Aerotropolis News

[BrushStart]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...n-Aerotropolis

Quite frankly, I'm surprised to hear anything about the aerotropolis. This whole project has been wallowing in limbo for like 5 years. Anybody have some inside information? I really think this thing could have a profound economic impact if it was done right. Thoughts?

[begingri]

How will mass transit be incorporated into the Aerotropolis project?

Mass transit will play a critical role in the development of the Aerotropolis. For the Aerotropolis to truly benefit all of Southeast Michigan, we must find ways to connect workers to jobs within the Aerotropolis district, and to connect visitors of the region to our established central business districts including downtown Detroit, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Oakland County. Beyond the Metro Detroit region, we will explore ways to transform the Aerotropolis into a hub serving the State of Michigan, the Midwest and the Great Lakes region. Given that Detroit Metropolitan Airport already attracts passengers from throughout Michigan, parts of northern Ohio, and southwest Ontario, the Aerotropolis stakeholders see an opportunity to build upon these connections and drive economic activity.

The proposed Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail is the first step to establishing improved transit service to the airport. Transit service will help influence transit-oriented development, walkable areas, and attractive business environments. The Aerotropolis partners will also explore ways in which mobility can be improved within the immediate Aerotropolis district.


What lessons have you been able to learn from aerotropolis developments around the world that will help the Detroit Aerotropolis get off the ground?

We know we must work together as a region for this project to succeed. Development around Amsterdam Schiphol airport involved over 100 different entities including local governments, citizens groups, and businesses.

We must have sustained support from the private sector. We are grateful to those who have supported us thus far, and we look forward to working more closely with local businesses once we have initiated the Development Corporation. Private development has been crucial to economic activity around Dallas-Fort Worth airport and Chicago’s O’hare airport.

Mass transit will be critical to realizing the regional value of the Aerotropolis. We need to connect citizens to jobs at the airport and in the Aerotropolis, and we want to connect visitors to our central business districts, especially our cultural and entertainment facilities in Detroit and Ann Arbor. Mass transit is a key component of many Aerotropolis developments including Amsterdam, Dallas, Chicago, Shanghai, Washington D.C., and in Atlanta.

Anchor tenants will be critical to driving economic activity around the airports. While we may not be able to lure UPS and FedEx away from Louisville and Memphis, we will need to attract firms that utilize the airports on an everyday basis.

We will need the support of the State of Michigan to make this work, and we must make the Aerotropolis project a “win-win” for all Michigan residents.

From the bottom of http://www.detroitregionaerotropolis.com/faq.htm

Interesting...

[Detroitnerd]

With fuel prices going through the roof, don't see how air travel is a sustainable model for development... Reminds me of those outdated books about what the world would be like in 2001: "The center of the city is an airport ..." XD

[BrushStart]

With fuel prices going through the roof, don't see how air travel is a sustainable model for development... Reminds me of those outdated books about what the world would be like in 2001: "The center of the city is an airport ..." XD

Detroitnerd, the "aerotropolis" project is not really all about airplanes, despite the fact that it is built around an airport. If you look at the vision for the project, it is actually a regional shipping and distribution center. This includes intermodal systems, rail, and trucking. It is designed to receive and deliver goods and people rapidly around the entire Midwest. It only makes sense to build it around an airport b/c the airport is permanent hub, i.e. it makes more sense to build it around an existing airport than build a shipping hub and then add another airport. The proximity of DTW and Willow Run are perfect for this purpose. On top of that, Detroit is perfect geographically. Lots of rail capacity, easy access to Canada, lots of runway capacity, a regional airline hub, lots of logistics companies, lots of demand for just-in-time shipments, and centrally located amongst a group of major cities, i.e. Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Toronto, Cleveland, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

Metro Detroit should jump at this opportunity.

