Detroit, MI

[City of Miami]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and info and encouragement to visit Detroit for the first time. I will arrive around 7:30am on the Ambus from Toledo so I should be OK on the city bus down Woodward to downtown and Corktown. Then I have the rest of Sunday morning to poke around and gawk until the performance at the opera house at 2pm. Then I have the evening and Monday morning before departing on the 11:20am Wolverine for Chicago. I'll stay overnight (Hostel International = :hi: to JimH) and go to the opera at the Lyric which I have never been to. Then I have all day Tues before boarding the Cardinal back to Charlottesville - sleepers on the Cap and Card.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Listen, the problem with Detroit is Alfred P. Sloan. If Sloan had not lived, the world would be a better place.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and info and encouragement to visit Detroit for the first time. I will arrive around 7:30am on the Ambus from Toledo so I should be OK on the city bus down Woodward to downtown and Corktown. Then I have the rest of Sunday morning to poke around and gawk until the performance at the opera house at 2pm. Then I have the evening and Monday morning before departing on the 11:20am Wolverine for Chicago. I'll stay overnight (Hostel International = :hi: to JimH) and go to the opera at the Lyric which I have never been to. Then I have all day Tues before boarding the Cardinal back to Charlottesville - sleepers on the Cap and Card.

Good timing for your trains John! Too bad you have to ride an early Ambus from Toledo to Detroit but the ride isn't bad and it goes quickly!

I found out about the HI in CHI from an AU member and have recommended it to lots of folks who really enjoy their stays! Look forward to your review of Detroit and the HI and your trip report! Have a ball!

 

[Madzoo]

Thanks for the information, everyone. You've all been very helpful. I have a walking tour guide for the Campus Martius Park area, and I just followed it on Google Street View. It looks OK. I saw some empty buildings, but none of the areas themselves look abandoned. It sure looks like there are a lot of parking lots, though. All of the things I want to see are in the guide along with several other cool things. I saw a few hotels along the way, so if I pick one of those, I know I won't get lost walking around.

I've read that there is art in all of the People Mover stations. If I got out at a station to look at the art, would I have to pay again to get back on the train? I'm not trying to be cheap. I'm just wondering if I'll need a lot of quarters.

Thanks again.

 

[the_traveler]

A trivia Q&A: Is it possible to stand in the lower 48 and look due south and see Canada? :huh: The answer is yes - in one location only! And that location is Detroit.

You can stand in Detroit, look due south across the River and see Windsor (Canada). Other locations in the US may be north of Canada, but you can't look due south to see Canada. It may be you look east or west, but not south.

 

[montana mike]

One other item, likely not on your personal tour this time, but if you ever do get a chance in the future: Detroit's Central train Station at its height was the grandest of them all. I had an opportunity to see part of it a few years ago and when I grew up in Dearborn my Father took me there several times to pick up visiting relatives. It was truly an incredible structure--one of the finest stations anywhere in North America! I do remember the marble, granite, gleaming brass and copper, crystal chandeliers, incredible stonework, etc... when I saw it last time the entire station had been stripped of everything valuable by thieves and vandals, but the old building itself was still a remarkable hulk. I think the last train out of this station (which is enormous) was in the late 1980's.

 

[benjibear]

A trivia Q&A: Is it possible to stand in the lower 48 and look due south and see Canada? :huh: The answer is yes - in one location only! And that location is Detroit.

You can stand in Detroit, look due south across the River and see Windsor (Canada). Other locations in the US may be north of Canada, but you can't look due south to see Canada. It may be you look east or west, but not south.

I don't want to burst your bubble but I will. If you are in Niagara Falls New York, you can look south into Canada. The border in Niagara Falls is actually more level east to west in one area then between Detroit and Windsor. There may be other areas as well.

 

[rrdude]

Cleveland at one time I think was tagged as "The armpit of America..." Detroit long ago ripped that moniker away from Cleveland, and has held it near-and-dear to it's dead-heart ever since.

RenCen was 'possed to revitalize Day-Twa. Casino's were 'possed to revitalize Day-Twa. Urban Farming COULD revitalize Day-Twa, but it won't.

Detroit should just be wiped off the face of the earth, sans a few neighborhoods. Other than touring it under the guise of "A Failed major metropolitan area" class or seminar, I cannot think of any reason to EVER visit that decayed urban, rotted, core.

I do give props to the folks at QUICKEN, the auto-companies, and the sports frnachisees, and sports fans. They, unlike me, have NOT given up. I hope to be proven wrong, and one day eat Day-Twa crow. But it won't happen.

 

[ARBKAL]

Thanks for the information, everyone. You've all been very helpful. I have a walking tour guide for the Campus Martius Park area, and I just followed it on Google Street View. It looks OK. I saw some empty buildings, but none of the areas themselves look abandoned. It sure looks like there are a lot of parking lots, though. All of the things I want to see are in the guide along with several other cool things. I saw a few hotels along the way, so if I pick one of those, I know I won't get lost walking around.

