With over half the population gone what do you expect?

When people talk about Detroit they compare the city now with how it used to be and that ain't fair. Detroit has lost over half of its population. In it's heyday we had over 1.5 million people now we struggle to count 700,000.
The Big 3 were the only game in town and they plus their local suppliers employed thousands, that has changed from a result of technology, foreign car companies, and expanding into international manufacturing. Detroit isn't what it used to be.

So no way could the city have the same number of schools, rec centers, libraries, police stations, fire departments, occupied houses, commercial districts,etc.

What we used to have is just that. I think what we do have is the perspective that we should take with a lot of how to make it better.

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Originally Posted by Strong

When people talk about Detroit they compare the city now with how it used to be and that ain't fair. Detroit has lost over half of its population. In it's heyday we had over 1.5 million people now we struggle to count 700,000.
The Big 3 were the only game in town and they plus their local suppliers employed thousands, that has changed from a result of technology, foreign car companies, and expanding into international manufacturing. Detroit isn't what it used to be.

So no way could the city have the same number of schools, rec centers, libraries, police stations, fire departments, occupied houses, commercial districts,etc.

What we used to have is just that. I think what we do have is the perspective that we should take with a lot of how to make it better.

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Gee, Strong, I don't think my City taxes went down, just the level of service I'm receiving. What's up with that?

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Gee, Strong, I don't think my City taxes went down, just the level of service I'm receiving. What's up with that?

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Less people paying taxes but the same number of miles to cover

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Originally Posted by Strong

Less people paying taxes but the same number of miles to cover

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That's not my problem. I don't like paying top dollar for mediocre service, while the powers that be have personal police protection, chauffeurs, and company vehicles.

Ah, yes, the quintessential, old-timey, neighborhood crank. And you kids get off my lawn while you're at it.

It's much more about who left than how many.

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Originally Posted by Dexlin

Ah, yes, the quintessential, old-timey, neighborhood crank. And you kids get off my lawn while you're at it.

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OH BOY! A Ho' Foods is coming! Detroit's coming BACK!

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Originally Posted by Strong

Less people paying taxes but the same number of miles to cover

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No, less people paying taxes and a doubling or tripling of the non-productive swivel chair jockeys in the bureaucracy [[civil, fire, and police).

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Originally Posted by Hermod

No, less people paying taxes and a doubling or tripling of the non-productive swivel chair jockeys in the bureaucracy [[civil, fire, and police).

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Don't forget the new $60 million station for them all.

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Originally Posted by Strong

When people talk about Detroit they compare the city now with how it used to be and that ain't fair. Detroit has lost over half of its population. In it's heyday we had over 1.5 million people now we struggle to count 700,000.
The Big 3 were the only game in town and they plus their local suppliers employed thousands, that has changed from a result of technology, foreign car companies, and expanding into international manufacturing. Detroit isn't what it used to be.

So no way could the city have the same number of schools, rec centers, libraries, police stations, fire departments, occupied houses, commercial districts,etc.

What we used to have is just that. I think what we do have is the perspective that we should take with a lot of how to make it better.

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Tangential, but I was just thinking about this the other day. To put in perspective for my friends back home, I noted that, even with all of the population loss, Detroit proper still has the population of Austin and 2.5 times the density of Houston, which we consider to be thriving, successful cities in Tejas. Just reminds you of how prosperous and full it once was, given these stats at one of its lowest points.

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Originally Posted by TexasT

Tangential, but I was just thinking about this the other day. To put in perspective for my friends back home, even with all of the loss, I noted that, even with all of the population loss, Detroit proper still has the population of Austin and 2.5 times the density of Houston, which we consider to be thriving, successful cities in Tejas. Just reminds you of how prosperous and full it once was, given these stats at one of its lowest points.

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Is density popular anywhere in Texas? Seems like bigger is better with everything accept density in Texas.

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Originally Posted by Wheels

Is density popular anywhere in Texas? Seems like bigger is better with everything accept density in Texas.

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Nope. I think that's what disappointed my husband [[native Michigander who was living in Chicago) when I brought him down to Austin for the first time. I think he was expecting a "real" city. Austin is sprawly like the rest of Texas, just with better music venues.

