Phoenix rising, failed glory, ruin pr0n.

The city of Detroit is something to everyone, be it negative or positive. If nothing else, it has been a catalyst for conversation in many circles. In this thread, let's channel that energy into theories and practicalities regarding the revival of Detroit as a livable city and metropolitan area of 750,000-1,000,000 people. Bring your theories, check overt biases, and let's see if we can figure this out. Consider current events (use the Google, yo) and keep it on track. If this could stay on track and not devolve into Reps vs. Dems, that would be great.

For those not initiated: (read current and explore the archives)

http://www.detroitnews.com/

http://www.freep.com/



And if you prefer a rosier view on Detroit real estate:

http://detroit.curbed.com/

Let's fix it by letting Canada annex it. Call it North Windsor. Either that or keep demolishing it. Let it become the first metro area made up of no city and just suburbs (and I'm afraid Riverside/San Bernardino doesn't count).

Let's just be realistic here for a moment shall we .... it is easier to, instead of fix Detroit, either bulldoze the whole of Detroit and erase it from the map or take *VAST* gaping swaths of it and remove it from existing Detroit political power structures and create, more or less, a Shenzhen style SEZ in Michigan.

Let's give them $1Trillion.

The Best thing you can do for Detroit is to (1) take many areas and just make them large natural regional parks. Similar to Lebenon Hills in the south metro of the twin cities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_Hi...ional_Park

You maintain a few big hiking trails and maybe a picnic area but let the rest grow as a forest. Nature will take back these areas really fast.



Look at large groupings of blocks that are more than 75% vacant and make them a regional park. If someone there wants to stay in their house that's fine but no utilities or services will be provided. If they are willing to move either buy their house for fair market or give them a better property somewhere else.

Give large isolated areas of population a vote on becoming their own municipality.

City has to be a metro run by the state long enough for the local corrupt politics to die off.

(10-10-2015 03:30 AM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  Let's just be realistic here for a moment shall we .... it is easier to, instead of fix Detroit, either bulldoze the whole of Detroit and erase it from the map or take *VAST* gaping swaths of it and remove it from existing Detroit political power structures and create, more or less, a Shenzhen style SEZ in Michigan.

This and privatize everything, no unions.

Given how many vacant blocks there are, my off-the-wall idea would be to sell a significant portion of the heavily vacant areas in Midtown or New Center to someone like Disney, Universal, etc. for a theme park. Detroit just may be too far north, though, for that to be of interest to them - in Florida and California there are few issues operating a park year-round. Depending on the exact location, the park can be right off the freeway, and still maintain some insulation from the rest of the city, especially if certain exits and/or streets were closed. The park's operator could also create additional lodging as part of their development.

It's already been fixed.

(10-10-2015 03:40 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Given how many vacant blocks there are, my off-the-wall idea would be to sell a significant portion of the heavily vacant areas in Midtown or New Center to someone like Disney, Universal, etc. for a theme park. Detroit just may be too far north, though, for that to be of interest to them - in Florida and California there are few issues operating a park year-round. Depending on the exact location, the park can be right off the freeway, and still maintain some insulation from the rest of the city, especially if certain exits and/or streets were closed. The park's operator could also create additional lodging as part of their development.

Wouldn't work. Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH is the area attraction, attracting many visitors from Michigan already. Detroit had Boblo Island several decades ago and it couldn't last.

Detroit is already on a major rebound. There is lots of construction and improvement going on downtown. The Wings are getting a new arena combined with a big development district. It's just across I-75 from Comerica Park, Ford Field and the Fox Theater.

They're putting in light rail as well.

It will be a few more years, but look for great things from The D!

M1 Light Rail Project

Privatization, lower taxes, and lower regulations. Same as it's been for every other county or municipality, including the US.

Here's another newish addition to downtown.

Campus Martius Park - Downtown

(10-10-2015 03:40 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Given how many vacant blocks there are, my off-the-wall idea would be to sell a significant portion of the heavily vacant areas in Midtown or New Center to someone like Disney, Universal, etc. for a theme park. Detroit just may be too far north, though, for that to be of interest to them - in Florida and California there are few issues operating a park year-round. Depending on the exact location, the park can be right off the freeway, and still maintain some insulation from the rest of the city, especially if certain exits and/or streets were closed. The park's operator could also create additional lodging as part of their development.

There was a theme park here but it was closed in the winter time even before it was closed down.

(10-10-2015 12:13 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  The Best thing you can do for Detroit is to (1) take many areas and just make them large natural regional parks. Similar to Lebenon Hills in the south metro of the twin cities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_Hi...ional_Park

You maintain a few big hiking trails and maybe a picnic area but let the rest grow as a forest. Nature will take back these areas really fast.

Is it me or does a map of Detroit look like a map of Ontario? I could have sworn I was looking at the same thing.

(10-10-2015 05:02 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  M1 Light Rail Project

I can see the need to connect the vast swaths of emptiness together for the empty to better and more quickly traverse to the empty.

