Discuss Detroit » Archives - July 2007 » Revival of Detroit Project « Previous Next »
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French777
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Username: French777

Post Number: 271
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 11:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

For school I have to pick a city and come up with a revival plan. I decided to do the CBD of Detroit. Because Detroit itself is way to big to cover for a revival plan.

I came up with providing more light around the Grand Circus Park area.
Also making PM stations have more lighting. in front of them.

Last I said that the Detroit Parking Garages should look more attractive ( Better lighting, new paint ect)


Any More idea's
Pictures WELCOME!!
Does anyone have a Picture of Detroit Street Lights during the day. Washington Ave or WOODWARD??


Thanks in Advance
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 942
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 11:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Make sure that all the lights up Gratiot, Woodward, Washington, etc. are all on. I've noticed that many of the light poles along the streets are halfway out.
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 943
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 11:47 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh, and try and green up the CBD a bit more. It doeasn't look like The city of Detroit has did anything to the floral and green in the center of Gratiot or Woodward since they built it.
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Lilpup
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Username: Lilpup

Post Number: 3177
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 12:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The medians in Woodward and in Jefferson are nice as they are - grassy with perennials and annuals in some places.

I wish the flower boxes along the sides of Woodward were fixed/replaced and planted.
Woodward could use more color and greenery along the sidewalks.

(Message edited by lilpup on December 01, 2007)
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 2076
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 2:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think that downtown for the most part is headed in the right direction, but they do need to do a better job of sticking with the different downtown districts as planned. There is of course the entertainment district, the financial district, the government district, but I remember a few years ago that Broadway was to be the main bar district (hence those trendy blue light fixtures in the median). However then, they go ahead and put a YMCA in the middle of the proposed 'bar' district. While certainly the Y was needed, it might be time to reexamine the different downtown districts to help outsiders with orientation, wayfinding, and identity.
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 950
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 2:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

We have a pretty tiny downtown in terms of area though. Not to mention that the areas of downtown that need the most handy work is under someone else's ownership (Ilitch).

By the way, is this the Greater Downtown area or just Downtown itself?
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Daytwa
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Username: Daytwa

Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

What do you mean by "revival plan" ? Economic, safety, aesthetics, overall urban planning? No offense, but I don't see what more lighting in centralized locations is going to do if there is nothing to do or see in between them...
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 952
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"What do you mean by 'revival plan' ? Economic, safety, aesthetics, overall urban planning? No offense, but I don't see what more lighting in centralized locations is going to do if there is nothing to do or see in between them..."

Huh? So you want a dim CBD that's already deemed unsafe?

By the way, I would make sure there's a daily police presence in Downtown (I nean a noticable one, like a Walking the street program or something).
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Greatlakes
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Username: Greatlakes

Post Number: 80
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A police booth at Hart Plaza or Campus Martius, perhaps?
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Greatlakes
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Username: Greatlakes

Post Number: 81
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Also, does anyone know why when they restored Washington Blvd, they didn't put a sidewalk down the middle of the medians like they had in the past? I was showing a friend the area, and we ended up just walking down the middle on the grass anyway, but I think having a sidewalk would make it perfect for families and couples to have a nice stroll between the buildings, etc.

Before

Now
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Lifeinmontage
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Username: Lifeinmontage

Post Number: 33
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Detroitrise, what do you mean our downtown is "pretty tiny" in terms of area? Our CBD/Downtown is a roughly one square mile (from the Lodge to the Chrysler Fwy, and from the Fisher Fwy to the waterfront). That is comparable to Manhattan's Downtown Financial District/CBD, also roughly one square mile (from Chambers St to Battery Park, from the Hudson to the East Rivers).

Could you be confusing all of Manhattan for a CBD? Keep in mind that Manhattan has neighborhoods like the Village, the Lower East Side, Harlem, Upper East/Upper West Sides, Washington/Morningside Heights, that are nothing like a CBD.
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Lifeinmontage
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Username: Lifeinmontage

Post Number: 34
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:45 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Greatlakes, the answer to your question could be too much automobile traffic (the cars in the older pic make me believe there were fewer in use then). Cars turning left at each cross street would make it dangerous for pedestrians to cross from median to median. That would have been very nice to walk down, though.
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 953
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 4:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

However, Chicago's downtown is 3.5 square feet. I'm not speaking of Midtown or The New Center area, just the areas surrounded by the freeways.

Density is over 500,000. Detroit's density for a city our size is sort of embarassing. Even Atlanta's (Suburban downtown) has a higher density than us. If it's so huge though, why does a city our city only have 80,000 jobs down there and the lack of density?
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Greatlakes
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Username: Greatlakes

Post Number: 82
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 5:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Because the vast majority of jobs are in Southfield and other suburban office parks.

http://www.merit.edu/~jimmoran /detphot/off_space_grph.gif

Southfield even boasts on its website that it has more office space than Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, or Indianapolis, and is home to over 80 Fortune 500 companies and most of Metro Detroit's media outlets.

Ironically, the picture on their "business section" of their website has the Detroit skyline in the background!

(Message edited by GreatLakes on December 01, 2007)
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French777
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Username: French777

Post Number: 272
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

any new ideas
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Iheartthed
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Username: Iheartthed

Post Number: 2303
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

However, Chicago's downtown is 3.5 square feet.



Now that's tiny!