I've read that there is art in all of the People Mover stations. If I got out at a station to look at the art, would I have to pay again to get back on the train? I'm not trying to be cheap. I'm just wondering if I'll need a lot of quarters.

Thanks again.

All artwork that you'd want to see in each station is post the pay turnstiles, so you'll be fine with only paying once.

Here's a great National Geographic article worth reading if you haven't already: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/detroit-traveler/

When I was there last (May) I spoke with several cops who said they have not seen things this bad in all the years they had been on the force. The night sadly belongs to the thugs in many neighborhoods. I saw first hand that most street lights in quite a few neighborhoods were either rout or even missing (stolen for parts),

New Police Chief started last July, and overall violent crime has dropped 15% for the first quarter of 2014 (vs. 2013), including a 29% drop in burglary, 30% drop in robbery, 32% drop in stolen vehicles, and 34% drop in homicide. Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/04/violent_crime_dips_15_percent.html

You're correct with the lighting issues-the city at one point had nearly 40% of its lights not working. Much can be attributed to the corruption of previous city governments. The new mayor started this year, and already is working with the newly created Lighting Authority to replace the city's entire lighting system with new LED lights, expected to be completed by 2015. They've already issued the bonds and have begun installations. Ask any citizen, cop, or city worker, and they'll tell you there's certainly plenty of work to be done, but the change already done by the new leaders is very tangible.

 

[Madzoo]

Thank for posting that link. I hadn't seen it yet. I'm really hoping to get a picture inside the Guardian Building. It looks beautiful.

 

[SarahZ]

Thank for posting that link. I hadn't seen it yet. I'm really hoping to get a picture inside the Guardian Building. It looks beautiful.

I'm hoping to check it out when I'm in Detroit later this summer. I can't believe I haven't been there yet.

 

[montana mike]

Thanks for the information, everyone. You've all been very helpful. I have a walking tour guide for the Campus Martius Park area, and I just followed it on Google Street View. It looks OK. I saw some empty buildings, but none of the areas themselves look abandoned. It sure looks like there are a lot of parking lots, though. All of the things I want to see are in the guide along with several other cool things. I saw a few hotels along the way, so if I pick one of those, I know I won't get lost walking around.

I've read that there is art in all of the People Mover stations. If I got out at a station to look at the art, would I have to pay again to get back on the train? I'm not trying to be cheap. I'm just wondering if I'll need a lot of quarters.

Thanks again.

All artwork that you'd want to see in each station is post the pay turnstiles, so you'll be fine with only paying once.

Here's a great National Geographic article worth reading if you haven't already: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/detroit-traveler/

When I was there last (May) I spoke with several cops who said they have not seen things this bad in all the years they had been on the force. The night sadly belongs to the thugs in many neighborhoods. I saw first hand that most street lights in quite a few neighborhoods were either rout or even missing (stolen for parts),

New Police Chief started last July, and overall violent crime has dropped 15% for the first quarter of 2014 (vs. 2013), including a 29% drop in burglary, 30% drop in robbery, 32% drop in stolen vehicles, and 34% drop in homicide. Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/04/violent_crime_dips_15_percent.html

You're correct with the lighting issues-the city at one point had nearly 40% of its lights not working. Much can be attributed to the corruption of previous city governments. The new mayor started this year, and already is working with the newly created Lighting Authority to replace the city's entire lighting system with new LED lights, expected to be completed by 2015. They've already issued the bonds and have begun installations. Ask any citizen, cop, or city worker, and they'll tell you there's certainly plenty of work to be done, but the change already done by the new leaders is very tangible.

Just curious-Who did they get to lend them the money? Since the city is bankrupt and has NO credit rating? Perhaps the state stepped in and guaranteed the bonds? I was just speaking with one of my clients in the Detroit area (Troy and Sterling Heights) and he mentioned one of the reasons why the crime has decreased somewhat was that people continue to flee in high numbers (he said the city's own bean counters estimated that they had anywhere from 15 to 25 thousand fewer "taxpayers" in 2013 than in 2010 when the census was taken. I guess fewer people does indeed mean fewer crimes when you think of it.

I do hope the new mayor is able to turn things around. I have no illusions that it will return to its former glory from the 50's any time soon, but anything is an improvement over what I saw this Spring......

 

[CaliforniaMom]

If I were visiting Detroit, I would definitely try to stop by the store on Hardcore Pawn!

 

[northnorthwest]

To follow up, I wasn't trying to dissuade you or anybody from visiting Detroit in my comments. That's why I recommended the DIA and AA History Museum. I'm glad to hear things seem to have improved in some respects since I was there a decade ago, the population loss and bankruptcy notwithstanding. I am totally pro-urban and pro-city (and pro-rail), so I hope for continued improvement in Detroit. It will take a lot of work and a lot of bold action from many politicians and those who elect them (i.e., US!).

