New development aims to make Detroit a popular port of call

[j to the jeremy]

I get the impression you are bitter about something and want me to pay for it. And as you have introduced color into the discussion I'd like to confirm for you I'm very proudly white and [[partly) living My Dream; my work dictating I live in S.E.Michigan and my wealth [[less taxes) allowing me to not having to live in Detroit. You are right that my mindset does not cover the left wing sycobabble that blames everybody else for their lack of success . I believe in risk, reward, enterprise, business, personal responsibility and the like. I do not believe in rewarding failure and decay just because I can.

Did you mean "psycho-babble"? I don't want you to pay for anything, though your choice of words is interesting considering what i was suggesting about the patterns of urban development in the US. I was only saying that it's easier to sell a dream of hard work = monetary gain = easy living to people who already have an economic advantage.

I only introduced color into the discussion because in the 1950s, when our current domestic policy of sprawl was cemented, race played a HUGE role. FHA money only went towards new construction, which meant that all new affordable housing in the postwar boom was built in the suburbs, in places which often had racially restricting covenants in place. This, combined with real estate and bank redlining of poor or black areas, sealed the fate of cities. Of course, cities wanted development too, which the feds gave them in the form of Utopian housing projects, destined to fail because they ripped apart high-density areas and put in fewer units of housing than they took out. Certainly not as good of a subsidy as all those miles of new road, high quality homes, and permanent highway infrastructure directly serving the suburban lifestyle.

So, I guess I am bitter, though it's certainly not your fault. I'm just frustrated in the complete lack of common sense our government has in regards to urban /regional policy . On a personal level, I hope that the rumored ferry to Windsor docks at this port we were discussing, because I want to ride my bike to Canada and Matty Moroun won't let me.

[stasu1213]

Your 'no shops for visitors' drumbeat is sad and comical. I travel often for work and leisure. My travels have taken me through most of the country and over 20 countries worldwide [[Most worldwide travel if for personal vacation). Strangely, I have never quantified the enjoyment of a trip based upon the shopping and I certainly have never felt that a trip to a city was a failure because I couldn't find a place to buy socks. For me the architecture, history, people, restaurants, activities, etc are what has made trips enjoyable.

Maybe we're just two very different people since it appears that the only thing you are interested in doing on travles is shopping. Or you're just being an argumentative ass to downplay anything that may be remotely positive in the city.

What does this city has to offer that is remotely positive. Let a tourist visit downtown detroit on a saturday and see that he/she would be dissapointed by the number of closed restaurants and even camera shops. What is a tourist to do. Catch a cab or a DDOT to midtown where all of the happenings are? If it wasn't for the festivals and the rowdy shootem up nightclub downtown detroit would be deader than a doorknob.During the superbowl and the final four many visitors were complaining about nothing to do downtown for everything was closed on that saturday and sunday with the exception of the CVS on woodward. Someone had mentioned Chicago and New York. Ask yourselves this question. What is one of the things that tourist do when visiting New York? I know that tourists wouldn't visit a town to shop but shopping is something extra to do within the close area of the dock.GM has those new cars in the basement for people to sit in but that area is even close on the weekend. Again nothing to do.I am for putting shops along merchants road. The malls was an alternative.Half of the historical buildings such as Cadillac Place, The Fisher, and other historic buildings would not let a tourist take pictures inside of them. Let's face it, detroit need to get some shops downtown and fast. Dont blow smoke up my ass with "things to do downtown:

[coracle]

I hope you get your wish to take your bike to Canada on the rumored Windsor Ferry. What about crossing at Windsor; biking up to Sombra and returning Stateside on the Ferry to Marine city. Now that would be a good bike ride in Canada. [[PS. thanks for the spelling correction. I did ask my wife how to spell "psycho" and she got it wrong; you just can't depend on anybody!).

[gnome]

I was only saying that it's easier to sell a dream of hard work = monetary gain = easy living to people who already have an economic advantage.

Wow, I guess that memo never got to those Chaldean store owners. Too bad.

[begingri]

First cruise passengers due to arrive Monday at new Detroit River terminal

http://www.freep.com/article/2011071...River-terminal

[GUSHI]

Pirate alert, Canadian Pirates.

[D_Town]

All they need right at the water is shopping[[Shoppes At the Riverfront) /resturants/ and public transportation

[401don]

They can hang a banner on Ford Auditorium "This is Detroit and this is what we do"

[stasu1213]

I had tried going into the building today only to find out that it was closed. I had thought that the building was going to open today

[dtowncitylover]

.Half of the historical buildings such as Cadillac Place, The Fisher, and other historic buildings would not let a tourist take pictures inside of them.

I take many of my foreign/out-of-state friends downtown when they come into town and we've never have a problem taking pictures. Just sayin'.

I bet many of these cruise ships might have bus companies that will shuffle these groups to Greenfield Village and back or maybe even trips to Somerset or Great Lakes. That's what happens when you go with a group to Europe. You walk around the sites and take a charter bus to get to them.