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How Detroit Was Reborn (1 Viewer)

igbomb

igbomb

Footballguy
Really interesting story in how the Detroit bankruptcy played out in the local paper today.

I know Detroit is a running joke in the US but I'm honestly hopeful, maybe even optimistic, that the city can finally start the rebirth we've all been waiting for.

Link

 
New Orleans did it, anyone can.

Pulling for Detroit, but it's like when you're 1-6 and just a game out of elimination from the FF playoffs. Shed all dead weight and do absolutely everything you can to win one day at a time.

 
Jayrod said:
Here's to hoping the city turns it around. :banned:
Click to expand...
:thumbup:

Moved to the area nearly 15 years ago now. Hated it at first and wanted to get out of here but stayed for my wife and job. Now I love it (other than winter) and will probably spend the rest of my days in the area. Granted, I live in a nice suburb well removed from the city itself, but I can't wait to be here as the city gets back on its feet.

 
Would be nice if the city could find a way to rid itself of urban blight, dilapidated buildings with broken windows and graffiti, the sense of unease one feels driving around (let alone, walking around) some of the areas and rebuild the way so many other American cities have in the last 25 years.

I have been to the Detroit area about 15 times in the last 6 years and I enjoy my time there. But I spend most of that time in the suburbs. Driving in for a Tigers game or the Ford Museum (one of this country's most underrated treasures) or to hit some old school restaurants takes over an hour. That sucks. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. There is no public transportation system, which is understandable considering it is the Motor City, but come on...build a light rail. Evolve.

And for the love of god, that airport is the most inconvenient airport in a major city in the country. Denver's is bad too, but the drive from ANYWHERE in the Detroit area to the airport is an excruciatingly painful journey, adding an hour or more of commute time to what is already a long day of travel.

Big Detroit fan, but the city could do so much more to improve itself.

 
Things are soooo much better than they were 30 years ago. Michigan is a great place. Detroit is still really rough, but there are lots of fun things to do, the suburbs are nice and the outdoor life is unmatched.

 
Downtown in picking up, however the city itself is too big to come back without changes. In 1950 1.8 million people lived in detroit, currently there are just over 700k people in the city. Obviously the city hasn't changed in area. IMO they should downsize the city. Not sure if they can use eminent domain to move people out of neighborhoods where there are 1-2 houses occupied on a block (Brightmoor, etc). But offer them incentives to move to neighborhoods that are full or close to it.

Sell the excess land to adjoining counties/cities, farm it, make it into a state park, whatever. Its just too big to be viable with the population where its at.

 
I've been in real estate development for 15+ years and admittedly don't know much about Detroit other than the well-publicized problems it's had over the past few decades. Seems to me they're headed in the right direction but city officials (and the public) need to be patient. They need to pick small battles... battles they can win... to foster growth from within. The public has to be receptive to change otherwise it will remain a poop-hole.

 
General Malaise said:
Would be nice if the city could find a way to rid itself of urban blight, dilapidated buildings with broken windows and graffiti, the sense of unease one feels driving around (let alone, walking around) some of the areas and rebuild the way so many other American cities have in the last 25 years.

I have been to the Detroit area about 15 times in the last 6 years and I enjoy my time there. But I spend most of that time in the suburbs. Driving in for a Tigers game or the Ford Museum (one of this country's most underrated treasures) or to hit some old school restaurants takes over an hour. That sucks. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. There is no public transportation system, which is understandable considering it is the Motor City, but come on...build a light rail. Evolve.

And for the love of god, that airport is the most inconvenient airport in a major city in the country. Denver's is bad too, but the drive from ANYWHERE in the Detroit area to the airport is an excruciatingly painful journey, adding an hour or more of commute time to what is already a long day of travel.

Big Detroit fan, but the city could do so much more to improve itself.
Click to expand...
they are building a light rail right now. Up woodward

 
It's an awesome city, steeped with tradition and pure American spirit. Just like in 1950 it was the best place to live, in 2010 it was the worst place to live. The goal is to find something in between and just be a normal place, and we are well on our way now. I've been espousing the idea that the center city has been growing for years without much notice, the affirmation is there now and we are on our way back to being something respectful. I'll be back in no time, working it now. :thumbup:

 
Love the area. If we were able to move easily it would be Detroit suburb, Chicago or NC. The suburbs are beautiful and the downtown setup with all the sports teams right there is enviable.

We make a trip up there every year and love it.

 
General Malaise said:
Would be nice if the city could find a way to rid itself of urban blight, dilapidated buildings with broken windows and graffiti, the sense of unease one feels driving around (let alone, walking around) some of the areas and rebuild the way so many other American cities have in the last 25 years.

