Detroit's Beautiful, Horrible Decline

Fl_Gulfer · 03-11-2009, 07:36 PM

Hell I could go to any town in the world and show you shots like that, I know it's fallen apart alot since the car companys went to hell but I grew up in the subs of Detroit and lived at 6 mile in the 70's after my stint in the Corp.. I was the only white guy on the whole street and drove a new caddy. Never once did my car get bothered or did I. Of corse I shot rats our the kitchen window whenever I saw one so maybe thats why no one bothered me... they thought I was crazy..

**monochrome** · 03-11-2009, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by séamuis

although I agree that the motor city is in quite a decline, mostly due to job loss. these kind of photos can be taken in just about every major city in the US and likely any country with large cities. buildings get abandoned, and a lot of times people don't have the interest or money to keep them open or preserved. a fact of life. don't get the idea that Detroit is some sort of post-apocalyptic hell hole, because as bad as it may be in a lot of ways, its not that bad.

Virtually the same images could be found in St. Louis, but you substitute defunct breweries for defunct auto plants - although we have our share of defunct auto plants. St. Louis was once the number 2 auto city in the US. Missouri is still (or was until the recent shut-downs) the number 2 auto state.

Damn Brit · 03-11-2009, 09:07 PM

Great place to park all those unsold cars though. You've always got to look for the silver lining in everything.

deadwolfbones · 08-20-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

In a highly unusual decision for a news organization, Time has purchased a 95-year-old house in Detroit's historic West Village neighborhood, next to Indian Village. The home will serve as a base of operations for months -- and perhaps a couple of years -- as Time's various publications cast a unique spotlight on Detroit and chronicle its increasingly desperate struggle to reinvent itself.

A Time reporter has told acquaintances he will move in before the end of summer. People familiar with the project said news coverage would be provided by staffers from several of Time Inc.'s more than 100 magazines, which include Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Money, People, Essence and Entertainment Weekly.

The house sold for $252,000 in 2007, but, in an indication of how Detroit's fortunes have declined in recent months, Time got it for $99,000.

Bill McGraw: Media giant buys Detroit home for reporters to track city | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

Blue · 08-20-2009, 04:23 PM

Originally posted by deadwolfbones

Correct, the race riots were simply a symptom of the greater problem, but they're a useful dividing line for Detroit before and Detroit after.

Like rioting when MSU won the National Championship a few years ago?

shooz · 08-20-2009, 05:26 PM

Not sure how to post a link here, but here goes it.

100 Abandoned Houses

these were all shot in Detroit.

Arpe · 08-20-2009, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by Fl_Gulfer

Hell I could go to any town in the world and show you shots like that,

Bet you couldn't.

Blue · 08-20-2009, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by Arpe

Bet you couldn't.

I think you can in most big cities. However, I don't know about that many. The Packard plant had been abandoned since 1956. However, there are banks, several churches and multiple hotels, schools, dentist's offices and up scale houses just to name a few in those shots of Detroit. Sustainability is a major aspect that many over look on all sides.

Fl_Gulfer · 08-20-2009, 06:39 PM

Well I never been down under but I know how Beautiful your country is.
I have been around and see some very bad places. Just about every big city has it's slums from people that just don't care about there surroundings or goverment neglect. Mostly poor neighborhoods with high crime.
How much effort does it take to bend over and pick up some trash? If everyone cared enough just to do that the world would be a much better place.

Blue · 08-20-2009, 06:51 PM

FL-Gulfer,

Those shots of Detroit weren't originally poor neighborhoods and were in fact upper end hotels, schools, Churches, Banks and even the Packard plant and Fisher Body plant, dentist offices etc. I think that is the shock factor considering in 1952, Detroit was the 4th largest booming city in the U.S.

little laker · 08-20-2009, 07:01 PM

I can do a shoot like that in my mom's small town, which had 600 people living in it before the mill shut down

shooz · 08-21-2009, 05:18 AM

Armchair Detroit critics crack me up.

Blue · 08-21-2009, 08:02 AM

Originally posted by shooz

Armchair Detroit critics crack me up.

They are no different than Armchair critics of anywhere. Besides, your previous Mayor was from Tallahassee and had a house here and his degree was from FAMU.

Edit: shows some of your images from Detroit.

shooz · 08-21-2009, 04:22 PM

I'm still laughing....

Bankrupted the city and took off for Texas.

Reminds me for all the whirrled of Mr. Bush.

Dave Bing left to pick up the pieces.

Blue · 08-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Originally posted by shooz

I'm still laughing....

. . .

We are laughing also. He was a "big" Alumnus at Florida A & M prior to the scandal and now they have never heard of him.

