Lower Woodward Heavily Vandalized

[DetroitDad]

Shortly before the fireworks, while DetroitYES was down for repairs, I noticed that lower Woodward Avenue has been heavily vandalized. Graffiti, removal of boards on vacant buildings, and broken windows were the main forms of destruction. Oddly, it appears that only vacant storefronts were targeted. The new street scape enhancements and new businesses did not appear to be touched.

The banner advertisement on the Broderick Tower has also torn down, and lays in shreds on top of the Madison/Angelina's Building.

Combined with the horrible state of the Broderick Tower and Como's Pizza Building, Michigan's mainstreet looks worse than it has in years. Thanks a lot vandals!

Attachment 6517
While hard to see in my photos from my low-tech camera phone, all storefronts on the first blocks South of Grand Circus Park have graffiti over their boards or windows, with the exception of Bleu and the new insurance company across the street.

Attachment 6518
This set of buildings on the Whitney block of Lower Woodward has graffiti on it's windows...

Attachment 6519
While some buildings have their windows entirely broken out. While it is hard to see from the pictures, some of these broken windows have been boarded up, while others have not. Shards of glass lay all over the sidewalk, and are dangerously protruding from some windows, like glass daggers in some horrific movie.

Attachment 6516
Meanwhile, the Broderick Tower has had several windows and boards smashed in or removed.

Attachment 6515
And the giant whale mural is once again visible as the ad banner lay in shreds on the roof of the adjacent building. You can see part of the banner still hanging on the top left corner of the above picture.

[wolverine]

There's been hundreds of broken windows on lower Woodward for years, mostly Broderick Tower. A few new tags is nothing new in the neighborhood.

[DetroitDad]

There's been hundreds of broken windows on lower Woodward for years, mostly Broderick Tower. A few new tags is nothing new in the neighborhood.

This all happened on the same night. Like I said, it is much worse than it appears to be in the photos.

It's interesting that you think that broken windows, graffiti, and mass vandalism is A-O-K on Michigan's most prominent avenue, Wolverine.

[gazhekwe]

When somebody messes up your home neighborhood, it really gets your attention. Wolverine obviously doesn't live downtown. I hope this can get handled soon, Ddad. Maybe a volunteer effort? I remember a while back one of the mayor candidates went around and boarded up windows. I forget his name, he ran a few times. That was his most memorable campaign tactic.

[Stosh]

This all happened on the same night. Like I said, it is much worse than it appears to be in the photos.

It's interesting that you think that broken windows, graffiti, and mass vandalism is A-O-K on Michigan's most prominent avenue, Wolverine.

Once you promote a culture of destruction, why would it not surprise you that people feel that the whole thing is their oyster? Promoting a "urban explorer" city model sure works well, doesn't it?

[DetroitDad]

When somebody messes up your home neighborhood, it really gets your attention. Wolverine obviously doesn't live downtown. I hope this can get handled soon, Ddad. Maybe a volunteer effort? I remember a while back one of the mayor candidates went around and boarded up windows. I forget his name, he ran a few times. That was his most memorable campaign tactic.

Gaz, you are a genius!

[Zacha341]

No, there are some recent actions. I noticed it last week when cruising down there. Some large plate glass windows where broken last week. It is getting ugly, real ugly just like the rows and rows of abandoned home with nothing up to windows. Just laying open. Plywooding seems to be abadoned.

There's been hundreds of broken windows on lower Woodward for years, mostly Broderick Tower. A few new tags is nothing new in the neighborhood.

[detroitsgwenivere]

OSB prices went up to over 12 bucks a board. Probably the reason no one's bothered to do any boarding.

I'm sure the weather hasn't been any help either.

[kathy2trips]

Where can you direct your anger when confronted with this? Art? Politics? Activism?

[cman710]

Once you promote a culture of destruction, why would it not surprise you that people feel that the whole thing is their oyster? Promoting a "urban explorer" city model sure works well, doesn't it?

