This article was published online in SciRes (Scientific Research) in September 2013, Current Urban Studies, 2013. Vol. I, No. 3, pages 59-73 (http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/cus.2013.13007).

This article explores the pedagogical experience of a group of graduate planning students with diverse undergraduate backgrounds in a degree capstone studio. The studio concentrates on the “shrinking” village of Morrow, Ohio. Following a brief overview of the shrinking cities literature, the article discusses the specific issues of economic decline facing the Village of Morrow and its population. It then delves into two specific aspects of this pedagogical experience, namely, a two-part SWOT analysis based on the data collected by the students directly and from a community charrette, and three redevelopment scenarios developed following an analysis of the lessons learned from this experience. The discussion and conclusion focus on the pros and cons of a planning studio involving students with mixed (design and non-design) skills.