Masonic Temple area

**DocTerry** · September-04-09, 10:17 AM

Anyone know what happened in the Masonic Temple area last night? I can't find any news item. There is a trail and puddles of blood about a block long. Kind of concerned about an elder who lives in the area but has no phone....

**Gannon** · September-04-09, 10:21 AM

You could tell it was the full moon dawning yesterday...it was like Night of the Living Dead all over downtown.

I have no idea on yours, though, DocTerry, sorry.

**DocTerry** · September-04-09, 10:58 AM

Thanks, Gannon. No news is probably good news for us, but still someone's tragedy.

**Detroit Stylin** · September-04-09, 04:49 PM

From what I hear someone got mugged over there....

**GRALR** · September-05-09, 10:11 AM

Such a shame. My thoughts are with whoever cares about the person. Is it really that bad there?

**softailrider** · September-05-09, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by GRALR

Such a shame. My thoughts are with whoever cares about the person. Is it really that bad there?

Is it bad in the Cass Corridor? Only for about the last 40 years that I'm aware of.

**Detroit Stylin** · September-06-09, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Is it bad in the Cass Corridor? Only for about the last 40 years that I'm aware of.

Nowhere near what it was in the 80s and 90s despite what some tell you. This is from someone who is the area quite a bit.....

DetroitDad · September-07-09, 12:35 AM

Gannon, you weren't kidding about the full moon. Just look at all the bizarre happenings the past couple days. Wow...

My living room window looks out from Northwest Downtown towards the Masonic Temple, as well as one facing Downtown to the East, where Greektown is. On the other side is my daughter's window that looks out towards MGM, where you can also see the remains of Tiger Stadium, apparently the site of a body dump the other day. Sigh.

This morning I could only look out and think about the collection of tragic news stories, so very sad.

Sean of Detroit; "Oh Detroit, I love you, but when will the madness stop"?

Detroit; "Someday Sean, I am but a young city, and tragedy has been buried in the history of every city, I shall be no different. Someday, but not today."

Detroit Dad; "It's a mad mad world kids. Take the game, or the game will take you."

**kathy2trips** · September-07-09, 02:41 AM

Jeez, I loved that area. I remember going to concerts at Masonic in the 70s and having such a blast. A friend of my ex-babysitter had an apartment right near there and it was gorgeous. The inside had beautiful plaster ceilings and molding, so cool. We'd go up there afterward and party, so awesome. Fourth of July 1976 immediately comes to mind. This area screams "restore me", but it does no good if there's nowhere to work and make money .

**davewindsor** · September-07-09, 07:05 AM

It doesn't surprise me. There's too many trees and shady people hanging around Cass Park. I get a bad feeling like I'm gonna get mugged myself when I walk through there. The park needs to be clear cut so other peope can see what's happening around there.

**Gsgeorge** · September-07-09, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

It doesn't surprise me. There's too many trees and shady people hanging around Cass Park. I get a bad feeling like I'm gonna get mugged myself when I walk through there. The park needs to be clear cut so other peope can see what's happening around there.

Lower Cass could use a lot of improvements, and you're right about the leering atmosphere throughout the area, but your solution is not a good one. Clear cutting the park would destroy a load of old, shade-giving trees in a beautiful park, an important asset when considering a neighborhood's future viability. First thing that needs to be done is build a larger shelter for the homeless up on MLK, get them off the streets. And the relatively cheap things can help a lot, like make some efforts to clean the area up a bit -- new streetscaping, bike lanes, trash pickup, graffiti removal plans, more garbage cans around so people throw their trash in the cans and not on the street. Then get on the Illitches & Kellifanos to spruce up their properties. Course that's not everything, and will not convince people to move there immediately, but it will improve its perception to visitors and locals & will be a small part in improving the situation there.

DetroitDad · September-07-09, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Lower Cass could use a lot of improvements, and you're right about the leering atmosphere throughout the area, but your solution is not a good one. Clear cutting the park would destroy a load of old, shade-giving trees in a beautiful park, an important asset when considering a neighborhood's future viability. First thing that needs to be done is build a larger shelter for the homeless up on MLK, get them off the streets. And the relatively cheap things can help a lot, like make some efforts to clean the area up a bit -- new streetscaping, bike lanes, trash pickup, graffiti removal plans, more garbage cans around so people throw their trash in the cans and not on the street. Then get on the Illitches & Kellifanos to spruce up their properties. Course that's not everything, and will not convince people to move there immediately, but it will improve its perception to visitors and locals & will be a small part in improving the situation there.

It really is a horrible spot for a homeless shelter too. Really, it makes no sense to have so many down and out people in one concentrated area in what should be a good sustainable neighborhood. Of course, the large amount of squatters in unsecured abandoned buildings also plays a part. Those structures really need to be redeveloped, secured, or demolished, as that area is really the biggest drain on several otherwise great communities.

Gentrification is kind of a taboo topic in these parts, I know. But, by keeping people concentrated to one area, they are being isolated from networking. In this type of economy, you need to know someone who can get you in the door, even if it's doing something small like cleaning or washing dishes. These people really might stand to benefit from being spread out across the city and suburbs, and the wealthier areas need to stand up and take responsibility, instead of flushing the undesirables down the Cass Corridor.

**detroitbob66** · September-08-09, 09:02 PM

I work at Mariners Inn in the Cass Corridor, a homeless shelter for recovering addicts. The Corridor is nowhere near as bad as it was years ago; it is mostly abondoned and desolite. Where years ago there were people everywhere, today only a few junkies, crackheads, and squatters roam the alleys, parks, and buildings in an area just south of Wayne State and Northwest of Downtiwn Detroit, known simply as the Cass Corridor. I scream Cass Corridor for life because I love it there........

Lorax · September-09-09, 07:43 AM

That one poster's ideas of "too many trees" is ridiculous. There are never enough trees in an urban setting. Landscape the surrounding streets with trees and that would spur a visual that things are physically changing in the area.

Removing trees as a "saftey" issue is about as dumb as it gets.

**davewindsor** · September-09-09, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Lorax

That one poster's ideas of "too many trees" is ridiculous. There are never enough trees in an urban setting. Landscape the surrounding streets with trees and that would spur a visual that things are physically changing in the area.

Removing trees as a "saftey" issue is about as dumb as it gets.

I don't know how much dumber a statement can get than suggesting to keep a lot of trees up in an area with high crime so no one else can see that crime is occurring and call the police or a witness seeing the perp committing a crime to identify them later on.. The cover by trees is really encouraging the hobos around there not to commit a mugging. And still no one knows the story behind the blood incident that started this thread. Oh yeah, I forgot, you live in Florida and walk through this safe area in Cass Park with trees all the time.

**Boo Stinking Boo** · September-09-09, 09:05 AM

I'm not ashamed to give props to the Corridor, I lived on Alexandrine and 2nd [[corner apt building) for about 6 months. I lived right across the WSU Mortuary Science building. I lived there in "99" and I had a one bedroom apt and only paid $200 in rent! Ah those were the good ole days!. I worked downtown at the time and caught the bus even at 11pm at night after getting off. Yet, while waiting at the bus stop one afternoon I was approached by a fat white man in a truck who asked me if I "dated'. I told him "no". Well later on that day I told the story to co-workers who told me that he may have assumed I was a Hooker!
Moving foward, I hate I moved, but the building was sold in "00" and has not been occupied ever since, sad cause all the tenents had to move out. Yet soon after the area started to improve.