Historic Preservation in Detroit

**softailrider** · June-10-09, 02:15 AM

Originally Posted by Lorax

Gistok is right, so are many of you. However, Tiger Stadium, as I stated before had it's future written several years earlier when Comerica Park was announced. The time for action should have been then.

TS had been butchered over the years, and did not have any appreciable visual quality left. It was built simply, stripped down in style, and wasn't ever a beautiful ball park like Fenway or Wrigley Field.

NYC will allow Yankee Stadium to fall, and it is much more intresting a building than TS was.

If memory and nostalgia are the prerequisites here, then Hudson's was the most important building in Detroit. Why was this demolition allowed? No building in Detroit had as much a connection to Detroiters of all ages and races.

There is nothing wrong with a modern, well appointed ball park. TS was replaced with something better than what came before. We can't say the same for Hudson's, or the rest of Detroit's missing landmarks.

That's not my opinion that "TS was replaced with something better" maybe better restrooms, or, a better view looking to the outfield. I [[and many others ) think Comerica Park is a far WORSE place to watch a baseball game .

**kraig** · June-10-09, 08:22 AM

I know that no one wants to hear this, but a big problem is that Preservation Groups in the region are not organized well enough. With a proposed 33 million dollar project, there is no way that the OTSC could afford to not have someone working day to day on the Tiger Stadium efforts. Also, in this instance some OTSC members discovered that other members were not all that they've been made out to be. There were too many members that didn't do squat and left other members to carry the load. And those do nothing members were going to be the first ones trying to offer input once the money was in hand.

I have to give extra credit to Thom Linn, he worked his ass off on this.

Lorax · June-10-09, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

That's not my opinion that "TS was replaced with something better" maybe better restrooms, or, a better view looking to the outfield. I [[and many others ) think Comerica Park is a far WORSE place to watch a baseball game .

Well, you'd be in the minority on that one.

**Fnemecek** · June-10-09, 11:36 PM

Novine... the DEGC has already spent millions on Harmonie Park [[Paradise Valley... or Paradise Folly as I like to call it).... what do they have to show for that??

Okay - I seriously love the name Paradise Folly. I'm using that from now on and cursing the fact that I didn't think of it first.

One thing that bothers me about Detroit's historic preservation is all the fragmented organizations... Preservation Wayne, CityScape, Detroit Area Art Deco Society... etc.

They exist as separate organizations because they have slightly different missions. Cityscape, for example, is focused on a variety of urban planning/urban design issues with historic preservation being one of them.

However, and this is the important part, all of those organizations - along with related professional organizations such as the AIA-Detroit, are a part of the Greater Detroit Historic Preservation Coalition - which is essentially an organization of organizations. Things are worked out and each of those groups moves in a fairly cohesive manner. It's also generally agreed that Preservation Wayne is the lead agency for historic preservation efforts locally.

**kraig** · June-11-09, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

Okay - I seriously love the name Paradise Folly. I'm using that from now on and cursing the fact that I didn't think of it first.

They exist as separate organizations because they have slightly different missions. Cityscape, for example, is focused on a variety of urban planning/urban design issues with historic preservation being one of them.

However, and this is the important part, all of those organizations - along with related professional organizations such as the AIA-Detroit, are a part of the Greater Detroit Historic Preservation Coalition - which is essentially an organization of organizations. Things are worked out and each of those groups moves in a fairly cohesive manner. It's also generally agreed that Preservation Wayne is the lead agency for historic preservation efforts locally.

To the DEGC, Paradise Valley is a necessary evil, this was the brainchild of City Council and was actually promoted heavily by Lonnie Bates, JoAnn Watson and Barbara Rose Collins. This gives the DEGC quite a few free passes. Don't you just love the politics in this city?

**Fnemecek** · June-11-09, 10:21 AM

The Detroit City Council wanted to have an African-themed business district that was similar to Greektown or Mexicantown. Spending more than $19 million and only getting one new business out of it wasn't their idea. That was the DEGC's blunder.

Anyone who is even remotely competent in economic development can jump start more than one new business if they are given a budget of more than $19 million. The fact that they didn't - coupled with the lack of any other significant accomplishments in the past 18 months - means that it's time for some heads to start rolling at the DEGC.

**ghettopalmetto** · June-11-09, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

The Detroit City Council wanted to have an African-themed business district that was similar to Greektown or Mexicantown. Spending more than $19 million and only getting one new business out of it wasn't their idea. That was the DEGC's blunder.

Anyone who is even remotely competent in economic development can jump start more than one new business if they are given a budget of more than $19 million. The fact that they didn't - coupled with the lack of any other significant accomplishments in the past 18 months - means that it's time for some heads to start rolling at the DEGC.

You could start 19 good restaurants with that kind of money!

**Huggybear** · June-11-09, 11:15 AM

As longtime Joe Citizen and Joe Taxpayer in Detroit, I would submit that the problem is that many "historic preservationists" [[as opposed to people who do preservation for a living) lack perspective, business planning/generation abilities, people skills, and therefore ability to confront why preservation is not working. What we get instead is the monotonous "anyone who disagrees with us is an idiot/monster/child pornographer." If you lack the introspection to understand the root causes of failure, you will not prevent failures in the future.

**Huggybear** · June-11-09, 11:22 AM

Of which 3 would still be running after 6 months. Poor use of money.

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

You could start 19 good restaurants with that kind of money!

**kraig** · June-11-09, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

The Detroit City Council wanted to have an African-themed business district that was similar to Greektown or Mexicantown. Spending more than $19 million and only getting one new business out of it wasn't their idea. That was the DEGC's blunder.

Anyone who is even remotely competent in economic development can jump start more than one new business if they are given a budget of more than $19 million. The fact that they didn't - coupled with the lack of any other significant accomplishments in the past 18 months - means that it's time for some heads to start rolling at the DEGC.

City Council touts this all the time and BRC always states that if they call it African Town they'll get sued. As far as City Council is concerned, it's their brainchild. Especially since they had their CPC do a lot of work on the project. No matter how messed up the project is or how much money is wasted, City Council will campaign that they made this happen. Which makes them happy with the DEGC. The DEGC knows this, which is why it's considered a necessary evil to them. They give on this one project and get on a dozen more.

**Fnemecek** · June-11-09, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

City Council touts this all the time and BRC always states that if they call it African Town they'll get sued. As far as City Council is concerned, it's their brainchild. Especially since they had their CPC do a lot of work on the project. No matter how messed up the project is or how much money is wasted, City Council will campaign that they made this happen. Which makes them happy with the DEGC. The DEGC knows this, which is why it's considered a necessary evil to them. They give on this one project and get on a dozen more.

What does this have to do with spending $19 million and only getting one business out of it?

Do you think that if they got two businesses out of it, the City Council would be upset with them?

I used to work for a series of politicians. Contrary to what some on this forum believe, it is by no means impossible for a competent staffer to carry out a boss' political desires while still delivering value to the public. In fact, doing so usually makes your superiors even happier.