If you want to see all that the city of Ann Arbor can be, don't go to city hall. Go the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.

There local developer Peter Allen, who is also an adjunct member of the university's faculty, challenged his students to come up with plans for three of the city's most critical development areas – the Library Lot, Fuller Street Transit Station and Huron Riverfront. They came up with about half a dozen plans (realistic ones with real numbers) that can serve as the basis for further development in Ann Arbor.

"I have three more classes and many teams this semester that will be following up in more detail," Allen wrote in an email. "We just really scratched the surface."

The winning three plans can be seen here. They don't have all of the professional flourish developers presenting to the city have, but they are creative enough to drive this city full of NIMBYs crazy. Think innovative uses, modern design (mostly), no height limits and very urban design.

The Library Lot is what to build above the underground garage the Ann Arbor DDA is building next to the downtown library branch. The Fuller Street Transit Station is the intermodal transportation station proposed for just north of the University of Michigan Hospital. The Huron Riverfront is the Amtrak/MichCon brownfield property just north of the Broadway Bridge.

Source: Peter Allen, president of Peter Allen & Associates
Writer: Jon Zemke