 
Gmich99
Member
Username: Gmich99
Post Number: 197
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 2:19 am: |    |
I gave a tour of the city to friend from Arizona this past weekend of the major sights, such as Belle Isle, Eastern Market/Gratiot Market, the New Center (including the lobby of the Fischer Building), the “Cultural District” (museums and Wayne State University), Cass Park, and Downtown. We also drove past the Lee Plaza Hotel, a friend’s home on the West Side, and dinner in Greek Town. And despite traveling through neighborhoods that make the suburbs tremble, I pleased to listen to her say “I never thought anything of Detroit, but now really respect it.” She can’t stop talking about how beautiful Belle Isle was, how we must go back down to Eastern Market, and how she will seriously consider living downtown. She exclaimed that Woodward in the Central Business District looked and felt “just like Chicago,” which no matter how any of us feel about Chicago was a big compliment. I promised that we would make it back down for further exploring, especially a trip to the riverfront and Fort Wayne.
Downtown certainly appears to be on the right track. Let’s hope Detroit can buck the state’s downward trend. I am confident that Michigan’s economic revival depends on the success of Detroit. |
Downtown_remix
Member
Username: Downtown_remix
Post Number: 215
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 2:54 am: | |
Damn that was almost a tear jerker. I left D in 1996 and been back a year now, living and workin downtown an lovin it. hearing it from non local lipps is the true indicator; we are finally on an un- official 10 year plan. |
Downtown_remix
Member
Username: Downtown_remix
Post Number: 216
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 7:46 am: | |
good to observe outsiderers seeing the evolution begin |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 829
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 10:11 am: | |
"I am confident that Michigan’s economic revival depends on the success of Detroit."
Agreed. |
Soulsauce
Member
Username: Soulsauce
Post Number: 215
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 10:14 am: | |
I left Detroit for the second time in 1995 and moved back in 2002.
Funny how this place has a way of calling you back, even those who vow never to return.
A lot of people end up eating those words although I'm sure there are many who stay true to it.
I'm glad I wasn't one of them
:-) |
Paulmcall
Member
Username: Paulmcall
Post Number: 151
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 12:34 pm: | |
Sober up guys. Did you drive them along Grand River out towards Greenfield?
It might give them a little bit different view of what is really up in the D.
There's more than downtown and Belle Isle to Detroit. |
Downtown_remix
Member
Username: Downtown_remix
Post Number: 222
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 12:37 pm: | |
yea why dont we take em to the site of the 1967 riots. or maybe we can dodge bullets on Mack and kerchival. Negative serpants are deep in the fabric here huh. This is one of those positive posts that is intended to uplift the perception that we are nothing but the negative crap u hear on cnn news. |
Eric_c
Member
Username: Eric_c
Post Number: 978
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 1:05 pm: | |
Grand River -Greenfield looks NOTHING like it did in the '70s, but it looks a damn site better than it did ten years ago. Farther west on Grand River, an entire streetscape program was implemented.
Glad the tourist had a good time. |
Rocket_city
Member
Username: Rocket_city
Post Number: 270
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 9:34 pm: | |
The only feeling I get when going through Grand River-Greenfield is hope and optimism...a very positive feeling.
Also, if this same scenario (friend showing friend around) was to be replicated in other major cities, don't you think they would probably avoid the problem areas? All cities have crappy areas. It doesn't mean that Detroit's should be crappier and that the tourist should go away feeling fulfilled that their negative perceptions are confirmed.
When I go to Chicago, I don't go to intentionally spend the weekend hanging out on the porch of a drug house waiting for a crime to occur. Instead, I visit the museums, dine at the restaurants, jog on the lake trail, take pictures of everything, etc...WHY SHOULD DETROIT BE ANY DIFFERENT?? I'm sure if the girl wanted to hang out in the slums, she could have saved herself a few dollars and found a crappy hood in Phoenix somewhere. |
Charlottepaul
Member
Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 1039
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Friday, May 25, 2007 - 10:13 am: | |
"Sober up guys. Did you drive them along Grand River out towards Greenfield?
It might give them a little bit different view of what is really up in the D."