I have been to the Detroit area about 15 times in the last 6 years and I enjoy my time there. But I spend most of that time in the suburbs. Driving in for a Tigers game or the Ford Museum (one of this country's most underrated treasures) or to hit some old school restaurants takes over an hour. That sucks. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. There is no public transportation system, which is understandable considering it is the Motor City, but come on...build a light rail. Evolve.

And for the love of god, that airport is the most inconvenient airport in a major city in the country. Denver's is bad too, but the drive from ANYWHERE in the Detroit area to the airport is an excruciatingly painful journey, adding an hour or more of commute time to what is already a long day of travel.

Big Detroit fan, but the city could do so much more to improve itself.
Click to expand...
The burbs are expansive. You do not need to be an hour away from the heart of Detroit to live in a nice suburb.
 
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.

 
MAC_32 said:
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.
Click to expand...
You obviously never went downtown in the 80s or 90s.

Did you go to Midtown? Where in downtown are you basing your one night opinion?

 
Doctor Detroit said:
MAC_32 said:
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.
Click to expand...
You obviously never went downtown in the 80s or 90s.Did you go to Midtown? Where in downtown are you basing your one night opinion?
Click to expand...
i turned 16 in 1999, so,no, I didn't.We stayed at the Westin, show was at the joe, Tommy's after was cool as it always is but the crowd thinned out after about an hour. Ended up at greektown earlier than expected because nothing else was going on. Morning after was especially barren. Usually there on a Saturday or Sunday, so a Friday was different but for a work day it sure didn't seem like many people were downtown working.

 
Go to Midtown next time before your event/reason for visiting. I think your opinion will be much different.

Downtown is great on the weekend, but during the day>at night. Everyone leaves at night, because they don't live in the city. MIdtown is different in that regard.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
igbomb said:
Really interesting story in how the Detroit bankruptcy played out in the local paper today.

I know Detroit is a running joke in the US but I'm honestly hopeful, maybe even optimistic, that the city can finally start the rebirth we've all been waiting for.

Link
Click to expand...
Serious question. Did they clean house of all the really dirty politicians - mayor, etc.?

 
Binky The Doormat said:
igbomb said:
Really interesting story in how the Detroit bankruptcy played out in the local paper today.

I know Detroit is a running joke in the US but I'm honestly hopeful, maybe even optimistic, that the city can finally start the rebirth we've all been waiting for.

Link
Click to expand...
Serious question. Did they clean house of all the really dirty politicians - mayor, etc.?
Click to expand...
I think so for the most part. It's a big city, there's always going to be corruption, but it seems to have improved.
 
Binky The Doormat said:
igbomb said:
Really interesting story in how the Detroit bankruptcy played out in the local paper today.

I know Detroit is a running joke in the US but I'm honestly hopeful, maybe even optimistic, that the city can finally start the rebirth we've all been waiting for.

Link
Click to expand...
Serious question. Did they clean house of all the really dirty politicians - mayor, etc.?
Click to expand...
Kilpatrick was obviously. ridiculously dirty. Bing was obviously in over his head. Duggan, the current mayor, seems to have his stuff together and there's no indication that he's shady in any way. Though with politicians who really knows.

The City Council is always the wild card. I haven't followed it very closely at all since the emergency manager came in but they used to be a ridiculous dysfunctional bunch of morons. I guess the fact that I haven't heard about any recent histrionics might be a good sign.

And the corrupt County Executive was just voted out. No idea how the new guy will do.

Essentially, good signs are there, but it still took the governor to place an emergency manager in, overriding all mayoral and city council authority, to finally push the reset button.

Not time will tell.

 
igbomb said:
Binky The Doormat said:
igbomb said:
Really interesting story in how the Detroit bankruptcy played out in the local paper today.

I know Detroit is a running joke in the US but I'm honestly hopeful, maybe even optimistic, that the city can finally start the rebirth we've all been waiting for.

Link
Click to expand...
Serious question. Did they clean house of all the really dirty politicians - mayor, etc.?
Click to expand...
Kilpatrick was obviously. ridiculously dirty. Bing was obviously in over his head. Duggan, the current mayor, seems to have his stuff together and there's no indication that he's shady in any way. Though with politicians who really knows.

The City Council is always the wild card. I haven't followed it very closely at all since the emergency manager came in but they used to be a ridiculous dysfunctional bunch of morons. I guess the fact that I haven't heard about any recent histrionics might be a good sign.

And the corrupt County Executive was just voted out. No idea how the new guy will do.

Essentially, good signs are there, but it still took the governor to place an emergency manager in, overriding all mayoral and city council authority, to finally push the reset button.

