Winery on Belle Isle?

[TexasT]

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...state_con.html

A ten-acre vineyard near the light house, the casino turned into a wine tasting space...the first urban vineyard of its kind.

[jpbollma]

I think it would be fantastic!!!

[JBMcB]

That sounds like a cool idea, but SE Michigan doesn't have quite the right climate for a production vineyard, I think. The problem is the scorching hot summers, which annihilate grape crops. Grape vines are delicate plants, and favor very temperate and calm climates. They don't even like wind that much, which would be a pretty big problem at the lighthouse site.

They could grow hops and other grains and do a brewery/distillery, though

[Zacha341]

Hah! That's a thought - but no I should not be encouraging brewing it up. But once in a while a good beer from a micro brewery. Umm, yes!

They could grow hops and other grains and do a brewery/distillery, though

[DetroitCityCellars]

That sounds like a cool idea, but SE Michigan doesn't have quite the right climate for a production vineyard, I think. The problem is the scorching hot summers, which annihilate grape crops. Grape vines are delicate plants, and favor very temperate and calm climates. They don't even like wind that much, which would be a pretty big problem at the lighthouse site.

They could grow hops and other grains and do a brewery/distillery, though

SE Michigan has an outstanding climate for growing grapes, especially Detroit. The site on Belle Isle is outstanding specifically because of its airflow and ability to mitigate disease pressure. Check your history, Monroe used to be Michigans wine country prior to prohibition.

[mikeinmotown]

That sounds like a cool idea, but SE Michigan doesn't have quite the right climate for a production vineyard, I think. The problem is the scorching hot summers, which annihilate grape crops. Grape vines are delicate plants, and favor very temperate and calm climates. They don't even like wind that much, which would be a pretty big problem at the lighthouse site.

They could grow hops and other grains and do a brewery/distillery, though

The climate would work if they plant the right vines. Being so close to the water helps. The problem would be the types of grapes they would have to grow. The grapes that grow the best in this type of climate are the sweeter ones. Pt Peele is famous for their Ice Wines.

[Gistok]

The climate would work if they plant the right vines. Being so close to the water helps. The problem would be the types of grapes they would have to grow. The grapes that grow the best in this type of climate are the sweeter ones. Pt Peele is famous for their Ice Wines.

Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese sound good to me.... as well as "Eiswein"....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beerenauslese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trockenbeerenauslese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiswein

One of the top 3 of white wine varieties, the Riesling grape would likely make for a good wine on Belle Isle...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riesling

[jpbollma]

This definitely needs to happen. The state needs to take this island and charge a fee. Replant flower gardens, update the conservatory, reopen the children's zoo and aquarium. Allow a winery, a horse stable, a cafe, refurbish the concert area and throw a butterfly house on there and perhaps a small carnival area with a few rides. Refurbish the magnificent fountains and bring back kayaks. Presto, a top tourist destination for the midwest that would bring in money hand over fist for the state and the city. So, of course the city opposes it.

[antongast]

Presto, a top tourist destination for the midwest that would bring in money hand over fist for the state and the city. So, of course the city opposes it.

Why does everything always have to be about making money? Can't we just have some things that exist purely for our enjoyment?

[corktownyuppie]

Why does everything always have to be about making money? Can't we just have some things that exist purely for our enjoyment?

Generally, the things that exist purely for our enjoyment actually cost money. So in order to have those things, we need to have other things that make money. We have too little of the latter and way too much of the former.

[Johnnny5]

You guys can rest easy as "Making money" would be the least likely result from operating a small winery on the island. LOL.

[Detroitnerd]

Why does everything always have to be about making money? Can't we just have some things that exist purely for our enjoyment?

No! We've got to make money HAND OVER FIST!

[Detroitnerd]

Actually, when the head of parks was asked about Kilpatrick's plan to sell off 90 of them, he said, essentially, "Why not? They don't bring in any money!"

Which makes me think, this may take more than one primer on the purpose of public parks...

[coracle]

Why does everything always have to be about making money? Can't we just have some things that exist purely for our enjoyment?

What about the DIA; you don't pay anything towards that.

[jpbollma]

What about the DIA; you don't pay anything towards that.

