Urban Garden where the Lafayette Building once stood

**TheKage** · June-08-11, 09:01 AM

Not sure if this is old news by now, but I talked to a guy on site yesterday as work was being done to build an urban garden on the lot where the Lafayette Building used to live. You can read a short blog entry here.

**401don** · June-08-11, 09:14 AM

Since a poorly maintained park full of bums is not ideal, I would rather they just pave it over as parking with some flower boxes along the sidewalk for now. It's just tacky having a veggie garden across from two hotels. Its sends the wrong message to visitors in my opinion.

**ghettopalmetto** · June-08-11, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

. Its sends the wrong message to visitors in my opinion.

So does spending millions of dollars to demolish your downtown.

**bailey** · June-08-11, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

So does spending millions of dollars to demolish your downtown.

Does a downtown full of derelict, windowless, unsecured, and crumbling buildings send any better a message?

**iheartthed** · June-08-11, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Does a downtown full of derelict, windowless, unsecured, and crumbling buildings send any better a message?

I've seen plenty of neighborhoods filled with rundown buildings be rehabilitated. Can't exactly say the same thing about a neighborhood full of surface parking lots...

**bailey** · June-08-11, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I've seen plenty of neighborhoods filled with rundown buildings be rehabilitated. Can't exactly say the same thing about a neighborhood full of surface parking lots...

how many of those rehabed neighborhoods were in Detroit? How many of them had a 15 story hulk of building, derelict for coming up on 20 years, and were in a CBD noted for it's abandonment?

**ghettopalmetto** · June-08-11, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Does a downtown full of derelict, windowless, unsecured, and crumbling buildings send any better a message?

And that's why we have building codes.

When you bulldoze your house because the roofing shingles are old or the windows leak, let us know.

**bailey** · June-08-11, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

And that's why we have building codes.

When you bulldoze your house because the roofing shingles are old or the windows leak, let us know.

Detroit doesn't have building codes?

Uh, and I think it was a little more than a leaky windows and bad shingles on the Layfayette.... If I were to let those leaky windows and bad shingles remain for 30+ years, I'm thinking demolition would likely be the only logical course of action.

**wolverine** · June-08-11, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Does a downtown full of derelict, windowless, unsecured, and crumbling buildings send any better a message?

Well at least a place with buildings can be called a city.

**szla** · June-08-11, 10:04 PM

I cannot say a veggie garden would be good at all, but a beautiful flower garden encompassing the whole lot with gravel walkways could be just what the lot needs till at some point it gets redeveloped.

**buildingsofdetroit** · June-21-11, 03:33 PM

Hey-oh! I could not agree more. See: Tech, Cass.

**TheKage** · June-08-11, 09:21 AM

I'm holding out hope they build it right and keep it maintained. I was told it was going to include displays of artwork,... so hopefully the end-result is an attractive, and unique, green space. We'll see...

**401don** · June-08-11, 10:28 AM

Since the Lafayette is gone, I'm still curious, for now do you guys prefer a traditional park [[given there's probably no need so close to Capitol Park or money to maintain it), a paved parking lot or garden?

**stromberg2** · June-08-11, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Since the Lafayette is gone, I'm still curious, for now do you guys prefer a traditional park [[given there's probably no need so close to Capitol Park or money to maintain it), a paved parking lot or garden?

I think a garden filled with wildflowers and such and picnic tables would be a great idea for now. Not too terribly hard to maintain, either.

Stromberg2

**Gistok** · June-08-11, 11:10 AM

Well since the Lafayette Building was not an appropriate view for the Westin Book Cadillac, how can a vegetable garden seem appropriate?

Perhaps they should add something commensurate with such a fine establishment... rather than mere peasant fodder.... imagine monied people surrounded by all that expensive finery in a hotel... looking out on common laborers tilling the fields.... unthinkable!

**j to the jeremy** · June-08-11, 11:17 AM

I think the big demo contracts for downtown should be redirected to the neighborhoods until further notice. We can have Adamo board up downtown windows, seal the buildings, and send the bill to the landlord, whatever state they may be in. Cities can do this when they establish that owners are creating blight by negligence. Hell, attach the bill to their property tax so they have to pay it. Then move out to 'hoods that really need the help. The infrastructure differences between downtown and most neighborhoods are really appalling.

The city can't have 2 separate sets of rules, but they can be creative about how they do things.

**Hypestyles** · June-08-11, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

I think the big demo contracts for downtown should be redirected to the neighborhoods until further notice. We can have Adamo board up downtown windows, seal the buildings, and send the bill to the landlord, whatever state they may be in. Cities can do this when they establish that owners are creating blight by negligence. Hell, attach the bill to their property tax so they have to pay it. Then move out to 'hoods that really need the help. The infrastructure differences between downtown and most neighborhoods are really appalling.

The city can't have 2 separate sets of rules, but they can be creative about how they do things.

how can the demolition resources be diverted to knocking down abandoned/derelict warehouses and apartment complexes in the neighborhoods?

**j to the jeremy** · June-08-11, 11:26 AM

Yeah sounds good haha it'll probably be a bong not a salt lick though

**Detroitnerd** · June-08-11, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

Yeah sounds good haha it'll probably be a bong not a salt lick though

My kind of person.

**BrushStart** · June-08-11, 12:24 PM

The Lafayette Building should have been mothballed. No question. For what it cost to tear it down, the entire building could have been cleared of debris and new windows installed. Solar powered lights could have been put in to light the building at night. The main entrance could have been well-sealed w/o the use of plywood boards. The whole building could have been made to look acceptable from the outside. In fact, for the million or so bucks spent on its demolition, the city could have paid a night watchman to guard the building for probably a decade. The City could have then aggressively marketed the building the same way Dan Gilbert is doing. But, all we get is lame-ass excuses and a demolition company flush with money. F That.