Not time will tell.
Click to expand...
Going back to a district/ward system helped a lot. Used to be the city council was entirely at large, meaning they weren't concerned with representing their constituency. Now seven of the nine seats represent a district. They have to live where they represent, instead of all of them sitting up in Palmer Woods oblivious to neighborhood concerns.

Like most everyone in this thread I'm a big fan of the D. What Dan Gilbert and a host of young entrepreneurs are accomplishing right now is amazing. If I was a young person looking for a place ripe with opportunity, I'd forego played out Williamsburg or Austin and head straight for Corktown.

 
General Malaise said:
Would be nice if the city could find a way to rid itself of urban blight, dilapidated buildings with broken windows and graffiti, the sense of unease one feels driving around (let alone, walking around) some of the areas and rebuild the way so many other American cities have in the last 25 years.

...
Click to expand...
This is key, create a way to purchase and transfer lots quickly, create incentives to rehab/remodel old homes, and create special low or non-tax districts.

I will add, tear down outmoded projects that kill property value in important neighborhoods.

One driving force in NO has been the transformation of the city through rising property values.

 
MAC_32 said:
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.
Click to expand...
Detroit needs to follow the progression of the Los Angeles downtown rebirth very carefully. There are a lot of similarities with how both downtowns once thrived, then turned into ish-holes. LA is amidst a huge turnaround and only going up from here.

 
Leroy Hoard said:
igbomb said:
Sabertooth said:
As a Yooper I feel as though Detroit just drags the entire state down. I wish we could sell it to Canada.
Click to expand...
I love the UP. Went to college up there. But it's not exactly the economic engine of the state.
Click to expand...
And from a geographic standpoint the UP should really be part of Wisconsin.
Click to expand...
and toledo should be part of Michigan

honestly, michigan got the better end of the deal, though it did not seem like it at the time

 
nirad3 said:
MAC_32 said:
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.
Click to expand...
Detroit needs to follow the progression of the Los Angeles downtown rebirth very carefully. There are a lot of similarities with how both downtowns once thrived, then turned into ish-holes. LA is amidst a huge turnaround and only going up from here.
Click to expand...
I think Cleveland would be a better basis of comparison, another rust belt city that suffered through its own issues, both economical and political. Downtown Detroit really reminded me of downtown Cleveland shortly after I moved here 7 years ago. It's amazing looking at where Cleveland is now vs. then. Although from what I understand Detroit is in a much worse spot now than Cleveland was then, so the road back will probably be longer.

 
MAC_32 said:
nirad3 said:
MAC_32 said:
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.
Click to expand...
Detroit needs to follow the progression of the Los Angeles downtown rebirth very carefully. There are a lot of similarities with how both downtowns once thrived, then turned into ish-holes. LA is amidst a huge turnaround and only going up from here.
Click to expand...
I think Cleveland would be a better basis of comparison, another rust belt city that suffered through its own issues, both economical and political. Downtown Detroit really reminded me of downtown Cleveland shortly after I moved here 7 years ago. It's amazing looking at where Cleveland is now vs. then. Although from what I understand Detroit is in a much worse spot now than Cleveland was then, so the road back will probably be longer.
Click to expand...
Yeah, another city I have limited experience with. I was there in '96 and it was a ghost town from what I remember. Went to the RRHoF and that was about it.

Downtown LA was an absolute joke for decades, and adjacent to it are some pretty rough neighborhoods. It's totally turned around and is one of the hottest markets in the country now.

It'd be awesome to see all of these "once great" cities turn things around.

 
bicycle_seat_sniffer said:
General Malaise said:
Would be nice if the city could find a way to rid itself of urban blight, dilapidated buildings with broken windows and graffiti, the sense of unease one feels driving around (let alone, walking around) some of the areas and rebuild the way so many other American cities have in the last 25 years.

I have been to the Detroit area about 15 times in the last 6 years and I enjoy my time there. But I spend most of that time in the suburbs. Driving in for a Tigers game or the Ford Museum (one of this country's most underrated treasures) or to hit some old school restaurants takes over an hour. That sucks. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. There is no public transportation system, which is understandable considering it is the Motor City, but come on...build a light rail. Evolve.

And for the love of god, that airport is the most inconvenient airport in a major city in the country. Denver's is bad too, but the drive from ANYWHERE in the Detroit area to the airport is an excruciatingly painful journey, adding an hour or more of commute time to what is already a long day of travel.

Big Detroit fan, but the city could do so much more to improve itself.
Click to expand...
they are building a light rail right now. Up woodward
Click to expand...
Sweet!

 
Ilov80s said:
General Malaise said:
Would be nice if the city could find a way to rid itself of urban blight, dilapidated buildings with broken windows and graffiti, the sense of unease one feels driving around (let alone, walking around) some of the areas and rebuild the way so many other American cities have in the last 25 years.

