Rethinking the Mall

[ghettopalmetto]

What don't you understand about a restaurant or store? What don't you understand about a stadium or museum? That's why I said no matter how it was explained to you you would not get it.

What you're proposing is what I call "The Monty Python Method of Economic Development."

If you watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail, they build a large wooden rabbit, and somehow, that's supposed to defeat the French soldiers in the castle. When that plan fails, it is proposed that they build a large wooden badger instead.

All you're doing is proposing a wooden badger--except you don't even know what it is, how it works, or what it's supposed to do, other than it's "unique".

[kraig]

What you're proposing is what I call "The Monty Python Method of Economic Development."

If you watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail, they build a large wooden rabbit, and somehow, that's supposed to defeat the French soldiers in the castle. When that plan fails, it is proposed that they build a large wooden badger instead.

All you're doing is proposing a wooden badger--except you don't even know what it is, how it works, or what it's supposed to do, other than it's "unique".

Remember the other day when your comments went from the sublime to the ridiculous? You just crossed that line again.

[ghettopalmetto]

Remember the other day when your comments went from the sublime to the ridiculous? You just crossed that line again.

Kraig, you can't even explain how your own idea is supposed to work. If asking you to do so makes me ridiculous, so be it.

Here: build one of these in Detroit. Not only is it unique, but people will flock there from miles around, just like ants to a picnic.

www.cedarpoint.com

[kraig]

Kraig, you can't even explain how your own idea is supposed to work. If asking you to do so makes me ridiculous, so be it.

Here: build one of these in Detroit. Not only is it unique, but people will flock there from miles around, just like ants to a picnic.

www.cedarpoint.com

That's ironic, because according to your philosphy, the only people that do and should go there are the people that live in Sandusky. Cedarpoint gets as much money from people from Michigan, if not more, than from people in Ohio. People flock from all over to go to Cedarpoint. You've probably never been there, since they don't have a ride called the grocery store.

[ghettopalmetto]

Tell you what, Kraig. Why don't you open up your unique store or restaurant in Detroit, and keep us all posted how it goes?

[kraig]

Tell you what, Kraig. Why don't you open up your unique store or restaurant in Detroit, and keep us all posted how it goes?

They've both been doing fine for eight and six years, respectively. Thanks.

[bailey]

What are your stores or restaurants Kraig?

[kraig]

What are your stores or restaurants Kraig?

As much as I talk about the politicians and the movers and shakers, there is no way I'm going to expose myself for reprisals.

[bailey]

ok... well, how about generalities?

[stasu1213]

I think Detroit is rigged to benefit the Big 3. We have to jump in our jalopies to drive out to a mall with a gigantic parking lot to buy clothes and goods. Target has a big parking lot. As long as GM is rulling to roost Detroit will have a hard time getting good retail store. To have a Target downtown you would need a good transit system. The Big 3 sabotaged that in the 60's. Tell Bing to get off his hand and knees. Stop begging GM to stay, and make Detroit a more pedestrial friendly city. P.S Get rid of Monica Conyers and all of those other kooks

[scuola]

I think Detroit is rigged to benefit the Big 3. We have to jump in our jalopies to drive out to a mall with a gigantic parking lot to buy clothes and goods.

Detroit is rigged the same as every other city in the nation except for urban cores or glitzy expensive "new urbanist" communities that most of us can't dream of affording anyway [[and do you really want to take a train to buy "clothes?"). There's no urban utopia and there never was--1920's America moved into cars and changed the way they live because cars were faster, more comfortable, and more convenient than mass transportation. You can say we need mass transit for the environment or for civic responsibility or to beat the traffic jams from 7 to 9am, but the car's big selling points are still there and always will be.

[Novine]

"Detroit is rigged the same as every other city in the nation except for urban cores or glitzy expensive "new urbanist" communities that most of us can't dream of affording anyway [[and do you really want to take a train to buy "clothes?")."

Most places like Detroit around the country offer people a range of transportation options. Don't have a car or don't want to spend money on having a car? You can ride a bus or light rail or subway to get from point A to point B. Live in downtown Chicago and want to get to O'Hare? You can do it by rail. You can live in the Chicago suburbs and still get to downtown without a car. Same for the suburbs of New York, DC, San Fran and most any major US city. Not Detroit.

[DetroitDad]

Detroit is rigged the same as every other city in the nation except for urban cores or glitzy expensive "new urbanist" communities that most of us can't dream of affording anyway [[and do you really want to take a train to buy "clothes?"). There's no urban utopia and there never was--1920's America moved into cars and changed the way they live because cars were faster, more comfortable, and more convenient than mass transportation. You can say we need mass transit for the environment or for civic responsibility or to beat the traffic jams from 7 to 9am, but the car's big selling points are still there and always will be.

Not when we're out of oil and are too poor of a country to maintain our overly expensive and wasteful road systems. It wont be long now before there are more potholes than road.

[Warrenite84]

In reading this thread, much of this discussion has revolved around specialized retail as if no other forces are at play. The upcoming streetcar/LRT plans will boost pedestrian traffic that can be taken advantage of by everyday retail, specialized retail, and residential investment. The operative word here is convience. When you make it convient to Detroiters to shop nearby, they won't have a need to shop in the burbs so often,[[competition).

Could this lessen the need for huge parking lots and create the urban density required to be self sustaining? Maybe. The biggest problem we face right now is uncertainty. Once we see auto demand increase due to exhaustion of the used car supply, I expect people will commit to buying items they put off.