Could Detroit’s inner ring burbs build regional density

Jeff Wattrick responds to Brooking Fellow Chris Leinberger's editorial on the abandonment of the xburbs and the possibility that inner ring suburban cities like Royal Oak and Birmingham may offer Metro Detroit's best opportunity for real density. Excerpt: "More interesting for metro Detroit is the increased demand for inner-ring suburbs—Leinberger calls them “suburban town centers.” We actually do suburban town centers pretty well here. Birmingham, Grosse Pointe, Ferndale, Wyandotte, Royal Oak, Dearborn, etc are all first-rate communities. All have good housing stock, quality schools, well-maintained parks, walkable neighborhoods, and “Main Street” retail. Also, it's not impossible to be a one car family in a town like Royal Oak or Grosse Pointe. No one should abandon Detroit’s fledgling recovery to declare “suburban town centers” as our fun new fad, but they are an asset too often ignored in the larger discussion about the city and the region’s future." Read the rest here.