If you travel to Paris, Buenos Aires, or Dubai, you will notice that each section of town has an attraction. Each part of town has a landmark or something to draw people to visit that area. I was wondering what people think 1)Eastern Market, 2)Corktown, 3)Rivertown, 4)Techtown, and 5)Woodbridge could use or need to make these area more dynamic besides just housing. What is something that could be distinctly unique about these areas which would draw tourists?
I think we need to worry about drawing residents before we draw tourists.
To attract people you need more people on the streets. I can't think of much you can do to these areas other than ensure the environments are safe and clean.
What would you need to do to Eastern Market to draw people? Not much, it already draws people.. perhaps more official shopping days or events?
Corktown? Clean up Tiger Stadium's field a bit more and Roosevelt Park. Have Matty fix-up the train station [[like that will ever happen).
Rivertown? Move back in the bars and cafes.
Techtown? Really? Techtown?
Woodbridge? Maybe a bed and breakfast if you can keep the cars safe. [[See first para).
Put in Bike Paths throughout the entire city.
Barf. This sounds more like the megablock big-box thinking that has driven Metro Detroit into the doldrums for the past 50 years.
Case study: Paris isn't a destination because of the Eiffel Tower. It is a destination because it is inherently vibrant. It is teeming with people. It is eminently walkable. It mass transit that runs like clockwork at any hour of the day. It is safe to walk around. It is well-planned and beautiful.
We, on the other hand, would build a shitty Eiffel Tower [[in the form of casinos or new suburban malls) and hope for Paris, and then start screaming and flinging poo when it doesn't work.
Let's look at what Paris isn't:
It isn't full of 55mph, 8 lane highways surrounded by big box stores and subdivisions on each side [[I'm looking at you, Macomb Township and your wretched ilk). It hasn't allowed its centuries-old architecture to be destroyed for a McDonald's, which we hail as an economic victory. Good riddance, stupid University Club being all old and not full of burgers.
I know the suburbanites are going to come out of the woodwork and say things like "But Bloomfield Whichever is thriving!" but the bottom line is that the Alpha++ and Alpha+ cities are like London and not Livonia.
Yes, moder Paris' roads are only 7 lanes wide. The set-backs do not give the street a curtain [[horrors!) And the roads block off public access to the water!Quote:
Originally Posted by poobert
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=La+De...&cbp=12,0,,0,0
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=La+De...12,333.16,,0,0
It also helps to be the seat of the national government. Washington DC is still quite vibrant despite having some of Detroit's handicaps.
Ask the questions: "What is the purpose of Detroit?" "Why do we need a city here at this location?"
1. Bike paths.
2. Great Record Stores.
3. High-end cufflink shoppes.Quote:
Originally Posted by jmpatrick
4. House of BluesQuote:
Originally Posted by Hermod
5. Cheesecake Factory
6. Tanning Salons
Detroit isn't the capitol, but we also have a number of large institutions - Federal Building and courts, DTE, County Government, U of D Mercy, that could have been harnessed to increase the vitality of the city but were instead either created as supermax facilities or intentionally walled off to make them as useless and suburban as possible. In the instance where that wasn't the case, WSU, you can see the difference it makes to the vitality of the area.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hermod
7. Midget dungeonsQuote:
Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner
8. Fiat dealership
9. Paintball supply shops