Norman Tyler, FAICP

Contact Information

126 N Division St
Ann Arbor
MI
48104-1529
United States

FAICP Statement

Norman Tyler has had a life-long commitment to education and community planning. He served for 17 years as director of the Eastern Michigan University planning program, and is an award-winning educator recognized for development of innovative, educational web-based applications. His research has focused on community development, preservation planning, and downtown revitalization. He has authored two published books and one online book on planning and preservation. He has assisted in community building throughout his career, from West African villages (1960s) to inner-city Baltimore neighborhoods (1970s) to Pennsylvania coal mining towns (1980s) to small cities throughout Michigan (1990s) to virtual communities (2000s). Inducted 2012.

About Me

Norman Tyler has authored books on city planning, historic preservation, Greek Revival architecture, the history of transportation, and the Peace Corps. He has served on the board of numerous community and professional organizations, and has long been a community activist who ardently cares about making a difference. Norm has been recognized nationally as a professor and practitioner of urban planning, being inducted into the profession's College of Fellows. He lives with his spouse, Ilene, in a historic house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and they love traveling the world together. When home, he enjoys carpentry projects, playing piano and, of course, writing. When asked which of his books is his favorite, he replies, "My next one!" More on Norm and Ilene is available at their web site: tylertopics.com.

Professional Biography

Norman Tyler, FAICP, PhD is Professor Emeritus at Eastern Michigan University, where he served as an award-winning member of the faculty of the Urban and Regional Planning Program. As director of its Planning Program for seventeen years, he carried much of the responsibility for the continued success of its two planning programs (undergraduate and graduate) and oversaw their significant growth. Dr. Tyler has been involved on the boards and on numerous committees with state and local professional organizations. He has served in a variety of capacities, drawing on his expertise both as an educator and practitioner. For many years he was a partner in the architecture/planning firm of Tyler/Tyler Architects. A significant project from this period was serving as planner and architect for a new town in Pennsylvania. Dr. Tyler's research throughout his career has focused on the development of new approaches to community planning and the review and assessment of downtown revitalization efforts. Tyler has written numerous articles and given many presentations on topics relating to downtown planning, historic preservation, and web-based education. Tyler has authored and co-authored a number of books over his career, including: Planning and Community Development: A Guide for the 21st Century (W.W. Norton and Company, 2010, with Robert M. Ward); Historic Preservation: An Introduction to Its History, Principles, and Practice (W.W. Norton and Company, 1999, 2009, and 2018, with Ted J. Ligibel and Ilene R. Tyler); Greek Revival in America: Tracing Its Architectural Roots to Ancient Athens (CreateSpace Independent Publishing 2014, with Ilene R. Tyler); The Peace Corps, Sierra Leone, and Me. (CreateSpace Independent Publishing 2014); Crossing the Continent: Pioneers of Transcontinental Travel (Draft manuscript).

Job History