[1KielsonDrive]

I think what they're saying is Kalitta is moving from one side of the airport, the Willow Run side, to the other side of the airport, the Ypsilanti Township side. I'm not sure how this qualifies as news or a 'catch' without addtional and important facts the article omitted. But it is good if Kalitta is expanding into the old GM facility on the Township side. It's still one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the world.I live in Ypsi Twp. We took a HUGE hit when GM began closing their plant at Willow Run - millions of tax dollars. Any additional businesses in that facility would be of immense help to our budget. Kalitta has an operation in Ypsi Twp already - on the south side of I-94 off of Huron Street/Whittaker Road. It's home to Kalitta Motorsports - dragsters and funny cars. I've heard from sources it also houses Kalitta Airlines offices. Regardless, Kalitta has home based in this area for years, even through their acquisitions in TX and northern MI. I've always heard the biggest impediment to Kalitta's expansion at Willow Run was that the runways are too short for full load landings and take offs. They have the largest cargo planes here, they just can't take off fully loaded with fuel and cargo. I watch their approach at various times along Huron River Drive and Ecorse Road.

[Detroitnerd]

Detroitnerd, the "aerotropolis" project is not really all about airplanes, despite the fact that it is built around an airport. If you look at the vision for the project, it is actually a regional shipping and distribution center. This includes intermodal systems, rail, and trucking. It is designed to receive and deliver goods and people rapidly around the entire Midwest. It only makes sense to build it around an airport b/c the airport is permanent hub, i.e. it makes more sense to build it around an existing airport than build a shipping hub and then add another airport. The proximity of DTW and Willow Run are perfect for this purpose. On top of that, Detroit is perfect geographically. Lots of rail capacity, easy access to Canada, lots of runway capacity, a regional airline hub, lots of logistics companies, lots of demand for just-in-time shipments, and centrally located amongst a group of major cities, i.e. Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Toronto, Cleveland, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

Metro Detroit should jump at this opportunity.

I'm doubtful that the airports -- or air travel, for that matter -- are as permanent as they may seem right now. We're still waiting for that "scientific miracle" that is supposed to replace the power of oil. Less oil, higher prices. Higher prices, more expensive air travel. More expensive air travel, less shipping by air. Less shipping by air, goodbye Aerotropolis.

Maybe instead of greenfield development schemes for the outer, less-developed areas, we should be focusing our economic development on rebuilding our already-developed areas. It's not sexy, it's not greenfield development, but it could generate a lot of economic activity. It certainly hasn't been tried before.

[BVos]

DetNerd,

Aerotropolis is exactly about developing what we have already. Most of the development around the project and the zoning around the project push expansions/new development to already developed areas. This project is taking the benefits of Ann Arbor and Detroit and combining them by using the DTW passenger [[largely) airport with the Willow Run freight [[largely) airport which sit almost halfway between the two. Again, the proposed developments so far have all been in already developed areas.

[Red Devil]

With fuel prices going through the roof, don't see how air travel is a sustainable model for development... Reminds me of those outdated books about what the world would be like in 2001: "The center of the city is an airport ..." XD

You think that's bad, my 4th grade social studies book [[printed in the 70s) projected that there would be "small factories built on the moon" by...1987.

[fryar]

Hmmm...maybe they were right to abandon that school book depository.

I always thought the Aerotropolis was a great idea.

[Novine]

" Again, the proposed developments so far have all been in already developed areas."

There's also a lot of undeveloped areas that they want to ultimately develop. That's my big beef with this concept. It means pouring more money into more infrastructure and sprawling into the undeveloped areas of Wayne County [[Huron and Sumpter Townships) when we can't even afford to maintain what we already have.

[Redleg81]

As far as moving cargo by air-- Bring back the rigid airship! You can move bigger loads on less fuel, by using a modern version of a Zeppelin airship. Germany tried to do this as recent as ten years ago, but cost overruns and financing issues put an end to their efforts.... Besides the little boy in me would love to see battleship sized aerial monsters plying the skies overhead!

[detlump]

Aren't the airlines developing algae-based fuel? Remember, jet engines can burn just about anything, so there are lots of options for jet travel, and jets are getting more fuel efficient all the time. The airplane is not going away anytime soon, why would the Chinese be building their own passenger planes? Now, I think we are a long way from battery powered airliner, I give you that. I recall some experiments using a nuclear reactor to power an aircraft, so we could always go that way [[not likely to get a lot of support these days). Long time ago, people were saying we'd have nuclear powered cars and a reactor in every home. Oh well. Where is Mr Fusion?