Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2006 » Clean Downtown... « Previous Next »
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Detroit_stylin
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Username: Detroit_stylin

Post Number: 2706
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.74.8.82
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 9:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sitting here in C-Mart today I noticed what appears to be a press conference today with several distinguished looking people speaking to a crowd. There are also a number of trucks around with "Clean Downtown" emblazoned on the sides. There is also a heavy media prescence in the area as well covering it. Does anyone know that all this is about(Besides the obvious)?
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Itsjeff
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Username: Itsjeff

Post Number: 6067
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 208.27.111.125
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 9:56 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.cleandowntown.org/
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Detroit_stylin
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Username: Detroit_stylin

Post Number: 2707
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.74.8.82
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 9:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Cool thanks Jeff
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Itsjeff
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Username: Itsjeff

Post Number: 6068
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 208.27.111.125
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If they accomplish half of what they set out to do, I'll be thrilled.
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 1702
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 70.141.78.246
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Seems like a pretty comprehensive program which will put a lot of people to work. I'm sure we'll notice the difference. They even provide a daily updated map to show what will be cleaned on a given day.
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Bsu
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Username: Bsu

Post Number: 110
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.208.118.224
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

So what happens after 2007? Are they going to stop or will they need more funding? I hope they continue. Everyone I talk to that visted during super bowl was highly impressed with how clean dowotown was.
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Magnasco
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Username: Magnasco

Post Number: 116
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 71.159.22.4
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:13 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I believe that the proposal was that Penske would help get corporate sponsors to sustain the program.
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Mind_field
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Username: Mind_field

Post Number: 572
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.38.18.195
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:19 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I remember coming to downtown Detroit on a bitterly cold New Year's Day 4 or 5 years ago, only to be disgusted by the piles of trash that were blowing around desolate downtown streets. Thankfully there is this much needed initiative to make downtown clean. A clean downtown gives off a very good impression to first time visitors and potential residents.

I remember visiting downtown Indianapolis a couple years ago and I was blown away at how clean it was. You could eat off the streets in that city.
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 1704
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 70.141.78.246
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:28 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The mantra I've heard from people in this partnership, in addition to downtown development and tourism officials, is that we need to make downtown a regional destination before it can be a national destination. Now, it's kind of strange saying that after Detroit has been on the national stage so much lately, and still suburbanites are not 100 percent comfortable with the city. But, I think they see the aforementioned aspect of cleanliness as being important to making outsiders comfortable with the city. It's all cosmetic, but they figure it will help. I think it will help alot for downtown businesses. They might chip in to the cleaning fund, and they'll be able to see real results. I think merchants will like the idea of taking things in to their own hands with a private company striving for this greater good, and not having to rely on the city.
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E_hemingway
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Username: E_hemingway

Post Number: 728
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.42.176.123
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I agree with the idea of becoming a regional destination before becoming a national destination. Although a lot of suburbanites like to take cheap shots at the city, more and more feel comfortable coming down here than say five years ago. It appears that trend will continue. However, I hate to bring out this dead horse again, one of major parts of making downtown a regional draw is workable, efficient and affordable mass transit. That would probably help downtown and city more than anything right now.
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 1707
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 70.141.78.246
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Something tells me we won't be able to build new buildings over the current precious parking lots that cover half of downtown until we have some sort of quality transit to take suburbanites downtown.
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Detroitplanner
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Username: Detroitplanner

Post Number: 130
Registered: 04-2006
Posted From: 63.85.13.248
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 10:52 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Personally I'd like to see them cleaning the neighborhoods too. The streetsweeper was not by all year last year (and it was an election year!). The grass continues to grow in the City-owned parcels, making the neighborhoods look really bad.
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Southwestmap
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Username: Southwestmap

Post Number: 491
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 64.79.90.206
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 11:28 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Last year I sent a little note through the mail to the Director of the DPW to say that my residential neighborhood (Vernor/Junction) had not had a sweep since Spring, 2003. In a week or two the streets got cleaned. So maybe a note is in order.

