Does anyone know what's being planned for this area?

**Gistok** · February-02-13, 12:53 AM

Ya know... this is all and nice... especially if it's 100% privately funded [[which I doubt)... but here's a comment that gets me....

"This green-infrastructure project seeks to strengthen the fabric of the community through its accessibility, inclusiveness, and connections to the city while serving as a catalyst for economic and physical development."

Wouldn't better police and fire protection, and working street lights be higher priorities?

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 01:42 AM

I'd like to put this into perspective, though. If I'm not mistaken, the land for the entire I-375 valley and the whole Lafayette Park development lay fallow for a decade or so before it was redeveloped after the destruction of Black Bottom [[the neighborhood, not the farmland), right? How long did they wait to find someone to fund the remaining 2/3rds of the project before building the apartment complexes and high rises and townhomes that exist east of what was built of Mies' original plans?!

I remember reading some history which said the land for Lafayette Park laid empty for a ridiculous amount of time, though.

Just don't want anyone to get their hopes up beyond this show of overwhelming bulldozer force. And convenient church fire recently, according to Django [[always love it when he notices curious arson fests erupting before development proposals, someone should keep track of these things). He says he'll miss the Soul Food joint that was across the street from it...sure they were burning stuff, too.

I'm for progress, but at what true cost?! There were people living all through there until recently...at least a half-dozen houses. Where did they move to?!

And where are the hookers going to wander for the out-state truckers after they've unloaded at Eastern Market?! Who thinks of THEM, huh?! Oldest profession in the world gets no respect at all.

Cheers!

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 03:27 AM

Found this article on one of the movers of this project, mentioned in the very last paragraph.

http://urbanland.uli.org/Articles/2012/Jan/porterbaron

Baron is investigating opportunities in Detroit for initiating an ambitious reconstruction of a 3,000-acre [[1,200-ha) green environment on the city’s east side. It centers on restoring one of the city’s historic streams, Bloody Run Creek, where Chief Pontiac’s braves defeated British forces in 1763. Over many decades, much of the stream has been buried and become part of the city’s sewer system. Now, restoration of the creek as an above-ground channel—called "daylighting" a stream as part of the natural landscape—is viewed as a stimulant for generating urban farms, alternative energy fields, recreation areas, and other activities that bolster the environment. The concept has already generated a $450,000 donation to map plans for the project from the Kresge Foundation, given to the Detroit Collaborative Design Center of the University of Detroit Mercy. Baron calls it "a transformational effort that could provide a real sense of excitement in the city."

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 03:29 AM

http://www.mccormackbaron.com/about/.../richard-baron

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 03:32 AM

I used to know a Richard Baron...when he was a barrister with Kitch downtown decades ago. Taught me how to land a Cessna 172...but not the same guy.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 03:43 AM

Did a search here on his name, and found one more thread about this project that I missed before today. [[thanks to Gwenivere for bumping those others).

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...=Richard+Baron

It links to the article Rb posted from Crain's, I believe.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 03:52 AM

Although I do like the morphing PR of his distant past in the city. One company biography says he grew up in 'working class' Detroit, but Crain's narrows it down to Palmer Park.

Reading up on his past efforts with the city, I'm surprised he tried again. If this turns out to be the boon for REAL urban agriculturists, as it has sounded in the past [[not the corporate-Hantz types)...then I'm all for it. As long as those displaced are treated properly, and enjoy a share of Mr. Baron's expected profit. I mean those who LIVED there, I was joking about the hookers. I don't give 'em any respect either, apparently.

**Honky Tonk** · February-02-13, 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Ya know... this is all and nice... especially if it's 100% privately funded [[which I doubt)... but here's a comment that gets me....

"This green-infrastructure project seeks to strengthen the fabric of the community through its accessibility, inclusiveness, and connections to the city while serving as a catalyst for economic and physical development."

Wouldn't better police and fire protection, and working street lights be higher priorities?

You think? Let's say they do succeed in exposing this creek. Who's going to maintain it? Who's going to pull the blowing around litter out of it? They're shutting down 50 parks, and creating #51.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

You think? Let's say they do succeed in exposing this creek. Who's going to maintain it? Who's going to pull the blowing around litter out of it? They're shutting down 50 parks, and creating #51.

Good point, but the Kresge folks LIKE this park.

I was thinking on this last night...it DOES seem that this whatever-project was rushed under the radar, at least past the City Council Circus. I think it is the strongest indication yet that Bong knows his time to do this is short before an EFM is drop-shipped in from Lansing.

This is one of the few things he could do which might improve his legacy a bit...starting this project gets his name on the plaque and picture in the history books, right?!

Don't get me wrong, it DOES look visionary and progressive...and all Baron's early quotes included discussion of urban agriculture [[although I haven't looked closely to see his particular definition of it)...so while shocking to see happen, I'm cautiously cheering this on.

**DetroitPlanner** · February-02-13, 01:12 PM

The restoration of natural water features will go a long way. Currently Detroit has a combined sewer overflow problem. This means that when normally seperated sewers get too much rainfall the result is poop and pee in Detroiter's basements as well as in places like beaches. The City was going to launch a multi-billion dollar project to correct this [[remember when the fences were around rouge park then suddenly went away?) However it was realized that they could save water and sewer customers approximately 3/4ths the cost by putting in green infastructure instead. If you have noticed, they have been working with Greening of Detroit and others to plant trees as phase one on publicly owned land.