Maybe one of the first steps to improving Detroit could be…I don't know…REHABBING MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION AND MAKING IT THE CENTER OF THE MOST MODERN HIGH SPEED RAIL NETWORK IN THE WORLD, LINKING DETROIT TO CHICAGO, CLEVELAND, PITTSBURGH, AND NEW YORK, AND GETTING RID OF THAT BUS CONNECTION TO TOLEDO!

Sorry for the caps…I got carried away….

 

[SarahZ]

They are slooooowly but surely fixing up MCS. They've been installing new windows, a few at a time, and there have been DPD officers spotted acting as security guards near the tunnels and other access points. (This is probably to keep an eye on drug deals in and around the tunnels more than anything, but still - it's nice that they're there.)

http://www.savemichigancentral.com/

 

[montana mike]

If anyone can do it Mr. Moroun can--one of Michigan's Billionaires. If he had not purchased the station, the previous Detroit Mayor was going to tear it down. I have heard estimates ranging as high as $100 million to fix everything in order to bring the building up to modern codes-partly because so much has been stolen from the MCS and the pervasive damage throughout the building. It would indeed be a wonderful site to see this function as a rail hub for the midwest. My guess is though that the Morouns may have other plans. But time will tell.

 

[Bob Dylan]

That's excellent news even if its not used for a rail station! Perhaps when its fixed up Amtrak might want to leave the Amshak its in and move over to MCS if the price is right!

And maybe the politicians and thieves that bankrupted Detroit can perform Community Service by being assigned to work on Restoration of this jewel??!!

 

[Eric S]

he said the city's own bean counters estimated that they had anywhere from 15 to 25 thousand fewer "taxpayers" in 2013 than in 2010 when the census was taken.

Census Bureau estimates have the city's population dropping from about 714,000 in 2010 to about 689,000 in 2013.

 

[montana mike]

That's why I used the term "taxpayer" and not citizens. Yes, the number of "people" living within Detroit's city limits has dropped even further as your Census numbers suggest. The financial folks in Detroit rightly focus on who is paying taxes. Sadly, fewer and fewer are both able and willing to do so within the city limits. This "tax base" is what needs to be turned around for the city to have any chance at survival. I was living in SE Michigan when the mass exodus of businesses was in full force and it was stunning to see block after block of abandoned factories, warehouses and job shops, where people just said they were fed up with crime, corruption and the city's "pay to play" way of life.

Hopefully the string of corrupt and criminal leadership has been broken and this once great city will at least have a chance at turning itself around.

:-(

 

[tp49]

At one point the city was looking at restoring MCS to make it the new public safety building (headquarters for DPD and DFD.) They found out the cost was way too high and ultimately built elsewhere, IIRC in the former MGM Grand casino near the Tiger Stadium site.

And maybe the politicians and thieves that bankrupted Detroit can perform Community Service by being assigned to work on Restoration of this jewel??!!

Haven't the screwed up enough? They'd probably have to condemn the building after the likes of Kilpatrick and his ilk were done working on it. :hi:

 

[City of Miami]

Based on what I have read in this thread I have decided to increase my time in Detroit. To that end I changed my Amtrak rez to a day earlier so I'll have all day Sat and all day Sun and depart Mon morning at 11:20. I'm sure I'll go to Eastern Market on Sat - any suggestions of where to eat there? I love that market in LA out Wiltshire (and the crazy mall next to it) as well as the central market downtown.

 

[SarahZ]

Based on what I have read in this thread I have decided to increase my time in Detroit. To that end I changed my Amtrak rez to a day earlier so I'll have all day Sat and all day Sun and depart Mon morning at 11:20. I'm sure I'll go to Eastern Market on Sat - any suggestions of where to eat there? I love that market in LA out Wiltshire (and the crazy mall next to it) as well as the central market downtown.

Zeff's Coneys

http://www.yelp.com/biz/zeffs-coney-island-restaurant-detroit

If you don't like coneys, they have lots of other food. It's your typical diner fare.

Or you can try pierogi. If you've never had them, I definitely recommend giving them a shot.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/peoples-pierogi-collective-detroit

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good plan John, you'll enjoy a more liesurely stay and not feel rushed!

Sarah's recommendations are first rate so I'd go with them! If time allows do run over to Windsor on the tunnel bus and check out Tunnel Bar-BQ if you like meat! The Casino is nice also and there's that great Canadian Beer too!!

 

[Madzoo]

I'm reviving this thread to thank everyone for the valuable information and to say I had a great time in Detroit. I went on a couple of guided tours, and happily, I was able to get some photos inside the Guardian Building. None are very good. It's really a difficult building to photograph for an amateur like me.

Downtown Detroit really is not scary. I hope to visit again to see how it continues to change.

More Detroit photos here if you are interested.

 

[NW cannonball]

I'm reviving this thread to thank everyone for the valuable information and to say I had a great time in Detroit. I went on a couple of guided tours, and happily, I was able to get some photos inside the Guardian Building. None are very good. It's really a difficult building to photograph for an amateur like me.

Downtown Detroit really is not scary. I hope to visit again to see how it continues to change.

More Detroit photos here if you are interested.

Thank you.