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03-11-2009, 07:36 PM	#16
Fl_Gulfer Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida Gulfer Photos: Albums Posts: 3,054	Hell I could go to any town in the world and show you shots like that, I know it's fallen apart alot since the car companys went to hell but I grew up in the subs of Detroit and lived at 6 mile in the 70's after my stint in the Corp.. I was the only white guy on the whole street and drove a new caddy. Never once did my car get bothered or did I. Of corse I shot rats our the kitchen window whenever I saw one so maybe thats why no one bothered me... they thought I was crazy..

03-11-2009, 09:05 PM	#17
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by séamuis although I agree that the motor city is in quite a decline, mostly due to job loss. these kind of photos can be taken in just about every major city in the US and likely any country with large cities. buildings get abandoned, and a lot of times people don't have the interest or money to keep them open or preserved. a fact of life. don't get the idea that Detroit is some sort of post-apocalyptic hell hole, because as bad as it may be in a lot of ways, its not that bad. Virtually the same images could be found in St. Louis, but you substitute defunct breweries for defunct auto plants - although we have our share of defunct auto plants. St. Louis was once the number 2 auto city in the US. Missouri is still (or was until the recent shut-downs) the number 2 auto state.

03-11-2009, 09:07 PM	#18
Damn Brit Guest	Great place to park all those unsold cars though. You've always got to look for the silver lining in everything.

08-20-2009, 03:54 PM	#19
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450 Original Poster	Quote: In a highly unusual decision for a news organization, Time has purchased a 95-year-old house in Detroit's historic West Village neighborhood, next to Indian Village. The home will serve as a base of operations for months -- and perhaps a couple of years -- as Time's various publications cast a unique spotlight on Detroit and chronicle its increasingly desperate struggle to reinvent itself. A Time reporter has told acquaintances he will move in before the end of summer. People familiar with the project said news coverage would be provided by staffers from several of Time Inc.'s more than 100 magazines, which include Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Money, People, Essence and Entertainment Weekly. The house sold for $252,000 in 2007, but, in an indication of how Detroit's fortunes have declined in recent months, Time got it for $99,000. Bill McGraw: Media giant buys Detroit home for reporters to track city \| Detroit Free Press \| Freep.com

08-20-2009, 04:23 PM	#20
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by deadwolfbones Correct, the race riots were simply a symptom of the greater problem, but they're a useful dividing line for Detroit before and Detroit after. Like rioting when MSU won the National Championship a few years ago?

08-20-2009, 05:26 PM	#21
shooz Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,491	Not sure how to post a link here, but here goes it. 100 Abandoned Houses these were all shot in Detroit.

08-20-2009, 05:59 PM	#22
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Originally posted by Fl_Gulfer Hell I could go to any town in the world and show you shots like that, Bet you couldn't.

08-20-2009, 06:21 PM	#23
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by Arpe Bet you couldn't. I think you can in most big cities. However, I don't know about that many. The Packard plant had been abandoned since 1956. However, there are banks, several churches and multiple hotels, schools, dentist's offices and up scale houses just to name a few in those shots of Detroit. Sustainability is a major aspect that many over look on all sides.

08-20-2009, 06:39 PM	#24
Fl_Gulfer Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida Gulfer Photos: Albums Posts: 3,054	Well I never been down under but I know how Beautiful your country is. I have been around and see some very bad places. Just about every big city has it's slums from people that just don't care about there surroundings or goverment neglect. Mostly poor neighborhoods with high crime. How much effort does it take to bend over and pick up some trash? If everyone cared enough just to do that the world would be a much better place.

08-20-2009, 06:51 PM	#25
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	FL-Gulfer, Those shots of Detroit weren't originally poor neighborhoods and were in fact upper end hotels, schools, Churches, Banks and even the Packard plant and Fisher Body plant, dentist offices etc. I think that is the shock factor considering in 1952, Detroit was the 4th largest booming city in the U.S.

08-20-2009, 07:01 PM	#26
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	I can do a shoot like that in my mom's small town, which had 600 people living in it before the mill shut down

08-21-2009, 05:18 AM	#27
shooz Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,491	Armchair Detroit critics crack me up.

08-21-2009, 08:02 AM	#28
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by shooz Armchair Detroit critics crack me up. They are no different than Armchair critics of anywhere. Besides, your previous Mayor was from Tallahassee and had a house here and his degree was from FAMU. Edit: shows some of your images from Detroit.

08-21-2009, 04:22 PM	#29
shooz Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,491	I'm still laughing.... Bankrupted the city and took off for Texas. Reminds me for all the whirrled of Mr. Bush. Dave Bing left to pick up the pieces.

08-21-2009, 04:57 PM	#30
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by shooz I'm still laughing.... . . . We are laughing also. He was a "big" Alumnus at Florida A & M prior to the scandal and now they have never heard of him.