  Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 561 Registered: 09-2004 |
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Detroit gussies up before Final Four Though city's trying to mask blight, business owners, residents want bigger cleanup effort. Francis X. Donnelly / The Detroit News DETROIT -- When the city hosts college basketball's premier championship in two weeks, some downtown blemishes will be covered up. Eyesores will be hidden behind mesh fences. The windows of vacant buildings will be decorated with displays. The homeless will be lured to shelters. But residents and businesses want the city to go further in preparing for the slew of fans and media from around the country. They would like to see a repeat of the Herculean effort that preceded the Super Bowl in 2006. The $12 million redevelopment project beautified three major streets, repaired building facades and spurred the opening of new condos, shops and restaurants. "There's a lot that can be done," said Willye Simmons, 46, a carpenter who lives downtown. "We have too many buildings that need to be torn down." For the Final Four basketball series, the city's goals are much more modest: replacing street lights, filling potholes, cleaning buildings and picking up trash. The crippled economy has left both public and private coffers with less money than organizers would like for gussying up the city, they said. It has limited the amount of money local companies can donate for the event. "We've had to make some adjustments downward because of the economy," said Bill Ryan, executive director of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee. Still, Detroit wants to put its best face forward when all those visitors descend upon the city. And part of that will be showing its good side and hiding the bad. Food left over from all the tournament-related parties will be donated to homeless shelters, Ryan said. That way, the parties can help the dispossessed and give them an incentive not to bother visitors, he said. Other eyesores, such as the site of the razed Statler Hotel on Grand Circus Park, will be surrounded by high mesh fences decorated with the images of Detroit landmarks. Ann Lang, president of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, said she wasn't sure how many sites would be covered by the fences. But the number would be less than 20, she said. "So people can look at that (Detroit landmark images) rather than an unattractive construction site," she said. Woodward Avenue downtown is festooned by vacant buildings but some of the emptiness will be alleviated with festive window displays, officials said. The 25 empty storefronts will feature displays that have been concocted by architects and interior designers consulted by the downtown agency, said Kate Beebe, an economic development consultant working with the agency. Beebe wasn't sure what the displays will show. The material is being donated by local vendors. "It's something interesting and attractive to look at and will enliven the whole street," she said. The safety of all those visitors is paramount to event organizers so a major part of the preparation involves the repairing of street lights. Six months ago, organizers identified the spots where visitors most likely would gather and inventoried every street light that wasn't working in those areas, said Ryan, the organizing committee director. He said he was satisfied with the progress of all the preparation. "It's a pretty significant effort," he said. "We think we're on track." As for the sprucing up, the downtown agency will be bringing out their cleanup crews a little earlier this year, said Lang. The 60 workers travel throughout downtown, sweeping streets and power-washing buildings. Also, Goodwill workers will be picking up litter along many streets, she said. Because of the tight budget, state and city transportation departments will be helping the cleanup effort by using their own workers to pick up trash on local streets. In other preparations, the city will be mending downtown streets and sidewalks, said George Jackson, president of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. The work is mundane maintenance that won't be visible to visitors but is important to the impression the city has on them, he said. "It's not as grand a plan as the Super Bowl but definitely gives us a chance to do some sprucing up," he said. Several temporary shops and eateries will pop up downtown just before the Final Four, just as they had before the Super Bowl. Local residents would like to see such businesses become permanent. "We need more businesses, more restaurants, more places to go," said resident Renee Flowers. You can reach Francis X. Donnelly at (313) 223-4186 or fdonnelly@detnews.com. http://www.detroitnews.com/art icle/20090324/METRO/903240380/ Detroit+gussies+up+before+Fina l+Four | ||
