 
Masterblaster
Member
Username: Masterblaster
Post Number: 81
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 5:11 pm: |    |
The North End
Why hasn’t this neighborhood seen any kind of revival yet??
While not as consistently mind-blowing architecturally as Woodbridge is, it has an aesthetically pleasing mix of early 20th century single-family houses, two family flats, rowhouses, small apartment buildings, and some larger apartment buildings near Woodward.
Also it has a good location; it’s western edge is Woodward and it’s only 3-4 miles from downtown.
Even more interesting is that although a significant amount has been demolished, there are still a lot of (vacant) commercial buildings along Brush Street, John R, East Grand Boulevard, and Oakland Avenue. If people were compelled to open up businesses in these properties, the North End could become a walkable, dynamic community. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1355
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 5:36 pm: | |
First, let's take the main street of the North End: Oakland Avenue. It was an old streetcar thoroughfare, sharing traffic with the swanky neighborhood west of Oakland, and the humble North End.
The first step has already been made: They have resurfaced Oakland and taken out the rails under the roadbed. That's a good start.
Next, we need to start ripping out all those stores that face on the street. That way, we can be sure that the streetcar will never return.
Next, we start building park-in-front, low density commercial establishments. That will cement that there's no need for mass transit.
Then, let's fritter away our urban development funds by putting in whatever streetscaping is deemed "fashionable" every ten years. We could put a nice median in the center for a couple mill, then pull it out for another couple mill at the end of ten years' time, when a new fad has taken over.
***THE ABOVE IS SATIRE*** |
Fury13
Member
Username: Fury13
Post Number: 2242
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 5:38 pm: | |
I (heart) Oakland Avenue. |
Ed_golick
Member
Username: Ed_golick
Post Number: 812
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 5:42 pm: | |
The North End has a big gang problem. Plus, the Detroit Board of Education, in their infinite wisdom, closed Northern High School and all of its feeder schools in the North End, making a revival difficult. |
Focusonthed
Member
Username: Focusonthed
Post Number: 1301
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 6:09 pm: | |
^^Pretty much says it all. |
Thecarl
Member
Username: Thecarl
Post Number: 1039
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 6:45 pm: | |
my travels took me down john r. a few weeks ago, around six mile. there were blocks and blocks of brand-new residential construction. most of these properties had their brand-new front doors bashed in or boarded up, and the windows were similarly broken or boarded. i had seen "ferris street boyz" scrawled in black spray paint on one of the houses; another had melted vinyl siding as if arsonists had paid a visit. it looked like the builders were never able to complete the interiors of these new dwellings. (and, if i recall correctly - some of these houses were on or near oakland.) |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1358
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 6:56 pm: | |
Interesting. But the North End ends at Caniff, I think ... |
Downtown_remix
Member
Username: Downtown_remix
Post Number: 482
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 7:05 pm: | |
OK here i come to save the day, (or this thread).
The city of Detroit has chosen THE NORTH END/BOSTON EDISON as one of 6 neighborhoods slated for major redevelopement.
The police departments north division will soon relocated from its cramped location in midtown to the corner of Woodward and East Grand Blvd. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1359
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 7:20 pm: | |
Does that mean we'll get the pleasure as taxpayers of paying to demolish old buildings like the Apex Bar and subsidizing park-in-front stuff that's NEW and shiny? |
Ed_golick
Member
Username: Ed_golick
Post Number: 813
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 7:24 pm: | |
Downtown-remix,
I knew that. But who is going to want to move into a ghettohood (copyright 2007 by Danny) with no public schools??? |
Charlottepaul
Member
Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 1661
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 8:36 pm: | |
There are a lot of public schools in that neighborhood. |
Dustin89
Member
Username: Dustin89
Post Number: 131
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 9:29 pm: | |
In Lowell's series of pictures of new housing in Detroit, many were of new housing near Oakland Avenue. I've seen several newspaper and TV reports detailing new construction spearheaded by Dave Bing in the North End, as part of the neighborhood plan. So it seems to be seeing some activity. I guess it depends on whether you see new construction as being a revival. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1361
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 9:31 pm: | |
No, I guess it depends on whether you see ALL new construction as being a revival.
Nice try, though. |
Fury13
Member
Username: Fury13
Post Number: 2244
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 9:52 pm: | |
Detroitnerd, I know you were being sarcastic about demolishing the Apex Bar... but still, reading that made me involuntarily shudder. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1362
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:14 am: | |
Fury, tell me about it. Sometimes these pie-eyed "development" advocates don't even realize the damage they do in the name of NEW NEW NEW. Maybe that's what happens with twentysomething B.A.'s who haven't traveled widely and, more importantly, lived elsewhere.
In other parts of the United States, places like the North End are being speedily gentrified. But it's much less destructive elsewhere. Nobody in Red Hook, Brooklyn, say, or Astoria, Queens, would propose just knocking down old stuff because it's an eyesore.
In fact, to developers, it's a gold mine: Close to the subway, minutes from Manhattan, built for density, ready to rehab and turn into a cash machine.
Of course, you might not like the drink prices at the Apex then! |
Gravitymachine
Member
Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1807
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:24 am: | |
there is a new condo development on holbrook between brush and beubien |
Danindc
Member
Username: Danindc
Post Number: 3272
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:26 am: | |
quote:I knew that. But who is going to want to move into a ghettohood (copyright 2007 by Danny) with no public schools???
People without kids? |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1364
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:29 am: | |
Thanks, Gravity. But that's not quite the North End, is it? I sort of thought of NE as south of Woodland and East of Oakland... |
Gravitymachine
Member
Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1808
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:36 am: | |
north end is woodward to 75, east west. |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 1600
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:51 am: | |
In fact, to developers, it's a gold mine: Close to the subway, minutes from Manhattan, built for density, ready to rehab and turn into a cash machine.
Funny you mention this... My travels bring me through Long Island City/Astoria a lot, and I catch a train at Queensboro Plaza. I've been watching the workers put up the frames of four structures all within the two blocks directly north of the subway station. This has all been going on simultaneously, and I had been watching it for probably six or seven months before realizing that they are building four separate condo mid-rise buildings at once.
Everybody wants to be near a train station. I sure hope Detroit catches a clue one day... |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1365
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:57 am: | |
Wow, my idea was much more restrictive. See, I thought the North End was poor, and it was a little too nice on the west side of Oakland in some places, almost like Boston-Edison. You know, sprawling mansions, large lots, East-West streets. When I think "North End" I've always thought of the other side of the tracks: Hulking houses, small lots, North-South streets. In those senses, Kenilworth and Cardoni are quite different, no?
Second opinion everyone? Or am I just plain ol' wrong on this one?  |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1366
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 12:10 pm: | |
Iheart: I know, I know. What can we do? It's all inertia and rationalizing here, and people who DO leave and learn how it's done elsewhere seem never to return. And so, as we all know, rail transit is obsolete. Why? Because it's, uh, obsolete. And you can built transit, but nobody will use it, much less will it attract investment. What we really need are more superblocks, freeways, parking structures, etc. etc. ad nauseam... |