Stosh, I agree that urban explorers who destroy things are of no help to anyone. That said, I do not see how anyone has promoted an urban explorer city model. If anything, the model is utter neglect and lack of resources. If someone does not believe they will get caught putting graffiti up and down Woodward, they will be less deterred from doing so. Increased vandalism may be a result of Chief Evans deploying more resources to the neighborhoods. While I think that he is taking a good approach, they also cannot let downtown suffer too badly, because it is what most visitors see.

[Retroit]

Perhaps if the building owners, the city, and the police department got together and blanketed the area with surveillance cameras, vandalism could be discouraged. These cameras have come down in price in recent years and would more than pay for themselves.

[ghettopalmetto]

You still need to protect these buildings from the weather. OSB at 12 bucks a sheet is still a hell of a lot cheaper than throwing a seven-figure sum at your Daddy, I mean, Adamo.

[Michigan]

Maybe they are opening those buildings for the influx of pedestrian traffic driven by the soon to be built M1 rail line!

[Stosh]

Stosh, I agree that urban explorers who destroy things are of no help to anyone. That said, I do not see how anyone has promoted an urban explorer city model. If anything, the model is utter neglect and lack of resources. If someone does not believe they will get caught putting graffiti up and down Woodward, they will be less deterred from doing so. Increased vandalism may be a result of Chief Evans deploying more resources to the neighborhoods. While I think that he is taking a good approach, they also cannot let downtown suffer too badly, because it is what most visitors see.

A lack of respect for property rights breeds contempt for other's property.

A quick look around the internet produces a plethora of people that love the destruction wrought by neglect. What's a little more to add to the ambiance?

[Mind field]

Maybe they are opening those buildings for the influx of pedestrian traffic driven by the soon to be built M1 rail line!

And what is the point of your pointless post?

[DetroitDad]

I just spent the past few months watching people hard at work with Downtown beautification projects. Lamp posts and fire hydranst have been repainted, sidewalks are being fixed, and new trees and gardens have been planted. New businesses have opened, and I have been impressed by the owners, who seemed to simply realizing their dreams right here in Detroit. I've seen a substantial rise in foot traffic every year on Lower Woodward, enjoying the nice new street scape, if nothing else.

So, when I see stuff like this, knowing that allowing it leads to the impression of not caring by locals, and then more vandalism, I get upset. While we might not have the resources to fix everything, vandalism is unacceptable on Lower Woodward.

Attachment 6527
[[Above) Trees have been arriving at the "Tuffy" Station to be planted on Woodward Avenue in Midtown and Downtown.

[daddeeo]

A broken glass policy [[like in New York) could do wonders for this situation. Unfortunately, there isn't the manpower and will to get it done.

[Mind field]

I just spent the past few months watching people hard at work with Downtown beautification projects. Lamp posts and fire hydranst have been repainted, sidewalks are being fixed, and new trees and gardens have been planted. New businesses have opened, and I have been impressed by the owners, who seemed to simply realizing their dreams right here in Detroit. I've seen a substantial rise in foot traffic every year on Lower Woodward, enjoying the nice new street scape, if nothing else.

So, when I see stuff like this, knowing that allowing it leads to the impression of not caring by locals, and then more vandalism, I get upset. While we might not have the resources to fix everything, vandalism is unacceptable on Lower Woodward

Yeah it is sad. On recent trips downtown i was a little surprised to see how well landscaped and clean downtown continues to remain, i'm not sure if the "clean Detroit" program is still in effect, but the parts of downtown where I walked were very clean and pleasant on a couple of recent trips.

[DetroitDad]

Ok, I had the pleasure of talking to one Woodward shop owner, and they informed me that Merchant's Row, Woodward Center, Compuware, and the Broderick Tower either have fixed there storefronts, or are working on it this week. Unfortunately, enough buildings likely will not fix the vandalism. Most of these buildings appear to be city owned, or have absent landlords.

