Insights into a Lively Downtown (Urban Planning, Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Interested in a high-resolution DVD copy of "Insights"? We are making them available bundled together with our newest film, "The Great Street Toolkit" (not available on YouTube) for $14.99. Go to westphalassociates.com/store for details, and thanks for supporting independent film!

What makes a downtown district appealing? Why do people go out of their way to walk down one side of the street and not the other? Using the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan as a case study, this exploration of successful downtown streets weaves together pedestrian interviews with footage of streetscapes and sidewalk behavior to show what healthy blocks have in common.

Feel free to e-mail toolkit@westphalassociates.com if you have any questions.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• urban planning
• urban design
• architecture
• pedestrian
• business improvement district
• streetscape
• landscape
• revitalization
• kirk westphal
• ann arbor
• michigan

[supersaleh1000]

is it safe and do they have a good collage

[KirkWestphal]

@supersaleh1000 Yes to both. Our crime rates are low compared to similar cities around the Midwest, and I had a great experience in the graduate urban planning program.

[eshhy100]

a well put together video, comprehensive and touched on all the points I've been learning about in my degree. This is a great contribution you have made. Thanks!

[KirkWestphal]

@eshhy100 Thank you! I'm glad it's useful for you.

If you or your professors are interested, we're distributing full-resolution copies of the film on DVD (and it ships with our new film available only on DVD, The Great Street Toolkit). See the description for the link to our store and help support new films!

[coolpinoy93]

this is neat. im 16 and i think i might wanna be an urban planner

[KirkWestphal]

Thanks! I would recommend borrowing "Suburban Nation" from the library. If you like it, then get "Death and Life of Great American Cities." (If you like that, tell your guidance counselor you want to go to a school with decent urban planning classes.)

[supersaleh1000]

good job on your video and thanks for the feed back! :)

[supersaleh1000]

@KirkWestphal good job on your video and thanks for the feed back! :)

[choicepriderainbow]

This town has class. like Harvard and Yale.

[parker892]

Thought-provoking video. While the general concepts may be applicable to most downtown environments, I would like to see a similar analysis done in a much smaller Midwestern town that does not have the benefit of a nearby college or university.

[otis31755]

Hi, this is great and as a land use planner I see the benefit and I was raised in the old row homes in Louisville. I also design walkable communities as well and have a new 5 minute video at otis31755 or geo-life.org

[LilianTD]

Im an urban planning student at Florida Atlantic University and just wanted to say good work on the video. I was also wondering if I could see how you formulated your survey questioners.