Urban Garden where the Lafayette Building once stood

[j to the jeremy]

Bailey, like I said, why not pressure the city to force landlords to mothball buildings? Obviously no one wanted to lose the Lafayette?

[ghettopalmetto]

Bailey, like I said, why not pressure the city to force landlords to mothball buildings? Obviously no one wanted to lose the Lafayette?

Or at least enforce building codes. :-)

[NorthofNormal]

Here's what's making me crazy about this entire conversation: It's not like we're being offered the choice between a restored and resplendent Lafayette Building or an urban garden of glow-in-the-dark arsenic-matoes.

The building's gone. It sucks, and maybe it was or was not feasible to renovate it before it was knocked down, but we can't roll back time on that one. What we have now is a fenced-off mudpatch. Putting in an urban garden of edible or non-edibles improves the actual situation that we have. Even the ugliest urban garden/park is going to be better than what's there now.

As for the safety of what could be grown there--just about every one of these gardens throughout the city grows in raised beds of clean dirt. When the UCCA set up the Art Center Garden, they referred to some urban gardening organization's standards for soil testing and soil isolation [[putting in barriers between the clean and the polluted dirt so contaminants can't leach into the clean dirt). Not to mention, some plants can actually pull pollutants out of the soil and clean polluted sites that way.

[Detroitnerd]

Here's what's making me crazy about this entire conversation: It's not like we're being offered the choice between a restored and resplendent Lafayette Building or an urban garden of glow-in-the-dark arsenic-matoes. ...

I guess my problem is that nobody seems to realize what a downtown is for anymore. And nobody seems to understand what a community garden is. Detroit's dumb-ass leaders think all you have to do is spend money to make a community garden.

Where is the community?

Who asked them if they wanted it?

Is agriculture a good use for the congested district? Or just a fig leaf with no thought as to how to go about it?

[NorthofNormal]

But, Detroitnerd, a garden is hardly a permanent structure, or one that's hard to re-purpose later if demand for the space comes available.

I'm not saying that a vibrant downtown jam-packed full of jam-packed mixed use buildings isn't better than a garden. But right now, that's not an option on the table. The district isn't congested in the sense that Chicago, or Manhattan, or Boston are congested. There's a lot of buildings...many of which are empty and/or in disrepair. An empty lot, surrounded by a fence, full of mud adds to the blight. A nice garden lessens the blight--and, possibly, helps make the surrounding structures more appealing to those looking to invest in Detroit.

When the day comes that we actually need to add office/mixed-use space in Detroit, by all means, bulldoze Coney Gardens and put in something that's going to pay into the city taxes.

[Detroitnerd]

But, Detroitnerd, a garden is hardly a permanent structure, or one that's hard to re-purpose later if demand for the space comes available.

So why spend a-half-million dollars to build it? Detroit's business leaders know that nobody is going to build on the site in the foreseeable future, or else they wouldn't pony up the cash.

I'm not saying that a vibrant downtown jam-packed full of jam-packed mixed use buildings isn't better than a garden. But right now, that's not an option on the table. The district isn't congested in the sense that Chicago, or Manhattan, or Boston are congested. There's a lot of buildings...many of which are empty and/or in disrepair. An empty lot, surrounded by a fence, full of mud adds to the blight. A nice garden lessens the blight--and, possibly, helps make the surrounding structures more appealing to those looking to invest in Detroit.

I agree with an earlier poster who suggested an open-air market there. What you'll wind up with is a vegetable garden surrounded with high fences topped with concertina wire to keep the hungry out. What kind of ridiculous message does that send?

Greenwashing is everywhere. Learn to detect it and don't believe the hype.

[NorthofNormal]

Detroit's business leaders know that nobody is going to build on the site in the foreseeable future

That's my entire point--nobody is going to build on that site in the foreseeable future. So, sure, put in a garden. Or, fine, an open-air market. Or a skate park. Personally, I rather liked the idea I saw on this forum a few months ago of an adult-sized kiddie park, with picnic tables, swings, and a hot-dog slide. Whatever, just do something other than leaving it as-is.

[ghettopalmetto]

That's my entire point--nobody is going to build on that site in the foreseeable future. So, sure, put in a garden. Or, fine, an open-air market. Or a skate park. Personally, I rather liked the idea I saw on this forum a few months ago of an adult-sized kiddie park, with picnic tables, swings, and a hot-dog slide. Whatever, just do something other than leaving it as-is.

Vodka ice luge!

[NorthofNormal]

Vodka ice luge!

Bring in Smirnoff to sponsor it for Winter Blast?

[downtownguy]

I walked by here today and see that they have started constructing the garden. According to the sign, it's being called "Lafayette Greens." Maybe the gardeners know what those wooden posts are, but I don't have a clue. Could they be building this on a sort of elevated boardwalk to keep folks from helping themselves to a spud or radish before it's time?

[buildingsofdetroit]

Hey-oh! I could not agree more. See: Tech, Cass.

