Letter writing campaign to protest violence at downtown nightclubs

[corktownyuppie]

In the thread about the shooting at Mandee's, someone talked about getting all the residents from the surrounding buildings to sign a letter. Well, I did one better...I wrote the letter and have completed a mail merge on MS Word to cc: to the following recipients:

Mayor Bing and City Council Members
Chief Godbee, Detroit Police Department
Commander Williams, Detroit Police Department, Central District
Lieutenant Fitzgerald, Detroit Police Department, Central District
Chairman Ilitch, Olympia Entertainment
Chairman Gilbert, Quicken Loans
W. Robert Bates, Kales LLC
Tony Ferlito, Kales LLC
Chairman Jackson, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Members, DEGC – Downtown Development Authority
Members, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

The text of the letter is below. If you like the letter, send me a private message along with your name and return address and e-mail address, and I'll e-mail you a .pdf file with your name in the letter and all 20 recipients already addressed. All you need to do is sign them and send them.

If you're not feeling ambitious, you could just send to Mayor Bing and the City Council by choosing only to print those pages. And if you don't like my letter, let me know and I'll send you the whole MS-Word file and you can edit the text yourself to say what you want it to say.

I'm not pretending to speak on anyone's behalf...I'm just trying to make it easier for any of you who want to send the letter but don't have time to write it, format it, look up all the addresses, or do the busy work

BrushStart....I'll be looking for your private message...

Mayor Dave Bing
City of Detroit
Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
Detroit, MI 48226

Dear Mayor Bing and Members of Detroit City Council,

I am writing to express my concern about recent instances of violence stemming from patrons of nightclubs downtown. On July 12 at midnight, there were gunshots near the Cobra Lounge at the corner of Griswold and Grand River. An hour later, three people were injured and taken to the hospital after a nightclub shooting at Mandee's Club on the 1300 block of Broadway just after 1:00 a.m. the same night. Several months ago there was a shooting at Kingdom Nightclub at 415 East Congress St.

This violence must not be allowed to continue. There has been a slow resurgence of development and population growth in the downtown area that must be sustained if Detroit is ever to be a successful city. The residents moving into the area are highly educated, middle- to upper- income, young, open-minded, and free from the fears which plagued those who moved away in decades ago. I moved here recently and have been excited to continue this growth, which is why I’m fearful that these isolated incidents are part of a trend that is worsening.

That brings me to the other reason for this letter. A new nightclub called, “LAX”, recently opened up nearby on W. Adams in Grand Circus Park [[GCP). Since its opening less than a week ago the following has taken place and can be directly attributed to its patrons:
- Noise from the cars driving by has been so loud that you can hear it from inside the mid-level floors of the Kales Building,
- Adams St. has been impassable by car because patrons have triple-parked on the street illegally,
- A patron was illegally parked, blocking the exit from the underground parking structure at GCP
- Guests were driving cars with music so loud that the bass from their subwoofers was setting off nearby car alarms,
- The sidewalk on the north side of W. Adams was almost impassable to pedestrians because crowds were loitering after exiting the club,
- Fistfights have broken out in the street, and
- Gunshots were fired on the corner of Parks and Adams after an argument ensued.

Grand Circus Park is one of the most public “faces” of downtown. Tourists from all over the state descend upon it to see baseball games at Comerica Park. It’s visible from the Westin Book Cadillac, the Detroit Opera House, the Detroit Athletic Club, and Comerica Park. How can you ever expect to fill Broderick Tower, the Whitney Building, and the other downtown developments when visitors in the area come down and experience an environment that appears to be one step away from violent tragedy?

Frankly, I was excited when I first heard that LAX was opening and would include a steak and lobster restaurant on the second floor, along with good music on two levels. I imagined an upscale experience that would attract a well-behaved, well-dressed crowd searching for a night of dining, drinking, and dancing. What I have seen has been highly disappointing and borderline frightening: fighting, yelling, gunshots, and rowdy unsupervised behavior that must end.

