What can be done to improve Detroit?

[and the]

The priority to improve Detroit must be schools. And that means scrapping the Detroit Public School system. Sorry. Except for a few magnet schools, the DPS is nothing more than a holding pen for juveniles.

Next time some billionaire offers the city millions and millions of dollars to build charter schoools, they should take the money instead of blowing the guy off because he's a white businessman from the suburbs and might **** off the teachers' union.

As the problem becomes more severe, the aforementioned three resources will be at a premium, and many of the fair-weather sun worshipers in the southwest will come knocking on our door.

Actually, by the time that happens, those of us who have moved west will merely dangle some money in front of you to buy the Great Lakes. In 50 years, Detroit and Michigan will be in such sad shape after another dozen terms of the Hip Hop mayor and probably a few terms of Mayor Joel Loving, AKA, Coleman Young Jr., that you'll be BEGGING us to buy your water...that's all you'll have left. Maybe you'll be selling souvenir bricks from the Penobscott and Guardian buildings too after they fall down.

Detroit ran thousands of miles of water lines out to the suburbs because the suburbs paid their bills. What's to stop them from running lines out of state? Nothing but the politics. There is no way people are going to move to DETROIT because of natural resources. They need to start letting people homestead 40 acre parcels, just like they did out west. You live there for a year, and it's yours for as long as you pay the (reasonable) taxes.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Sorry I know this thread has been dead for a couple of days, but I thought I'd add some insight.

It sounds like Detroit (from reading other's posts) needs some kind of major attraction. St. Louis and Detroit seem to be in similar situations of white flight and urban decay (especially in St. Louis' north side), but St. Louis has the arch, Busch Stadium, and lots of museums which bring people into the city. Does Detroit have many things like that?

Also, historic buildings can tell amazing stories sometimes, so are any of the historic and beautiful buildings being saved? I know in St. Louis the City Hospital, The Homer G. Philips Hospital (first black hospital during segregation), and some historic buildings are being turned into condos, lofts, and apartments. Could that be done in Detroit?

Detroit and St. Louis have both lost some industry over the past few decades, although Detroit might have suffered it worse. St. Louis obviously is about 1/3 Detroit's size also. And one problem with St. Louis is that the city is not a part of the county, so when people move to the suburbs the city doesn't get revenue from it.

Anyway, just a thought. Sounds like you need a major tourist attraction and lots of renovation. Maybe the Michigan or even U.S. Government will give grants. Restoring old, historic buildings often provide tax cuts to the renovators (not sure if that's a U.S. thing or just in Missouri).

Anyway, good luck to those in Detroit. The city can thrive again, just needs a little work.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

It's not just a matter of black-and-white. It tends to also be a matter of money. Often poorer communities have more violence. You need to bring in more people who can afford to live in the city and move those who can't, although I'm not sure that would be ethical or legal.

[simlifgal]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

Sorry I know this thread has been dead for a couple of days, but I thought I'd add some insight.

It sounds like Detroit (from reading other's posts) needs some kind of major attraction. St. Louis and Detroit seem to be in similar situations of white flight and urban decay (especially in St. Louis' north side), but St. Louis has the arch, Busch Stadium, and lots of museums which bring people into the city. Does Detroit have many things like that?

Also, historic buildings can tell amazing stories sometimes, so are any of the historic and beautiful buildings being saved? I know in St. Louis the City Hospital, The Homer G. Philips Hospital (first black hospital during segregation), and some historic buildings are being turned into condos, lofts, and apartments. Could that be done in Detroit?

Detroit and St. Louis have both lost some industry over the past few decades, although Detroit might have suffered it worse. St. Louis obviously is about 1/3 Detroit's size also. And one problem with St. Louis is that the city is not a part of the county, so when people move to the suburbs the city doesn't get revenue from it.

Anyway, just a thought. Sounds like you need a major tourist attraction and lots of renovation. Maybe the Michigan or even U.S. Government will give grants. Restoring old, historic buildings often provide tax cuts to the renovators (not sure if that's a U.S. thing or just in Missouri).

Anyway, good luck to those in Detroit. The city can thrive again, just needs a little work.

I agree with you that detroit needs a major attration besides the casinos (im am not entirely against the casinos, but they are not really family-friendly) It's sad that so much of detroits history has been either torn down or left uncared for. It sad that some of the places we should be most proud of, such as the birthplace of motown and the once glamorous train station have either been left to literally full apart and become a giant eye sore or the nieghborhoods around them have fallen on such hard times that even locals won't visit them. the city has 3 great sports arenas, and a lot of loyal fans. the DIA is pretty amazing, especially since the revamp, and parts of woodward ave are making a huge turnaround, but I dont think these things add up to enough to fight the awful reputation we've gained.


its sad that weve allowed detroit to get so far off the mark. It sad that a city that has the potential just can't seem to pull it back together. to be honest, I would LOVE to live downtown, but I do not feel Detroit is very white-friendly, and thus, as a white woman, I do not feel entirely safe in detroit. I don't know if thats a fixable problem. I mean, this is just my own observations, but it has always seemed to me like there is a fairly high level of racial tension in detroit. I think its because EVERYONE feels the need to point the finger. Like someone touched on earlier, when the money was offered for the school system it was rejected. why? because Detroit dosen't need help from any rich white men? thats stupid and uneducated. and I am aware it goes both ways, I have heard from many stupid uneducated white folks how if detroit was "less black" there'd be "less problems". I don't know what detroit can do if it dosen't break down that wall. Detroit is such a beautiful city and the "could be's" are endless. as I said, these are just my observations, and they are not ment to offend. I would love to see detroit become the type of cultural mecca it has the capacity to be.

[tjlorton]

I always assume people living in the worst parts of any city lose all hope and are in a state of perpetual despair. This can be understood, no hope for the future. Discrimination from the early days on, offered lower than average wages, poor housing cond. etc. A very bleak existence for many. Education, jobs, EOE, so forth, are very much in need for any city to thrive.
This goes for people of any ethnic group, they all have had their share of discrimination.
A good number of individuals growing up in the city, become hardened, streetwise, as a matter of survival. To others, this is noted without considering the environment from which they've been raised.
Thought I'd add this since many always want to bring race in the picture, deal with your fellow man with the respect you expect for youself!