There is usually little need to prove to someone that there are 'rough' places in Detroit. Many people already have a bad impression of Detroit. Therefore, why would you take them to dilapidated areas of the city? |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 4407
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 2:15 am: | |
Well I was informed yesterday that I was in demand again to give another Detroit tour in August for a busload of 35 Germans. Although it usually is a 10AM-5PM affair, I am giving the same identical tour that I did in 2001 and 2005 for these other German tourists. The 10 AM bus always starts at Carpathia Club on Utica Rd. in Sterling Heights.
ITINERARY:
First we go over to Jefferson (at 10 Mile and drive down the Nautical Mile (SCS) to the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Tour & Lunch on the grounds (they always love that house!). Then we drive down Lakeshore and continue down Jefferson, where we circle Belle Isle with a quick stop for photos.
Next stop is downtown in front of Comerica Park for a group picture in front of one of the "claw swooping tiger" statues.
Next stop is a 1 block walk to the Fox Theatre. The Ilitch's allow large group tours. So I know that taking them thru the unadorned guards entrance (to the right of the main entrance) takes them thru a narrow gray hallway with mop buckets... and then they arrive into the Grand Lobby. This is where the jaw dropping really starts. They are overwhelmed. Then a visit to the auditorium. As in tours past, they will be astounded that this is a "mere" movie theatre, not some grand opera house or symphonic hall.
Next stop will be to get back on the bus, and stop in front of the Guardian Building for another jaw dropping interior, with a quick stop at Pure Detroit and a tour of the former banking hall.
Next stop will be a circle on the People Mover with more river view, and then back onto the bus for a return ride back to Sterling Heights.
Granted, with a large group of 35, things take longer to visit. So by giving them just a small taste of Detroit's crown jewels, these Germans will never forget our city.
Nothing I liked better than what happened in 2001 and 2005... the hosts in the other cities that these German tourists visited (Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Chicago) kept hearing from the Germans how wonderful Detroit was...  |
Lilpup
Member
Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 2229
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 10:49 am: | |
What all do you say about the banking hall? Or do you just let them look? |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 3860
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 11:07 am: | |
Shame on you, Gistok, for not swinging them through Indian Village and past the Deutsches Haus. |
3rdworldcity
Member
Username: 3rdworldcity
Post Number: 668
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 11:25 am: | |
Or, the Michigan Theater parking garage. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 4408
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 1:13 pm: | |
Lilpup, About the Guardian Bldg., I tell them the story of being in the country's finest Art Deco Bank Building. When I visited in 2001 MichCon was still in there, and we were not able to visit the main banking hall. When I visited in 2005 THE SMITH GROUP gave me special permission to go thru their office space. Now they will be able to go to Pure Detroit, as well as browse around freely thru the banking hall taking photos.
In 2005 there was a table with small models (all in white) that The Smith Group had of all the buildings in Downtown, Midtown and New Center. Some asked if this was the entire Detroit area in miniature. I laughed and told them that if that were the case, it would take up the entire first floor of the building!
Lowell, due to the fact that they will have a large bus, making turnarounds at intersections thru Indian Village would be problematic. Their visit down Lakeshore Dr. gives them a nice slice of mansions in metro Detroit.
In the past I pointed out Lafayette Park, mentioning that much of it was designed by German Mies Van Der Rohe. Their response: "we have enough of his bland architecture back in Germany"!!! 
3WC, if the group of tourists is on the younger side, then I may ask Anthony Pieroni for permission to visit his parking garage. I'm sure that the site of where part of "8 Mile" was filmed would intrigue them. In the past, the group ages were from 18-72 (a difficult assortment to please!).
But one has to understand the European mentality... where old things are restored, and they will most certainly ask me when the Michigan parking structure will be restored back to being a theatre! In Germany after WWII, buildings were restored that had even a fraction of the remains that the Michigan garage has!
But I think I will ask Mr. Pieroni (in advance) if we could visit the garage if there is enough time in our itinerary. After all the Michigan garage is among the worlds largest interior ruins (certainly the largest in the United States). The nearly 9 story tall Michigan interior dwarfs even the 4 story tall MCS main hall. |