Reimagining Parking for Future Economic Development

The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) is Detroit’s leading economic development organization. Through public and private sector collaborations, DEGC designs and implements innovative solutions that create jobs and advance the city’s economy. DEGC engaged a Capstone team to explore the role that parking can play in spurring economic development within three prominent commercial corridors. Specifically, DEGC sought recommendations to revise the city’s required parking ratios and outline interventions to maximize the efficiency of existing on-street and off-street parking. The team surveyed local businesses, reviewed existing conditions, and analyzed comparable case studies to develop recommendations for facilitating business development. The team found that certain open space and parking areas are underutilized and that several design and traffic interventions could better leverage existing assets in each corridor. The team developed a toolkit that will enable DEGC to reimagine the role of parking in Detroit’s commercial districts and tie these strategies to economic development opportunities.