**jtf1972** · February-02-13, 03:36 PM

http://www.dcdc-udm.org/projects/strategies/bloodyrun/

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

http://www.dcdc-udm.org/projects/strategies/bloodyrun/

I got as far as Phase I, where the cascading water goes into a canal in the Dequindre Cut. Is that going to run in the space between the tracks of the future rail system, or adjacent to it?! Or do we get Romanesque viaducts?

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:18 PM

It is curious, they want to turn the parking lot in south Eastern Market, between Zeff's/Russell St. Deli/Supino's and Vivio's into a park with a pond. And the Fire Department maintenance building is listed as abandoned. I know those fellows work slowly, and leave their broken trucks lying around off Wilkins...but it is still a functioning structure.

I like that they consider Farnsworth one of the strongest neighborhoods in the area. Sounds like they will survive intact.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:39 PM

All this work, and they let the Packard stand, as is. Looks like an experiment in letting nature take it back over.

'Cept for the rave happening out back.

Sorry. They lost me with that one.

[[page 25)

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:44 PM

It appears they are allowing an extra year for the land acquisition in zone 4, probably for the likely legal challenges. Maybe they can rent access to some of Matty's judges and cut this by half.

Farnsworth looks to exist in name only, unless the current dwellers get grants to build fabulous energy-efficient green structures.

I'm dazzled by this plan. What a great way to spend a chilly and snowy Saturday afternoon.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:46 PM

And I'd like some explanation of their expected future private and non-profit investment per zone...that is just too weird. Non-profit growth goes on for a decade longer in one, but has the greatest breadth or depth of time duration of any of the segments. Odd.

[[page 31)

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:52 PM

Ooh, forgot. Whole project is just over a cool BILLION dollars. No word on whether they figured any inflation into this decades-long estimate/plan.

Because they should have.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 04:57 PM

Creative Accounting gaffe on page 32.

Phase I Costs Subtotal $217,647,600

On the VERY next line, Total $209,463,600.

Maybe they were figuring in the mayoral skim discount. 3.8% is about right. But they've accounted for it incorrectly, it shoud be ADDED secretly, not subtracted publicly.

The subseqent phase Subtotals all equal the Totals, making one wonder why it is included in the list at all...other than to allow me to find an embarassing mistake. Yay!

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 05:14 PM

OK, a quarter of a billion dollars is NOT 'leaving the Packard as is' [[page 39)...but couldn't they afford a few more WINDOWS for that price [[page 25)?! And the most gruesome-looking lonely solar lights on the path?!

I just realized, the sign says the Packard Theater. Richard, did you join their little smoking sessions?! I thought you said the future was GLASS, man.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 05:36 PM

I don't know what this number is $36,0000 on page 41.

Did ANYBODY check and edit this piece?!

But this page might also contain the punchline.

"It is proposed that $1 billion in public investment yields approximately $3 billion in private investment."

And it is clear now that what we're seeing bulldozing east of the Market is merely the beginning of their demonstration phase, designed to lure investors to the balance of the project over a decade.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 05:44 PM

Can somebody explain what "Tax increment Financing" is on page 42?!

And finally, some mention of those existing viable dwellings within the plan...on page 46. If they get in the way of the water, they'll be moved. WITH the owner's permission, of course. What happens if these folks don't give it?! No word on what might happen if they get flooded due to the newly freed waterways...or get priced out of the neighborhood with federal floodplain insurance fees. FEMA has yet to decide whether to participate in the gentrification before or after the money really starts rolling in.

Rumor has it that pistol-shy employees of the newest Bobby Ferguson enterprise are furiously studying proper house moving techniques...and basement waterproofing. A stout, but snappily-dressed salesperson who calls himself Noah Zark has been seen going door-to-door in the area, after court hours.

It does look like everything directly behind Zeitman's gets sunk and flooded.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 05:50 PM

Here's a good one.

Page 46, at the bottom.

"The estimated costs for assembling the parcels is based on recent history in the city and are conservative costs."

Funny how people throw the term conservative around as if that were a good thing, always.

How about truthful?

They CAN only look to the recent history, because in the not-too-distant past previous plans were totally annihilated by land speculators...Detroit may be tenacious, and that shown most fiercely by those who've gobbled up land for pennies over the decades in the hopes of it being their personal lottery in the future. Even moreso those for whom their land-home is family legacy. Good for them, bad for this plan...and any hopes of conservative property acquisition costs in reality.

**Gannon** · February-02-13, 06:03 PM

Page 47, it gets even better.

Demonstration Project Land Assembly Costs D1 NA, D2 $850k

This future estimated plan really only has one initial launch figure...getting control over this large swath of land near one of the most economically-viable neighborhoods in the city. And it is Not Available. Conspicuously the ONLY NA in the whole damn report...other than the completely empty chart detailing the Funding Matrix on page 43.

Only nineteen acquisitions necessary for the ENTIRE area we see being bulldozed this week?! 2 Public and 17 private paid for, looks like the city gave the first taste or two for free...kinda like the pushers, yanno?!

But I call bullshit on NO private acquisition for this...unless we're into D2 already...and I was wrong on my estimate of only six viable residences in the area. Maybe they included the Soul Food joint.

But only Seventeen possible follow-up stories for someone like Mr. Neavling, or the MetroTimes or one of the other media outlets to chase. Can't wait to hear how close to the average of $44,736.842 those homeowners got for their little wooden clapboard shacks. Some of those were in pretty decent shape...but a few always made me wonder how much wind they let in.