Program - Society of Architectural Historians

Historic Preservation Seminar • wednesday \
relocating to downtown Detroit as well as small business startups in
Eastern Market. Historic Eastern Market was established in the 1850s
and today is the largest historic public market district in the United
States. This historic district houses food wholesaling and processing
businesses as well as public market sheds.
10:45 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. Southwest Detroit—Immigrant Influence
Kathleen Wendler and Omar Hernandez
Southwest Detroit is one of Detroit’s most recognizable
and vibrant communities. Established in 1957, the Southwest
Detroit Business Association (SDBA) fosters innovation, drive, and
commitment while recognizing the importance of the historic districts
to the community’s vitality. As an international gateway into Detroit,
immigrant influence has been integral to the Southwest Detroit
neighborhood revitalization. The most recognized area of Southwest
Detroit is Mexicantown, a center for Mexican restaurants, bakeries
and shops. Overall, Southwest Detroit has experienced a thriving
economy in the 2000s, as evidenced by new housing and increased
business openings. We will discuss the area’s revitalization and the
role of immigrants in its success.
11:50 a.m. Lunch and Detroit Works—Rightsizing the Big D
Robert Anderson and Burney Johnson
The City of Detroit and the State of Michigan are
looking to Detroit’s future with investment strategies, programs, and
plans to ensure its stability and continued revitalization as the city
grapples with a dramatic loss of population and restricted budgets.
We will address programs, policies, and direction at both the city and
state levels designed to encourage reinvestment, the preservation of
historic assets, and efficient use of city resources.
1:00 p.m. The New Model: Detroit’s Future
Laura Trudeau and Brian D. Conway
The Kresge Foundation has partnered with the City
of Detroit in the Detroit Works Project, a look at Detroit’s future
with a smaller population base. We will discuss the role of historic
preservation in Detroit’s future.
1:45 p.m. Break
2:00 p.m. Tour
Bus tour to visit areas discussed in the morning session,
with stops to look at projects in the following neighborhoods:
Midtown, Southwest Detroit, and Eastern Market.
5:00 p.m. Return to Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Panel
Robert Anderson, Director of Planning and
Development, City of Detroit
Robert Anderson has twenty-five years of experience
in both the private and public worlds of planning and development.
As the current director of planning and development for the City of
Detroit, he is responsible for a myriad of tasks that affect the entire