Not so fast, Detroitnerd. Buildings in
much worse condition have been revitalized. If the Vanity Ballroom is demolished, you'll
never get it back. Even if you tried to recreate it, it will never be as good.
Too bad it couldn't open up as a dance school/ballroom again. Keep kids off the streets and burn up all that energy. It would also make a great community center, even a police station or other city service center. This gem needs a purpose, and an extensive polishing.
Case in point: Here's what happened to a city who tore down everything [[except 1 school auditorium and 1 factory) built before 1950...then said "Oops, maybe we shouldn't have done that".
Attachment 3612
Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm. Ain't that great? All new construction, built last year. Note the vintage-looking lights in the parking lot. Of course, no intricate brickwork, no fine materials, no old-world craftsmanship and no delicious treatments like fancy corbels and expansive cornices. Still, an admirable effort to remedy typical 1970s type "urban renewal" shortsightedness. Ya think?
Now, look at this view of the same commercial district:
Attachment 3613
"What the heck....?" That's right, folks. It's in the middle of a huge vacant expanse. What's that over to the left? That's a sprayed stucco, Mexican mud-brick [[you can chip it with your fingernail and it turns to powder!), cookie-cutter Hilton Garden Hotel, just like every other Hilton Garden Hotel in the US. Same is cheaper than different in the 2000s. Maybe Paris spends too much money for that? Beyond that is a new subdivision national chain subdivision by KB, Lennart, Toll Brothers, or one of those. Nobody designed and built their own house, they're all pretty much the same.
This strikes me as rather pathetic. Detroit, you don't have to do this BS in 50 years. You have all the tools to be special in a world of mundane surroundings. The Vanity could be the hub of a revitalization effort, especially a 'hood so close to the Pointes that could be an affordable alternative.
It would also help to revamp the city's ordinances to allow for better securing of dormant properties, like fencing height and materials regulations. Confiscation and re-sale of neglected properties could be very advantageous to Detroit, both asthetically and financially.
