The Good Side of Detroit

[urbanophile]

Sorry for the blatant self-promotion, but I put together a blog post trying to highlight some of the best parts of Detroit, ranging from photos of intact neighborhoods to key assets to surprising statistics.

http://www.urbanophile.com/2010/04/1...de-of-detroit/

This is mostly a compilation of ideas from others, and I won't claim it's comprehensive, but hopefully it can show a little more of Detroit than the typical ruin survey provides.

[DC48080]

Nice work. Beautiful photos.

[urbanophile]

Thank you.

[gazhekwe]

I enjoyed reading that, and the pix are great.

[RealityCheck]

Aaron M. Renn,, a Chicago-based urban affairs analyst whose influential blog is called The Urbanophile, yesterday [[April 11) posted a lavishly illustrated tour of Detroit's "numerous intact neighborhoods ranging from working class to upscale."

These are seldom shown in the voluminous photo tours of the city that tend to focus exclusively on . . . 'run porn.' . . . Amid the truly legitimate and titanic struggles of Detroit there’s another side, one that’s too seldom told.

Renn credits DY regulars hudkina and LMichigan "for the ideas and picture links."

I don’t know who they are, though I get the vague impression they work for the state of Michigan. They seems to spend most of their time engaged in quixotic message board debates about Detroit. I’d suggest they start blogging instead.

Links to his post are being widely forwarded by WDET and others via Twitter and Facebook. Check it out here.

And oh yes: Quixotic debates? I can't imagine what might make Aaron suggest that. Doesn't sound like anyone we know, does it?

quix·ot·ic [[adj.)
1. Unrachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality.
2. Capricious; impulsive.
3. Romantic, wild-eyed, unrealistic
"as quixotic as a restoration of medieval knighthood"; "a quixotic disregard for money"; "a wild-eyed dream of a world state"

[stromberg2]

Really nice job, Mr. Renn. There are some really magnificent homes IN Detroit.

Stromberg2

[urbanophile]

Thanks again.

That's why I said hudkina and LMich should be blogging [[assuming they aren't already under another name). People don't generally send out links to message board posts.

I started my blog because I found myself writing these long message board posts that were just scrolling off the front page and getting lost forever. I just wanted a place to archive my own stuff, and it went from there.

[Bella]

Thanks again.

That's why I said hudkina and LMich should be blogging [[assuming they aren't already under another name). People don't generally send out links to message board posts.

I started my blog because I found myself writing these long message board posts that were just scrolling off the front page and getting lost forever. I just wanted a place to archive my own stuff, and it went from there.

That's an incredible idea. I have been working on a thread about Detroit for a while in another forum.
I think I am up to eleven or twelve pages, now.

[English]

Just chiming in to add my thanks, and to say that I've reposted it as well.

[smogboy]

Sometimes we get so bogged down by the bad news that's constantly barraging us from every angle, we forget that we do have these gems in this area. We do need more good news. This blog should be required viewing! It reminds us all of why we live here. We SHOULD have a sense of pride and care about our surroundings. I've never understood the constant bashing of our home here; it speaks not just of our area but to ourselves as people... if it's really that bad here, why are we still sticking around? The reality is that it isn't as grim as some people portray it to be. The pics on the site prove that Detroit still is a pretty vibrant area with some of the kindest, caring people in the world.

Bravo to you, urbanophile for making the blog and props to you for keeping it going.

[Honeyman]

Bump.

Oh, I need ten letters....let's see....Go Tigers!