The city of Detroit introduced Monday a nearly yearlong plan to engage residents and community stakeholders for input on the future of Corktown.

A request for proposals will be issued by the city Aug. 31 for the strategic framework of the greater Corktown area, and a comprehensive course of action will be decided by the same time next year, officials said during a meeting at IBEW Local 58 union hall.

The neighborhood meeting drew out dozens of residents and sparked wider interest in light of Ford Motor Co.'s plans to redevelop Michigan Central Station. Maurice Cox, planning director for the city and facilitator of Monday's discussion, said the outreach program "is real, it's deep and it'll be diverse."

"It feels to me like a long time coming," he said, adding, "There was a Corktown before Ford; there will be a Corktown after."

Cox was joined by several city officials, including John Sivills, lead urban designer of the central region for the Planning and Development Department and lead on the Corktown initiative, and Steven Lewis, design director of the central region for the department.

The Corktown framework initiaitve comes on the heels of the city launching its Strategic Neighborhood Fund 2.0, rolled out in May with a goal of raising $130 million to build 10 "vibrant, inclusive areas throughout the city, touching more than 60 individual neighborhoods over the next five years," according to the city. The Corktown plan is separate from the strategic fund, but there will be parallel studies conducted in some areas, city spokesman Tim Carroll said.

The plan for Corktown: "Create a framework that recognizes the great potential for inclusive growth of Detroit's oldest established neighborhood, while preserving its cultural heritage and integrity," according to a document provided by the city.