Detroit had a good run living off the post-WWII world-wide manufacturing monopoly America held. Social structures are based on cooperation. Money runs out, things fall apart.
I'm the kind of guy that looks at that and I just wanna fix it. I see huge opportunity, with land and buildings virtually free for the taking to be the seeds of some great parks, businesses, museums, and event destinations. But, then I think of why nobody else is taking it up, and how it got where it is, and I say "yea, that's not fixable". The place would just suck up your resources like a horde of vampires, and bleed you dry in no time.
It's really unfortunate that the people there are who they are values-wise. All that's wrong with that place is the mindset of the people there.
I could see going there buying up some land, starting a company, building a huge animal rescue and shelter, etc. With things so expensive here in L.A. it's really hard to imagine how land and buildings in an American city could be so valueless to everyone, but they are. It's an incredibly obvious lesson that at least half of this country still can't see.
I'd see run down places in San Francisco and try to imagine how anyone could afford to let them be run down, considering property values and rent rates. Wouldn't a run down building be a non-stop money suck... wouldn't it cost *more* to leave it that way than to sell or fix it and rent out three units for 1K a month each?
But there had to be a reason that the property owner could better afford to let a ruin sit there than renovate and get it up to code and rent it out. I just had no idea what that reason could have been.
Can we call the dismantling of Detroit shovel-ready? I say that in name of word-play, of course, but I am serious about a massive make-work project for that area.
It's not surprising that a city so dependent on a single industry would decline like Detroit has, but failure is nearly always an opportunity, as assets and conditions get repriced and become attractive to a different use. What is surprising about Detroit is how that never happened, and even now with those things being relatively free, it cannot be taken advantage of by people who want to do things and need cheap assets and labor.
Why not? Because investors know that the nominal cheapness of those assets and a highly unemployed labor force is still not worth the real costs that will be imposed by a government and population that will insist on confiscatory policies of control over those investments that make the prospect a very unattractive scenario both financially and personally.
The mindset is not one of supporting and feeding the golden goose, but of butchering it, and carving it up for one good meal as soon as possible.
I agree, bago. Detroit's done. Any renaissance they may enjoy in the future will be due to the influence of Islam and Mexicans. For now, the Sun Belt is where it's at.
I was thinking of the future, Ari. When there will be a lot more Mexicans and, I assume, the Islam religion will have spread even more than it already has in the Detroit area. As I understand it, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in America. Maybe the fastest.
Deborah ... check out the "sun belt" for one of the populations you suggest will come to Detroitlink text and link text. These populations may grow, but in Detroit...for gawd's sake why?
Do they still have Devil's Night? Is there anything left to burn?......Detroit is a poison pill. Not to all the retirees have died off can they think of lowering the property taxes.
Throughout Detroit's decline, Coleman Young continued to win re-election and by widening margins. That's the scary part. Isn't there some level of ineptitude that is punished at the ballot box?
Ari, I mentioned the Sun Belt in my 3:32l I was going for more of a futuristic scenario, but now I think about it, by then Detroit will be totally fallen apart.
There is a revival occurring in Detroit's core city lately. A mixture of professional or other wise successful whites and blacks, ages approximately 35 to 45 or there about. I'm uncertain if they can manage a full turn around, but guys like Dan Gilbert are trying and he's only 51.
What bagoh20 said the other day about "seeing opportunity" is what Gilbert has done. Let's hope it works. My daughter (41) is part of that professional renaissance living on Woodward Avenue.
Deborah ... not exactly homesteading when you pay for pricey lofts. However, I suppose you could call the investors who purchased the old buildings and renovated them (staying within historical registry building standards to boot) homesteaders. Few of the refurbished units are for sale yet, but more and more will be as time passes. My kid will buy one when she finds one she likes that is for sale or sale/lease optional.
23 comments:
Detroit had a good run living off the post-WWII world-wide manufacturing monopoly America held. Social structures are based on cooperation. Money runs out, things fall apart.
@deborah: I know the corpse exhibitions are done to death, but the decay still fascinates.
And there was more to Detroit than just monopoly.
I lived in Cleveland briefly in the early 1980's and took my own photos. The Flats were very photogenic.
That's great Halloween music.
Yes, it's fascinating and disturbing.
I said Detroit took advantage of our world-wide monopoly on manufacturing. The system of unions, graft, corruption worked because it worked.