I urge you to explore all legal means of persuading LAX to shut down completely. But as an alternative, I reluctantly would request that – at minimum – the following actions be taken:
- Strictly enforce all “No Parking” designations as well as double- and triple- parking ordinances at Grand Circus Park. Doing so would generate thousands of dollars for the city, as well as free up the driving lanes on W. Adams.
- Prohibit cars from using W. Adams as an outdoor party, driving slow [[or at a standstill) with their music blaring from the radio.
- Provide a large police presence so to prohibit loitering on W. Adams [[or anywhere nearby, for that matter). 41,000 guests leave Comerica Park when it’s at full capacity. You don’t see several thousands of people loitering on Woodward Ave. a half hour after the game is complete. I don’t think it’s unfair to expect the same of the patrons at LAX
- In Royal Oak, nightclubs and restaurants are required to pay the city in exchange for extra police enforcement. Consider enacting an ordinance which would require venues with high capacity to do the same.
- Require nightclubs to allow police to randomly provide metal detectors at entry points. Though the club owners are not required to have them, they should not have any objection. Detroit Police Department should be prepared seize unregistered weapons and make citations for violation of concealed carry laws.
- LAX likely has a capacity of 1,000 guests. They are all parking somewhere. Make sure the parking areas are well-lit and highly patrolled. Also enforce loitering ordinances here as well.

I enjoy living downtown, although friends, family, and co-workers question whether or not moving here has compromised by safety and security. Generally speaking the answer has been, “no”, so far. However, unless problems from nightclubs are curbed immediately, their [[and my) fears about the city will be proven true. And not only will the city lose me as a resident, but also the many friends of mine that are seriously considering moving here to join me.

Thank you for your attention to this problem.


Sincerely,

[your name goes here]

Cc:Chief Godbee, Detroit Police Department
Commander Williams, Detroit Police Department, Central District
Lieutenant Fitzgerald, Detroit Police Department, Central District
Chairman Ilitch, Olympia Entertainment
Chairman Gilbert, Quicken Loans
W. Robert Bates, Kales LLC
Tony Ferlito, Kales LLC
Chairman Jackson, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Members, DEGC – Downtown Development Authority
Members, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

[Pam]

Nice job, well written. I hope you get some results.

[Zacha341]

^^^^ I agree. This is 'Detroityes' in action indeed. Great to have a forum from which such problem solving can be considered and executed!

[downtown_racine]

You'll probably be called a biggot.

[Zacha341]

Yeah at minimal an elitist--or just 'rich' white folks complaining -- LOL! But I have a couple of black friends that live in some of the apartments and lofts so that's bunk, I like to visit them... Bottom line: Peeps [[Detroiters) have got to stand up -- the rhetoric and talking points be damned! All Detroiter's benefit from safer neighborhoods and places of residence, free of whilly-nilly night club shooting gallery and beat-down scenes. More innocents are going to DIE if this mess is not put down fast....

Like the three teens shot in front of Club Bleu, 2008, one of which just happened to be at the wrong place, wrong time.... I'm not doing downtown Detroit late at night too much as I once did until this increase in gun play drops.....

You'll probably be called a biggot.

[English]

Agree w/ Zacha. I'm black and I'll sign. I live in greater downtown, I like being safe, and I don't care about being called names.

[Detroitnerd]

It's hard to write a letter like that without getting into that sticky generalization about clubs with a black clientele. [[You know, that black people are louder, more violent, more careless about parking, etc.) I think you did a pretty good job of outlining actual problems associated with the club and stayed classy. Good job.

[Joe Lisboa]

Rub BBQ on Adams is responsible for leasing space to the folks at LAX. I emailed them to let them know that not only will my wife and I [[Kales residents) no longer patronize them, we will actively discourage others from doing so, until the lease with LAX is terminated. I used the term boycott in the subject line, hope that gets their attention

Please spread the word about avoiding Rub BBQ on Adams until the LAX situation is resolved.

[corktownyuppie]

Yeah at minimal an elitist

Ha. Let's not kid ourselves. If there's one thing Detroit needs, it's more elites, not fewer. If you chase away all the elites, what do you have left? Oh yes...we already live there.

I'm hardly elite. Minority born in the city to immigrants who moved to the city and then came back after college to move to the city.

Now, maybe I just need to change my name to

Reverend CorktownYuppie
or Kwame Kilpatrick
or Coleman A. Young IV [[el quatro!)

Then you can call me elite.

[Zacha341]

Hmmm, I was being sarcastic ---- ! Anyone with standards can be considered elitist to some. Sooo, I get your point....

Ha. Let's not kid ourselves. If there's one thing Detroit needs, it's more elites, not fewer. If you chase away all the elites, what do you have left? Oh yes...we already live there.

I'm hardly elite. Minority born in the city to immigrants who moved to the city and then came back after college to move to the city.

Now, maybe I just need to change my name to

Reverend CorktownYuppie
or Kwame Kilpatrick
or Coleman A. Young IV [[el quatro!)

Then you can call me elite.

[Zacha341]

I heard that. Me neither...

Agree w/ Zacha. I'm black and I'll sign. I live in greater downtown, I like being safe, and I don't care about being called names.

