Detroit Research Project

**AlexStana** · September-11-09, 02:31 PM

My name is Alex, I'm a doctoral student at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. I am working on a research projects about "The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit" along with some faculty members and graduate students. Last Friday I went to Detroit to see some buildings and areas in the city and saw and took some pictures of the Michigan Central Railroad Station - what a magnificent and sad place that is! Strangely, it reminded me of some places in my native country, Romania. Romania was a communist country and part of the Eastern Bloc until 20 years ago. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s the Romanian Communist Party decided to industrialize the country at a very fast pace, and therefore innumerable industrial plants and parks of pharaonic proportions were built. As they did not really make sense economically most of these places are deserted and in ruins now - much like many areas in Detroit nowadays.

I am going to visit Detroit again soon, so I was wondering if anyone can tell me what other interesting areas and buildings we can visit and explore.

Thanks.

**Detroitnerd** · September-11-09, 02:41 PM

I would say that the Ruins site is a great guide to abandoned structures. If you want something more specific than what's offered there, we have our enthusiasts who are independent scholars on any subset you're looking for. Why not check through the site and see if you can think of a less general question?

**AlexStana** · September-16-09, 01:06 PM

Thank you. Like I said, I'm new to the area and have been to Detroit once. I'll have to become more familiar with the city first and then I'll probably have some more specific questions. Thanks again.

**cman710** · September-16-09, 01:15 PM

Alex, I am glad to hear about your interest. What exactly is the nature of the research you are doing?

There are numerous other places you could see. If you are interested in industrial buildings, you can start by visiting the Packard Plant, the Ford Piquette Plant, the birthplace of the Model T, and which has been partially turned into a museum, and what remains of the Ford Highland Park plant.

There are many other interesting sites in the city [[especially many non-abandoned ones), so I hope you will explore beyond the ruins as well.

**agirlintheD** · September-16-09, 01:17 PM

The interest in Detroit [[even if it is "just the ruins") is wonderful.

**Detroitej72** · September-16-09, 01:23 PM

It's sad that Detroit's industrial ruins are compared to failed communist policies, however, I guess thats better than being compared to war torn cities in the Middle East.

Anyway, welcome aboard, Alex, I hope you enjoy our fair city.

**SUBVET** · September-16-09, 04:58 PM

Without a doubt, come to Historic Fort Wayne!

It is an 1840's military fort on the Detroit River. The condition is much like the Central Depot station. In fact, 2 years ago, the crown Prince of Romania stopped by to visit the fort while in Detroit for a conference.

Stop by our website for a look at the Fort - then and now.

www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com

-Subvet

**cch** · September-17-09, 05:20 PM

i am interested in hearing more about what your doctoral thesis is going to be. surely there is more behind it than just documenting the broken and half-dead buildings of detroit?

**401don** · September-17-09, 06:12 PM

I suggest starting with the Detroit Riverfront Hotel and working backward.

**AlexStana** · September-22-09, 02:30 PM

Hi all,

Thanks for all your kind words and useful suggestions. I can't wait to go to Detroit again - it will happen in the next two weeks, I hope. Following your suggestions, I will try to visit the Riverfront Hotel, Fort Wayne and a few industrial sites.

As for my project, first of all, this is not my doctoral dissertation; as a first year doctoral student, I only have a vague idea about what my dissertation will be about, and as of now I'm not sure whether it'll have anything to do with Detroit or not. The project I'm working on is someone else's project [[two professors at BGSU, Dr. Atkinson and Dr. Rosati) and I'm assisting them. In a nutshell, the project is about how people who are active on this forum and website try to redefine the city in opposition to the bleak image of Detroit as it is presented in mainstream media. On the one hand there are the ruins which are not necessarily seen as a sign of decadence, but rather as 'the fabulous ruins of Detroit', comparable with the revered ruins of Athens and Rome; on the other hand, also in opposition with how the city is portrayed so often in media, the community revolving around this forum defines the city as thriving culturally and socially, in spite of some obvious and well-known issues.
I hope this answers your questions.

Thanks,
Alex

**DetroitPlanner** · September-22-09, 03:46 PM

I'm wondering why Detroit? A lot of the same issues plaguing it are also found in Toledo and thats a whole lot closet to BGSU than Detroit.

Regardless Detroit's abandonment is a very large subject that has been studied to death. No one ever comes up with the correct answers to solve it. Good luck. You will find contrarian opinions to just about any suggestion that you have.

Sometimes I think that Detroit is in such bad shape because of the attitudes of its biggest supporters. Everyone thinks that their idea or approach is the only one that can help. This is true from everything from what to preserve or how to move people and goods.

When you're here drink the water. Its the best! Somehow we never talk about how good we have it simply because of it. We also have the best farmer's market, but no one ever talks it up, they just complain that there are no Kroger or Walmart.