Midtown Manhattan is the larger of Manhattan's business districts, btw. It's the largest CBD in the country. But point taken, Detroit's CBD isn't really that small... Just half abandoned.
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 984
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

No, 1.4 square feet is tiny. That's smaller than Cleveland's and Atlanta's.
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Spiritofdetroit
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Username: Spiritofdetroit

Post Number: 780
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

1.4 square feet, eh? Something tells me Urbanize means 1.4 sq miles!
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Urbanoutdoors
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Username: Urbanoutdoors

Post Number: 635
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

For starts extend medians up woodward, all the way to New Center which would include part of the CBD. More police mini stations, directories at every corner, maybe a bike path up washington or woodward. An informative staff at the Rosa Parks transit center who can help people get familiarized with Detroit mass transit to increase ridership. Extend the people mover up Woodward to the New Center, during christmas time have the lights extend throughout the district. Make a new city lighting policy which would call for all lights to be energy efficient which would mean more upfront cost but save huge amounts of money in the long term. I guess thats good for starters.
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Mbr
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Username: Mbr

Post Number: 262
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

1.4 square feet is approximately the size of the folder in my hand right now. Do you mean 1.4 million square feet of office space? 1.4 square miles? What's the disconnect here?
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 985
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"1.4 square feet, eh? Something tells me Urbanize means 1.4 sq miles!"

Who is this Urbanize? Is that all your pea size brain can think about? Do you like them or something Please, tell me about this character. Were they a member on the site or something?
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Nainrouge
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Username: Nainrouge

Post Number: 469
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

500,000 people on 3.5 square feet - that's a trick that I would like to see!
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 986
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

1.4 square miles. Some of the your crazy posts (a number of people) on here are throwing me off.
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Dan
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Username: Dan

Post Number: 1469
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I find it so sad that the Statler is gone. Greatlakes comparison photos real illustrate how it dominated the GCP end of Washington Blvd.

I hope Quicken builds something there.

(Message edited by dan on December 04, 2007)
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Professorscott
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Username: Professorscott

Post Number: 928
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 9:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

French, we'd like to help you (well, some of us; others just like to use any thread to argue) but you haven't answered the question that was directed to you by Daytwa: what do you mean by a "revival plan"? How ambitious; what scope; what are you wishing to accomplish? The question as stated is too broad and there are millions of possibilities unless we get a better handle on it.
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 2098
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 1:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

bump
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 5855
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 2:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

French777 is 15 years old in the 10th grade, so cut him some slack.

Detroitrise... Urbanize was a poster here last year who posted incessantly, with a lot of errors in his posts, and often with half-thought-out comments. I can't see how someone would mistake you for him...
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Professorscott
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Username: Professorscott

Post Number: 931
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 2:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Gistok,

If you know who French777 is, can you put him on this blog and see if he can give some information per my post four posts up from here?

Cheers,
Prof. Scott
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 5858
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 2:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Prof, I don't know him personally, but just that he goes to Rochester High School (from another thread). I'm sure he'll be back to reply though...
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Professorscott
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Username: Professorscott

Post Number: 932
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 3:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Just in case he does come back:

From research I've seen, and information I have gathered from the folks at the Michigan Land Use Institute, vital urban-core areas have a few things in common, and they are related to land use and transportation infrastructure.

Remember (and play Sim City if you don't believe this), the government can only create infrastructure and legislation; it is businesspeople who decide whether to locate businesses in an area or not, and developers who decide whether to build condominiums or restaurants or office towers or nothing at all, and individual people who choose to live in an area or choose not to.

More lighting is a good start, and better information is also good (the kiosks downtown are an example, but more is needed). We need fewer surface parking lots (very destructive), and better public transit so people can get around in the absence of always being able to park right where they're going. In no truly vital big city is there so much parking as in the Detroit CBD.

These are things planners and government agencies can do. There are probably lots of others.
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Spiritofdetroit
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Username: Spiritofdetroit

Post Number: 783
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 4:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

:-) Gistok. Dont forget Urbanize also loved crazy weather reports, as does our friend rise....
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 991
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 5:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Gistok. Dont forget Urbanize also loved crazy weather reports, as does our friend rise...."

A lot of people love the weather (I know several others). Anyway, don't ever call weather reports crazy. They can save your life. You don't see me running around calling sports crazy. A person just can't assume something about other people. That's just vacuous. I would love to meet Urbanize if they are such a weather fanatic as you claim.

(Message edited by DetroitRise on December 05, 2007)
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Spiritofdetroit
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Username: Spiritofdetroit

Post Number: 786
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 7:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well, my friend, look in the mirror. :-)
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Detroitrise
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Username: Detroitrise

Post Number: 992
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 8:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah, let me stop feeding your stupidity.
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Professorscott
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Username: Professorscott

Post Number: 935
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 11:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You know, kids, a thread on which a high school student is trying to get useful information to help with a report is probably not the ideal place to conduct the bloggers' version of a barroom brawl. Just my opinion, which as frequenters know is always qualified as being Very Humble.

From: Prof. Scott, who gets his weather reports from the weather rope behind his house. You know: if the rope is warm and dry, it's hot out; if the rope is stiff, it's icy; if the rope is gone, there's been a tornado, etc. Got it at a tacky little gift shop in Sombra, Ontario, where there is a nice little restaurant, a place where you can make your own wine, and a car-ferry to Marine City, Michigan where there is never more than a 15 minute delay.
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French777
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Username: French777

Post Number: 274
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 6:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I say more like Transportation improvements.
People Mover Extension
Trolley down Woodward,Michigan,Gratiot.
What do you think would be the best choice for Transportation improvements. It does not have to be one of the ones I suggested.

Sorry for the confusion.

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