Pictures of Decay

[PghDavid]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

If you've somehow missed it, this is an amazing site:

The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit

Thank You for sharing. I went through the tour on this site and actually had to stop because it was too depressing. So many beautiful structures from our past left to decay or demolition. Being a photographer it was heartbreaking to see so much of our history left in this state.

I live in Pittsburgh (another rustbelt city) and even though we have our share of abandoned building, no city can compare to the scale that is Detroit. Even though Pittsburgh had several advantages over Detroit after the steel industry collapsed, the greatest survival tools the city had (and still does) is strong ethics and community pride.

Detriot can put a great deal of past blame on goverment, industry, etc. but in reality the severe lack of pride and concern seems to be their continued downfall. The mayor does not want assistance from the suburban communities, rather "mind their own business" and from my experience during a recent visit, several went out of their way to intimidate and remind us that this was THEIR city.

A fine example is the beautiful riverwalk. It was not a peaceful place to contemplate but rather a hangout for locals to play loud music, litter and cast intimidating stares. This attitude was not restricted to this area but several I visited; which made me question "if I was corporation considering moving to this city to help revitalize the economy, would I want to invest real estate and risk employees well being in this type of environment?

I've heard the arguement that living in an impoverished community affects your attitude. I would like to believe that however after volunteering in several areas of West Virginia where running water is not an option, the locals still maintained a sense of civility towards each other and worked with us outsiders. In Pittsburgh we have an elderly couple in the Hill district that maintain their property and scrubs their porch daily. The result, their ajoining neighbors see the sense of pride and follow suit.

Detroit, whether you realize it or not you have a beautiful city and can lure business to return but you need to be more involved. Corporations can see beyond the weeds and boarded up building PROVIDING the residents show a sense of willingness to work together. That is what they are investing in, a workforce with ethics. Work with law enforcement not against them. They are more willing to help with the problems affecting your communities IF they see a willingness by the residents to participate and SUPPORT their efforts.

Nothing will ever change and you cannot expect it to unless this all-about-me attitude is reversed to "we're in this together."

[Nearborn]

I'd love to be a part of a movement to clean up any area of Detroit that needs cleaning. A movement out of Detroit ruined it, and a movement to physically will it back to life is what is needed.

Well, until the residents on the block you're cleaning take the initiative to clean up their own block, your efforts will be worthless. In fact, they'd probably sit on their porches laughing at you while you cleaned their street for them.

But what have you done to clean up Detroit? Surely, it wouldn't be hard to find a tire heap or garbage pile that needs moving. How come you haven't organized anyone to do it?

[stock66]

Originally Posted by deslok

The babyboomers are the one's that abandoned the city, burnt down the city, and have ignored it for years.

I would never lay blame on any one generation. That seems to be what you do?
By "new" I refer to your idea that somehow "young" (I don't really know what age that maybe) people of today are going to go into the city and turn it all around after the boomers destroyed it. I can tell you there were "young" folks 10, 20, and 30 years ago that thought the same thing and did all in their power to act on it. Today is no different and none are any more special. I don't see anymore young people today moving in mass to save the city that I have in the past.

[deslok]

Such negativity. Next time I am in Detroit I will organize a group to pick up old tires and the like just for the heck of it. If I get laughed at, so be it. I'd be more then doing my part for a city I don't live in. How does negatively trying to stop someone from helping out a city help anything? That's the negative attitude Detroit must over come.
I'd say that today is different since racially the younger generations tend to get along a tad bit better then folks 10, 20, 30 years ago did. It's good that you finally understand that the boomers destroyed the city btw, lol. You are correct though about moving in mass, nobody is moving in mass to Michigan period.

[dinandriver]

Hmmm those pictures aren't as bad as some area's I've seen there....

[beck952]

I started a thread called profound thoughts after my visit to Detroit. This sums up my feelings of sadness, emptyness and mostly a quiet forbodding..unfortunately it was hijacked by 2 wacko's and was closed...but people need to look at Detroit and take ownership...this is OUR country, our sister city...everyones problem and quite possibly everyones future...it is not a race issue, it is a thriving city issue, a thriving economy issue, a thriving country! My opinion...