Like Detroit, Houston is attempting to grow a Midtown area, but it's just not there yet. Too sparse, too crime-ridden [[Greyhound bus depot right in the middle of it - lot of vagrancy and loitering). There is maybe one and a half blocks of ground-level retail and real urban streetscape and then various restaurants and bars dotting about 300 blocks. It's a start, I guess. I lived there for a year before moving to Chicago.

The big 3 wasn't the only game in town. Throught the 40's and into the 50's you had companies like Packard and Studebaker and Fisher who employed a lot of people in the city.

Detroit's current population is now 706,000 people and its still decreasing.

1. White middle class had flighted to the suburbs since the late 1950s.

2. Black middle class has flighted to the sububs since late 1990s.

What's left in Detroit? Poor low-income Black Detroiters, fewer middle income Mexicans [[mainly in the SW side), Fewer yuppiefied young professionals living in fortified supercondos and mega lofts. The other folks who want to rob, kill, rape and con folks in the streets and in your homes.

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Originally Posted by TexasT

Nope. I think that's what disappointed my husband [[native Michigander who was living in Chicago) when I brought him down to Austin for the first time. I think he was expecting a "real" city. Austin is sprawly like the rest of Texas, just with better music venues.

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You forgot about the food trailers and bike paths! ;)

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Originally Posted by 401don

It's much more about who left than how many.

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May I ask you what you mean by this statement?

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Originally Posted by Danny

Detroit's current population is now 706,000 people and its still decreasing.

1. White middle class had flighted to the suburbs since the late 1950s.

2. Black middle class has flighted to the sububs since late 1990s.

What's left in Detroit? Poor low-income Black Detroiters, fewer middle income Mexicans [[mainly in the SW side), Fewer yuppiefied young professionals living in fortified supercondos and mega lofts. The other folks who want to rob, kill, rape and con folks in the streets and in your homes.

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I think you nailed it. Middle class Hispanics generally seem to be moving to the Western suburbs if they can afford it.

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Originally Posted by cla1945

May I ask you what you mean by this statement?

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Decent, law-abiding families, people with jobs, taxpayers.

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Originally Posted by softailrider

I think you nailed it. Middle class Hispanics generally seem to be moving to the Western suburbs if they can afford it.

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Actually there are fewer Mexicans middle class families that are moving to downriver cities of Melvindale, Lincoln Park and Ecorse.

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Originally Posted by Danny

Detroit's current population is now 706,000 people and its still decreasing.

1. White middle class had flighted to the suburbs since the late 1950s.

2. Black middle class has flighted to the sububs since late 1990s.

What's left in Detroit? Poor low-income Black Detroiters, fewer middle income Mexicans [[mainly in the SW side), Fewer yuppiefied young professionals living in fortified supercondos and mega lofts. The other folks who want to rob, kill, rape and con folks in the streets and in your homes.

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Not to quibble, but Northland began construction in 1952, in response to white flight that was - even by then, before the late fifties - significant enough to warrant suburban sprawl. Actually the flight began in earnest in the immediate post WWII years.

I note that, regarding your last paragraph, I have a large extended family and scores of friends and aquaintances who live in Detroit, who do not belong to any of the categories that you name - and neither do I.

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Originally Posted by Danny

Detroit's current population is now 706,000 people and its still decreasing.

1. White middle class had flighted to the suburbs since the late 1950s.

2. Black middle class has flighted to the sububs since late 1990s.

What's left in Detroit? Poor low-income Black Detroiters, fewer middle income Mexicans [[mainly in the SW side), Fewer yuppiefied young professionals living in fortified supercondos and mega lofts. The other folks who want to rob, kill, rape and con folks in the streets and in your homes.

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Let us not forget the fine, astute elected public servants of Detroit who also reside within the city border. Without a doubt they would hit 8 Mile too if given the opportunity.

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Originally Posted by TKshreve

Let us not forget the fine, astute elected public servants of Detroit who also reside within the city border. Without a doubt they would hit 8 Mile too if given the opportunity.

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Hopefully a lot of them will after the next election [[with the change to districts for city council).