How far down for Detroit? (Novi, Wayne: apartment, rent, condos)

[Kingsnkali]

I'm really wondering how bad things get in Detroit in the next few decades. Will much of the place just end up being abandoned houses and apartment buildings block after block? Whole sections of the city depopulated. Miles of emptiness. Overgrown weeds and shrubs and trashed homes. Like some movie set from the Twilight Zone...

I don't see things turning around here. What would cause people to move to Detroit? It doesn't seem to offer much except crime. Even some of the suburbs are struggling with spillover urban decay.

I could see some continued improvement downtown, but many of the residential and industrial areas look hopeless.

Am I being too doom and gloom?

[nickbii]

Why move to the city?

Because it's in the middle of things. Clubs, sports, etc. Rent is cheap, too.

Don't get me wrong. We'll never be Novi (thank god), and we'll probably continue losing people overall; but with the rest of the region ain't exactly going gangbusters.

[Cato the Elder]

Using my experience in Philadelphia during the mid-90s to mid-2000s, I would have to say it's different for each area. Some will actually go fallow like you describe as it did in parts of north Philly. These areas typically have no inherent advantage in location - with demand as low as it is, there is little motivation to renew these areas. The core areas are renewing and will continue to do so - downtown and the museum area. That's why institutions such as universities and museums are so important to urban spaces - they anchor the area with their commitment and jobs. The University of Pennsylvania single-handedly made University City one of the most desirable places to live in Philadelphia and Temple is doing a great job in north Philadelphia - something that Wayne State is trying to emulate with some success. So downtown and near Wayne State is where you start. Artists and such are usually attracted to these places first as urban pioneers. Shortly later, the more adventurous professionals follow. If it goes too yuppy, it ironically kicks out the people who made it hip to begin with - the artists. And so the urban cycle goes on and on...

[Michigan Aaron]

Downtown Detroit is ripe for a revival. I've lived in so called "new age" cities like Houston and Atlanta, and while their downtowns have more modern buildings, they have no older architectural charm or bodies of water to accentuate their skylines. In Detroit, many condo/townhouse conversions are already completed, underway, or planned, plus the Ilitches are gobbling up land so they can build a new Wings arena between Cass and Woodward. The casinos will always bring people down, but I've heard a couple of them already need vast upgrades. All that said, the revival will never get full momentum until the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan work hand in hand to bring businesses back downtown. If people are willing to live downtown they are also going to want to work downtown. We need to get behind groups like Road to Renassaince(sp?) that are at the very least formulating a productive vision of some sort for Detroits future.

[and the]

The city will continue to gentrify certain areas like the Cass Corridor, and small numbers of single people with jobs will move in. The neighborhoods will continue to deteriorate and the public school system will eventually implode. Until the city can attract people with kids, and hang onto the families there that already have kids, it will continue on its downward spiral.

[RedWingsFan]

Originally Posted by and the

The city will continue to gentrify certain areas like the Cass Corridor, and small numbers of single people with jobs will move in. The neighborhoods will continue to deteriorate and the public school system will eventually implode. Until the city can attract people with kids, and hang onto the families there that already have kids, it will continue on its downward spiral.

I agree. And once it hits rock bottom maybe someone investors will come in and revamp it. They will buy up the cheap land with the abandoned and burned houses, clear the land and build bigger and better things to start bring it up gain.

[jeffncandace]

Detroit will, eventually at least, turn around. I've posted it before and here it is again: GREED. When things get too bad, sweetheart deals abound for those with the money and resources to bring in jobs and new neighborhoods.

[Jake1256]

the city is already showing signs of turning around, the renovations, the constructions, the quicken HQ, the new residential condos coming up on avery block. the city is definately making a turn around even though it's still losing population. but, the downtown is growing in population. up 5%.

[shellbells]

I completely agree with the former entry "Until the city can attract people with kids, and hang onto the families there that already have kids, it will continue on its downward spiral." Detroit Downtown is not family-friendly. Yes it has Campus Martius, which attracts families for winter ice-skating, but it does not have a playground for warm weather. Parents will only move downtown if playgrounds are conveniently located. Let's face it as parents we all want a place for our children to ride bikes, swing, slide, etc. Where are all the parks? As long as Detroit is void of parks it will be void of families!

[jonjj]

One of Detroit's big problems is that all of the arteries to and from downtown are pretty beat up. In other cities, there is more to them than just being downtown. I am ecstatic over the new developments occuring in the downtown and near-downtown areas but it is always very depressing to drive along Michigan or Woodward or any of the other major avenues to get there. I think that turns people off even though they may enjoy a "new and improved downtown". It would be beneficial for the state of Michigan and the metropolitan area to start to improve these areas. Oh, and not that the suburbs are any better. A drive down 8Mile or Telegraph is unbelievably depressing.