Brewster-Douglass Projects Demolition Proceeds

**Searay215** · November-15-12, 10:36 AM

Nothing like a good implosion to make me happy.......bring it!!!!

**Bham1982** · November-15-12, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by cramerro

Just because it is a project funded by HUD does not mean it is federally controlled.

Yes and no. You're right that the Feds don't have day-to-day control over things at local housing properties, but any major changes require federal approval.

There will be nothing happening at this site without Federal involvement, at every step.

Originally Posted by cramerro

The question with this case centers around the idea of need for additional subsidized/low-income housing.

This question won't even be under discussion. This is federally-developed affordable housing, and if anything is built, it will have a large affordable housing component, guaranteed.

The feds do not allow destruction of public housing without replacement public housing. This is certain.

I suppose the city/state could repay the Feds hundreds of millions, and then assume control over the site, but that won't happen, for obvious reasons. I'm not sure if that's ever been attempted.

They will probably allow a mixed income format. however [[see former Jeffries, Herman Gardens, etc.). I don't know how the Jefffries and Herman sites have fared in terms of sales. They could also allow equivalent citywide Section 8 vouchers as a proxy for the on-site units, but the feds are very careful with that stuff.

**dmike76** · November-15-12, 11:10 AM

I'm sure there are no post-demo plans just like a bunch of other demos in the city.

**syrett4** · November-15-12, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by dmike76

I'm sure there are no post-demo plans just like a bunch of other demos in the city.

This land is very attractive. It is on the service drive so you can hop on 75 quickly, any kind of height to any residential will have great views of downtown and the stadiums. It is walking/biking distance to EM, Dequindre Cut, stadiums, Midtown and the DMC. Plus it cleans up a known crime area of the city.

Naysayers keep naysaying while I and others make their way downtown to live, work and play. You can stay in your cozy suburban home and 15 years from now be left holding the bag. Now is your opportunity to embrace all of the good happening in several areas of the city.

Yes this is a small step in the right direction, but at least it is in the right direction.

**Honky Tonk** · November-15-12, 11:30 AM

"You can stay in your cozy suburban home and 15 years from now be left holding the bag."

Best one I've heard today.

**Strong** · November-15-12, 11:36 AM

I second the positive comments. This is huge. They tore down the projects at Grand River and the Lodge and built a very nice housing complex so miracles do happen in The Great Detroit.
Maybe they'll build something like:
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Shollin · November-15-12, 11:38 AM

I would rather have an empty field than an abandoned building with all the windows missing greeting people who enter downtown.

**poobert** · November-15-12, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by syrett4

This land is very attractive. It is on the service drive so you can hop on 75 quickly, any kind of height to any residential will have great views of downtown and the stadiums. It is walking/biking distance to EM, Dequindre Cut, stadiums, Midtown and the DMC. Plus it cleans up a known crime area of the city.

Naysayers keep naysaying while I and others make their way downtown to live, work and play. You can stay in your cozy suburban home and 15 years from now be left holding the bag. Now is your opportunity to embrace all of the good happening in several areas of the city.

Yes this is a small step in the right direction, but at least it is in the right direction.

I'm a die-hard Detroiter and I loathe the suburbs, but you may want to pump the brakes a bit. This place is still unspeakably fucked up.

Generally good news, but where the hell did all the people from the projects go? Now you have groups like the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization putting homeless people in vacant homes, in many cases in stable neighborhoods, and totally fucking things up for them and the people who actually live there and pay taxes. These social problems don't go away, but unfortunately we choose to ignore them.

The only thing this administration can claim it has done is demolish structures behind schedule. That isn't progress, either.

**syrett4** · November-15-12, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Strong

I second the positive comments. This is huge. They tore down the projects at Grand River and the Lodge and built a very nice housing complex so miracles do happen in The Great Detroit.
Maybe they'll build something like:

Agreed. I would argue that this is a way better location too.

**syrett4** · November-15-12, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

I'm a die-hard Detroiter and I loathe the suburbs, but you may want to pump the brakes a bit. This place is still unspeakably fucked up.

Generally good news, but where the hell did all the people from the projects go? Now you have groups like the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization putting homeless people in vacant homes, in many cases in stable neighborhoods, and totally fucking things up for them and the people who actually live there and pay taxes. These social problems don't go away, but unfortunately we choose to ignore them.

The only thing this administration can claim it has done is demolish structures behind schedule. That isn't progress, either.

Oh yeah, there are still a TON of areas that need to be cleaned up, including the city council, but I think all of this focus on the area from 375-75/10/94 is a great strategy to start revitalizing the city. Add in Lafayette Park and Corktown and you have some areas of the city that are either healthy, or going to be soon.

This isn't going to be fixed overnight. Maybe not even in our lifetime. I'm very realistic about that. However I also think it had to start somewhere and the area that people are focusing on to redevelop is exactly where it should be.

