I just left from Chicago and notice similarities there as same as ours, losing population, lose businesses, and retail in the center of downtown and surrounding neighborhood. The difference between us as cities are : Detroit focus more on the negative and continue to find more things wrong with city, but no solution.
I watch the news there in Chicago and most of the news is about downtown and encouraging all the good things happening despite the decline I've seen there and it was alot.
All we know in Detroit is the negative aspect and dispite all the bad news I will bring up a little signs of our economy IS approving and GROWING.

: BCBS 3,000 more employees downtown, total 6,000
Renaissance center 92% occupancy rate
Quicken Loans bringing another 2,000 more employees by year end
other Entities of Quicken Loans, total 10,000 by 2013
More residential development throughout the whole city
More Development in Midtown/Downtown interest from National Chains recently
New Modern Schools
Lightrail?
Borders Headquarter relocation Downtown?
Technology companies hub [[WEBward)
Strong interest for International border and riverfront development
New paved roads and greenway development

Detroit has seen pretty nice things around with many more...I believe. Im doing my part to bring business here to Detroit. I've been traveling taking business trip to New York, Chicago, and I'm going to California toomorrow morning. Im meeting with community organization, investors, artists, to either to business here and relocate and bring people and jobs here to Detroit. I see opportunity, its paying off for me. Stay tune Detroit..