Vacant Land, Cass/Clifford/Columbia area

[econ expat]

25 years ago, it looked like a city.

Agreed!
A real city with a neighborhood that was a 'haven', a central place to go in hard times and 'regroup'.
Diverse in backgrounds, but not income- it may have been depressing to some with higher incomes.
One of the last areas of the city to be 'urban walkable'- very few could afford cars or cab fare, but there were still small groceries, 5 and dime, hardware stores, corner bars and diners, etc. Yes, at least till the early 80's.
Thanks, gentrification.

[bartock]

Agreed!
A real city with a neighborhood that was a 'haven', a central place to go in hard times and 'regroup'.
Diverse in backgrounds, but not income- it may have been depressing to some with higher incomes.
One of the last areas of the city to be 'urban walkable'- very few could afford cars or cab fare, but there were still small groceries, 5 and dime, hardware stores, corner bars and diners, etc. Yes, at least till the early 80's.
Thanks, gentrification.

Not gentrification - two stadiums, massive parking lots, and two wealthy team owners who used [[in large part) public funds and political influence to get what they wanted, where they wanted 'em. The condos on the other side of the freeway would have enhanced the area as it was.

[EastsideAl]

I wish it had gentrified. And it did seem potentially headed that way a few years back when some of the hotels on Park were being renovated and other nearby former commercial buildings were being occupied as lofts.

Instead what happened is what has almost always happened in Detroit. Not renovation, not gentrification, not adaptive reuse, not contextual infill, but just clearance. Followed by urban-life-sucking emptiness and a very very long wait for any new structures or new use to arrive.

[buildingsofdetroit]

Hey! Honk if you love Mike Ilitch's parking lot empire and destruction of Detroit's urban fabric! Honk! Honk!