Detroit's Beautiful, Horrible Decline

[Locke]

I found it odd that all of the buildings were very similarly trashed.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I don't think these photos really reflect the true reality of Detroit. I follow Urban Exploration, and these types of photos can be found anywhere from Miami to Vancouver to Toronto and far before this recession. 11 photos barely gives you the whole the picture.

What it does reflect is how little value society sees in older buildings in North America say vs Europe.

Here's a good slideshow though that better reflects today's issues.
http://www.time.com/time/photogaller...884100,00.html

That is pretty depressing.

[loob job]

In The Lee Plaza Hotel Room pic, it says that it closed in the 1990's, that TV looks like it was made in the 60's along with the furniture, and the stove knobs make the stove look like it was made in the 60's as well. Leads to the photoshopped / staged pics idea. Cool pics though none the less.

[burn_this_city]

I was there a year ago around this time. Burned out homes along the freeway still standing. Massive buildings like the train station with the windows almost all gone. Many factories just sitting idle, some seemingly ready to collapse. Everywhere you look there is decay. I dont think that town will ever be as strong as it was in the 60's and 70's. Its sad that some many beautiful structures lay empty and in ruin.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by loob job

In The Lee Plaza Hotel Room pic, it says that it closed in the 1990's, that TV looks like it was made in the 60's along with the furniture, and the stove knobs make the stove look like it was made in the 60's as well. Leads to the photoshopped / staged pics idea. Cool pics though none the less.

Not really, it makes sense when if the owner didn't/couldn't spend money on renovations and upgrading and eventually it cost the demise of the business and it was forced to close.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Here's a good slideshow though that better reflects today's issues.
http://www.time.com/time/photogaller...884100,00.html

weird to see some of those malls onthe inside all empty

[Igottago]

Outstanding pictures. Some really amazing architechture there.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Here's a good slideshow though that better reflects today's issues.
http://www.time.com/time/photogaller...884100,00.html

Well Frank's Nursery seems to be doing fine...

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I don't think these photos really reflect the true reality of Detroit. I follow Urban Exploration, and these types of photos can be found anywhere from Miami to Vancouver to Toronto and far before this recession. 11 photos barely gives you the whole the picture.

What it does reflect is how little value society sees in older buildings in North America say vs Europe.

Here's a good slideshow though that better reflects today's issues.
http://www.time.com/time/photogaller...884100,00.html

why are the lights on in those abandoned malls and businesses? who's paying the electrical bills?

[Locke]

Niles Illinois is a failed retail cesspool.

[Shnabdabber]

To jump start the economy, I propose that Detroit turns the city into the Worlds largest paintball park.

Scenario ball would rock in that theater.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Khel

Doesn't that train station look alot like the building in the Transformers movie?

That's cause it is the building from Transformers. It's a very unique building.

[Nancy]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Here's a good slideshow though that better reflects today's issues.
http://www.time.com/time/photogaller...884100,00.html

With all the new retail space that is being built in Calgary at the moment, I can't help but wonder how many empty stores we will be seeing here in a year. In particular, I wonder if we will end up with a lot of closed stores in the NE after Cross Iron Mills opens, as there is already soooo much retail in the NE.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by macker

Rolling Stone had a good write up on Detroits decline. Buffalo, Baltimore, Phoenix are on the same trajectory. The most recent auto show there was pretty pimped down....Would rather be leveraged to oil than auto....

Phoenix????

Are you sure that's not a mistake? Phoenix is one of the fastest growing cities in North America.

[Jets4Life]

City of Detroit Historical Population (1900-2007):

1900: 285,704
1910: 465,766
1920: 993,678
1930: 1,568,662
1940: 1,623,452
1950: 1,849,568
1960: 1,670,144
1970: 1,514,063
1980: 1,203,368
1990: 1,027,974
2000: 951,270
2007: 916,952

[macker]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

Phoenix????

Are you sure that's not a mistake? Phoenix is one of the fastest growing cities in North America.

I have seen pictures from Phoenix that look a lot like the pictures from Detroit. The real estate prices give you a better idea of the situation. You have the cities in the rust belt such as Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland etc. etc. and you have the cities in the sun belt such as San Diego, Miami, Phoenix etc. etc. The picture remains the same and you can pick up cheap real estate in any of these cities. Just ask Youtube

Phoenix was one of the hardest hit by the sub-prime mortgage crisis. In early 2009 the median home price was $150,000 down from its peak of $262,000 in recent years. I agree that Phoenix will not decline going forward in the same way that rust belt type cities will and I put it in the wrong grouping as sun belt cities are obviously much more desirable than rust belt cities but the pictures from the recent fall out are very similar.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Nancy

With all the new retail space that is being built in Calgary at the moment, I can't help but wonder how many empty stores we will be seeing here in a year. In particular, I wonder if we will end up with a lot of closed stores in the NE after Cross Iron Mills opens, as there is already soooo much retail in the NE.

yet whenever i go to the sunridge mall, futureshop, bestbuy, or any other store in the NE it's always packed. i can't see the big outfits at least struggling for sales in the near future there