  Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 435 Registered: 03-2005 |
http://www.planetizen.com/node /34388 "Not every story of urban neighborhood revival involves grand architectural visions, elegant master-planning or even gentrification. Sometimes, a neighborhood can be improved just by diligently matching up potential homeowners with houses that otherwise would be abandoned, and developers with empty lots, says architect Michael Poris." | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 167 Registered: 10-2006 |
Me wonders if the author even went to North Corktown seeing as the photograph is of 'south corktown'....... | ||
Izzyindetroit Member Username: Izzyindetroit Post Number: 42 Registered: 07-2008 |
I love it when planetizen puts up articles about Detroit | ||
Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 436 Registered: 03-2005 |
Detroithabitater, Michael Poris is the author, i'm quite sure he's been to N. Corktown. The picture, judging by the link, looks like it's just from some dude's Flickr account. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 1521 Registered: 03-2008 |
Thank you Mbr!s | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 550 Registered: 07-2005 |
I'm pretty sure he's familiar with quite a bit of Detroit. I don't doubt that this architect or others believe what they say, but I feel like they're jumping on the urban bandwagon. I'd like to see them put their money where their mouth is and locate their firms in the city. There are already several large firms downtown, and there is a culture to support more. | ||
Crawford Member Username: Crawford Post Number: 319 Registered: 10-2006 |
Wait, I don't understand this article... What's North Corktown? The area north of Michigan? I thought that was the Briggs neighborhood. It's bombed-out and in terrible shape. It doesn't sound like it fits this article. Is North Corktown just the northern reaches of Corktown itself? If so, what distinguishes it from South Corktown? Also, assuming we're talkin south of Michigan Ave., what's with the mention of housing distress and vacant lots? I don't see housing distress or many vacant lots in Corktown. There are some big parking lots near the old stadium and some empty lots around the urban renewal sites to the south and west, but the residential area south of Michigan between the Lodge and Rosa Parks seems intact and healthy. Now west of Rosa Parks and south of Michigan by the old train station has a few bombed out blocks, but I don't think that's Corktown proper. | ||
Izzyindetroit Member Username: Izzyindetroit Post Number: 44 Registered: 07-2008 |
North Corktown is the area south of Grand River, west of Trumbull and north of I-75. My street boundaries might be a little off but that is the just of it. (Message edited by izzyindetroit on August 18, 2008) | ||
Deandub11 Member Username: Deandub11 Post Number: 277 Registered: 05-2006 |
I wrote this on www.DetroitArmy.com a couple months ago about the Briggs neighborhood. http://www.detroitarmy.com/200 8/03/briggs-neighborhood.html Seemed pretty bombed out to me, but I was told that I did not head far enough east to see the redevelopment. www.DetroitArmy.com | ||
Bits Member Username: Bits Post Number: 26 Registered: 02-2005 |
Jason, have you heard of regionalism yet? Have you spent 14 years working on revitalizing Detroit, often pro-bono or for little pay like McIntosh Poris? Have you gone up against city agencies risking your reputation and income trying to save buildings or neighborhoods in opposition to groups like the DEGC? Given the negative press Detroit is getting because of the current leadership problems, its great to have a positive story on Detroit in a national forum. (Message edited by bits on August 18, 2008) | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 629 Registered: 11-2003 |
I would have to say that McIntosh Poris is far from jumping on the band wagon. | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 552 Registered: 07-2005 |
Well, first, let's get is straight that I don't think he's a bad architect, or a bad person, or that anything he's done for the city doesn't count because he doesn't live there. And I'm not saying the article is bad. And this isn't specific to him, I'm just talking about architects and people in general. What I'm saying, is that the people who are always boosting for mass transit should ride the bus when possible. People who lecture about all of the benefits of urbanism should live and work in urban areas. People who champion healthy growth patterns and centralization should try to live and work accordingly. So read the article, go to their website and look over their master plans and architecture. We don't know all of the facts about their decisions, but google their address and see if they walk their talk. | ||
Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 437 Registered: 03-2005 |
Jasoncw, maybe this will shed some light on how Mcintosh-Poris "walks their talk" http://www.modeldmedia.com/fea tures/dmcintosh53.aspx (Message edited by mbr on August 18, 2008) | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7658 Registered: 02-2004 |
ERIN GO BRAUGH! To my Irish relatives who used to live on 17th the Bagley St. It is Mexican Village but before that, it still is part of Cortktown. CORKTOWN FOREVER! We may lost Tiger Stadium, but Corktown never dies, keep on building and develop. | ||
Bits Member Username: Bits Post Number: 27 Registered: 02-2005 |
Jasoncw, what does their address really have to do with anything? Their office is in Birmingham, an urban area where you can walk from your home to downtown or get on a train to Chicago, or a bus to Detroit. Boosting will do nothing until Detroit and the region start to work together to make mass transit work, or get a functional convention center. You can't have it both ways. Detroit is either part of the region or an Island. Sounds like you prefer the island. | ||
Deteamster Member Username: Deteamster Post Number: 160 Registered: 07-2007 |
