufacturing industry are seizing the opportunity to create walkable residential communities there. But according to a recent report issued by Leinberger s organization, after decades of disinvestment, there is significant demand for walkable urbanism in many Michigan areas, as evidenced by competitively prices homes and rentals in urban areas in the last few years. The report, The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan, issued at the LOCUS Michigan Leadership Summit by GWSB in partnership with Michigan State University, examined the top seven metropolitan areas across Michigan, including Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids-Muskegon- Holland, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland and Flint, and concluded that home prices per square foot in most of these areas are more attractive to buyers than homes in drivable, suburban locations. Other industry professionals are cashing in on the trend. Walk Score, originally launched in July 2007, helps people determine the walkability of an individual home with an algorithm that awards points based on the distance to the closest amenities. 40

41 The company s Walk Scores run on many home detail pages on Zillow. Many real estate agents also feature a Walk Score badge on their listings and advertisements. 41

42 The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros June 25, 2015 In the just-released WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros, Smart Growth America looks at development in seven Michigan metropolitan areas: Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids-Muskegon- Holland, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, and Flint. Their analysis finds that in the current real estate cycle, 22 percent of all new income property development located in the 2.7 percent of land that is walkable urban, up from 6 percent in the 1990s and 12 percent from Read report 42

43 The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Michigan Metros June 25, 2015 Walkable urban places are not just a phenomenon of coastal U.S. metropolitan areas. This report demonstrates that the market desires them in Michigan and they are gaining traction. If this emerging trend in favor of walkable urbanism plays out in Michigan as it has in the other metro areas studied by George Washington University Atlanta, Boston, and Washington, D.C. it will mean an historic shift away from the drivable development patterns that have dominated development for the latter half of the 20th century. The state could return to the walkable urban development pattern that predominated before World War II. Consider that in the current real estate cycle in the seven metro areas evaluated in this report (Detroit-Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Lansing, and Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, the Michigan Metros ) 22 percent of all new income property development has located in the 2.7 percent of land that is walkable urban. This share of new development is up from only 6 percent in the 1990s real estate cycle and 12 percent from the cycle. Boston and Washington, D.C. provide an indication of how far this trend can go. Their shares of new income property development located in walkable urban places in the most recent cycle have been 46 percent and 48 percent respectively. Walkable places increasing share of development is most likely a response to pent-up market demand. Because drivable development patterns dominated for so long, residents of Michigan have had few choices about where to live. Only eight percent of the total housing stock is located in a walkable urban place and only half of that was built after 1960, meaning a significant portion may be obsolete. This is despite national polls suggesting that at least 40 percent of residents would like to live in a walkable urban place and demographics that increasingly favor urban living. Sixty-four percent of Michigan households have just one or two persons, the target market for walkable urbanism, and the percentage is rising. This pent-up demand is reflected in rents and prices. Across all the Michigan Metros analyzed, average office rents in regionally significant walkable urban places are two percent higher than in comparable drivable locations, retail rents are 13 percent higher, multifamily rental apartment rents are 28 percent higher, and for-sale residential prices are 50 percent higher. These are crude averages that hide significant variation among and within metro areas, but the broad implication is clear there is pent- up demand for walkable urban places in Michigan. Nonetheless, progress is uneven. Places like Downtown Birmingham, Main Street in Ann Arbor, and Downtown Grand Rapids provide a glimpse of the full potential of walkable urbanism to create value. Downtown and Midtown Detroit have demonstrated how rapidly revitalization can occur over just the last five to seven years, while plans being made in Lansing for a bus-rapid transit corridor show the way forward. However, there is a longer list of walkable urban places that have 43

44 not taken off. For some of these places, government support, aggressive placemaking, and a few pioneering developments may be enough to introduce dramatic change. For others, it may be more a question of time and an improvement in the overall regional economy. All of the metro areas, if not the entire State of Michigan, has an economic, fiscal, and social equity interest in seeing these walkable places thrive. Although it has not been possible thus far to definitively prove causation, the circumstantial evidence is mounting that young, educated members of the workforce, the foundation of future economic development, want to live and work in walkable urban places. Previous research, confirmed again here, finds a positive correlation between the walkability of a metro area and the educational attainment of its residents, an important factor for economic performance. In the context of a state that is rightly concerned about brain drain, improving the quality and quantity of these walkable urban places must be a part of the policy discussion. 44

45 Walkable Development is on the Rise in Michigan By Tanya Snyder June 24, 2015 As the cradle of the car industry, Michigan built out its cities and suburbs exclusively for the automobile after WWII with a fervor that few other states could match. Today the pendulum of public preference is swinging back toward walkability, but much of Michigan s housing stock is stuck in the old model. Just 8 percent of homes in the state s seven principal metro areas are in walkable places, and just 4 percent of homes built since Meanwhile, Michigan also leads the country in job sprawl, with 77 percent of Detroit-area jobs located more than 10 miles from downtown. These patterns aren t going to last forever, though. A new analysis of walkable development in Michigan by Chris Leinberger and Patrick Lynch of the George Washington University School of Business (in conjunction with Smart Growth America and its real estate developer caucus, LOCUS) shows that things are changing [PDF]. In the 1990s, only 6 percent of new income property development occurred in walkable urban areas. Now, that number is 22 percent. The seven metros analyzed were Detroit-Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Lansing, Jackson, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, and Flint. 45

46 Apartments in Michigan s walkable urban areas rent for 28 percent more than in driveable suburban areas. The premium on walkability is greater for home prices, which are 56 percent higher in those walkable urban places. The data doesn t show as much pent-up demand for walkability in the commercial and office sector, which indicates that the job sprawl that forces people into long commutes may not be ebbing. Walkable office space rents for just 2 percent more than in driveable places. These premiums aren t as great as in other metro areas Leinberger has studied including Washington, DC; Atlanta; and Boston but are higher than many would have expected for Michigan. After all, it s not on the coast, and it s not a magnet for young, single creative class professionals. But in Michigan metros ranging from affluent college towns to depressed industrial areas, walkable development is on the rise. 46

47 Atlanta Region Developing More Walkable Urban Places By James Brasuell June 26, 2015 The Atlanta metropolitan area is bucking the trends established by its recent history of sprawling development by building a majority of its new developments as walkable urban places. The Atlanta region is kicking butt with walkable urban developments," according to a post by Darin, also known as the ATL Urbanist. "A full 50 percent of new properties developed in the Atlanta region from happened in walkable urban places it also shows a much bigger jump between that time period versus what was happening in , when the Atlanta region was really lagging behind and producing a lot of new construction in sprawling patterns." The data comes from a recent report on Walkable Urban Places (WalkUPs) focusing on Michigan, but is certainly notable for the trends occurring in Atlanta (though for the record, the study in question, authored by LOCUS, finds that WalkUPs are reaching "deep into the heartland of Michigan). The same series of reports focuses on Atlanta in 2013, which found at the time that Atlanta was doing well in developing more office spaces in walkable urban spaces. 47

48 Walk up style housing coming to Michigan in a big way By Dan Gilmartin June 28, 2015 Last Monday LOCUS and Smart Growth America dropped a bomb on the Michigan real estate market. A good bomb, in my opinion, but a bomb nonetheless. After decades of disinvestment in walkable urbanism in the Mitten State the new report from LOCUS shows palpable signs that walk up housing is coming back with a vengeance. Economic developers, residential builders and local officials throughout the state should heed the calls of the report. Key findings of the report include: 48