I have been to the Detroit area about 15 times in the last 6 years and I enjoy my time there. But I spend most of that time in the suburbs. Driving in for a Tigers game or the Ford Museum (one of this country's most underrated treasures) or to hit some old school restaurants takes over an hour. That sucks. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. There is no public transportation system, which is understandable considering it is the Motor City, but come on...build a light rail. Evolve.

And for the love of god, that airport is the most inconvenient airport in a major city in the country. Denver's is bad too, but the drive from ANYWHERE in the Detroit area to the airport is an excruciatingly painful journey, adding an hour or more of commute time to what is already a long day of travel.

Big Detroit fan, but the city could do so much more to improve itself.
Click to expand...
The burbs are expansive. You do not need to be an hour away from the heart of Detroit to live in a nice suburb.
Click to expand...
That's true. I guess my experiences are steeped with perspective of being so far removed from the city each and every time I visit. Maybe my in-laws need to move. :)

 
General Malaise said:
Dan Lambskin said:
I can get to the airport in about 15 min :shrug:
Click to expand...
Maybe I need to stay with you next time I'm there. In-laws live out in Lake Orion, so my perception is very skewed.
Click to expand...
Yep, it all depends on which suburb you're in. I can see that if you're in one of the northern suburbs the drive to the airport would suck.

I'm in Plymouth and I'm 15-20 minutes away.

 
MAC_32 said:
nirad3 said:
MAC_32 said:
Downtown is picking up? Honestly asking, went there for pearl jam last month and downtown was pretty much dead other than the show. First time I've been there in seven years and not gone to a tigers game, so maybe my expectations just weren't in line. It was good to see the rail system getting built though.
Click to expand...
Detroit needs to follow the progression of the Los Angeles downtown rebirth very carefully. There are a lot of similarities with how both downtowns once thrived, then turned into ish-holes. LA is amidst a huge turnaround and only going up from here.
Click to expand...
I think Cleveland would be a better basis of comparison, another rust belt city that suffered through its own issues, both economical and political. Downtown Detroit really reminded me of downtown Cleveland shortly after I moved here 7 years ago. It's amazing looking at where Cleveland is now vs. then. Although from what I understand Detroit is in a much worse spot now than Cleveland was then, so the road back will probably be longer.
Click to expand...
I have been to Cleveland and Detroit a lot over the last 20 years. While Cleveland was in a bad spot, it was never near the disaster that is Detroit. Detroit can improve but it will never be a great city again. It is going to take many years just for things to literally crumble down so that the city is not such an eye sore.

Things can improve over time though but everyone involved in the rebirth of Detroit must be willing to give it time. Ten years seems like earliest that the city could actually be improved from disaster to struggling but coming back.

 
Premier said:
Love the area. If we were able to move easily it would be Detroit suburb, Chicago or NC. The suburbs are beautiful and the downtown setup with all the sports teams right there is enviable.

We make a trip up there every year and love it.
Click to expand...
just wait until you see what they are building for the Red Wings new home just across the street from Hockeytown and the other sports arenas.

Should be sweet.

My BIL lives in a condo right down there off woodward, he loves it.

 
As a separate subject I saw on the news this morning that John Dingell is getting the Medal of Freedom.

What, exactly, has this guy done other than be at the helm during the biggest metropolitan collapse in US history? Why are we celebrating this guy?

 
igbomb said:
Jayrod said:
Here's to hoping the city turns it around. :banned:
Click to expand...
:thumbup:

Moved to the area nearly 15 years ago now. Hated it at first and wanted to get out of here but stayed for my wife and job. Now I love it (other than winter) and will probably spend the rest of my days in the area. Granted, I live in a nice suburb well removed from the city itself, but I can't wait to be here as the city gets back on its feet.
Click to expand...
bicycle_seat_sniffer said:
Premier said:
Love the area. If we were able to move easily it would be Detroit suburb, Chicago or NC. The suburbs are beautiful and the downtown setup with all the sports teams right there is enviable.

We make a trip up there every year and love it.
Click to expand...
just wait until you see what they are building for the Red Wings new home just across the street from Hockeytown and the other sports arenas.

Should be sweet.

My BIL lives in a condo right down there off woodward, he loves it.
Click to expand...
Spent my first 22 years in the burbs, loved going downtown. Hockeytown, Greektown, the riverfront, etc. so much natural potential in the area.

The economy should come back but it's a long road. Oakland county is still one of the wealthier counties in America, but when I was there IIRC it was in the top 5. If I could convince my wife to not hate winter, I'd go back in a heartbeat when the opportunity arose.

 
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