Kalamazoo West Gateway, Michigan

Reconnecting to Downtown

Published in August 2025

Case Study Overview

Just west of the focus area from Dean’s Charrette #3, several simultaneous developments are underway in Downtown Kalamazoo, including the construction of a new event center, nearby college master planning efforts, adjacent land acquisitions by private developers, and a PROTECT grant to reimagine the floodplain along the tangle of streets colloquially known as the “Spaghetti Bowl.” The study area for this second charrette represents a critical point of connection among several parts of the city: the two colleges, the emerging event district, the reemerging commercial corridor along W. Michigan Avenue, and the downtown core. This design seeks to bring these stakeholders into conversation with one another and to create a cohesive experience for the city’s western gateway.

Aerial View of Existing Conditions in West Downtown Kalamazoo

This east-facing view captures the "Spaghetti Bowl" network of unsafe roads that deter pedestrian and economic activity.

Existing Conditions

Urban Renewal converted downtown city streets to high-speed one-way corridors that immediately created a hostile environment for pedestrians and businesses. Historic city fabric was replaced with surface parking lots, which reinforce a circular pattern of pedestrian disinterest and vacancy. Particularly characteristic of this change is the mass of “Spaghetti Bowl” roads that split the city, separating downtown Kalamazoo from its western neighborhoods and local colleges.

Just west of the focus area of the initial 2022 charrette, several simultaneous developments are under way within the city: to the north, the Kalamazoo event center has broken ground; to the west and southwest, Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University are engaging in masterplanning processes; along W. Michigan Avenue, multiple developers have purchased land with the intent to develop; and the city has received a PROTECT grant to reimagine the floodplain along the tangle of streets colloquially known as the “Spaghetti Bowl.”

Urban Design Interventions

These three study areas were examined individually, to ensure specific challenges, needs, and developers were considered, then within a united composition to ensure that the city would feel connected. All three study areas hinge on the intersection of W. Michigan Avenue, W. Main Street, and Michikal, which is reimagined as a welcoming gateway to downtown Kalamazoo.

The proposal seeks to create a safe pedestrian experience, establish a welcoming gateway to downtown Kalamazoo, encourage sustainable forms of development, support ongoing efforts to repair and reconnect the city, and unite stakeholders with a shared vision.

Proposed Masterplan with Study Areas Highlighted

Three distinct design proposals within the study area were examined individually: the W. Michigan Avenue Connection, St. Augustine Cathedral Block, and Michigan-Academy District.

Six Proposed Building Types for Infill

These building types provide a range of scales and densities, as well as a combination of mixed-use and residential types; they are the individual built elements that can be combined into a complete block.

Building Types for Block Repair

Block repair takes a downtown with “missing teeth” and infills these gaps with buildings of a scale and character that will support an active public realm. Successfully repairing the historic block structure of Kalamazoo to meet the needs of a modern downtown requires that urban and architectural strategies work in tandem.

This section considers two layers: First, a block repair methodology offers recommended steps for repairing a variety of blocks, as informed by historic and existing patterns of scale, density, and form. Second, a set of mixed-use and residential building types appropriate to Kalamazoo emphasize Missing Middle and historic scale, and can be infilled into different blocks depending on the context.

Street Proposals

Streets are the primary component of the public realm. A well-designed street network establishes strong connections between different locations in the city, and welcome pedestrians, creating spaces for people to exercise, dine, shop, and simply enjoy being outdoors. Failure to account for these uses is detrimental to the economic success of the community in the long run.

While the overall proposal rationalizes the Kalamazoo street network, the individual street sections share common principles. A safe street design provides a buffer between moving vehicles and pedestrians, such as parked cars and street trees. Corner bump-outs at the sidewalk and narrower lanes calm traffic to let the community explore and local businesses thrive.

Existing and Proposed Street Sections for W. Michigan Avenue

These street sections return W. Michigan Avenue to a narrower, two-way street with a cycle track, wide sidewalks, street trees, and space for outdoor seating.