New Detroit Blog Needs Help

**Clean Slate Detroit** · October-27-09, 12:11 PM

Clean Slate Detroit needs your help, and wants your help, in its formative stages. The blog only has two postings so far, but would benefit from a useful, resourceful, ambitious and motivated group like Detroit Yes from weighing in, commenting, and following.

Clean Slate Detroit is in its formative stages and really wants to connect with the most important tool in the restoration and renewal- it's people.

http://cleanslatedetroit.blogspot.com/

Retroit · October-27-09, 12:24 PM

What is there to comment on? What is the point of the website, and what does it have to do with Detroit? I saw no specific Detroit related issues mentioned.

**Clean Slate Detroit** · October-27-09, 12:28 PM

True- point well taken. I think that's why we are trying to weigh in with a larger population from the very beginning, without getting ego-centric. Here's what would help, in terms of comments- what does Detroit need? I believe, as the group believes, that Detroit has a lot to offer the young and young at heart who are struggling to find identity and purpose. But we have to weigh in early on and see what Detroit needs from these same people.

Does that make sense?

**ordinary** · October-27-09, 12:31 PM

"this ravaged and desolate wasteland."

That's a litte dramatic, don't you think.

**Clean Slate Detroit** · October-27-09, 12:51 PM

YES! I think you're right- probably too dramatic. Thoughts?

**d.mcc** · October-27-09, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by ordinary

"this ravaged and desolate wasteland."

That's a litte dramatic, don't you think.

I love Detroit, and it's people... But it's not exactly utopia out there. There is a lot of work to do. While Detroit sits on it's heels, other cities in the Midwest are doing everything in their power to become hubs of economic and social activity, while all the while, we sit here in our enclave pining for the better days. The new motto should be "Why us? It's just not fair".

Stosh · October-27-09, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Clean Slate Detroit

YES! I think you're right- probably too dramatic. Thoughts?

My husband and I are young professionals in San Francisco. We enjoy this great city and all that it has to offer, but we have become increasingly mired in and disillusioned by the trappings of the industrialized and globalized world "

And you think that coming to Detroit is the answer?

**Clean Slate Detroit** · October-27-09, 01:09 PM

I really appreciate your thoughts- very interesting. There must be things to do to bring some vitality back, right? I understand that other cities might be a little ahead, but that's all the more reason to start something/continue something in Detroit, right?

Buy American · October-27-09, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Clean Slate Detroit

I really appreciate your thoughts- very interesting. There must be things to do to bring some vitality back, right? I understand that other cities might be a little ahead, but that's all the more reason to start something/continue something in Detroit, right?

Get rid of corrupt politicians in Detroit. Ask them to live within the means of the City....no perks like free cars, car insurance, gasoline, police escorts for council members [[they are not Kings and Queens or Presidents); why do they need protection? Get rid of the fat at the top of the executive branch and get more police and fire protection. City politicians need to concentrate on taking care of residents and not filling their back pockets or purses with the little revenues that Detroit generates.

Revitalize the Big 3 and reopen all the manufacturing facilities that were contracted by the Big 3. Reopen all the Mom and Pop restaurants, cleaners, barber shops, beauty salons, service orientieted businesses that have closed because of the trickle down affect from the decline in the Big 3.

Clean Detroit up. Don't just concentrate on the downtown area. The neighborhoods are what matters in the big picture. Get rid of gang violence, drugs, drug dealers, thieves stealing all the copper wire in homes and buildings.

That's a start.

**gnome** · October-27-09, 01:42 PM

I think Detroit will open its arms and embrace you with all of the infection it can conjure. You know, the City has been waiting just for you. You will save us, I just know it. Please come.

oh, but bring your own tp, we're facing a shortage and can't spare a square.

**d.mcc** · October-27-09, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

oh, but bring your own tp, we're facing a shortage and can't spare a square.

Levity and perspective seem to be at an all time low. Thank god for the overabundance found on the coasts! What would those of us in fly-over country do without them?

**BShea** · October-27-09, 03:02 PM

" ... we have become increasingly mired in and disillusioned by the trappings of the industrialized and globalized world ..."

