Imagine, If All Detroit's Rich and Famous Came Home

[Detroitej72]

This thread was inspired by a comment I left in the Fisher Mansion thread.

Take a second to think about all the famous persons to have called Detroit home, if everyone alive or their descendent's came back home to Detroit and:

1. Restored and lived in their ancestor's home.
2. Restored and lived in their childhood home.
3. Moved back home to Detroit and made the city their major residence.

Imagine for a second, if all the heir's of Detroit's storied, rich, money past bought their ancestor's homes, and mansions, and moved in, while restoring them to their former grandaur...

Imagine then, if all former Detroiter's followed this lead and bought, moved to, and restored their childhood homes... Detroit would see a Renascence unlike any other American city...

Then, all the middle and working class folks could follow, and take the same leads, Detroit could see a rebound in it's population, and a true rennisanse...

All it takes is for family members of Detroit's "old money" to come back home...

One can dream, can't they?

[mikefmich]

I had at least g-g-grandparents in the city......chance of one more generation.
That is a grand idea, it would be great to do that. I know where they lived too!
Oh wait I forgot.....with the possible exception of one, they are all torn down now.
I guess I should be lucky with some of the pics I do have.

[Gistok]

Detroitej72... better watch out what you wish for.... we got Martha Reeves back!

[DetroitPole]

This thread was inspired by a comment I left in the Fisher Mansion thread.

Take a second to think about all the famous persons to have called Detroit home, if everyone alive or their descendent's came back home to Detroit and:

1. Restored and lived in their ancestor's home.
2. Restored and lived in their childhood home.
3. Moved back home to Detroit and made the city their major residence.

Imagine for a second, if all the heir's of Detroit's storied, rich, money past bought their ancestor's homes, and mansions, and moved in, while restoring them to their former grandaur...

Imagine then, if all former Detroiter's followed this lead and bought, moved to, and restored their childhood homes... Detroit would see a Renascence unlike any other American city...

Then, all the middle and working class folks could follow, and take the same leads, Detroit could see a rebound in it's population, and a true rennisanse...

All it takes is for family members of Detroit's "old money" to come back home...

One can dream, can't they?

Part of it is a dream, part of it is simple economics, part of it is impractical, part of it is impossible.

Economically speaking, it is really what would turn Detroit around. It isn't rocket science: the city lacks basic services because the tax base to support the infrastructure is less than half of what it was numerically, then take into account that most of the tax base in Detroit now is low-income. If Detroit suddenly had an influx of wealthy, middle class, or working class residents, many of Detroit's problems would be solved. This doesn't even take into account the stability these people would bring to neighborhoods.

Of course, the impractical [[and dream) part is that only a tiny minority of these people are going to move back to the city for countless, obvious reasons. The impossible part is that many of these homes people grew up in - and entire neighborhoods - no longer exist. Also keep in mind that many people actually do live in Detroit, and are already living in these homes you speak of - THEIR homes. They are people and taxpayers too.

However you are on to something in that the preserved neighborhoods offer unmatched housing stock at unbeatable prices. I believe if we can strengthen these neighborhoods and lure people back into them, while upper class people aren't going to settle in places like Brightmoor, we can then provide better services to the poor sections of the city. The poor will always be with us, especially in Detroit. That doesn't mean poor people can't live in neigbhorhoods that aren't full of burned-out shells of buildings, illegal dumping, and no police protection.

Another option is for wealthy people to buy their former homes if they are abandoned [[or any home that is vacant), clean it up, sell it for cheap or rent it. There really isn't much demand for more housing though. I'd be happy if the house is a burned-out shell filled with old boats and oily rags, that the philanthropist bought it, tore it down, and planted a bunch of sunflowers.

However these people won't move back until services[[translates into quality of life) improve, so that's where we are now.

[rhythmc]

Having the wealthy move back would be great, but that is a much more complicated vision. What if the people who were educated in the state or who left the state to be educated returned. Many jobs no longer require people to report to specific locations these days. The next thing would be to encourage them to move to the city.

This would also raise the tax base of the city.

[Mackinaw]

Without taking your proposal too literally [[i.e. I'd like to see 'new' money come back to Detroit too, especially since most of these folks never had a tie to Detroit, such as recent immigrants or the city's sports starts, e.g.. Furthermore, it may be impossible to move back to the actual home of your ancestor's), I nonetheless see a lot of important points here.

1) Somebody needs to set an example from the top, and powerfully change the attitude in the region to make it more Detroit-centric. People with money therefore need to move to the city. [[And, on another point, people with families need to move to the city.)

