Another Opinion on why Whole Foods is a Big Deal

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-06-12, 01:56 AM

I hope Salon.com is right, and that the opening of the new Whole Foods in Midtown means that area is really poised to take off. They make the case that WF does their homework in selecting the "up and coming" areas.

http://www.salon.com/2012/05/05/whol...g_time_to_buy/

**drjeff** · May-07-12, 11:01 AM

You would think this would suddenly make Brush Park a really attractive place to live since it's right across Mack. I've been thinking for years that if I had some money to buy property it would be well used there.

Which raises the question- who owns all of the vacant lots in Brush Park? I know there was some kind of deal many years ago to buy the rotting mansions and restore them but that very few actually got restored.

**casscorridor** · May-07-12, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by drjeff

You would think this would suddenly make Brush Park a really attractive place to live since it's right across Mack. I've been thinking for years that if I had some money to buy property it would be well used there.

Which raises the question- who owns all of the vacant lots in Brush Park? I know there was some kind of deal many years ago to buy the rotting mansions and restore them but that very few actually got restored.

Brush Park should be the most prime real estate in the city as it is walking distance to Eastern Market, Downtown, Medical Center, Wayne State... basically everything. Hopefully the last remaining historic buildings can be rehabbed and new structures can be built that reflect the character of the neighborhood. I actually like the condos in the southwest corner of the neighborhood for their scale [[three floors) and use of alley ways as new residential streets. The aesthetics might not be perfect, but what is important is the scale and how it interacts with the surrounding area. Of course, condos on Woodward make no sense because it interacts poorly, but the form and scale is a good model to use elsewhere off the main avenue.

**Wheels** · May-07-12, 12:45 PM

Charles Pugh took a gamble on high end renovated Brush Park real estate.
I guess he had some bad timing. LOL

**iheartthed** · May-07-12, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Charles Pugh took a gamble on high end renovated Brush Park real estate.
I guess he had some bad timing. LOL

Bad timing is an understatement.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-07-12, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Charles Pugh took a gamble on high end renovated Brush Park real estate. I guess he had some bad timing. LOL

Maybe one day he will come home to find some crackhead in his kitchen eating an organic sammich he made out of his fridge and his plumbing and valuables outside in a WF shopping cart?

**kraig** · May-08-12, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Maybe one day he will come home to find some crackhead in his kitchen eating an organic sammich he made out of his fridge and his plumbing and valuables outside in a WF shopping cart?

Not likely, he lost his house.

**Zacha341** · May-08-12, 11:21 AM

Sadly only when the elite click-and-tick of Detroit have their homes vandalized or some other crime will they realize how crazy it has been for the 'masses' [[read: their constituents).

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Maybe one day he will come home to find some crackhead in his kitchen eating an organic sammich he made out of his fridge and his plumbing and valuables outside in a WF shopping cart?

**Zacha341** · May-08-12, 11:22 AM

Opps. Oh yeah!

Originally Posted by kraig

Not likely, he lost his house.

**HazenPingree** · May-08-12, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Sadly only when the elite click-and-tick of Detroit have their homes vandalized or some other crime will they realize how crazy it has been for the 'masses' [[read: their constituents).

I don't know that there is any "elite click-and-tick of Detroit" that doesn't realize how crazy it has been. Anyone who's living in Detroit today is either stuck here, or here with a purpose - and both the former and the latter know that it's rough out there.

**Zacha341** · May-08-12, 11:39 AM

Point well taken, even the better areas are having challenges. You'd have to be in an underground cave not to be exposed or know about it.

**gthomas** · May-09-12, 10:29 PM

They demolished the Old Chase Bank, construction has started:

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-10-12, 08:15 PM

For once, a pile of rubble really does mean progress

So often in Detroit it just means loss.

**webband1** · May-11-12, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by drjeff

You would think this would suddenly make Brush Park a really attractive place to live since it's right across Mack. I've been thinking for years that if I had some money to buy property it would be well used there.

Which raises the question- who owns all of the vacant lots in Brush Park? I know there was some kind of deal many years ago to buy the rotting mansions and restore them but that very few actually got restored.

Many are owned by the city, from my understanding.

