Nine reasons why Detroit failed

[Parkguy]

Well, he certainly is right about the abandonment along the DTR line. I didn't really know that part of the history. And, he's right about a couple of other things, too, that I think are key: Detroit built a lot of housing for workers that did not stand the test of time. Early in the boom [[1890-1920) there were tens of thousands of small, cheap, wood frame houses that ended up falling apart after 60 or 70 years-- mostly in that inner industrial ring-- and the process was repeated decades later with those hundreds of blocks of cheap, wood frame houses in ranch or cape cod style. Those were many times better quality than the ones dating from 1890--1920, but they are showing their age and are not holding up. This housing crisis, foreclosures, and scrapping has just sped up the decline. If you look at other cities' "urban renewal" projects [[I'm thinking Paris in the 1840's, for instance) you'll see wholesale demolition of old, poor-quality housing that did not meet modern standards. Maybe we're doing the same thing, but one house at a time rather than as part of a grand project.

Also, Saunders said he did not write this article as a definitive analysis, but to list some ideas that supplement the things that have been thoroughly written about by others. I think he gives some great insights.

[Wesley Mouch]

...: Detroit built a lot of housing for workers that did not stand the test of time. Early in the boom [[1890-1920) there were tens of thousands of small, cheap, wood frame houses that ended up falling apart after 60 or 70 years-- mostly in that inner industrial ring-- and the process was repeated decades later with those hundreds of blocks of cheap, wood frame houses in ranch or cape cod style. Those were many times better quality than the ones dating from 1890--1920, but they are showing their age and are not holding up. This housing crisis, foreclosures, and scrapping has just sped up the decline. ....

Housing quality, or lack of it, doesn't get the respect it should. Over time, citizens with more means moved away. Those WWII veterans were happy with those homes; their children were not. The quality of the residents eventually matched the quality of the housing stock.

Look at Brightmoor vs. Eliza Howell.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=detroi...,76.72,,0,7.04

[[spin around and see what a difference a block makes)