[adamjab19]

very nice. cc dan gilbert too while you are at it!

[corktownyuppie]

very nice. cc dan gilbert too while you are at it!

Here is the CC list!

• Mayor Bing and Members of City Council
• Chief Godbee, Detroit Police Department
• Commander Williams, Detroit Police Department, Central District
• Lieutenant Fitzgerald, Detroit Police Department, Central District
• Chairman Ilitch, Olympia Entertainment
• Chairman Gilbert, Quicken Loans
• W. Robert Bates, Kales LLC
• Tony Ferlito, Kales LLC
• Chairman Jackson, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
• Members, DEGC – Downtown Development Authority
• Members, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
• Fred Beal, Broderick Tower
• Dominic Yono, Rub BBQ and Pub

==========================================

All the work is done. The letters are written, the addresses found. All you need to do is private message me with your name, return address, and your e-mail address....I will send you a .pdf with the letters already PRE-FORMATTED and PRE-ADDRESSED with your name and the addresses of all the recipients. All you need to do is print, sign, and stick into an envelope!

I've already had 16 people ask me to send them the letter. Private message me if you want it...

p.s. if you're scraped for time, at least send to Bing, Godbee, Rub BBQ and Broderick Tower

[SWMAP]

This is great work. However, from my experience, you will get no response, except, from the politicoes and that will be boiler-plate stuff.

I would like to be wrong, so if you do hear back, please let us all know from who and the character of the reply.

As an example, last year sumemr I wrote to Chief Evans about a particularly horrible outrage visited upon two businessmen in SW Detroit and the subsequent refusal of the Commander to meet with them, accept an appointment or even leave his office while they were waiting to talk with him. he made them cool their heels for hours until they gave up and left.

My letter to the Chief was sent return recept requested and it was refused at 1300 Beaubien. Then I sent it by email, having been assured that the Chief did read his emails. WRONG. Some sargeant reads the emails and after more than a week awaiting a response, I tracked him down internally and he admitted that he had not read them "for several days."

My experience is also that people no longer read letters of any length at all. Three paragraphs at the most. Very few people will even open USPS mail any more. Best to get some cell phone numbers and text most people. Other people in business weigh inhere. Do you agree that polite, pertinent response to mail is down?

[corktownyuppie]

This is great work. However, from my experience, you will get no response, except, from the politicoes and that will be boiler-plate stuff.

I would like to be wrong, so if you do hear back, please let us all know from who and the character of the reply.

As an example, last year sumemr I wrote to Chief Evans about a particularly horrible outrage visited upon two businessmen in SW Detroit and the subsequent refusal of the Commander to meet with them, accept an appointment or even leave his office while they were waiting to talk with him. he made them cool their heels for hours until they gave up and left.

My letter to the Chief was sent return recept requested and it was refused at 1300 Beaubien. Then I sent it by email, having been assured that the Chief did read his emails. WRONG. Some sargeant reads the emails and after more than a week awaiting a response, I tracked him down internally and he admitted that he had not read them "for several days."

My experience is also that people no longer read letters of any length at all. Three paragraphs at the most. Very few people will even open USPS mail any more. Best to get some cell phone numbers and text most people. Other people in business weigh inhere. Do you agree that polite, pertinent response to mail is down?

Thanks... I play the "chief executive" role in my business as well as a small organization, and I will say that even at my low level of the business and political world, it is very, very, very difficult to return all of my incoming correspondence.

It's all about leverage. If one of my "constituents" calls me with a complaint, I hear it. If one of them calls me with a complaint, and then 7 more write me a letter complaining about the same thing, I stop what I'm doing and put my attention on dealing with it.

I don't expect a response from anyone, let alone a face-to-face appointment with a precinct chief or councilman. But if Rick Tressler, the manager of the Kales building, can get Ken Cockrel on the phone from his cell phone while in an elevator...then Cockrel gets 20 signed copies of letters...and then the developers over at Broderick Tower start getting multiple copies of the same letter, as well as the chairman of the DDA, all the city council members, the police chief and precinct commander, and then Ilitch and Gilbert....you can bet there will be conversations about this.

In other words, I'm not relying on Bing or Godbee's desire to make *me* happy. I'm leveraging their motivation to make all the downtown developers and bigwigs happy. Another example: Fred Beal doesn't care what I have to say. He doesn't even care what 20 people on DYes have to say.

But when we tell him that his target market for his swanky new luxury apartments are gonna have second thoughts? You can bet he'll drop what he's doing and deal with this.