Nothing is free for our enjoyment. The sooner people realize that the better. To make Belle Isle what it should be you would need either a fee [[which if administered by the clownsil will be wasted), the city would need to pay higher taxes or cut the funding by literally millions for something else, the county or tri-county area could vote to raise taxes to pay for it [[which I doubt would happen after just voting to fund the DIA), the state can take it and make improvements, or you can attract a little private investment. Campus Martius has an evil profit making cafe and I am pretty sure people still enjoy it...

[antongast]

What about the DIA; you don't pay anything towards that.

Neither will you, when you've sold your house. There's an apartment building with vacancies across the street from me, I'll PM you the number if you'd like.

[jpbollma]

Neither will you, when you've sold your house. There's an apartment building with vacancies across the street from me, I'll PM you the number if you'd like.

Even if you live in an apartment, you will still pay for the DIA inadvertently. The landlord will simply pass the cost to the renter. When taxes go up so does rent. The landlords don't normally pay them out of the goodness of their heart, but if they want to, it's their property! I would say that was a big fallacy of that whole campaign...that renters wouldn't pay. They certainly will. I was in favor of the millage.

[Detroitnerd]

They keep trying to come up with ideas to develop Belle Isle. Somehow, to get developers in there to turn it into a school for boating, or a green campus with a high-rise dorm, or this, or that. And it's not about improving Belle Isle. It's all about making money. Somebody else, coming in, using a public asset, to make money.

For them.

It always sounds good at first, though.

[[Oh, and, it's a good thing he wants to use our public park. There's certainly no vacant land left in the city anywhere ... )

[JBMcB]

Somebody else, coming in, using a public asset, to make money.

For them.

The way this works in sane-land, is they come in, build and operate something, then pay property tax, leasing fees, and grounds maintenance fees for use of the public land. Then the city takes that money and uses it to fix up the place.

Of course, Detroit is crazy-pants-town, and someone's brother will get the contract and the fees collected will be used to pay new hires who are cousins of someone else to do nothing.

[Detroitnerd]

The way this works in sane-land, is they come in, build and operate something, then pay property tax, leasing fees, and grounds maintenance fees for use of the public land. Then the city takes that money and uses it to fix up the place.

I guess that's the sort of arrangement that makes sense.

At least now that every empty lot in Detroit has been built out, returned to the tax rolls and full of tax-paying residents, we can begin to consider using our precious urban parkland for agriculture. It's not like there's any land left in all of Michigan for growing grapes, you know?

[Detroitnerd]

Fine. I'll be all in favor of this.

As soon as they let me put my urban farm in Shain Park.

----------------------

"But it'll be an attraction!"

[DetroitCityCellars]

They keep trying to come up with ideas to develop Belle Isle. Somehow, to get developers in there to turn it into a school for boating, or a green campus with a high-rise dorm, or this, or that. And it's not about improving Belle Isle. It's all about making money. Somebody else, coming in, using a public asset, to make money.


For them.

It always sounds good at first, though.

[[Oh, and, it's a good thing he wants to use our public park. There's certainly no vacant land left in the city anywhere ... )

Its called a public/private partnership which has occured on the island numerous times.

Regarding vacant land in the city, I would LOVE to plant other vineyards throughout Detroit, but the city will not zone the properties for agricultural purposes.

The SE tip of Belle Isle is the best micro-climate within the city to grow high quality wine grapes.

[Patrick]

A winery? Screw that....build a brewery and call it Brew Isle.

[Detroitnerd]

Already-successful businessmen want to be given precious city recreational land for for-profit business in city where tens of thousands of vacant lots are screaming to be put back on tax rolls.

Yeah, obviously that's what they want. I want me some free soil too! And I ain't even rich!

[corktownyuppie]

Already-successful businessmen want to be given precious city recreational land for for-profit business in city where tens of thousands of vacant lots are screaming to be put back on tax rolls.

Yeah, obviously that's what they want. I want me some free soil too! And I ain't even rich!

In fairness, he's not opening up a tool and die factory. To say that he would benefit at the cost to the public is a stretch. The winery would also add value to the island, increase tourism, attract more visitors, etc.

I for one would enjoy it more.