Detroit Off Topic

[statedude3]

did it say "no standing- Between this time and this time" ?

[statedude3]

Is there any news or recent developments regarding the proposed park that was supposed to be built inside the Dequindre cut? My apartment has a spectacular view of it, and I'm curious if I would have easy park access in the upcoming couple of years.

Is this project in conjunction with the riverfront plan, or is it even going to connect for that matter?

[Michi]

Check the website for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. They have a newsletter there that, I'm pretty sure mentions that the Dequindre Cut greenway will be moving forward this year (2007).

[RustTown]

Look at this 1899 map of Detroit, and just how much of the street grid has been totally ruined, and all of the superblocks that have been created:

Edited November 22, 2006 by Lmichigan

[rbdetsport]

Edit................

Edited November 26, 2006 by rbdetsport

[Michi]

Yep, super blocks will continue to ruin the functionality of Detroit as long as they are continued to be built. It's going to take a lot of work NOT to create super blocks because rebuilding the city is so far behind that it is going to be difficult to put anything on the old traditional blocks.

Not that the layout of Detroit was that great in the first place, but wow, things have changed...especially the scale from human to automobile.

[RustTown]

How was it not great in the first place, just being curious?

[Allison Slater]

I always thought the downtown grid was cool, what with the semi-circle and all. Although it wwould be really cool if that semi-circle concept were expanded out to the lakeshore.

[Michi]

The immediate downtown is great, IMO, but once the grid goes out into Midtown, I cringe. I realize that Detroit grew so fast that city surveyors didn't even line up the streets correctly (Cass/Clifford) among many others (Cass/Woodward even), but what bothers me most is how very few streets bisect Woodward.

I remember not too long ago I was traveling through Brush Park and wanted to just hop over to the Cass Park Area on the same street I was on. I couldn't. I had to "jog" Woodward, not just because the street was disconnected, but it was also one-way, the wrong way. D'OH!

Anway, I don't care for the way Midtown is layed out that much. I would have liked to see more east/west gridways that flow with downtown better. I realize that much of everything outside downtown is residential, so that's just the historical way-it-is for Detroit. Plus, the freeways kinda act like a final "bomb" to the already messy street pattern.

That's just my opinion on it.

[illmatic774]

yeah that grid was pretty much halfassed from the start.

[statedude3]

Does anyone know who owns the building on East Jefferson with the "Enjoy Detroit" mural on it? I know a guy who is interested in opening up to 4 restaurants (all unique) in Detroit. One of his criteria is that he wants to save/rehab buildings that is a relic to the surrounding neighborhood.

He is originally from Detroit but has made his money building entertainment facilities in Houston. This building really caught his eye when we were out and about today. I would really like to help him get some information about it. Any ideas about other buildings in commercial strips around town would be great as I would love to pass them along to him for consideration as well.

[dtown]

I wish him luck! ^^^^^

[RustTown]

Just for reference purposes, I found the most recent numbers (2004) for downtown (CBD) population and downtown workforce. The area is defined as the areas between the Lodge, Fisher, and Chrysler Freeways (375), and the Detroit River (a little less than one square miles, I believe), and the source is the Metro Detroit Visitors and Convention Bureau. They define the area as the "Detroit Visitors Area" (DVA):

Downtown Population (2004): 5,272

Downtown Workforce (2004): 73,849

The report isn't new, nor are the numbers are surprise as these were estimated at nearly these same numbers a few years before the report, but it's a point of reference, nonetheless, for the small CBD called "downtown."

http://www.tedconline.com/uploads/DMCVB_Ju...inal_Report.pdf

Hudkina recently also defined the Greater Downtown Area which includes Downtown, Midtown, New Center, and the neighborhoods directly to the east and west of these areas, essentially the core of the old Grand Boulevard Loop (Old Detroit), and came up with:

Greater Downtown/Central Detroit Population (2000): 52,468 in 9.96 square miles

Edited December 10, 2006 by Lmichigan

[Zissou]

I look forward to seeing the new numbers whenever they come out for the CBD population. Im sure it will continue to rise.

[ZachariahDaMan]

The Morning News Cafe is opening in the Penobscot Building tomorrow. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in the D. It's in Suite 25.

[RustTown]

I look forward to seeing the new numbers whenever they come out for the CBD population. Im sure it will continue to rise.

Edited December 11, 2006 by Lmichigan

[Zissou]

I know. I was implying when we get some numbers other than those from 2004.

[detroitfan]

The Downtown Partnership released a market study in Oct here are their findings

Larger population base than currently understood. 6,500

downtown residents; and 74,300 residents in downtown and

neighborhoods oriented toward downtown.

$1.4 billion in annual aggregate income for the residents of

downtown and the neighborhoods oriented toward downtown.

80,500 downtown workers, composing 21 percent of the city's total

employment.

http://www.downtowndetroit.org/ddp/newsroo...it_in_Focus.pdf

Edited December 12, 2006 by detroitfan

[Michi]

...and 100% of the retail. (kidding)...although, sometimes it seems like it.

[RustTown]

That 74,300 for the greater downtown is quite a stretch. They reach beyond the general definition of the neighborhoods of downtown, midtown, new center and those directly adjacent, and why they left off Woodbridge but went past Mt. Elliot is beyond me for Greater Downtown. Interesting report, though, and definitely a good point of reference.

What this does show, though, that I find very interesting is what most of us already know and that's that the census predictions are pretty bogus.

Edited December 13, 2006 by Lmichigan

[ZachariahDaMan]

I drove by Fort Wayne today and I thought one of you guys might know, what's the status of the place? Are they trying to get the money to open it like forts in Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island?

[Allan]

It's open in the summer on weekends after 10:00am. Unless you know the guards, in which case you can go any time.

[ZachariahDaMan]

Awesome! It looks like I might be able to get my dad to go to Detroit next summer then. We loved the other forts we went to (Colonial Michilimackinac, Fort Mackinac) and a while back I heard about Fort Wayne and asked if he would want to go even though it was in Detroit and he wanted to.

Are tours given and are the buildings open for you to go in?

[Allan]

As far as I know there are no tours, and none of the buildings are open. The buildings are literally falling down, and I think it took the city until halfway through the summer to get the grass mowed.

It is quite interesting, even though maintence has been lacking, and they do have a few different renactments and other events throughout the year.

[hudkina]

The city needs to turn the fort over to the Henry Ford or some other organization. They need to restore the entire complex and add more "touristy" things such as tours, reenactments and "military life in the early 1800's" showcases. It could even house a museum or something displaying Detroit and Michigan's military history.