I am a resident of North Corktown/Briggs. This article is very misleading and a little bombastic. First, North Corktown is the area north of I-75, south of Grand River and MLK and bordered in the West by I-96. Secondly, it is important to note that it is classified as an "extreme poverty zone". Over 40% of the population is below the poverty line. He seems to be implying, though not directly stating, that there has been some sort of revitalization. There has not. The infill housing, located exclusively on Harrison and Cochrane, the two most stable(which doesn't say much) streets in the neighborhood, has without question been a success. It has attracted diverse new residents- and I really mean diverse, not just yuppies or something- and the houses are all still extremely well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing. They even fit in with the architecture of the remaining structures. That being said, the revitalization starts and ends with that housing. The old housing stock continues to deteriorate and there is no new retail. The area continues to fall victim to structure fires and illegal dumping. What I really take issue with is this: "...such as “cell-phone patrols” in which local residents walk the neighborhood. Retail activities have grown, and North Corktown pubs are locally prized for hosting a growing music scene, including such establishments as Slows Bar BQ Restaurant, Corktown Tavern, and the Lager House. Corktown is also home to Nemo’s Bar & Grill, named by Sports Illustrated as the third-best sport pub in the nation." NONE of those establishments are in North Corktown/Briggs! Either he does not even know the boundries of the neighborhood- which is not simply splitting hairs as Briggs is a world away from Corktown proper- or he is being deliberately misleading. Those walking-patrols are fabricated. We have a neighborhood patrol but they use their cars. This is a postive story but it is just a story, nothing more. Way too exaggerated to have much value. | ||
Bits Member Username: Bits Post Number: 28 Registered: 02-2005 |
"He seems to be implying, though not directly stating, that there has been some sort of revitalization. There has not. The infill housing, located exclusively on Harrison and Cochrane, the two most stable(which doesn't say much) streets in the neighborhood, has without question been a success. It has attracted diverse new residents- and I really mean diverse, not just yuppies or something- and the houses are all still extremely well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing. They even fit in with the architecture of the remaining structures. That being said, the revitalization starts and ends with that housing." Deteamster,you just described the evidence of the beginning of the revitalization of the district. That success did not occur randomly. It is the model for what will hopefully continue in the neighborhood working with the GCDC. | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 553 Registered: 07-2005 |
If you think their office is in an urban area, then imo I think you have a skewed version of what an urban area is. I don't consider Big Beaver and Woodward to be an urban area. Downtown Birmingham is much more urban, but they're almost a mile away from downtown. Being regional and being urban are related, but I don't think they're the same. Someone in Troy for example, could heavily support tri-county activities and relationships, and would be very regional, but not very urban. Someone from Birmingham could promote urbanism in Detroit, which would be regional (and great btw), but they wouldn't be urban. The thing for me is, if someone believes strongly in something, then they should live accordingly to those beliefs as much as possible. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1723 Registered: 07-2007 |
Looks like he is on the bandwagon to me. He has been commissioned to draft master plans for Downtown Detroit, North Corktown, and the Michigan Central Depot area, among many other assignments. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 1167 Registered: 11-2003 |
Not sure of the meaning of "bandwagon" within the context of this thread, but there is no doubt that Mr. Poris is qualified to comment on urban redevelopment issues. He and his firm we among the first in this region over the last 20 years to recognize and promote the need to discard the 1960's "urban renewal" mindset of our local political and business leaders. Maybe there can be some quibbling with some of Mr. Poris' descriptions and opinions of Briggs/N.Corktown progress, but he is highly experienced and knowledgeable about successful urbanism. The suburban location of his office is a complete red herring. The Planetizen article is spot on in addressing issues fundamental to any neighborhood revitalization analysis. | ||
Bits Member Username: Bits Post Number: 29 Registered: 02-2005 |
Jason, where do you live and work? Do you drive to work, walk or take mass transit? I assume you have no car to prove how urban you are? It sounds like you think everyone who truly supports Detroit needs to prove it somehow. Maybe everyone should give their left testicle if they really support the city. If not, then you don't want their help. Maybe your right, the 900,000 residents (and falling) of the city can exist on their own with no outside help from the 4 million people that live nearby, the nation or even the global economy. Good place to start might be by electing competent city council members and mayor with some integrity to govern your island. While your at it, you should let Roger Penske know his help isn't wanted since his offices are in Bloomfield Hills, so he's not walking the walk. | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 554 Registered: 07-2005 |
If Micheal Poris was the head of the Left Testicles For Detroit Foundation, he should donate his left testicle. Like I said before, I'm not talking about regionalism. I'm talking about urbanism. His firm should be in an urban setting. I'm saying that if someone believes in, promotes, and designs urbanity, then they themselves should locate their firm in an urban setting. What kind of car do you think Al Gore should drive? | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 168 Registered: 10-2006 |
srry, didn't realize it was self promotion | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 631 Registered: 11-2003 |
"I'm saying that if someone believes in, promotes, and designs urbanity, then they themselves should locate their firm in an urban setting." We are not going to make it through this, are we? As a region, are we really 100+ years off course????? (Message edited by rjlj on August 20, 2008) | ||
Bits Member Username: Bits Post Number: 30 Registered: 02-2005 |
The story of North Corktown is about efforts to revitalize a neighborhood and how the Corktown Redevelopment Agency is going about that in a unique way. Their approach is in contrast to other attempts at neighborhood revitalization in the city that depend on mega developers redeveloping large parcels or displacing existing residents. Its noteworthy and will be interesting to see the results 10-20 years from now as the plan fills in. Thats assuming the city ever gets with the program and learns how to get along in the region. (Message edited by Bits on August 20, 2008) |