[Detroitnerd]

Haha. They're bringing in workmen and Bobcats for the job. Hey, there's real "community" gardening. Ho-ho-ho.

[Detroitej72]

Haha. They're bringing in workmen and Bobcats for the job. Hey, there's real "community" gardening. Ho-ho-ho.

Why do you hate gardens so much?

[cramerro]

Walked by during lunch today - still lots of activity. They appear to be using some sort of stainless steel for the sides, also complete with irrigation.

[Detroitnerd]

Why do you hate gardens so much?

Why do you hate [[insert here America, apple pie, Elvis Presley, kittens, little red wagons, tiny blue buttons, children, etc.) so much?

[bailey]

I walked by here today and see that they have started constructing the garden. According to the sign, it's being called "Lafayette Greens." Maybe the gardeners know what those wooden posts are, but I don't have a clue. Could they be building this on a sort of elevated boardwalk to keep folks from helping themselves to a spud or radish before it's time?

I was by there the other day. I'm assuming they are for raised planting beds. As many have mentioned, the soil there is probably not fit for growing produce for human consumption.

[Detroitej72]

Why do you hate [[insert here America, apple pie, Elvis Presley, kittens, little red wagons, tiny blue buttons, children, etc.) so much?

My problem with Elvis Presley is that he never took the time to actually write his own songs like another, great musician, Elvis Costello.

All the rest I have no issue with.

[Fnemecek]

Haha. They're bringing in workmen and Bobcats for the job. Hey, there's real "community" gardening. Ho-ho-ho.

A true community garden doesn't put any money is George Jackson's offshore bank account. That's why they brought in these contractors, who could make such a contribution before submitting a padded invoice.

[Flintoid]

There i way to much complaining about this. What would you rather have here, a giant vacant lot for Book visitors to see or a gorgeous urban garden? WHO CARE HOW IT'S BUILT. Let's get it built and beautify an eyesore lot downtown. This is a wonderful project, plain and simple.

[Flintoid]

Cares, not care. sorry about the typo above.

[ghettopalmetto]

There i way to much complaining about this. What would you rather have here, a giant vacant lot for Book visitors to see or a gorgeous urban garden? WHO CARE HOW IT'S BUILT. Let's get it built and beautify an eyesore lot downtown. This is a wonderful project, plain and simple.

Yes, Detroit's number one priority should be creating smoke-and-mirrors illusions for the people who choose to stay at the Book-Cadillac. We would never want them to see the real Detroit. It's more important to create phony perceptions and media exposure than to address reality. I hear the Wizard of Oz is available for hire as a consultant.Screw the people who live, work, play, and pay taxes in Detroit--we all know that the only people who matter are hotel guests.

Did you ever stop to think that there wouldn't *be* an empty lot if the DEGC hadn't spent seven figures to tear down the Lafayette Building???

I'd like to add that Detroit looks EXACTLY the way it does because of an attitude of "Who Cares How It's Built?". Ask GM how much money they sunk into the RenCen to fix a product of that line of thinking.

In the photos above, the community sure looks like he's been working hard!

[j to the jeremy]

gp...this IS the real Detroit, live in the moment. If it's happening, and I can watch it happen, it's real.

Do you think the CBD of any city would be the locale of an actual community garden? People need to change their expectations every once in a while. Downtowns will be run by local elites. Neighborhoods breed social activism. That's how cities usually work. Just because the elites build a garden doesn't mean we have to complain about how fake everything always is. This is not worse than what WSU did at Warren and Woodward.

[bailey]

Did you ever stop to think that there wouldn't *be* an empty lot if the DEGC hadn't spent seven figures to tear down the Lafayette Building???

Empty lot...Empty, unsecured, crumbling, graffiti-ed, windowless, derelict building. potato....potahto. It's not like the "seven figures" would have been spent on securing or shoring up the building in any way. Detroit gets the urban development it deserves because it elects thieves, buffoons, and grifters who then appoint more thieves, buffoons and grifters to run things. given the choice between hulking wreck and garden... and that was the choice....I'll take the garden.

[Flintoid]

I don't think Detroit was hurt by the mentality of who cares who builds an urban garden. Complaining about this shows how some people will whine about everything. Yes it was sad that the Lafayette came down, but it did. Now we need to look at that spot and see what can be done with it. Downtown doesn't need a new building built, we should focus on redeveloping our current vacant structures. So besides a vacant gravel lot, the Lafayette's space does not have alot of options. This is a great choice. It beautifies a space and embraces the urban farming movement in a high profile location. If you've been to Boston, they have a "victory garden" left from WWI right by the commons. It's gorgeous and a popular site in the city. Lots that embrace gardening can have a positive impact on their surroundings that a vacant gravel lot just cant. Yes it's sad that the building came down, but opposing any development on the site as some sort of protest to its demolition is foolish.

[old guy]

From looking at the artists depiction on the sign it looks like it's going to be more of an English style garden space with hedges, walking paths and some other shrubbery. Seems like it would dress up an empty lot.