LOL ... when you get back to The Shire, let Bilbo and Frodo know we miss them back here in civilization.

**d.mcc** · October-27-09, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by BShea

[FONT=Helvetica]LOL ... when you get back to The Shire, let Bilbo and Frodo know we miss them back here in civilization.

Monica and Kwame you mean?

**ordinary** · October-28-09, 11:27 AM

I'm LOLing after reading those last 4 posts!

**EastsideAl** · October-28-09, 11:52 AM

Ummmm, we need an economy, with jobs that pay enough to live on, a working school system, and maybe an actual decent supermarket or two. You bringing any of those things with you from California?

Lorax · October-28-09, 07:43 PM

Becoming a glorified strip mall as most other American cities have become isn't the answer.

Bringing "vitality" to Detroit, as someone put it, will require much more than platitudes and huggy-squeezee feel good talk.

Detroit's position is almost unique amongst large American cities, and has even larger suburbs. Detroit's solutions to improvement should be as innovative as the industrial revolution was in building this city in the first place.

The green cities initatives, urban farming, shrinking the size of the city by designating nature preserves in formerly bombed out neighborhoods are some of the first steps that can be taken to keep the physicality of Detroit in check and manageable to public services.

Use Soutfield as a model, since much of that city is dedicated to nature preserves and public parks.

Privatizing the care and maintenance of Belle Isle, the zoo, public golf courses, libraries, and other public parks.

What is going right thus far would involve things like Tech Town, the DIA, the medical center, talk of mass transit, moving to a ward system, etc.

**d.mcc** · October-28-09, 07:48 PM

I still think we could use a big heaping dose of common sense. Other cities host massive competitions for new ideas and bring in prominent planners and designers.

Detroit hasn't updated building commision websites since 2007...

**Jimaz** · October-28-09, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Lorax

... Bringing "vitality" to Detroit, as someone put it, will require much more than platitudes and huggy-squeezee feel good talk....

Lorax, aren't you in Miami?

A former mayor of Golden Beach recently gave us an impressive tour near there. What was so impressive was how much street life there was. It was a dense mix of pedestrian/bicycle/scooter/auto with live entertainment acts staged halfway between indoors and outdoors. It was obvious that it had crossed the threshold where crowds begin to attract more crowds. He credited their success to all the local historic Art Deco buildings that had been restored/preserved. Some were restored only because it was made a condition for other more profitable development. I think he said the area was called South Beach but I could be mistaken.

Do you know anything about that? Are there any lessons that Detroit could learn from South Beach revitalization?

**reddog289** · October-29-09, 01:45 AM

CLEAN SLATE, Does this mean I can buy some heavy equipment and have at Detroit?. Not that a few areas couldn't use a good going through.
I myself do not want Detroit to look like a strip mall, yet I get pissed when buildings that bother really no one get yanked down before the ones that need to go do.
I will check in on your site.

**ordinary** · October-29-09, 07:28 AM

d.mcc,
I was just looking at the thread regarding the Georgia Street gardens. That was started by one guy just getting out and actually doing something. Respectfully, for a lot of things do we really need prominent planners and designers? Sometimes I think those people just get in the way.

**Clean Slate Detroit** · October-29-09, 08:40 AM

Some of these tips and ideas are quite inspiring - small gardens, historic building preservation, urban farming, nature preserves, mom and pop restaurants... thank you for weighing in with these great ideas. It's nice to read DetroitYes because I think great things can be done when people have a common focus.

Clean Slate Detroit is just one idea. I think this is a time in our nation's history when we can not have too many- we need ingenuity, hard work, people thinking and dreaming. I know that some people are adverse, but I, for one, think that brainstorming, dreaming, creating, and especially conversing are good ideals and that we could all use a little more of them in this world.

If you have more ideas, thought, etc., keep them coming! I'll keep posting blog titles so you can check back, if interested. In the meantime, we are looking for beautiful/sad/interesting pictures to post, as well as short essays regarding the recession, Detroit, being out of work, being in debt, being filled with hope, or other matters that are relevant to the times that we are in.

Thanks again.
http://cleanslatedetroit.blogspot.com/