New resource gives communities and developers a shared framework to evaluate, prepare for and shape industrial projects in the Detroit Region
DETROIT, Mich. (September 29, 2026) — The Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP) has released the Industrial Development Toolkit, a new resource designed to help municipalities and developers across the 11-county Detroit Region evaluate, prepare for and guide modern industrial development in a way that reflects each community’s unique priorities.
Built on the foundation of DRP’s Verified Industrial Properties (VIP) program, which has prepared more than 100 industrial-zoned sites for modern manufacturing across the region, the Toolkit gives local leaders tools, templates and a practical framework to understand what industrial development looks like today, determine whether it fits their community’s goals and plan for it proactively rather than reacting once a project is already at their doorstep. It also gives developers insight into how municipalities approach the process, helping both sides work from a shared foundation. The Toolkit is one of a growing set of resources DRP is developing to strengthen community readiness for investment and help local leaders proactively shape growth around their own priorities.
“Every day, local leaders across the Detroit Region make decisions that will shape their communities for decades,” said Justin Robinson, President and CEO of the DRP. “How we use the finite amount of usable industrial land in the region will shape our region’s future and economy. As we compete for projects in the Midwest and against regions worldwide that are chasing the next wave of investment, the Detroit Regional Partnership is committed to delivering tools to help our region secure the opportunities that can be a win-win-win for developers, municipalities and members of their communities.”
The Toolkit responds directly to what DRP heard from communities: many want the benefits industrial development can bring but lack the tools to attract it and the shared framework for communities and developers to navigate the process together. DRP developed the Toolkit in partnership with Progressive Companies, a Michigan-based planning and design firm with deep experience in community and industrial development, through a stakeholder-led process that included 20 in-depth interviews and collaborative sessions with more than 50 municipal officials, developers, utility providers and economic development practitioners from across the region.
The Toolkit is built for two groups that must work well together for projects to succeed. For local governments, it offers a way to get ahead of change instead of reacting to it, helping communities update master plans and zoning ordinances, understand what modern manufacturing actually looks like, engage residents early and know what to ask for at the negotiating table. For developers and site selectors, it offers a clear roadmap for engaging communities early, communicating transparently and navigating the local approvals, incentives and community-benefit conversations that determine whether a project moves forward.
“Effective economic development requires communities and developers to work from a shared understanding of what readiness looks like,” said Shannon Selby, Vice President of Real Estate at the DRP. “This Toolkit provides a strategic framework to help municipalities assess opportunities, make informed decisions and position their communities for high-quality investment. By bringing greater clarity and consistency to the development process, it strengthens collaboration, supports long-term competitiveness and helps advance projects that deliver meaningful value for residents, businesses and the broader region.”
Zoning and public perception in many communities have not caught up with the realities of modern manufacturing. Today’s facilities are cleaner, quieter and far more technologically advanced than the factories many people picture, and outdated assumptions can keep communities from capturing investment that could otherwise strengthen their tax base, fund local services and create good-paying careers for residents. The Toolkit gives communities the information they need to weigh that shift honestly and make informed decisions on their own terms.
“We want this to be relevant and pertinent to the discussion playing out in local communities around industrial growth and how communities can maximize the benefit of such projects for the broader community, while also limiting potential negative impacts,” said Suzanne Schulz, urban planning practice leader at Progressive Companies.
The launch reflects DRP’s broader commitment to intentional, community-driven growth across the region, ensuring that as the region competes for the next generation of industrial investment, that growth strengthens the communities where it happens rather than happening to them. To access the full toolkit, click here.