All that said, anything, and I mean ANYTHING!!!! is better than another parking lot. An "urban garden" or a even a giant concrete wall is better than another parking lot. Anyone who thinks a parking lot is better than a garden is insane. If tourists aren't fooled by a garden, what do you suppose they think of when they see that "downtown" is simply a sea of asphalt? What other city relegates their most valuable real estate to serving as a turd farm for cars? At least a garden or a park gives the impression that we have more respect for a premium piece of land than a parking lot. It AT LEAST makes it look like we've intended it to add some palpable quality to the urban environment for the people who might live, work, and visit this forsaken place.

**Detroitnerd** · June-08-11, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

The Lafayette Building should have been mothballed. No question. For what it cost to tear it down, the entire building could have been cleared of debris and new windows installed. ...

Totally agree.

Originally Posted by BrushStart

All that said, anything, and I mean ANYTHING!!!! is better than another parking lot. An "urban garden" or a even a giant concrete wall is better than another parking lot.

I guess so. But, in the framework of how the Laf fell, the proposed "park" was the "carrot" to mollify critics. I think that's part of why it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth. Also, the people who used the idea of a park as "greenwashing" for their demolition spree, then found no money for a park, fundamentally misunderstand something about urban gardens: A community usually comes together and uses vacant land for growing food, with cooperation from the city. The way they're proposing this is ass-backwards: We demolished it, now you good people come in and [[a) remediate the soil, [[b) build raised beds, [[c) purchase your own compost, [[d) probably travel downtown [[do enough people live there to take care of it?) and tend it for years, [[e) build fences so that the homeless don't eat your tomatoes, and [[f) then, pick the vegetables and drive them back to your out-of-downtown kitchen.

Um ... stupid? Yes, darn stupid. At least to my mind.

**ghettopalmetto** · June-08-11, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Totally agree.

I guess so. But, in the framework of how the Laf fell, the proposed "park" was the "carrot" to mollify critics. I think that's part of why it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth. Also, the people who used the idea of a park as "greenwashing" for their demolition spree, then found no money for a park, fundamentally misunderstand something about urban gardens:

You mean George Jackson blatantly LIED to the community? Say it isn't so!

**iheartthed** · June-08-11, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I guess so. But, in the framework of how the Laf fell, the proposed "park" was the "carrot" to mollify critics. I think that's part of why it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth. Also, the people who used the idea of a park as "greenwashing" for their demolition spree, then found no money for a park, fundamentally misunderstand something about urban gardens: A community usually comes together and uses vacant land for growing food, with cooperation from the city. The way they're proposing this is ass-backwards: We demolished it, now you good people come in and [[a) remediate the soil, [[b) build raised beds, [[c) purchase your own compost, [[d) probably travel downtown [[do enough people live there to take care of it?) and tend it for years, [[e) build fences so that the homeless don't eat your tomatoes, and [[f) then, pick the vegetables and drive them back to your out-of-downtown kitchen.

The DEGC is not to be bored with your details when there is good government money to funnel to demolition contractors.

**BrushStart** · June-08-11, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I guess so. But, in the framework of how the Laf fell, the proposed "park" was the "carrot" to mollify critics. I think that's part of why it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth. Also, the people who used the idea of a park as "greenwashing" for their demolition spree, then found no money for a park, fundamentally misunderstand something about urban gardens: A community usually comes together and uses vacant land for growing food, with cooperation from the city. The way they're proposing this is ass-backwards: We demolished it, now you good people come in and [[a) remediate the soil, [[b) build raised beds, [[c) purchase your own compost, [[d) probably travel downtown [[do enough people live there to take care of it?) and tend it for years, [[e) build fences so that the homeless don't eat your tomatoes, and [[f) then, pick the vegetables and drive them back to your out-of-downtown kitchen.

Um ... stupid? Yes, darn stupid. At least to my mind.

I am totally with you in that they definitely used "greenspace" as a ruse to demolish irreplaceable architecture and historic buildings. The whole thing is a F-ing charade to line the pockets of a few crooks.

However, now that what's done is done, anything beats a parking lot. I agree, though, that a downtown garden to produce food is total nonsense. Outside of personal rooftop gardens, agriculture does not belong in a city's central business district. Period. In the neighborhoods, fine, in North Corktown, surely, but not downtown. I would much rather see that space used as an open-air market, where vendors could sell fresh produce, not grow it. Set it up like Harmonie Park/Paradise Valley, except permit vendors to use the space. Throw in a few items of plant life to make it look park-like. I mean, how productive could a garden of that size even be? How much produce will it generate and how many people will it feed versus how much effort it will take to maintain it? It doesn't make any sense...

**Detroitnerd** · June-08-11, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

I am totally with you in that they definitely used "greenspace" as a ruse to demolish irreplaceable architecture and historic buildings. The whole thing is a F-ing charade to line the pockets of a few crooks.

However, now that what's done is done, anything beats a parking lot. I agree, though, that a downtown garden to produce food is total nonsense. Outside of personal rooftop gardens, agriculture does not belong in a city's central business district. Period. In the neighborhoods, fine, in North Corktown, surely, but not downtown. I would much rather see that space used as an open-air market, where vendors could sell fresh produce, not grow it. Set it up like Harmonie Park/Paradise Valley, except permit vendors to use the space. Throw in a few items of plant life to make it look park-like. I mean, how productive could a garden of that size even be? How much produce will it generate and how many people will it feed versus how much effort it will take to maintain it? It doesn't make any sense...

That's actually a good idea. After all, Eastern Market used to be in Cadillac Square, right? And they moved it because downtown was too congested for that use anymore. So since downtown isn't so congested ...