2) Those with big money in metro Detroit seem to prefer modern or even newly-developed housing on exurban-sized properties, and they prefer this at somewhat of a higher rate than other metros, in my view). But this makes little sense. The City proper has no shortage of places which are perfect for the wealthy, from lovely high-rises that would satisfy those wanting something truly urban, to enclaves within this city featuring large homes on large lots, which should satisfy those wanting space and privacy. Downtown, Indian Village, the Jefferson Gold Coast, Boston-Edison, Palmer Woods, and even various sections of Midtown should appeal to those with money.

3) It is easier for those with money to deal with the so-called 'setbacks' of the city. They can deal with the poor school system by affording private schools or using their influence to get their children into choice public/charter schools. They can deal with poor transit because they have no interest in using it [[although if it was provided they may well use it). They can deal with the threat of property crime by affording precautionary measures, alarms, etc.

[Lowell]

"Somebody needs to set an example from the top, and powerfully change the attitude in the region to make it more Detroit-centric."

I believe we have Dave Bing and, perhaps, Geoffrey Fieger.

[Detroitej72]

Detroitej72... better watch out what you wish for.... we got Martha Reeves back!

You schooled me on that one!

[canuck]

Yes, it would be great for a lot of the wealthier people in the region to reinvest in the city by being there at least part of the time by investing in maybe an apartment [[pied-à-terre) in the city in one of the many developments overhauls that might be built. Absentee owners wouldnt be such a bad thing in these circumstances. The same way I think clusters of office buildings in the downtown or midtown could be handled by a consortium, and spreading the risk by negotiating tax abatement and lower rent for five year leases on commercial spaces. I'm sure the sheer volume of opportunities would spur interest in lending. Since the cost of even ClassA real estate is cheap, owners of vacant bldgs who have been sitting it out, might jump in with recent buyers of adjacent ones and redevelop these clusters. The trick is to avoid the freefall from the hazard of speculation and this means smart regulation from the city and, why not; the state. There need to be rules for prioritizing small business insertions on the street, and as others have mentioned; eliminating large gaps such as parking lots. A lot of business owners will need time to develop in the medium and long term and thus need protection from overzealous landlords, tax increases, etc...

Stability means commitment on the part of owners to secure reasonable terms for medium and long leases. A lot of the recent rehabs of large buildings means that some very rich people do believe in the city. Big investors need ways of spreading the risk. Clusters can help them do that. When the city benefits from major spatial overhauls, it can then commit to multiplying infrastructural elements. Luckily there is very little in Downtown or Midtown's more densely packed districts that seems amiss in terms of street amenities. It isnt the warzone of 10, 15 years ago that people describe on these posts. The interest generated from cluster development through the multiplication of parties could foster similar projects zone per zone. I would like to see very strict rules for pedestrian/commercial needs implemented, I hope the Kresge plan will have ideas set forth that helps mayor Bing rule along these lines.

[BagAJellyDonuts]

Instead of having the "rich" comeback, why not just throw out the scum?

[Pingu]

Yes, it would be great for a lot of the wealthier people in the region to reinvest in the city by being there at least part of the time by investing in maybe an apartment [[pied-à-terre) in the city in one of the many developments overhauls that might be built. Absentee owners wouldnt be such a bad thing in these circumstances. The same way I think clusters of office buildings in the downtown or midtown could be handled by a consortium, and spreading the risk by negotiating tax abatement and lower rent for five year leases on commercial spaces. I'm sure the sheer volume of opportunities would spur interest in lending. Since the cost of even ClassA real estate is cheap, owners of vacant bldgs who have been sitting it out, might jump in with recent buyers of adjacent ones and redevelop these clusters. The trick is to avoid the freefall from the hazard of speculation and this means smart regulation from the city and, why not; the state. There need to be rules for prioritizing small business insertions on the street, and as others have mentioned; eliminating large gaps such as parking lots. A lot of business owners will need time to develop in the medium and long term and thus need protection from overzealous landlords, tax increases, etc...

Stability means commitment on the part of owners to secure reasonable terms for medium and long leases. A lot of the recent rehabs of large buildings means that some very rich people do believe in the city. Big investors need ways of spreading the risk. Clusters can help them do that. When the city benefits from major spatial overhauls, it can then commit to multiplying infrastructural elements. Luckily there is very little in Downtown or Midtown's more densely packed districts that seems amiss in terms of street amenities. It isnt the warzone of 10, 15 years ago that people describe on these posts. The interest generated from cluster development through the multiplication of parties could foster similar projects zone per zone. I would like to see very strict rules for pedestrian/commercial needs implemented, I hope the Kresge plan will have ideas set forth that helps mayor Bing rule along these lines.