Light rail is and always will be a VERY niche product. It is virtually never profitable. The few exceptions where light rail work are:

- Ludicrous population density (NYC)
- A small niche deployment (Detroit parking tram)
- Heavy traffic from point A to point B and back (WVU line between campus and downtown, Disney)


Most deployments of light rail:
- Operate enormously in the red despite having subsidized rates
- Reduce the number of buses deployed due to the above
- Take up an entire lane of traffic in areas where every lane is essential
- Have very light use as the rich don't use them and they aren't built near the poor
--- Yes, even the beloved Portland rail which has been seen with Coyotes sleeping on it due to its nice quiet human-free environment
- Fail to bring about development in any run down areas they are extended to

(10-11-2015 01:23 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 03:40 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Given how many vacant blocks there are, my off-the-wall idea would be to sell a significant portion of the heavily vacant areas in Midtown or New Center to someone like Disney, Universal, etc. for a theme park. Detroit just may be too far north, though, for that to be of interest to them - in Florida and California there are few issues operating a park year-round. Depending on the exact location, the park can be right off the freeway, and still maintain some insulation from the rest of the city, especially if certain exits and/or streets were closed. The park's operator could also create additional lodging as part of their development.

There was a theme park here but it was closed in the winter time even when it was open.

(10-10-2015 12:13 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  The Best thing you can do for Detroit is to (1) take many areas and just make them large natural regional parks. Similar to Lebenon Hills in the south metro of the twin cities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_Hi...ional_Park

You maintain a few big hiking trails and maybe a picnic area but let the rest grow as a forest. Nature will take back these areas really fast.

Is it me or does a map of Detroit look like a map of Ontario? I could have sworn I was looking at the same thing.

I did a double take but then saw the Detroit River.

Best fix for Detroit


Some of this:



Some of this:


and when the eventual rebuild happens post these signs at the corporate limits:



Or you can just do what the leftists are already doing and let it burn itself down.

(10-11-2015 11:28 AM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  I did a double take but then saw the Detroit River.

Ontario is bordered by two Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, just like in that map. So the presence of the river did nothing from my vantage point.

(10-10-2015 05:00 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 03:40 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Given how many vacant blocks there are, my off-the-wall idea would be to sell a significant portion of the heavily vacant areas in Midtown or New Center to someone like Disney, Universal, etc. for a theme park. Detroit just may be too far north, though, for that to be of interest to them - in Florida and California there are few issues operating a park year-round. Depending on the exact location, the park can be right off the freeway, and still maintain some insulation from the rest of the city, especially if certain exits and/or streets were closed. The park's operator could also create additional lodging as part of their development.

Wouldn't work. Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH is the area attraction, attracting many visitors from Michigan already. Detroit had Boblo Island several decades ago and it couldn't last.

Detroit is already on a major rebound. There is lots of construction and improvement going on downtown. The Wings are getting a new arena combined with a big development district. It's just across I-75 from Comerica Park, Ford Field and the Fox Theater.

They're putting in light rail as well.

It will be a few more years, but look for great things from The D!

GTS already commented on the idiocy of light rail, but Detroit can make a comeback. But it's going to take more than good leadership. It will require the residents to truly grasp why the policies they championed failed. If that doesn't occur I expect Motown to undergo one of the largest gentrification efforts in the U.S. The trade relationship with Canada is a valuable starting point to begin such a transformation.

I was last there in late 1969, not long after the Riots. I was amazed then how the Burned down buildings were still lying there in piles of charred rubble. I heard it was still there years later. Seeing all of that now green space around the city make Me think there isn't a lot of infrastructure still being done to bring folks back from the Suburbs like a lot of Southern cities are having growth with as young professionals want to move closer to Their work and play.


The sad reality of it. even nearly 50 years later.
http://www.detroits-great-rebellion.com/

(10-14-2015 01:11 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 05:00 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(10-10-2015 03:40 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Given how many vacant blocks there are, my off-the-wall idea would be to sell a significant portion of the heavily vacant areas in Midtown or New Center to someone like Disney, Universal, etc. for a theme park. Detroit just may be too far north, though, for that to be of interest to them - in Florida and California there are few issues operating a park year-round. Depending on the exact location, the park can be right off the freeway, and still maintain some insulation from the rest of the city, especially if certain exits and/or streets were closed. The park's operator could also create additional lodging as part of their development.

Wouldn't work. Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH is the area attraction, attracting many visitors from Michigan already. Detroit had Boblo Island several decades ago and it couldn't last.

Detroit is already on a major rebound. There is lots of construction and improvement going on downtown. The Wings are getting a new arena combined with a big development district. It's just across I-75 from Comerica Park, Ford Field and the Fox Theater.

They're putting in light rail as well.

It will be a few more years, but look for great things from The D!

GTS already commented on the idiocy of light rail, but Detroit can make a comeback. But it's going to take more than good leadership. It will require the residents to truly grasp why the policies they championed failed. If that doesn't occur I expect Motown to undergo one of the largest gentrification efforts in the U.S. The trade relationship with Canada is a valuable starting point to begin such a transformation.

The residents didn't champion the policies that failed to the extent that their elected officials were crooks and lied and robbed them blind. Also, Detroit wasn't ready for the collapse of the manufacturing base and those two combined is what led to its demise more than anything.

Now, they are coming back. Development is on the rise and folks are moving back downtown.