Also, the SW Detroit Business Association has had a commercial district cleaning program in place for several years. They deserve a lot of congratulations. West Vernor is cleaned several mornings a week in a low-tech (non-Penske money) old-fashioned program - walking crews picking up and sweeping.
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Apbest
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Username: Apbest

Post Number: 89
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 68.40.65.66
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 11:40 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

as far was what will happen after 2007, hopefully a BID will be created or in the works by then, and a tax on merchants in the area will pay for it (which surveys show they strongly support)
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Citymouse
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Username: Citymouse

Post Number: 3
Registered: 06-2006
Posted From: 68.60.190.142
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 12:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

this sounds pretty good. it's just so unfortunate that it took something like a superbowl coming to town to get the ball rolling...
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Restoretheroar
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Username: Restoretheroar

Post Number: 694
Registered: 07-2004
Posted From: 199.67.140.83
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 12:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Who cares - it's rolling isn't it?
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Swingline
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Username: Swingline

Post Number: 512
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 172.132.186.77
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 12:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

The grass continues to grow in the City-owned parcels, making the neighborhoods look really bad.


DPW grass cutting is way behind this year. Plenty of neighborhoods have not been cut even once. In some places I've seen grass high enough at intersections to impair visibility to a degree that it is a traffic hazard.

There's lots of positive things happening in the city these days, but the height of the vast areas of uncut grass is a sad function of the depopulation of many neighborhoods.
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Gambling_man
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Username: Gambling_man

Post Number: 755
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 199.178.193.5
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 3:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Apbest, I can't think of a single property owner downtown that wants to pay MORE taxes. Last time it was "voted" on, it lost badly.....primarily the result of Illitch somehow getting his buildings carved out of the BID. I call this BS, not BID.
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Itsjeff
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Username: Itsjeff

Post Number: 6073
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 208.27.111.125
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 3:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Actually, the vote for the bid was a thumbs up across the board. More than 65% of the building owners voted for the increase. When weighted by their total property value (GM carries a bigger burden than say, Checker Bar) the ratio voting for it moved past 72%). The only place the BID lost was a City Counci who found it egregious that building owners would voluntarily tax themselves to provide additional services for the City and free up DPW to do more work in neighborhoods.

You see, not everyone views taxes as an onerous burden. Many sane, intelligent and responsible people are willing to purchase services like education, road building and public space maintenance from governments provided that the service is of value. BIDs are voluntary and there are thousands of them across the country. Perhaps those tens of thousands of building owners are on to something you have not sussed out yet. Many many land owners in the Detroit CBD saw the BID as providing them value and thus their overwhelming SUPPORT for the BID.
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Susanarosa
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Username: Susanarosa

Post Number: 889
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 208.39.170.90
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 4:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Part of it was also because Linda Bade said downtown was "spooky."

She was a real winner that day.
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E_hemingway
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Username: E_hemingway

Post Number: 732
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.42.176.123
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 4:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The last graph of this story is the most intriguing.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20060608/U PDATE/606080448

"His next focus is to attract more business to the city. The initiative is another step to making Detroit a destination spot and a place where people weren't afraid to come, Penske said, adding that once the downtown area is clean, safe and has plenty of businesses, the next natural step would be to bring a mass transit system to the city."
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Merchantgander
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Username: Merchantgander

Post Number: 1871
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 207.91.250.131
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 4:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Some business owner are willing to pay the small tax increase because a clean well kept downtown will increase their property value.
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Tomoh
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Username: Tomoh

Post Number: 202
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 24.136.10.153
Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 8:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Go for the lower hanging fruit -- it's gonna be more cost effective to make it a regional before a national destination, considering the still low percentage of suburbanites who come into the city. Also consider the number of people not counted in the official metro figures but who are within an hour or two drive where Detroit is still the biggest nearest city, e.g. Toledo.
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Wmuchris
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Username: Wmuchris

Post Number: 319
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 68.42.173.13
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 3:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

People should contact these companies and organizations letting them know that we appreciate their help keeping the city clean. I've noticed a difference in the past few days.

http://www.cleandowntown.org/p artners.asp
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Bob
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Username: Bob

Post Number: 1022
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 3:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In terms of grass cutting, places all over the state are behind in grass cutting because of all the rain we have had the past couple months. Couple that with freezes on overtime and you end up with tall grass.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 503
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 12.47.224.8
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 5:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I love the uniforms. They're so "Penske." He is psycho about being proper and clean - a throwback to a more civilized time. This is a huge win for downtown.