Daddeeo Member Username: Daddeeo Post Number: 599 Registered: 09-2008 |
Pretty bad that it takes national events here to shame local politicians to cover up the seediness. What will happen if we don't get any more events here for years to come? It will be tough to cover up an urban dustbowl. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1769 Registered: 05-2005 |
quote: what contruction site(s)? "construction" implies that there is actually something being built | ||
Deandub11 Member Username: Deandub11 Post Number: 319 Registered: 05-2006 |
I know Gravity, how funny. Nice attempt to twist words. www.DetroitArmy.com | ||
Heedus Member Username: Heedus Post Number: 29 Registered: 06-2008 |
I know. I think a bunch of "real" construction sites would actually be a lot better for Detroit's image than phony window displays and painted images. It's too bad the City is not inundated with unattractive constructive sites. (Message edited by heedus on March 24, 2009) | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1208 Registered: 11-2003 |
"Other eyesores, such as the site of the razed Statler Hotel on Grand Circus Park, will be surrounded by high mesh fences decorated with the images of Detroit landmarks." At least with the Statler site, I think the decorative high mesh fences are more of an eyesore than a plain grassy lot (unless the lot is covered with trash). | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3719 Registered: 07-2004 |
This is their strategy. Demolish when nobody's looking, decorate the empty lots when people are. They actually think the empty lots are "construction sites"? Lord have mercy. | ||
Wpitonya Member Username: Wpitonya Post Number: 92 Registered: 08-2005 |
That is ridiculous. Construction sites show a successful urban area. When approaching a city, the number of cranes you see says a lot. | ||
Suburbanbliss Member Username: Suburbanbliss Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2009 |
The fences and screens are around the Lafayette Building. They do nothing to disguise the deplorable condition of this landmark. Do they think that nobody will look up? | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3721 Registered: 07-2004 |
I thought they were around the Laf. for other reasons. Wasn't there a thread about that? | ||
Wpitonya Member Username: Wpitonya Post Number: 93 Registered: 08-2005 |
These were put around the Laf. to protect pedestrians from the crumbling building. At least it might look like they're preparing to renovate with the fences up during the Final Four. This is so like the awnings installed on the Statler way back when. I do have to say though, I don't totally disagree. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 3838 Registered: 09-2007 |
Actually, in the Lafayette thread, there was a rumor brought up about possible demolition, but we haven't heard more about it since then. | ||
Bobl Member Username: Bobl Post Number: 677 Registered: 07-2008 |
"The homeless will be lured to shelters." Just brush them off for a few days. Out of sight, out of mind. A society can be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. | ||
Sciencefair Member Username: Sciencefair Post Number: 157 Registered: 10-2007 |
There is an hillarious fence up in front of the collapsed building next to the Broderick. I guess I'm just hoping that no one from out of town is expecting much outside of the games, etc. as we really don't have much to offer this year. Is there a vistor's guide that highlights any restaurants and stores that may be open at the time of the events? Other than Eph's, Foran's and Greektown there isn't much open after an evening of basketball. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4604 Registered: 10-2003 |
^^^But will that at least provide the homeless with TVs a la Super Bowl XL, so they can watch the reason they're being shunted away like third-class citizens??? | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 616 Registered: 07-2006 |
"Other eyesores, such as the site of the razed Statler Hotel on Grand Circus Park, will be surrounded by high mesh fences decorated with the images of Detroit landmarks." I thought part of the rationale for demolition is to eliminate eyesores? If the empty lots are eyesores, too, then why demolish them? Obviously, this is just one reporter's take, but I found the description of an empty lot as an eyesore to be amusing, given Detroit's propensity for demolition. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3722 Registered: 07-2004 |
Good point, Cman710. Could it be that all the faulty logic is finally unraveling?  | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 562 Registered: 09-2004 |
