New Sound, Old Style: What Motown Can Teach City Planners
2468 West Grand Boulevard, in Detroit, Michigan
Arguably the most famous mixed-use building in all of America is located at 2468 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan. This modest two-story, blue-and-white house is located in the middle of the block, nestled between multiple single-family homes. It is about two blocks from the neighborhood’s original commercial core, along one of Detroit's great boulevards.
The ground floor of this building was first opened by a local florist who sold flower arrangements on the first floor and lived on the second floor. In 1959, the property was sold to an aspiring entrepreneur with the dream of writing music and selling records. He'd already failed at one startup and borrowed $800 from his family in seed money for his next business.
After purchasing the property, this optimistic entrepreneur moved his family into the apartment on the second floor — which is accessed via the door on the left. The first floor was remodeled into offices and a music recording studio. The door on the right is more than just a door. It is a threshold that has connected the residents of this Detroit neighborhood to the world. This modest, mixed-use building has influenced American culture and supported the dreams of many, many inspiring musicians and songwriters.
I am speaking of the home of Berry Gordy, the heart of Motown Records — what is better known to the entire world as Hitsville U.S.A. The artists, recordings and distinctive Detroit sound that were produced in this building have touched each and every one of us. Under this roof, in Studio A, an entire generation of new musicians with a new sound was created.
The iconic studio and corporate headquarters of Motown is more than just a music studio: It is a case study for mixed-use development. The studio was a 24-7 operation, providing artists the time they needed to practice and record their music. The Gordy family lived on the second floor in a modest apartment.
When we talk about Motown and Hitsville U.S.A., each of us has songs that we can relate to, that we feel in our souls, and that rhythm keeps us tapping our feet and swinging our hips. But planners and developers can find even more to resonate with in the story of Motown. This American dream would not have been possible without a low bar of entry for an entrepreneur with a big vision, who could invest a little seed money into a building that he could both call home and start a business in.
Allowing mixed-use buildings within your community provides an opportunity for your neighbors to follow their passions and pursue the American dream. Not every mixed-use building will be an international, multibillion-dollar success story. The history of Motown teaches us that even someone like Berry Gordy did not succeed with his first business. Like many other entrepreneurs, he experienced failure and he learned from those failures.
Even if not every mixed-use building succeeds, they’re a diversified investment that allows for a lot of small bets. This kind of building has been part of the traditional urban fabric of cities for thousands of years. Mixed-use buildings can adapt and change to all sorts of market conditions. If the music business failed, the Gordy family still had their home, and they could have rented out the first floor to other entrepreneurs.
Our modern zoning and development regulations create a system that restricts most property owners from having more than one use on a single piece of land or within a single building.
Through zoning, our communities attempt to mitigate risk, but they result in development patterns that are unable to adapt. These regulations code out innovation. Zoning is an attempt to introduce order into a complex system. Through well-intentioned, planners have added layers upon layers of complicated systems onto our cities to achieve order. This is so pervasive in our communities that we don’t even realize we are doing it.
For example, what would be your first reaction if you learned that your neighbor was going to turn their garage into a recording studio or an office space? Would your initial reaction be to push back and outline all the reasons why this is not permitted? Would you run to your local officials or HOA to complain? Many of us would reject and push back against this innovation because the way we build cities today tells us this idea is wrong. This is the standard response, and I think no less of you if it was your first reaction. However, this is not a natural response.
The story of Motown demonstrates what is possible when we allow our next increment of development in our communities. Hitsville U.S.A. is an inspiration we should reference when discussing our built world. This little building was the next increment of development on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan. This simple idea of allowing a mix of uses not only supported the development of a business but also inspired a generation of artists.
Edward Erfurt is the Director of Community Action at Strong Towns. He is a trained architect and passionate urban designer with over 20 years of public- and private-sector experience focused on the management, design, and successful implementation of development and placemaking projects that enrich the tapestry of place. He believes in community-focused processes that are founded on diverse viewpoints, a concern for equity, and guided through time-tested, traditional town-planning principles and development patterns that result in sustainable growth with the community character embraced by the communities which he serves.