Shollin · November-15-12, 12:07 PM

I wonder why it took so long? Cabrini-Green has already been demolished and most of the site already redevloped and people living there.

**dmike76** · November-15-12, 12:35 PM

I'm not being negative, just realistic and if I'm wrong...AWESOME. I want to be wrong about it. I look forward to something new there that would enhance the city. I'm all in on that. And it is also true that a prairie would be better than what's there. I'm not asking to keep the buildings up. Tear it down! Developers are more likely to do something with it. It it will be huge news and positive news if it actually comes down.

**Wheels** · November-15-12, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Generally good news, but where the hell did all the people from the projects go? Now you have groups like the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization putting homeless people in vacant homes, in many cases in stable neighborhoods, and totally fucking things up for them and the people who actually live there and pay taxes. These social problems don't go away, but unfortunately we choose to ignore them.

Very true statement. Between Brewster, Jeffries and Herman Gardens alone thousands of family's that were ill prepared for living and caring for single family homes pushed into stable neighborhoods all over the city. The results were catastrophic!

**brizee** · November-15-12, 12:45 PM

We don't have a plan at this point.

Has any leader ever been summed up, in his own words, so completely?

**dmike76** · November-15-12, 12:52 PM

I read that just now on Curbed. You beat me to it, brizee.

**syrett4** · November-15-12, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by brizee

Has any leader ever been summed up, in his own words, so completely?

This may be true, but who knows if a few developers went to Bing and asked about the area. Just because no proposals were forwarded and approved, doesn't mean that there aren't any in the hopper.

Although, unfortunately, you might be right as well. We'll have to see.

**Honky Tonk** · November-15-12, 12:56 PM

We don't have a plan at this point," said Bing.

The man is consistent, you have to give him that....

Shollin · November-15-12, 01:07 PM

What is the city supposed to do? no one wants to come in and invest in Detroit outside of Dan Gilbert. Ask Gilbert if he wants the property.

**syrett4** · November-15-12, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

What is the city supposed to do? no one wants to come in and invest in Detroit outside of Dan Gilbert. Ask Gilbert if he wants the property.

The first step is to clear the land. That is what this accomplishes. Heck, if I had the money I'd propose a mix of retail/restaurants and 8-10 story residential. This is a large enough plot of land that anyone with any vision and deep pockets, should be able to get anything they want done. However, as said earlier in the thread, even if this just removes more blight, it is worth it.

**gthomas** · November-15-12, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by syrett4

This land is very attractive. It is on the service drive so you can hop on 75 quickly, any kind of height to any residential will have great views of downtown and the stadiums. It is walking/biking distance to EM, Dequindre Cut, stadiums, Midtown and the DMC. Plus it cleans up a known crime area of the city.

Naysayers keep naysaying while I and others make their way downtown to live, work and play. You can stay in your cozy suburban home and 15 years from now be left holding the bag. Now is your opportunity to embrace all of the good happening in several areas of the city.

Yes this is a small step in the right direction, but at least it is in the right direction.

Love it! Well said..I'm tired of preaching this.

**Detroitdave** · November-15-12, 02:53 PM

We had something similar in LA, but they were redone like this http://www.parklabrea.com/templates/...p?w=parklabrea
I'm not sure this can be done with the Brewsters, but if anyone knows that area that area it changed that area completely .
It was also near LA's farmers market [[our eastern market) and they built the grove ,http://www.thegrovela.com/, right across from it and now it's the hottest area in the city , crowded but busy .
So it can be done I've seen it any thoughts ?

**MickeyMac** · November-15-12, 02:58 PM

Another piece of Detroit history gone. I find it sad myself.

**gthomas** · November-15-12, 03:10 PM

This makes me want to watch "Women of Brewster Place"..

**webband1** · November-15-12, 03:19 PM

Can someone give me a brief run-down of what happened to Brewster-Douglass? If you look at Google Maps' Street View, you see two vastly different worlds. The street view for St. Antoine is from 2007; the grass is cut, windows in the buildings, people walking around. The view from just outside the buildings' footprint is from 2009 and all the windows are gone, the barriers are up, the grass is overgrown - even the black fence along the roads is missing.

What happened that these buildings closed up shop and deteriorated so quickly?

**ndavies** · November-15-12, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by webband1

Can someone give me a brief run-down of what happened to Brewster-Douglass? If you look at Google Maps' Street View, you see two vastly different worlds. The street view for St. Antoine is from 2007; the grass is cut, windows in the buildings, people walking around. The view from just outside the buildings' footprint is from 2009 and all the windows are gone, the barriers are up, the grass is overgrown - even the black fence along the roads is missing.

What happened that these buildings closed up shop and deteriorated so quickly?

The city tried to improve the complex. They moved people out of two of the towers and tore them down. They began renovating the remaining towers. They replaced all the windows in the remaining towers. Eventually they gave up. I don't believe the renovation was ever completed. All those nice new shiny aluminum framed windows were stripped out of the building by I assume scrappers.