On my walk I made a list of what needs to be done to clean up a little more.

1. Graffiti on 1519 windows
2. The gold building on the corner is probably in the worst shape. Graffiti and broken windows are pretty bad here.
3. Lamp post has been smashed on Woodward and Clifford [[not related, but needs to be fixed).
4. Electrical box graffiti on Woodward and Clifford.
5. Bus shelter graffiti.
6. The Wig Shop and Singer Sewing Machine graffiti.
7. The windows have graffiti on the building South of Bleu.
8. The one story "Como's Building" North of Bleu has new and old graffiti on it, boards have been removed.
9. Otto's on the lower level of the Broderick still has graffiti.

Does anyone have experience removing graffiti from windows, so they are not damaged?

[Michigan]

And what is the point of your pointless post?

A little gallows humor. With all the good work and acomplishments that have come out of these posts and threads I should be more serious when posting. I'll try to be more of a force for good in the future.

[spiritofdetroit]

I watched the Broderick Tower advertisement get ripped to shreds from the crazy storm last Friday night, which also shattered two windows on my route to the car from the stadium. So it is not all vandals. That storm was wicked for a few minutes. Stuff was flying all over downtown

[texorama]

A broken glass policy [[like in New York) could do wonders for this situation. Unfortunately, there isn't the manpower and will to get it done.

I personally think this is the way to go. There might not be the manpower to do it for the whole city, but it would be feasible to make the CBD, Midtown, and New Center into a zone in which even petty crimes resulted in arrest and prosecution. One of the biggest factors hindering Detroit's renaissance is that there is no neighborhood that is perceived as safe. Even cities with comparable problems carve out safe zones, where development and jobs follow.

[wolverine]

This all happened on the same night. Like I said, it is much worse than it appears to be in the photos.

It's interesting that you think that broken windows, graffiti, and mass vandalism is A-O-K on Michigan's most prominent avenue, Wolverine.

That's what you want me to think isn't it? Obviously I never said that in the one post I made earlier in this thread. Woodward's conditions a few years ago were unacceptable. Today, Woodward's conditions are unacceptable. I recall a big tag being splashed across the entire front facade of a renovated building near Compuware....a far bigger slap in the face than some of the recent tags on glass in your photo.

The other poster is right. No, I don't know day to day conditions of Woodward, but every visit I make it looks the same. It needs some work.

I wouldn't be throwing shots DD, I imagine your civic responsibilities by volunteering and participating in neighborhood cleanups has been Zero since you've moved there, otherwise we would have heard an entire thread about it. Consider getting involved in making your neighborhood better. Posting photos in a thread may bring attention to the situation, but it won't fix the problem.

[bailey]

This all happened on the same night. Like I said, it is much worse than it appears to be in the photos.

It's interesting that you think that broken windows, graffiti, and mass vandalism is A-O-K on Michigan's most prominent avenue, Wolverine.

even the most prominent avenues run through bad parts of town.

[GOAT]

What fixes the problem is breaking the fucking hands of assholes with spray cans. Seriously, when will our bleeding heart liberal judges start to get serious about "minor" crimes such as this? The broken window theory can be applied for this type of scenario.

The question isn't why aren't neighbourhood residents diong anythig to fix it. The question should be why aren't the owners of these buildings on top of it to remove the graffitti immediately?

It has been shown that fixing broken windows and removing graffitti immediately stifles the growth of that type of crime.

In Windsor we have a program called StreetSmarts [[run by St. Leonard's House) that allows those who have just left prison the ability to help their community by removing such graffitti. Or if they have the talent, they are hired to do murals. This all goes hand in hand with becoming a productive member of society and has really worked out well for former inmates.

With all of the crime that happens in Detroit this should be a no-brainer.

Here are two links for both the St. Leonard's Society in Windsor and the StreetSmarts program.

http://stleonardswindsor.com/Home.html

http://www.streetsmartswindsor.com/Home.html