As if ....

[56packman]

These people are famous because they have some talent or learned skill that has made them dersirable in high profile fields like entertainment or sports. In fields like music or acting there are only two cities, New York or LA, if you want to work in those fields you need to be in those cities a lot, at least until you are established. That has been that way since the beginning of time.
some, like Tim Allen maintain a residence here, and spend a fair amout of time here, but only after spending a lot of time in LA building a career.
I could probably buy the house I grew up in [[were it to come on the market), in Detroit, but don't want to.

[daddeeo]

The Detroit they loved is long gone. Dream on.

[d2dyeah]

I've always wondered why Motown didn't have a venue in Detroit, like in Branson, Missouri. Their music was, and is, loved and embraced worldwide. It seems like a no-brainer from a business stand point, as the music is an exclusive "import" from Detroit. Motown may have moved away, but it's roots are there.

[FlyingJ]

Nice idea, but I think Steve Ballmer prefers Green Lake

[President Sekou]

Oh so typical of this city is to look for someone else to come and save the wretched souls that live here instead of fixing our problems ourselves.

[FlyingJ]

Oh so typical of this city is to look for someone else to come and save the wretched souls that live here instead of fixing our problems ourselves.

I refer to these as "Ghost Dance Threads"

[DetroitDad]

I refer to these posts as relapses back into a galactic black hole.

You can't escape! That Detroit D is stamped on your lower back like a damn @$#% stamp.

I swear I took a match to that couch once or twice before....



We long for a revelation to build off of. It's all about tending the flame by carnying the candle of the past.

[President Sekou]

I refer to these posts as relapses back into a galactic black hole.

You can't escape! That Detroit D is stamped on your lower back like a damn @$#% stamp.

I swear I took a match to that couch once or twice before....



We long for a revelation to build off of. It's all about tending the flame by carnying the candle of the past.

Cool, Ive never seen an obvious drunk post before. Thanks, much needed chuckle to wrap up this long work filled night with.

[Relayer76]

The Detroit they loved is long gone. Dream on.

The Detroit built on the auto industry is gone but the laws of supply and demand still apply. I am starting to get repetitious on various threads here but what I think Detroit needs is a major marketing and advertising campaign. There is nowhere else north of the Mexican border that you can get a brick house with character for $70,000 not even in rural communities in northern Ontario.

[DetroitDad]

The Detroit built on the auto industry is gone but the laws of supply and demand still apply. I am starting to get repetitious on various threads here but what I think Detroit needs is a major marketing and advertising campaign. There is nowhere else north of the Mexican border that you can get a brick house with character for $70,000 not even in rural communities in northern Ontario.

I disagree that Detroit is facing a marketing issue. Some of the biggest names came to visit us, and all eyes have been focused on Detroit for the past decade. The $1 houses and stampede of investors were on the front page of many newspapers around the world, and it didn't seem to help us very much. We're still right back where we started, just like President Sekou and I, exchanging insult for injury.

Actually, let's not put all immaturities aside, because that is the basis of this whole thread.

Crisis precipitate change, but only when it's fast and painful, not when you are given time to adjust it comfortably, like a frog slowly boiling to death in a pot of water, getting mad at everyone for trying to save him, or at himself for not knowing how to turn down the temperature.

No, the real change must be in the attitudes within each and every one of us, and our abilities to trade ideas and insight instead of insults and denial.

But...

Maybe the famous are as afraid of you and everyone's opinions as everyone else, or even more. It's just a guess when I say that many of us are somewhat afraid to take the risk that it could start and end with us. What else but those types of fear could make anyone actually want to be and remain famous?

Why won't stars live here in the D? Plainly put; "stars won't live in Detroit because Detroit is not Hollywood".

Sigh

[grumpyoldlady]

If they threw out the "scum", Detroit would be almost totally unihabited. ALMOST.

[DetroitDad]

If they threw out the "scum", Detroit would be almost totally unihabited. ALMOST.

Scratch Detroit for world.

[Red Devil]

Crisis precipitate change, but only when it's fast and painful, not when you are given time to adjust it comfortably, like a frog slowly boiling to death in a pot of water, getting mad at everyone for trying to save him, or at himself for not knowing how to turn down the temperature.



Sigh

Frog in boiling water. Awesome! Ray Dalio at Bridgewater Associates loves that analogy

[Hypestyles]

Imagine if, someone like an Eminem could donate some $$$ to a performing arts school in urban Detroit.. or a literacy/GED/tutoring program..