Detroit lived a peak moment with a population of nearly 2 million inhabitants back in the 1950s. The main reason for this big moment was a post World War II boom in the automotive industry. As a results, Detroit was the nation's economic engine for several decades. However, all of a sudden the city lost a population of 1.1 million, ending up with almost 750.000.
But why did this city collapse? Well, it is difficult to get clear information from the media, but according to a couple of links that I could find (Wikipedia and http://www.67riots.rutgers.edu), it seems like the origins of urban unrest in Detroit were rooted in a multitude of political, economic, and social factors including police abuse, lack of affordable housing, urban renewal projects, economic inequality, black militancy, and rapid demographic change. After the WWII, a huge amount of immigrants came to Detroit looking for work opportunities. This led to a high demand o housing that was not available. Also, there were neighborhoods where the African American immigrants weren't allowed living, it was a white area.
These problems, together with the African American Civil Rights movements, led to growing confrontations between the police and the inner city black youth, culminating in the 1967 Detroit Riot (or 12th riot). This was one of the deadliest and most destructive riots in the United States, that lasted 5 days and made a significant change in the history of the city. After that, the white population decided to leave the city, and move to the suburbs. The result is a half empty city which stunning buildings, still sit waiting for economic revival.
As an example, the Michigan Central Station is one of the most biggest pictures of the decadence in the old times. They had to close it some time ago, and now it is completely abandoned.
This reutilizing process has already begun, one of the things that contribute to reach this goal is the " Renassaince Zone Program". This is a tax incentive program for all residents or business in the designated areas of the city.
One of these in-use architectonic treasures is the Guardian Building, also calles "the cathedral". Looking at the ceilings in the entrance you can understand the nickname.
However, walking in Detroit gives enormous contrasts, at one side there's such well maintained and in-use buildings, and on the other side there's unoccupied buildings that no one cares about them falling down. These are photos taken by my father while we were visiting the city.
And the fact is that some of the most important business companies have just abandoned their buildings in the city. As a good example, the Fisher Body plant 21, it was a plant where the bodies of the Cadillacs and Buick where built. Now, it's just an empty space in the middle of the town.
Or the Ford plant, this is in Dearborn, not in Detroit center, but still you can see the abandonment of the buildings.
For me it's like a bad dream to see these photos, it's hard to think back and understand why this all happened. At any case, it is just something from which we learn why the city and its region is so segregated.
Apart from that, of course, I have to show much funnier and nicer photos of a city that also has its beautiful face to offer.
Here for example is the Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers play, as well as several big concerts and events.
This is a nice photo of Detroit at night, taken from the river that separates it from Windsor, Canada.
And this is me getting punched by Joe Louie's arm. This boxer came form Detroit, and in his whole career was only beaten 3 times. I couldn't beat him then either.
Well, we hope not to have scared you so much that you don't want to visit us :)
Lots of love,
Lita & Andres
