Would you demolish Detroit and start over again if you could? (Royal Oak: real estate, houses)

[Guardian of The Gulf]

Hypothetically speaking would you bulldoze the city and just start over again if you could? Of course all the residents would be taken out of the city before this happened.

[canudigit]

No, because to do that would be saying that there is nothing in Detroit that is worth saving, which is, of course, nonsense. Think of the beautiful old buildings, both commercial and residential, just for starters. Those buildings could never be replaced. Then think of DIA, the Detroit Zoo, Comerica Park, Ford Field, the Fox Theater, Indian Village, Palmer Woods, Boston-Edison, Corktown, and all of the wonderful buildings downtown, and even at that I'm sure I am forgetting some wonderful places and things. Would I bulldoze some neighborhoods and start over again? Oh, yeah. But never the entire city. A national treasure would be lost!

[zthatzmanz28]

In a New York Minute.

Start on the edge of 8 Mile and bulldoze towards the center right into the river.

There are a few historic and commercial places I would avoid.

But I would take nearly 90% of it and recycle it.

[Roxanne11]

Originally Posted by canudigit

No, because to do that would be saying that there is nothing in Detroit that is worth saving, which is, of course, nonsense. Think of the beautiful old buildings, both commercial and residential, just for starters. Those buildings could never be replaced. Then think of DIA, the Detroit Zoo, Comerica Park, Ford Field, the Fox Theater, Indian Village, Palmer Woods, Boston-Edison, Corktown, and all of the wonderful buildings downtown, and even at that I'm sure I am forgetting some wonderful places and things. Would I bulldoze some neighborhoods and start over again? Oh, yeah. But never the entire city. A national treasure would be lost!

Exactly! There are neighborhoods I wouldn't hesitate to bulldoze...but if you are talking the entire city - no way. I totally agree.

[Dexterguy]

Bulldozing the entire city is obviously very unrealistic. There are many structures and buildings in Detroit that you would never want to see go. Once a building is bulldozed it doesn't come back they way that it was built.

[Jwo85]

The only two thing's I would bulldoze are:

1. Union halls. There's no need for them in today's work place.
2. Drug houses/anything that is not repairable.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by canudigit

No, because to do that would be saying that there is nothing in Detroit that is worth saving, which is, of course, nonsense. Think of the beautiful old buildings, both commercial and residential, just for starters. Those buildings could never be replaced. Then think of DIA, the Detroit Zoo, Comerica Park, Ford Field, the Fox Theater, Indian Village, Palmer Woods, Boston-Edison, Corktown, and all of the wonderful buildings downtown, and even at that I'm sure I am forgetting some wonderful places and things. Would I bulldoze some neighborhoods and start over again? Oh, yeah. But never the entire city. A national treasure would be lost!

No to nitpick, BUT the zoo is in Royal Oak.

Otherwise, 100% agreed.

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

No to nitpick, BUT the zoo is in Royal Oak.

Otherwise, 100% agreed.

Okay, thanks. I wasn't sure, but I figured that since it's the Detroit Zoo, I would err on that side. Okay, scratch that and add all of the beautiful historic churches, Wayne State U., U of D Mercy, etc. that I forgot to mention before.

[zakian]

Originally Posted by Guardian of The Gulf

Hypothetically speaking would you bulldoze the city and just start over again if you could? Of course all the residents would be taken out of the city before this happened.

I grew up on Livernois and Fort street. You can bulldoze the whole city now.

[Coldjensens]

What Detroit needs to do is to shed some of the outlying areas. Downsize the amount of real estate that the City must pay for, get some better leadership and focus ont he core of the City. Take say and area within 5 miles of the rennessaince Center and turn the rest over to the county.

Then they could raze selected areas and selected buildings and concentrate on bringing the city back to life. They are better off focussing on getting thigs restored than tearing it all down. A bunch of empty lots will nto revitalize the city. A pleasant resotred and lively city will. It can be done and it has been done, but they need to concentrate on one rarea at a time, stop trying to be "fair" to everyone in every area and restore the city block by block.