Is it so terribly important to be thought of as "nice" that the simple truth can't be spoken? Blacks destroyed Detroit.
Did they? Please give me your take.
I'm the kind of guy that looks at that and I just wanna fix it. I see huge opportunity, with land and buildings virtually free for the taking to be the seeds of some great parks, businesses, museums, and event destinations. But, then I think of why nobody else is taking it up, and how it got where it is, and I say "yea, that's not fixable". The place would just suck up your resources like a horde of vampires, and bleed you dry in no time.
It's really unfortunate that the people there are who they are values-wise. All that's wrong with that place is the mindset of the people there.
I could see going there buying up some land, starting a company, building a huge animal rescue and shelter, etc. With things so expensive here in L.A. it's really hard to imagine how land and buildings in an American city could be so valueless to everyone, but they are. It's an incredibly obvious lesson that at least half of this country still can't see.
I'd see run down places in San Francisco and try to imagine how anyone could afford to let them be run down, considering property values and rent rates. Wouldn't a run down building be a non-stop money suck... wouldn't it cost *more* to leave it that way than to sell or fix it and rent out three units for 1K a month each?
But there had to be a reason that the property owner could better afford to let a ruin sit there than renovate and get it up to code and rent it out. I just had no idea what that reason could have been.
@deborah: Arguably, Berry Gordy's decampment for L.A. put Motown in decline.
Chick, you scoundrel :)
Can we call the dismantling of Detroit shovel-ready? I say that in name of word-play, of course, but I am serious about a massive make-work project for that area.
It's not surprising that a city so dependent on a single industry would decline like Detroit has, but failure is nearly always an opportunity, as assets and conditions get repriced and become attractive to a different use. What is surprising about Detroit is how that never happened, and even now with those things being relatively free, it cannot be taken advantage of by people who want to do things and need cheap assets and labor.
Why not? Because investors know that the nominal cheapness of those assets and a highly unemployed labor force is still not worth the real costs that will be imposed by a government and population that will insist on confiscatory policies of control over those investments that make the prospect a very unattractive scenario both financially and personally.
The mindset is not one of supporting and feeding the golden goose, but of butchering it, and carving it up for one good meal as soon as possible.
I agree, bago. Detroit's done. Any renaissance they may enjoy in the future will be due to the influence of Islam and Mexicans. For now, the Sun Belt is where it's at.
I was thinking of the future, Ari. When there will be a lot more Mexicans and, I assume, the Islam religion will have spread even more than it already has in the Detroit area. As I understand it, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in America. Maybe the fastest.
Deborah ... check out the "sun belt" for one of the populations you suggest will come to Detroitlink text and link text. These populations may grow, but in Detroit...for gawd's sake why?
Detroit declined when the auto industry declined. That decline turned into a free fall for reasons of race and politics.
People don't want to admit it - so they blather about economics or wave their hands about "globalization".
Do they still have Devil's Night? Is there anything left to burn?......Detroit is a poison pill. Not to all the retirees have died off can they think of lowering the property taxes.
Throughout Detroit's decline, Coleman Young continued to win re-election and by widening margins. That's the scary part. Isn't there some level of ineptitude that is punished at the ballot box?
Detroit should be opened up for homesteading, build forts to protect the homesteaders.
The last time I was in Detroit, the abandoned Packard Automobile Factory was still standing. I wouldn't be surprised if still was.
I loved the Ford Museum—bunkum he said, heh?
Ari, I mentioned the Sun Belt in my 3:32l I was going for more of a futuristic scenario, but now I think about it, by then Detroit will be totally fallen apart.
There is a revival occurring in Detroit's core city lately. A mixture of professional or other wise successful whites and blacks, ages approximately 35 to 45 or there about. I'm uncertain if they can manage a full turn around, but guys like Dan Gilbert are trying and he's only 51.
What bagoh20 said the other day about "seeing opportunity" is what Gilbert has done. Let's hope it works. My daughter (41) is part of that professional renaissance living on Woodward Avenue.
Cool, Ari. I was wondering about urban homesteading there.
Deborah ... not exactly homesteading when you pay for pricey lofts. However, I suppose you could call the investors who purchased the old buildings and renovated them (staying within historical registry building standards to boot) homesteaders. Few of the refurbished units are for sale yet, but more and more will be as time passes. My kid will buy one when she finds one she likes that is for sale or sale/lease optional.
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