**AlexStana** · September-29-09, 02:26 AM

Well, again, the study is not exactly about the abandonment of Detroit, but rather about how people active on this forum try to redefine the image of the city [[both in virtual space and on a more 'real' level: people engaging in community work, etc). I don't think there's anything similar going on in Toledo [[although I might be wrong). Besides, Detroit is so much bigger and well known than Toledo [[by the way, I went to Toledo for the first time last week, I had a great time). For instance, when I mentioned it to my parents, who live in Romania, that I'm working on a project about Detroit, they knew what I was talking about, they were familiar with the city and what role it played in the American industry, culture, and history; but I very much doubt that they are familiar with Toledo, OH.

Anyway, thanks for your advice, I'll keep in mind what you said about the water and farmers' market next time I'm in Detroit.

**sumas** · September-29-09, 06:36 AM

Many years ago I went to Boston, while there, I saw a movie/documentary called Where's Boston. It covered ethnic areas and people on the street type interviews.

If you come to town I suggest you meet with the Editor of MetroTimes. If memory serves me right he did a several day walking tour of Grand Blvd. The people he met and their stories were interesting.

Detroit covers a lot of miles. Each area has its own stories and character. For thirty six years, I was a Detroit resident. Left for the burbs for 14 yrs due to school issues. Been back a while now. Hated the suburbs but our kids came first. Life just seems more real somehow here in the city.

Hope your research shows a nice balance of good people in a city that has struggled with its image for years.

**cch** · September-29-09, 10:29 PM

I am very surprised that 2 professors are basing a project on an Internet forum.

lilpup · September-29-09, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by cch

I am very surprised that 2 professors are basing a project on an Internet forum.

The forum is a communication tool. Forum members and how they use it is what interests the professors [[if I understand it correctly). These professors have been up to talk to people directly. They aren't just staring at a monitor while twiddling their thumbs.

**4Oranges** · October-01-09, 10:09 AM

This is a cool project. What's the eta for completion and will it be available for the general public to read, i.e. posted on the BGSU website or anything?

**RickBeall** · October-01-09, 10:30 AM

Hi AlexStena,
The comments of people in the forum are pretty interesting. I have seen them actually scare people away from Detroit, tell them to move elsewhere. This was not because of the ruins, but because of the violence, and extrapolations into the future that the violence is getting worse due to poor schools, no jobs and no parental supervision.

I think 90% of Detroiters view the ruins as a negative, and something to be torn down, believing it only reflects badly on us. You don't find a lot of "ruins boosters" anywhere, even on this forum.

If you are writing about the forum, the comments in the forum inspired me to write a song their fears. Here is a link to the song:

http://jamq.org/jamqueuemusic/StHiJ1...-Rick_KeyG.m3u

The song is kinda sloppy, and it is sort of like raw liquer fermented in the back yard, so most people did not like it. But hey, maybe your professors can have some:

musical pieces in their thesis.

**RickBeall** · October-01-09, 11:14 AM

I've also written songs about the Garwood Mansion thread. The songs are buried in there somewhere. Those songs were not written about the ruins per se, but about the people who lived in the mansion before it became a ruin.

Sumas is a historian. She can tell you about the ruins from hundreds of years ago. The ruins of the ruins. Of course, in Detroit we don't respect history much, so ruins from so far back are mostly topsoil now.

**Kathleen** · October-01-09, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by lilpup

The forum is a communication tool. Forum members and how they use it is what interests the professors [[if I understand it correctly). These professors have been up to talk to people directly. They aren't just staring at a monitor while twiddling their thumbs.

A small group of Forumers met with the two professors earlier this year and spent a couple hours talking about our Forum experiences. And they stopped by the annual picnic in May too. Glad to know that the project is still in progress. Hopefully we will be able to see how it turns out.

**xdet** · December-05-09, 12:13 PM

For a historical perspective of the Highland Park assembly line, you may be interested in a post at http://detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=3699 My grandfather worked at the plant and somehow this rather unique image showed up recently in photos I found. Experts tell me it is from circa 1926 because of the steel wheels [[more visible at http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2647/...847994bb_o.jpg ) . I myself am trying to learn more about Edward Gray- he worked with Albert Kahn on the design of the Highland Park plant- the birthplace of the modern assembly line concept. Ed Gray is the one that invited my grandfather to Detroit in 1910. He left in 1919 to go back to PA then returned in 1936 to work at Grayhaven for Gar Wood. Since grandpa was gone in 1926 and Edward Gray had left Ford's by then too, I have no idea where the photo came from. My great uncle worked for Ford too but I thought he was at River Rogue the whole time- maybe not.

**gnome** · December-05-09, 03:46 PM

sorry for the off-topic threadjack, but XDET here is a music video that was shot inside Mr. Ford's Highland Park factory. I believe it was shot in 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOizqYTGDeU

**AlexStana** · January-18-10, 05:04 PM

Hi all,

Two Professors from BGSU [[Dr. Atkinson and Dr. Rosatti), and two doctoral students [[myself included) will be conducting interviews with DetroitYes! members on Saturday Jan. 23, and Saturday Feb 6 for a research project concerning DetroitYes!and it’s impact on interactions within the city. If interested, please let us know. Thanks.

jatkins@bgsu.edu
419 372 3403
astana@bgsu.edu