4 ms·

I live an hour away from Detroit and drove a friend into the city a couple of years ago to show her around. At some point she said something like "This city loo

I live an hour away from Detroit and drove a friend into the city a couple of years ago to show her around. At some point she said something like "This city looks normal, like any other city. I can see living here." Then I drove her off of Woodward, one of the main thoroughfares that's been rebuilt and looks great. Within about two blocks going perpendicular to Woodward the scenery changed into what people think of Detroit. So you can have a conference and it will be just fine for those visiting. Just stay within the pretty area, which is coincidentally where the police patrol all the time.

1234letshaveatw 5y ago
Even that isn't necessarily the case anymore. growth has spread out past Woodward
ghaff 5y ago
Where I live in the northeast US, it's pretty much the pattern with a lot of old industrial and/or port small cities. There's maybe a couple handfuls of gentrified blocks with restaurants, twee shops, entertainment venues, etc. Go a half dozen or so blocks and things get sketchier or at least a lot more rundown, albeit not historical Detroit levels. But you need to start somewhere.
SkyPuncher 5y ago
This shouldn't shock anyone. This is nearly every major city in America. You often have very nice areas directly next to crappy areas. The "core" of downtown Detroit is now very nice and very enjoyable to spend time in.
LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
Sounds like the 'hologram highway' sequence from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporated_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporated_(TV_series) The show is watchable btw. for the somehow cyberpunky feeling. Unfortunately canceled after 1 season only, in spite of favourable reviews. Strange. Anyways, the most memorable thing for me was the part where the protagonist hops into his self-driving e-car to commute from the gated community he lives in, to work in downtown. There is a sequence where it zooms out, to behind the car and then upwards, like filmed from a quadcopter, or so. And then you see all the nice trees next to the highway are just fakery, hiding the ghettos next to it, by holographic walls :-)

1234letshaveatw 5y ago

Even that isn't necessarily the case anymore. growth has spread out past Woodward

ghaff 5y ago

Where I live in the northeast US, it's pretty much the pattern with a lot of old industrial and/or port small cities. There's maybe a couple handfuls of gentrified blocks with restaurants, twee shops, entertainment venues, etc. Go a half dozen or so blocks and things get sketchier or at least a lot more rundown, albeit not historical Detroit levels. But you need to start somewhere.

SkyPuncher 5y ago

This shouldn't shock anyone. This is nearly every major city in America. You often have very nice areas directly next to crappy areas. The "core" of downtown Detroit is now very nice and very enjoyable to spend time in.

LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago

Sounds like the 'hologram highway' sequence from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporated_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporated_(TV_series) The show is watchable btw. for the somehow cyberpunky feeling. Unfortunately canceled after 1 season only, in spite of favourable reviews. Strange. Anyways, the most memorable thing for me was the part where the protagonist hops into his self-driving e-car to commute from the gated community he lives in, to work in downtown. There is a sequence where it zooms out, to behind the car and then upwards, like filmed from a quadcopter, or so. And then you see all the nice trees next to the highway are just fakery, hiding the ghettos next to it, by holographic walls :-)