Detroit has become a Science Project

**Jarvis** · December-30-09, 01:43 PM

Just when you think our reputation can't get any worse, The History Channel does a special on what happens to the earth when there is no more human existence and uses Detroit as an example. Not only are we known as "Beirut", or "Bombed Out", we are now a frickin' science project. Empty, abandoned buildings has been Detroit's reputation since the riots and people on this site are against demolition. Tearing down these empty warehouses and vacant buildings should be priority #1 if we want to shake our reputation. Whenever I drive on I-94 near I-75 I get depressed looking at these empty monstrosities. Imagine what people from out of town think. We have been a national disgrace for 40 years, but how dare we tear down a building that has a facade with architectural value or a factory that will never be occupied again.

**RickBeall** · December-30-09, 01:55 PM

Let's turn it all back into ribbon farms! That's the ticket! And grow apples!

Retroit · December-30-09, 02:12 PM

I can't speak for the rest of the "people on this site", but I agree with you that most of the abandoned buildings should be torn down.

I disagree with you, though, about attention being drawn to Detroit's problems. Why should we hide our "dirty little secrets"? Let all the scientists of the world come here to diagnose our problems!

**rb336** · December-30-09, 02:28 PM

The History Channel has done similar things with other cities. get over it

**bailey** · December-30-09, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

The History Channel has done similar things with other cities. get over it

Yeah, but, the Detroit and New Orleans episodes didn't need the computer animation to show the desolation.

**leland_palmer** · December-30-09, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Jarvis

Just when you think our reputation can't get any worse, The History Channel does a special on what happens to the earth when there is no more human existence and uses Detroit as an example. Not only are we known as "Beirut", or "Bombed Out", we are now a frickin' science project. Empty, abandoned buildings has been Detroit's reputation since the riots and people on this site are against demolition. Tearing down these empty warehouses and vacant buildings should be priority #1 if we want to shake our reputation. Whenever I drive on I-94 near I-75 I get depressed looking at these empty monstrosities. Imagine what people from out of town think. We have been a national disgrace for 40 years, but how dare we tear down a building that has a facade with architectural value or a factory that will never be occupied again.

Welcome to season two of "Life After People" Get a grip, I think we are in good company.

Life After People : Outbreak

Airs on Sunday January 03 12:00 PM
Pigs break loose, rabies spreads, and the Chicago river reverses. Also, the fate of Big Ben, the Queen's pet corgis, and Chicago's tallest buildings. This episode is a journey that will take us to the future of Chicago, Atlanta and London--as well as haunting locations already devoid of man. This isn't the story of how we might vanish--it's the story of what happens to the world we leave behind.

**RickBeall** · December-30-09, 02:53 PM

The Savoyard Creek slips its bounds and brings several skyscrapers to their knees.

Mysteriously, 100 years later there is still steam issuing from Detroit's sewers.

After 300 years, the skyscrapers are gone, ironically, nothing remains but the the bushes put out for Detroit's Centennial.

**Motown Madman** · December-30-09, 03:17 PM

Yes, I can imagine Californians like "Yo, brah. Detroit like already looks like that dude."
Hopefully the makers of the show intended the city to be put in that position, but I bet some of the guys at those offices had a field day with Detroit jokes.

**Detroitus** · December-30-09, 03:23 PM

You should read the book, The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. Basically what he describes is Detroit as it is now [[de)evolving. Great read, well written and well researched and not all bad news.

**unclefrank** · December-30-09, 07:47 PM

Detroit had some of the richest farmland in the world. The soil that is not polluted should go back to that.

**RickBeall** · December-30-09, 09:00 PM

I remember that when I lived by Lillies Bar in Hamtramck [[now painted lady), when the folks downstairs dug in the back yard to make a garden they were surprised to find that the very rich top soil was 18 inches deep.

**LeannaM** · December-30-09, 09:42 PM

Seems like a no-win situation.

Do you want blocks of abandoned buildings or blocks of urban prairies?

Seems like a History Channel documentary couldn't hurt Detroit's reputation much more than it has already been hurt.

**ghettopalmetto** · December-30-09, 10:20 PM

The difference is that what the History Channel describes is a series of natural processes that will occur once humans cease to occupy the earth. Detroit's devolution is due precisely to a series of conscious decisions made by people themselves.

**PeachLaser** · December-31-09, 09:24 AM

Luckily, the terrorists bomb did not go off and the plane did not crash in Detroit. Knowing how AQ tries maximizing symbolism, maybe they wanted the whole world to see Detroit in her current state. Thank God, it didn't happen, but if it had gone down, there would of been thousands of reporters from around the world descending on Detroit to see how the U.S. manufacturing economy had already crashed long ago and how, as a country, we have ignored Detroit.

I've often wondered what would happen if an outside organization of say, 20-30,000 people, went into Detroit, bought everything up, elected new leaders, ran the criminals and thugs out and started cleaning up, what would happen? I think the challenge is too big for Detroiters themselves and there is too much history that people keep reliving for them to get past. I say bring in massive fresh groups of people and turn the place around. Offer houses for $5-$10K, with infrastructure already in place, and plenty of land to build on. But, like I said, it would mean electing totally new leaders and cleaning house in local government and replacing with the new outsiders. It also might mean bringing your own private security forces in with you at the same time to take back the streets and make the neighborhoods safe again. That is a science [[social) project I would like to see.

**RickBeall** · December-31-09, 10:12 AM

Yes and push all the people currently living in Detroit, good and bad into the suburbs. An excellent and thoughtful way to clean up the city.

**ghettopalmetto** · December-31-09, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by RickBeall

Yes and push all the people currently living in Detroit, good and bad into the suburbs. An excellent and thoughtful way to clean up the city.

Why not? Detroit is already repeating every bad idea that's come across in the past 50 or 60 years. What's one more?

**GOAT** · December-31-09, 10:36 AM

Paging Ghettoman....what do the Centaurians think?

**PeachLaser** · December-31-09, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by RickBeall

Yes and push all the people currently living in Detroit, good and bad into the suburbs. An excellent and thoughtful way to clean up the city.

That's not the idea. The idea is to make it a livable place again for those that are not preying off of others. There are still plenty of good people in Detroit. The idea is to make it a better place for them. There's plenty of room in Detroit, as you know. Crime and hopelessness seem to be two of the biggest obstacles that Detroit faces in trying to turn around.