Too often we fail to realize how far downtown has come. When friends come in from out of town - friends who used to live downtown - they have a hard time finding their way around. Everything is so different from just 5 years ago! :-)
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E_hemingway
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Username: E_hemingway

Post Number: 742
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.42.176.123
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 8:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I emailed them with suggestions on where to clean up. Within 24 hours someone called me up to let me know they were getting on those areas and wanted to know if there were anywhere they should go. Great conversation. So far, I'm impressed. I just hope they can keep it up.
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Bagman
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Username: Bagman

Post Number: 72
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 68.252.5.0
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 8:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I liked watching them scrape the stickers off the newspaper boxes. Nice to see they are cleaning PRIVATE property. Why should private property owners take care of thier property when you can wait and let the "penske" cleaning service come and do it for you.....
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Itsjeff
Member
Username: Itsjeff

Post Number: 6099
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 208.27.111.125
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 8:59 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh, Bagman, how you light up a room...
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Dabirch
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Username: Dabirch

Post Number: 1565
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 208.44.117.10
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 9:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sometimes I feel like I'm fading away
You're looking at me, I've got nothing to say
Don't make me angry with the games that you play
Either light up or leave me alone
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Hamtramck_steve
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Username: Hamtramck_steve

Post Number: 3004
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 136.181.195.17
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 9:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

Why should private property owners take care of thier property when you can wait and let the "penske" cleaning service come and do it for you.....




Okay, I'll bite.

One, maybe if the private property owners had been maintaining their property correctly for all these years, Penske's efforts wouldn't be needed.

Two, in some twisted, mind-bending way, aren't the private property owners doing what you want, cleaning their stuff? They are now simply subcontracting the work out to the DDP. These aren't tax dollars paying for this work, in case you've avoided reading the articles.
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Mbr
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Username: Mbr

Post Number: 66
Registered: 03-2005
Posted From: 152.160.42.163
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 12:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Are they going to clean the alleys?
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Southwestmap
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Username: Southwestmap

Post Number: 494
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 70.229.231.102
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 1:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Private property owners not cleaning their sites was one of the reasons that the city clean-ups stopped drawing corporate volunteers. My business used to volunteer to clean-up a section of Jefferson. We would be sweating and dirty and the shop-keepers would be standing in their doorways goggeling at us. They would not step out and pick up a single shameful scrap of paper. After a few years of that, few staff would volunteer. They couldn't see spending a day off picking up after commercial enterprises that have no pride.
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Bagman
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Username: Bagman

Post Number: 73
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 68.252.5.0
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 2:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I would expect the private property owners who put boxes to dispense products or information, to come around and clean the machine, remove any graffitti, stickers and make sure it gererally works properly. The tax dollar cleaning should not be doing those things. There is plenty to clean on the tax dime. Now with all the buildings cutting back cleaning staff, a taxed paid cleaning force is the only way to go.
I as a business manager/owner always took care of the exterior of any property I had a store in, once to the shagrin of a man who had set up a used book cart on the sidewalk in front of a bookstore. I took the hose out and washed the sidewalk 10 mins after he would drive up in his car and unload his books and set up his cart. I managed a store down the street, but the owner of the bookstore would call me and tell me the guy had just set up. I would come down and get the broom and the hose and tell the guy he might want to move as it was time to wash the side walk..he would be pissed, but what was he to do...so he would wheel the cart down the block and away from the book store.

I was at the SOS office friday and I noticed two folks chatting as one scrapped a sticker off the paper box. I had read about these folks but I was shocked how clean the uniform looked....
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1953
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Username: 1953

Post Number: 865
Registered: 12-2004
Posted From: 209.104.146.146
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 4:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This Clean Downtown initiative is so incredible...
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Andyguard73
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Username: Andyguard73

Post Number: 74
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 64.25.200.14
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 10:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was just wondering if they are only cleaning at street level. It would be cool to have the Book tower cleaned up and looking like new if they are doing buildings.

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