But in my eyes, Brush Park is the next neighborhood to take off: connects Downtown to Midtown, close to many of the best assets in Detroit, and lots of development opportunities. My only concern is if Illitch builds his new arena across Woodward, will it turn the empty lots in Brush Park into parking?? Luckily most of the inhabited buildings in Brush Park are between Woodward and John R, so it might stop it...

**casscorridor** · May-12-12, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by webband1

Many are owned by the city, from my understanding.

But in my eyes, Brush Park is the next neighborhood to take off: connects Downtown to Midtown, close to many of the best assets in Detroit, and lots of development opportunities. My only concern is if Illitch builds his new arena across Woodward, will it turn the empty lots in Brush Park into parking?? Luckily most of the inhabited buildings in Brush Park are between Woodward and John R, so it might stop it...

I hope infill will be dense and inter mixed with neighborhood retail and spruced up parks.

Illitch is also the only thing holding the cass park area from redeveloping. So much potential. Look at Park Ave in Downtown thriving totally independent of illitch... Imagine if illitch's buildings were activated and his sea of parking was redeveloped. I say no to a new arena unless it interacts well with the surrounding neighborhood rather than obliterating it. The Cass Park area is where the densest residential neighborhood would logically be located... but if Illitch has his way it'll all be leveled.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-14-12, 08:02 PM

Groundbreaking!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...ml?ref=detroit

**Wheels** · May-14-12, 08:17 PM

Whole Paycheck! LOL

**Gambling Man** · May-14-12, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Whole Paycheck! LOL

Yeah, just wait until they try to get people to pay $9 bucks a pound for chicken......People wouldn't go to the last one we had on woodward because it was $4 bucks.

**Detroitdave** · May-15-12, 05:36 AM

@ Detroiteronthewestcoast, I went yesterday to the ground breaking and it was really cool ! I ran into ALOT of Detroit's more civic minded folks along with the mayor , Debbie Stabenow, The CEO of whole foods , Hansen Clarke, the mayor of Midtown Sue, and a Lot of other people that really care for the city .
@ wheels and Gambiling man , is it a little more expensive, yes , but not much compared to what most Detroiters have to pay at their local Liquor store , or market for basic foods and remember you are paying for QUALITY and healthy foods . I doubt it's $9 a pound.
Also ,most people waste that at one of the casinos, or on cigarettes.
Whole foods is a Quality company that pays fair wages and is a WELL respected company around the world with no debt. Trust me if this company had a lot of flaws they would be found right away, I'm sure they are under A LOT of scrutiny!

I say, go give them a chance, most people judging them have never been and are cynical. Which is typical of most metro Detroiters .

Remember you get what you pay for and what you put in your body you get out . Look around at most of the people in the city, over weight , high blood pressure, out of shape,This is because of poor food chooses and not working out , Detroiters need better options, Detroiters need to stop shopping at Dollar Stores for food ,the "food" those "stores" carry is awful.

Here is a Quality company showing Detroit some love ,we shouldn't turn are nose up at them :-)

**j to the jeremy** · May-15-12, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

I hope infill will be dense and inter mixed with neighborhood retail and spruced up parks.

Illitch is also the only thing holding the cass park area from redeveloping. So much potential. Look at Park Ave in Downtown thriving totally independent of illitch... Imagine if illitch's buildings were activated and his sea of parking was redeveloped. I say no to a new arena unless it interacts well with the surrounding neighborhood rather than obliterating it. The Cass Park area is where the densest residential neighborhood would logically be located... but if Illitch has his way it'll all be leveled.

One of the most important challenges for the next 25 years downtown will be getting Ilitch's people to think differently about these areas.

**gameguy56** · May-15-12, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

One of the most important challenges for the next 25 years downtown will be getting Ilitch's people to think differently about these areas.

Ilitch will be 107 in 25 years.

**casscorridor** · May-15-12, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by gameguy56

Ilitch will be 107 in 25 years.

Hahaha. But his people will still be thinking the same way. He probably isn't even running things anymore.

I wonder if it is possible for the city to pass an ordinance banning surface lots from Downtown by forcing lot owners to put their lots on the market. This would encourage lot owners to consolidate into parking garages and developers to build new buildings. All of this would equal a more urban experience, more residents, more shops, and so on.