Quote Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner View Post
No kiddin' no one has ever really thought about the possibility that downtown is empty is because many neighborhoods are in shambles. You need to have strong neighborhoods to support a downtown. There is only so much you can rely on spectator sports and casinos. These don't fill offices and stores. People want to live near work, and if the neighborhoods are not attractive for residents then the downtown won't have a real base for jobs.
Detroit needs jobs. Without a tax base, the city can't provide the police protection, garbage pickup, basic cleanup and services for the neighborhoods. As you say, people like to live near their jobs.