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Detroit in Ruins

detroiturbex.com

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Re: Detroit in Ruins

#21

Post by pyre »

trotsky wrote: post #10
saturdaysaint wrote: post #6

This is unsympathetically referred to as "ruin porn" around Detroit. Yes, there are an exceptional amount of abandoned buildings (there are about 600,000 people in a city that could probably comfortably hold 3x that), but there are also world class universities, sports arenas, restaurants concert venues, houses and apartments, etc. http://www.viceland.com/int/v16n8/htdocs/something-something...

A few thoughts on “ruin porn” from the site admin: http://detroiturbex.com/updates/?p=47

  > How would you feel about an unending stream of
  > tourists arriving daily in your hometown to pick
  > over the carcasses of your ruined neighborhoods,
  > taking pictures of devastation to show their friends,
  > stealing souvenirs to hang on their walls at home,
  > and leaving without making even the slightest effort
  > to understand or improve the condition of your city?
I'm curious why one would expect tourists to improve the condition of the city. Most tourists don't go places to volunteer as part of a rebuilding error.

Also a great comment here: http://detroiturbex.com/updates/?p=47#comment-14

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#22

Post by [deleted] »

noelwelsh wrote: post #7

I'd like to know more background on this. Why don't people move into the empty buildings? Housing in the UK is fairly scarce and empty buildings are likely to be colonised by squatters. After ten years or so squatters can actually claim the property. I thought artists would like the opportunity to get a big studio at a discount rate, and hackers who are bootstrapping would sure make their capital go a lot further in…

[deleted]

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#23

Post by riceadam »

JAVagueArgument wrote: post #12

From an entrepreneurial perspective this web site is a gold mind for film locations and location scouts. Sad as it is that this is the state of such a city, but it could be turned on it's head for profit.

Unfortunately, Rick Snyder is doing away with the state's film industry credits: http://thedc.com/nPBpLQ

Thanks, Rick!

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#25

Post by pitdesi »

edw519 wrote: post #13

It doesn't have to be this way. Perhaps with some planning and leadership, Detroit could follow Pittsburgh's example: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/11/pittsburghs_renaissa...

Yes. See also:

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/18/can-pittsburgh-save-de...

http://www.wbez.org/episode-segments/changing-gears-what-det...

Honestly though, all of these studies harp on different things that Pittsburgh has done than Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, etc... but the main thing that Pittsburgh has that pulls it through is fine research universities (mostly CMU and Pitt). Detroit doesn't have that, and it's hard to build. Yes, Ann Arbor is only 45 minutes away... but it's really worlds away. (I went to CMU and UMich, CMU is much more Pittsburgh than UMich is Detroit)

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#26

Post by cafard »

pyre wrote: post #21
trotsky wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few thoughts on “ruin porn” from the site admin: http://detroiturbex.com/updates/?p=47

> How would you feel about an unending stream of > tourists arriving daily in your hometown to pick > over the carcasses of your ruined neighborhoods, > taking pictures of devastation to show their friends, > stealing souvenirs to hang on their walls at home, > and leaving without making even the slightest effort > to understand or improve the condition of your city? I'm curious why one would expect tourists to impro…

Is Detroit really troubled with an unending stream of tourists?

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#28

Post by ethank »

What bugs me about the poverty-porn you see from Detroit is that if you really wanted to, you could do the same documentation in the wealthiest segments of Los Angeles, just by going a few blocks over.

If I really wanted to, I could take my DSLR over to Canoga Park in Los Angeles and make it seem like I'm in a third world country. It's less than a mile from my home.

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#29

Post by tomotomo »

neutronicus wrote: post #9
noelwelsh wrote: post #7

I'd like to know more background on this. Why don't people move into the empty buildings? Housing in the UK is fairly scarce and empty buildings are likely to be colonised by squatters. After ten years or so squatters can actually claim the property. I thought artists would like the opportunity to get a big studio at a discount rate, and hackers who are bootstrapping would sure make their capital go a lot further in…

Detroit is crime-ridden and cold. Why not just move to another part of the US?

Downtown Detroit, where many of the pictures were taken, is actually much safer than the US on average. But people would rather live in a sprawling suburb.

Re: Detroit in Ruins

#30

Post by jcampbell1 »

noelwelsh wrote: post #7

I'd like to know more background on this. Why don't people move into the empty buildings? Housing in the UK is fairly scarce and empty buildings are likely to be colonised by squatters. After ten years or so squatters can actually claim the property. I thought artists would like the opportunity to get a big studio at a discount rate, and hackers who are bootstrapping would sure make their capital go a lot further in…

In the US, we also have squatters rights, but the more common thing is a thug claims to be the "property manager", and rents space to many bums for $10/month. Smartly, he signs 2 years leases with the bums, and because of strong renters rights laws, the actual owner has to respect the leases. Now if the owner wants to rehab the building, he must go through a legal eviction process, or buyout the leases from all the squatters.
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