Everybody has a boss, whether you're Mike Ilitch or one of the groundskeepers at Comerica Park. Getting people's attention is just a matter of tapping into who that person's "boss" is...and start amping up the pressure.

[SWMAP]

iIdoubt that he will care about nameless, nebulous friends. There's suckers everywhere to take their potential places. There will always be others after you and them who think they will prevail against the noise and club ethos.

Really, I could have told you about the problems downtown - but you would have soldiered on not believing and here you are - now thinking of packing it in as your letter indicates.

[corktownyuppie]

iIdoubt that he will care about nameless, nebulous friends

oh, i don't know about that. All these guys know each other, even if they're not friends. But at the end of the day, money talks. Not even Montgomery Burns wants to pour $200MM into rehabbing a building just to see it fail.

But, I guess we'll just see, won't we!

So are you gonna sign the letter?

[tarynd85]

What about a "stop the violence" facebook page of some sort? Seems twitter or facebook and YouTube are how people get heard now a days. Could pretty much just copy everything from this forum or posts links to these recent threads. Then as more happens, they can update on there. I'm sure all the council members have pages or even fan pages, so just "friend" them. If someone has the time, I think it's the only way these issues will be heard

[313rd]

I'm sure if you included Slows and Good Girls go to Paris in your story, and a Picture of the Michigan Depot, Old Slumpy and The Book Cadillac this story will be picked up by the media Worldwide!

In a serious note, this is a great effort. You will never know the outcome if you don't try. There are various facebook pages that have thousands of "friends" and if the word gets out to them, some major things could happen.

Keep up the good work.

[majohnson]

The letter has some strong points but also room for improvement. I also added a suggestion that might actually solve the problem.

room for letter improvement:
cars driving by with loud music, not regulated elsewhere in the city, no connection to LAX
one instance of a person blocking the parking structure is not a systemic problem
loitering, sidewalk is public property, no other illegal activity [[prostitution, drug dealling) taking place

there is some substance to the gunfights and fistfights
also the police can issue parking tickets, make sure the double parkers are not valet

Possible solution
Last summer, the police would park two vehicles in the center lane of Broadway after 10pm on the weekends. There would be one large police van and a squad car. There would be 5 or so officers standing outside there vehicles.
They would block off car traffic to prevent showboating by loud cars passing by the clubs.

A stationary squad car creates a different presence than intermittent police drive bys.
A stationary squad car at Adams and Park with another at Adams and Montcalm after 11pm on Saturday and Sunday would have a great affect on the area.

There are two options for police presence.
Request presence from the city, ideally with support from the local bars.
Directly pay for police presence. CoD police are not available for afterhours employment. The afterhours police wear there badge and use the CoD police car. I can't remember what the hourly rate is. You may be able to convince the club owners in the area to pay for two vehicles on the agreement that they all pay.

[R8RBOB]

I saw this thread and I had to click it. I have heard the stories of gunfire and shootings and murders in Downtown Detroit and it saddens me.

I was a frequent visitor to the downtown area back in the 90's and I enjoyed going downtown every weekend. Legends, Marilyn on Monroe's, Athens Bar, Niki's, the Greektown Bar and many more were my choices and there was never any riff raff. With the huge presence of police in the area, no one really tried anything. Everything was good and then the casinos opened up and the Downtown Detroit that I knew was changing for the worse.

Today, I don't bother coming to downtown at night. The environment has become too toxic for me. When I hear stories about a girl getting killed during Super Bowl weekend and tourists getting robbed blocks away from 1300 Beaubien, I knew it was getting rough but when I read how a young man was murdered because he was in the wrong place then it is time to get the word out. I hope the mayor and the other bigwigs read the letter and take this issue seriously.

[agrahlma]

Wow it worked...

The article mentions DetroitYes - lol - I love it.

Detroit— Police are taking steps to shut downtown bars and nightclubs if problems with shootings, fights, traffic flow, illegal parking and rowdy crowds don't improve.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110728/...#ixzz1TOV0VthN

[R8RBOB]

It is good that DPD is getting on top of this. People who live downtown or go downtown want to be able to have a good time and fights and gunshots and bad traffic flow kills that vibe. The citizens told Detroit what they will not accept and they listened. Good.

[masterblaster]

Congratulations to Corktownyuppie and all those whom he or she motivated to send letters to those VIPs. It is magnificent when people act TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. This is how Detroit can be revived - if its citizens desire a high quality of life, and fight to make that desire a reality.

[Carey]

Kenny Williams, the DPD's Central District commander who is quoted in the Detroit News story, is a good guy. He's very approachable. Downtown residents should approach him...I'm sure he'd be open to a meeting.