Comments on: Back to the Land in Detroit?

By: Damien Goodmon

Damien Goodmon — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:24:57 +0000

While Detroit’s population has declined the Metro area really has remained steady. I think it’s the classic case of an abandoned urban core and white flight leading to the weakened city center and unsustainable suburbia through America. Only in this city it’s on steroids, because it’s coupled with the evisceration of the region’s bedrock industry. The lack of a transition plan can in some respects be attributed to the poor land use.

The sad part is, even if downtown Detriot and the surrounding urban residential ring is brought back, through whatever public assistance, programs, etc., it will just solidify the suburbs.

By: DLM

DLM — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:22:00 +0000

A key problem in Detroit though is not how to “build” a new concept of housing, but how to deconstruct the existing city down to a functional scale for its population. Many smaller communities that have been faced with a similar large loss of people have done a good job of consciously returning sections to greenspace, farming, etc. The financial and technical issues are not really that hard. The biggest problem often seems to be that by tradition and mindset, most officials try to grow their way out of a problem. This results in the “let’s build a convention center and ‘revitalize’ the city” approach. It will be difficult for a city the size (and corruption) of Detroit to take a more radical approach.

Detroit actually has a huge opportunity. How many cities have excess capacity of residential and commercial real estate, transportation capacity, willing employees?

Tear down buildings and give away the land to anyone willing to farm it for a set number of years…a new homesteading act. Make the right lane of every multilane street a bike lane. Free space to any new small commercial company.

I don’t know if the local government will have the vision to do anything with the chance they have, but someone will. Nature abhors a vacuum.

By: ubrayj02

ubrayj02 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:42:40 +0000

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec09/earthship_09-30.html

By: Adonia

Adonia — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:35:43 +0000

The depopulation of Detroit has been an unintentional boon to bicyclists. Riding along empty four lane avenues is an exhilarating experience. I spent a week there this summer and met many energetic people working to interpret and improve the damaged cityscape. What’s wrong with optimism in the face of intense poverty and corrupt political systems? Would it be better to bulldoze the whole city and hide from our American history of racism and industry at the cost of community?

By: ubrayj02

ubrayj02 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:34:05 +0000

The “technical and financial assistance” is, of course, a childish fantasy. However, the larger thrust of the argument, that the remains of Detroit will provide enough for a less intense level of civilized activity (outside of the global resource game) is quite reasonable.

As regards the housing required, no insane high-tech material is required – but high-tech design principles are. I’m a fan of the work of architect Michael Reynolds.

There is a film about Mr. Reynolds, “Garbage Warrior”, that really opened my eyes to the low capital cost, hyper resource efficient, styles of housing possible. A community designed around self-sufficient farming, living in “earthships” could maintain a high standard of living and preserve some of the prosperity of the 20th century almost indefinitely.