I'm probably not the only one here who would prefer to see the Statler still standing than an empty lot, with mesh fencing or not, in it's place. Will they used mesh fencing to cover up that burned out hulk left in the middle of the Statler footprint? I also wonder how the outside world will interpret the fencing around the Lafayette Building. Have there been any recent updates on the work to preserve this structure? And what of the Detroit Visitor's Center, somewhere on lower Woodward in the Lofts at Merchant's Row? Is it still up and running? Are they planning to increase their presence for the big weekend coming up? | ||
Detroit_pride Member Username: Detroit_pride Post Number: 44 Registered: 02-2008 |
On CAM (Construction Association of Michigan) on-line bid room the following is listed: Demolition of Lafayette Bldg - Bid Due 4/2 @ 1:00pm Project will consist of the demolition of the Lafayette Bldg, 132-144 West Lafayette. Maybe they are using for budget purposes? | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3724 Registered: 07-2004 |
And no plan for what to do with the resulting "eyesore"? | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 3839 Registered: 09-2007 |
quote: They're going to paint it white. | ||
Screamingfit Member Username: Screamingfit Post Number: 62 Registered: 03-2006 |
Why spend any money? It's not like gussying up the city for the Super Duper Bowel has given us any long-term benefits. Well, there is that ugly bridge scape on the way to the airport... | ||
Kahnman Member Username: Kahnman Post Number: 71 Registered: 02-2006 |
"Other eyesores, such as the site of the razed Statler Hotel on Grand Circus Park, will be surrounded by high mesh fences decorated with the images of Detroit landmarks."...like the Statler, Hudsons, MCS, et al. Irony of all ironies. | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 899 Registered: 03-2008 |
Dang it..I KNEW I shoulda bought a house somewhere nearer to where all the drunken out of towner's hung out! Be kinda cool if the fuggin powers that be decided to repair the damned sidewalks in my neighborhood, or maybe replace a street light or three.. Maybe if I told the city council that the sports bar on the corner sometimes attracts upwards of TEN money-spendin' suburban tourists they'd polish up the old 'hood.. | ||
Enduro Member Username: Enduro Post Number: 174 Registered: 11-2006 |
When I was a young paper boy in Warrendale I had a customer who put nice vinyl siding on just the front of his house. I found it laughable then, it's laughable now. Make these efforts to keep things clean, shoveled, etc permanent. I think there are more potential Detroit home/business owners or renters at your average Tiger game. What will these visitors say when they decide to return to vacation in Detroit (that's one of the goals, right)? "These Detroit union construction crews really are the slowest in the US. This building has been under construction since the All-Star game!" | ||
Eriedearie Member Username: Eriedearie Post Number: 3932 Registered: 08-2007 |
These visitors are going to be traveling on the freeways too. We were driving I94 West today and we saw one cleanup crew between 8 Mile Road and the I75 connector. The rubbish that has collected along that freeway is just awful. The shoulder of the road is littered with car parts, pieces of furniture, clothing, bricks, rocks, etc. Every bush and tree along that stretch had paper and plastic bags waving in them. Whatever department is responsible for cleaning the freeway...they better get busy and hire some people to get out there and spruce them up. IMO | ||
Lowell Moderator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2265 Registered: 09-2003 |
Now if we could just have one of these events every month and and angels' night once every week... | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 566 Registered: 09-2004 |
You got it, Lowell. Eriedearie, you're right. I was surprised to travel along I-94 on Saturday and see the all the litter in the freeway ditch. I noticed it was particularly back at I-94 and Livernois, where plastic bags were stuck in nearly every one of the bushes planted during that interchange's rebuild a few years back. Then, I drove by again on Sunday afternoon was was surprised to see most all the trash had vanished! Then I noticed all the bags of trash at intervals along the shoulder... someone had been busy! That stretch looked substantially better (not perfect, but I presume more trash had already blown in by the time I passed through), but there are plenty of other areas of the highway that need to be done.... and empty lots... and city streets in general. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 1373 Registered: 05-2006 |
