Placemaking and Place-Based Investment

In the most recent edition of the Michigan Planner, published by the Michigan Association of Planning, Richard and Benjamin Carlisle explore the relationship between quality places and investment. The authors maintain that placemaking can be used to encourage people to invest in their community.Placemaking is a simple concept: people choose to live in places that offer the amenities, resources, social and professional networks, and opportunities to support thriving lifestyles (www.miplace.org).Placemaking as an economic development strategy involves improving the quality of public amenities, increasing the flow of investment into the built environment, and encouraging greater coordination between local and state government, businesses, residents, and civic institutions.Communities are defined by the common ground where people gather - from housing, streets and plazas to parks, green spaces and waterfronts. Place-based investment always builds upon existing local and regional assets and strengths to stimulate investment.Greater investments in your community, in turn, enhance the quality of life for your residents, attract and retain businesses, entrepreneurs, and talent.You can read a complete version of the article here: Placemaking and Place-Based Investment. The authors wrote this article for the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP), a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting sound community planning that benefits the residents of Michigan. CWA supports MAP and the important work that they do. If you are interested in learning more about MAP, visit their website, or contact them at 734-913-2000.