Past Projects

Range of work 

The SBEI seek projects that integrate planning and design elements within a sustainability framework, including regeneration (vacant land reuse, brownfields, placemaking), renewable energy (green development and building technology) and resiliency (economic shock, climate adaptation, natural disasters) using the imaging/visioning umbrella of physical sustainable design. Examples could include downtown Street scapes, parks, bike ways and trails, open space systems, industrial/commercial reuse, beautification, land use, signs, agricultural/conservation land preservation, ecosystem management, neighborhood/residential development and climate & health adaptation plans. The scale of the project can vary from a single parcel to a subarea plan. 

Project Archives

Habitat Restoration

Flint Native Habitat Restoration Vision (2021)
The purpose of the Flint Pollinator Project is to develop a conceptual plan for transforming vacant land and abandoned lots into native habitat areas within the City of Flint. This report details how MSU staff, the Genesee County Land Bank, and citizen representatives from local neighborhood groups partnered to identify community concerns and build consensus on the conceptual plan. The overall results serve as an aesthetics and utility guide. The community input will help direct the future enhancement of ecosystem services while improving the appearance of lots and promoting social interaction between community members. To enhance ecosystem services, the final design/planning recommendations consider the following themes:

  • Creating wildlife habitats in the form of pollinator gardens to support the well-being of neighborhood flora

  • Cultivating natural stormwater management systems to reduce runoff and promote infiltration.

Corridor Visioning

Marquette Charter Township, MI:  US 41/M-28 Corridor (2020)
Marquette Charter Township was selected for the MACH A2 Grant Project to develop a climate and health adaptation vision for the U.S. 41/M-28 Corridor. The goal of the project was to enhance the U.S. 41/M-28 Corridor by creating and sustaining an inviting space for all residents and visitors of Marquette Charter Township to utilize. Another goal of the project is to develop a vision for climate and health adaptation along the corridor, including stormwater management and aesthetics.

The project area was specifically the currently developed area of the 2.7 miles of U.S. 41/M-28 Corridor in Marquette Charter Township. Seven sites were selected for applying community goals. These sites were selected based on their identification in community conversations and their potential for meeting community goals through creative reuse.

Ultimately, the community feedback focuses on four themes with which to move forward: Connectivity, Aesthetics, Revitalization, and Placemaking. With a thorough and collaborative process, the MSU team worked with the Marquette Charter Township community to address these objectives and formulate an action plan of realistic solutions to achieve a more climate and health adapted built environment.