Sometimes a showcase event is what's needed to clean all the trash up. Kind of like my backyard. When I had my house, I would have everybody over for the Forth Of July. I would spend all my time cleaning and tending to my gardens in the weeks leading up to the festivities. By the time the date came, my flowers were blooming, my fountain was sparkling, and I was able to showcase my "estate". And I was able to enjoy the fruits of my labor for the rest of the summer as I sat on my deck and listened to the roar of traffic form I-94... Perhaps I'm a bit of a dreamer, but I am happy to see these improvements at the start of the summer season, when all can enjoy them, in their full splender. | ||
Thecarl Member Username: Thecarl Post Number: 940 Registered: 04-2005 |
ah, yes, a detroit tradition: the faking of the city. | ||
Scooter2k7 Member Username: Scooter2k7 Post Number: 225 Registered: 10-2007 |
Why didn't Detroiters just keep the city looking nice. I drove along I94 towards the airport and all of those new overpasses are now covered with graphiti! Everyone knows the reputation of the city already. At this point it is like putting lipstick on a pig. | ||
Leannam1989 Member Username: Leannam1989 Post Number: 242 Registered: 06-2008 |
Wasn't that on Raymond when he complained that when visitors came over they had to make the "fake house". We do the same thing. Even just family, we have to vacuum and clean off the couch. I guess the cleaning up of Detroit may help its image temporarily. Of course, someone could pull up Google Maps and see basically any part of Downtown Detroit they wanted to. I see nothing wrong with a grassy lot at the Statler site. I'm sure Detroit isn't the only city with a grassy lot. The Ballpark Village deal in St. Louis fell through, so rather than have a dirt lot for the All-Star Game they're gonna put in a softball field and parking. Though not the most ideal situation, a grassy lot or a park at the former Statler doesn't seem like a horrible idea. I don't know what you would do with the building with the burned roof there, though. I'm surprised it hasn't been torn down yet. You have Grand Circus Park across the street anyway, why not extend it to the old Statler site, at least temporarily? (I don't mean tear up the road, just make the Statler site into a temporary park.) I realize there aren't really any trees on the site. They won't plant any because it's a "construction site." Though there wasn't much notice, did Detroit clean up for the 2006 World Series? | ||
Young_detroiter Member Username: Young_detroiter Post Number: 77 Registered: 08-2004 |
Who said that lipstick on a pig can’t be pretty?! Okay. So, maybe Detroit has notoriously chosen the wrong lipsticks. Instead of getting the long-lasting kind that will stick around and have enduring beauty for its people, they get the cheap stuff. At least I still can enjoy the streetscapes, Campus Martius Park, and other constructions that gained traction and momentum in advance of the Super Bowl. If a booming and growing city can be measured by its construction cranes, as a forumer mentioned (with validity), perhaps the clowns will rent a few construction cranes and throw along some scaffolds to complement the buildings on their demolition list. Obviously, that would be a waste of money, but so is some of this fencing, particularly if only temporary. Of course, the forumer was speaking of real construction, though. Meanwhile, I only wonder if they were working this hard to “lure” homeless Detroiters (and potential panhandlers) into shelters when it was -15 degrees (15 below) in January. I suppose that they are going to “lure” the needy with hopes of LEFTOVER food from these events. The visitors are treated as royalty, while the Detroiters without shelter are treated like peasants, or worse – like dogs. Visitors, welcome to your bright, polished illusion. Detroiters, just deal with your grimy, gloomy, dull reality. “Believe ‘n the D!” | ||
Don_jaguar Member Username: Don_jaguar Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2009 |
You can make dog doo doo look like pumpkin pie but it is still going to taste like poop! | ||
Dan_the_man Member Username: Dan_the_man Post Number: 77 Registered: 07-2006 |
I was stuck in a large line of traffic this morning on I94 as it was narrowed down to one lane because they were cleaning up all the garbage on the median, but the thing I found most interesting was that two of the four trucks that were there doing to clean-up said New York City DOT on them. Are we borrowing trucks from NYC to help with the clean-up? | ||
Dbest Member Username: Dbest Post Number: 111 Registered: 03-2007 |
Maybe they could hand out DPD uniforms for the bums to wear downtown? This could go along way in changing the tourists misconception of Detroit being unsafe. (Message edited by Dbest on March 27, 2009) | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 3849 Registered: 09-2007 |
quote: However, I'm also sure Detroit is the only city of its size with a grassy lot in the middle of its downtown (on a historically "upscale" street known for its skyscrapers). |
