Elements of Urbanism: Detroit

[KenFSU]

Did you guys hear that Silverdome was sold today at auction for $583,000. Talk about insane.

[thelakelander]

Times are desperate.  Pontiac did not want to keep paying $1.5 million a year to maintain it.

[coredumped]

If anyone is interested, dateline NBC's show tonight is about Detroit at 7 EST

'Dateline' To Air Detroit Special
Chris Hansen Hosts Hour-Long Detroit Special
ClickonDetroit.com
updated 6:21 p.m. ET April 18, 2010

DETROIT - The Motor City is hurting and we all know it.

The city that drives the world continues to get slammed with negative headlines, such as CNN's most "Dangerous Cities in the World" list, the auto industry's plight, the lowest literacy rates in the country and record unemployment numbers.

National network camera crews and a "Dateline" correspondent with close personal ties to Detroit have been scouring the streets for the past ten months to bring Detroiter's fight for revival and survival to a national arena.

On Sunday at 7 p.m. on NBC, Chris Hansen will host an hour long "Dateline" special titled, "America Now: City of Heartbreak and Hope."

Hansen, who grew up in Detroit and worked as a reporter at WDIV-TV, returned to his roots to take a very personal look at what's being done to save the city, and the people who are leading the way.

Hansen visited several struggling schools in Detroit and talked to notable figures such as Mayor Dave Bing, Police Chief Warren Evans, Kid Rock and Sam Riddle. He even paid some normal Detroiters a visit to share their painful and positive stories with the world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36602267/

[thelakelander]

Thanks.  I left the office to go home and check it out.

[tufsu1]

BRT vs. streetcar in Detroit

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/04/13/for-detroit-brt-or-rail-first/

[Lunican]

Layoff notices sent to 2,000 Detroit teachers

About 2,000 Detroit Public Schools teachers have received layoff notices as the district's financial manager continues to pare down a $219 million budget deficit.

Steve Wasko, a spokesman for Robert Bobb, confirms Tuesday that notices have been mailed but says many teachers likely will be returned to work.

Full Article:
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100420/FREE/100429988#

[thelakelander]

BRT vs. streetcar in Detroit

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/04/13/for-detroit-brt-or-rail-first/

From the article:

Buses are unlikely to produce the build-up Detroit desperately needs, but current plans for the Woodward Streetcar line are not adequate to spur the type of intense developmental activity for which the city is currently pushing because of widely spaced station stops and a lack of independent rights-of-way. This implies that many of the aesthetic and perceptual advantages of rail-based transit will be lost when implemented in the Detroit context and suggests that at least from a transportation perspective, improvements in bus service would be a more effective use of funds.

There's a problem here. This project isn't about getting city residents to suburban counties.  Unless I'm mistaken, the $125 million is private funds that have been donated to construct a starter streetcar line by many private entities along that particular corridor to stimulate economic revitalization.  So I doubt those companies would donate the cash for a bus system to serve another county. 

Detroit should use its urban history and remaining building stock and attractions as the backbone for a unique urban living experience that you can't get in the burbs or any other city in the immediate region.  In a city like Detroit, there are a ton of issues that must be addressed but you have to start somewhere and build up from there.  Connecting New Center and WSU with DT is a great starting point for creating an urban atmosphere that currently does not exist in the state of Michigan.    Although this is rail, we face a similar issue with the spreading out of downtown improvement projects over the last decade.  DT Jax is the perfect example of what can not happen (economic development and vibrancy-wise) when you spread your financial resources  out instead of starting small and working your way out.

As for the Detroit LRT's cost, if the expense or traveling on dedicated ROW is the concern, then the proper path would be to address those issues.  For example, if sharing ROW is an issue, remove a lane from Woodard.  After all, it certainly doesn't back up like it did when the city had a million more residents 50 years ago.  If cost is a concern, drop the bells and whistles and go to no-frills streetcar system (single track/passing sidings, simple stop platforms, heritage cars, etc.).  That way you can extend the rail line's length and still take advantage of the economic impact these systems tend to bring with them.

[Timkin]

Nice Article, Lake!  Even with Detroit's woes,  Their downtown has significantly more historic buildings renovated and in use than that of Downtown Jax... Also the Beautiful Michigan Central Station....what a shame it is being demolished.  Part of it so closely resembles our own Terminal.

If only there were a way to restore these great cities and reverse quickly , the economic woes that haunt them....