What's Next for Motown...Can it be fixed? (Detroit, Ann Arbor: sale, insurance)

[praiZe]

Greetings all,

I'm a new member, and desperately LOVE DETROIT! It's my place or birth, and where I've spent 85% of my life.

I had to leave the city in 2000, single woman, no family, it just wasn't safe and taxes and insurances made it difficult to maintain my properties.

I've read a few of the posts and for the most part it seems people here have a fondness for the city. I'm looking for people who want to try to make a difference and make viable suggestions to bring the city back.

Am I delusional?

[Dexterguy]

There have already been many improvements throughout the city in the past decade or so, especially in the years of 2002-2007, those seemed to be the years when I began to see some real renaissance happening in Detroit, mostly downtown. We saw the creation of the beautiful Detroit International Riverfront, GM did major renovations to the RenCen, including the GM wintergarden and a totally new re-designed front entrance (with no berms).

No matter if you like casinos or not, it was something that Detroit saw that really exicted everyone. First came the MGM Grand (which even the news stations made a huge deal about), then the MotorCity Casino-Hotel, and now we are STILLLLLL waiting on Greektown to open after they filed for bankruptcy last spring. Detroit also saw the renovations of the Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel and the Fort Shelby Hotel.

But as you have asked, there is still a whole lot to be done still in the city. The neighborhoods are in the worst shape that they have ever been in, and Detroit's overall population is falling faster than any other American city. More improvements can be made Downtown also. I would like to the Book Building Downtown renovated and also the Michigan central depot saved.

But, you can't have a city without neighborhoods, so something should

[zthatzmanz28]

Delusional? Not if all you WANT is to see the city saved. Unfortunately it will take more than working to save this cistern to make it happen. The attitude of its citizens (black and white) is generally appalling. The few who care live in fear of their property and or person. Until there is an administration that takes control and not making deals, the wild west mentality will continue. My wife and I have lived in Detroit several different times. We lefty a few years after the Coleman administration made the 8 mile comment. We came back when Archer looked to be taking a pro-active stand and stayed the first 2 years of Kawame "HIP_HOP" mayor before we saw how he did business and NO ONE in the city would or could speak out about his corruption.

As "outsiders" we were racist or haters because we dare question if the emperor had any clothes. All the while the city continued to implode and the people in the city rallied around the mayor.

And yet we continue to cheer the city's potential. We support its events and activities, other than the $100 sporting tix we refuse to pay--GO LIONS

We too are delusional, but at the same time realists.

If you disagree, then come on over to the city; go with us into a "decent" neighborhood and move in and start to "fix" the house. How long do you think it would take before the neighbors take to staring us down and the kids are painting the garage door with "go home?"

Try going to a garage sale in Sherwood Forest. Bring a video camera so you can remember the looks you get driving through the neighborhood, or when you pull up to a garage sale. Try Boston-Edison. Don't even think about Palmer Woods.

Or apply to Detroit Public Schools, who once had 5,000 applicants for 3,000 positions and at the end of the day still had 2,000 vacant positions they could not fill. Or being told that you don't know how to teach a black child.

And yet I anxiously wait while Detroit struggles to find the fortitude to stand on its own two feet and declare to the world--I WILL SURVIVE.

That Detroit will not parish. and go the way of the Edsel.

[Dexterguy]

......continued

should be done in the neighborhoods to bring people back into the city, even though this is easy to say, bringing people back into Detroit is probably the hardest thing a mayor or any Detroit leader can do, it's almost impossible. MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR!! school reforms need to happen, DPS is a mess, and is a horriable school system. And most of the time the people who live in Detroit cannot afford to send there children to private schools so they just flee the city for better public schools in the suburbs. I really don't know if the charter schools have been working out, but I suppose that it's a step in the right direction.

[MonkeyButler7000]

The problems in Detroit are so deep, that a total house cleaning needs to take place. It needs a no-nonsense mayor who isn't afriad to hurt peoples' feelings. The first thing he needs to do is fire every crony "civil servant" that works for the city. Also, EVERY member of the city council and school board needs to be run out of town and replaced with no-nonsense people who have a clue. Then maybe, maybe, a serious discussion about fixing the city could begin

[praiZe]

With the few responses received thus far, I'm getting the sense that the Mission is NOT impossible!

Dexterguy mentioned the Train Station, one of my most memorable experiences and it sickens me to see the shape it's in.

I believer Detroiters, for the most part, are waiting for someone ELSE to come in and solve the problems that surround it. Government is not the answer for our neighborhoods. Government doesn't live in our neighborhoods so why should they care?

The city didn't tear itself up, people did that! and it doesn't do any good to fix something up until we understand why others will just come tear it down.

I've started a group called "I Used to Live in Detroit but...." and my hopes are to enlist the support of people just like yourselves who believe our Detroit can be saved. I've got some very ambitious plans & strategies, but I can't do it alone.

If you'd like more information, just send me a PM and I'll make sure to give you the details.

Thank you for your responses

praiZe

[Dexterguy]

praiZe, where do you live now in the suburbs? In Michigan?

[zthatzmanz28]

The train station and property is owned by the guy who owns the Ambassador Bridge. The station is beyond restoration from what I have heard and the owner is just waiting for it to fall down. He wants to build another tunnel to Canada and cannot demolish the train station as it is historical--but if it falls by itself---he will have free access to building another route to Canada--said to be for commercial traffic only. I believe it was or might still be used for trains?

Detroit is (politically) all about MONEY, navigators, incinerators, and back-door contracts to friends and donors.

It would take a force of several hundred people marching into one neighborhood at a time and rebuilding houses, businesses, and hope...

[Dexterguy]

[quote=zthatzmanz28;7151709]The train station and property is owned by the guy who owns the Ambassador Bridge. The station is beyond restoration from what I have heard and the owner is just waiting for it to fall down. He wants to build another tunnel to Canada and cannot demolish the train station as it is historical--quote]

The train station was constructed out of pure concrete and the toughest materials out there. It could take another 20+ years for it to start fall apart just from the elements of nature.

I think we better plan on having a "ruins" like they have in Greece or Italy before he plans on that building falling down any time soon.

The Michigan Depot will be the next Parthenon

[praiZe]

Dexterguy,

I left Detroit just before the 1st election of Mayor Kilpatrick. I currently live in Ypsi, off Geddes right between Canton & Ann Arbor.

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

.....It would take a force of several hundred people marching into one neighborhood at a time and rebuilding houses, businesses, and hope...

If that's what it takes SO BE IT!