See, we get new buildings all the time!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/001.jpg

Granted, they're only 10 stories...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/002.jpg

The view from GM's front porch:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/003.jpg

Hey! It's All-Star Week!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/004.jpg

They're new:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/005.jpg

Opa!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/006.jpg

Greektown Casino is in Trapper's Alley:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/007.jpg

Yup, this used to be a dirty, stinky Alley...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/008.jpg

Who says the stroller-set hasn't invaded Detroit?
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/009.jpg

Yes, we were the last city on the face of the earth to get one.
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/010.jpg

Yes, we're still in Detroit.
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/011.jpg

How and how not to build a skyscraper:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/012.jpg

No, this came before the Empire State Building!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/013.jpg

Downstairs:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/014.jpg

Not to be confused with the car manufacturer...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/015.jpg

Chicago sans people:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/016.jpg

Comerica! Comerica! God shed his grace on thee!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/017.jpg

Yes, that's all one building.
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/018.jpg

Stupid sun...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/019.jpg

Detroit's version of mass transit:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/020.jpg

Baby WTC:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/021.jpg

Financial District:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/022.jpg

Fortress Renaissance:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/023.jpg

PoMo:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/024.jpg

Just one of 10 billion of those little car sculptures:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/025.jpg

Someone's got Comerica in a pincer!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/026.jpg

The thing over this fountain is ugly...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/027.jpg

Seagull with 14-foot wingspan discovered in Detroit:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/028.jpg

Coast Guard guarding the coast...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/029.jpg

You can't have a tour of Downtown Detroit without a quick shot of Windsor's skyline!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/030.jpg

Another view from Hart Plaza:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/031.jpg

It's actually pretty cool in person:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/032.jpg

It's easier than going to Belle Isle:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/033.jpg

I think this was a church group...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/034.jpg

The Winter Garden!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/035.jpg

The Riverfront Promenade:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/036.jpg

Glassy!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/037.jpg

Try 'em, they're good.
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/038.jpg

Their neighbor is the biggest conglomeration in the world...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/039.jpg

Heading back to Greektown:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/040.jpg

Getting closer!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/041.jpg

Fooled you! cut through to Cadillac Square:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/042.jpg

and on to Campus Martius:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/043.jpg

She was telling an African folktale:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/044.jpg

Water + Dime Building
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/045.jpg

Water + Compuware Building
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/046.jpg

He'll destroy anything that looks like mass transit!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/047.jpg

Who actually uses the downtown branch of the library?
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/048.jpg

Gratiot -- Waiting for Starbucks:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/049.jpg

Broderick and friends:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/050.jpg

Book and friends:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/051.jpg

Let's hope that transformer doesn't see this:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/052.jpg

okay...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/053.jpg

This was actually taken through the window of the People Mover:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/054.jpg

He's in the hospital now...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/055.jpg

Get on the bus!
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/056.jpg

I don't know how this one ended up being last...
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/downtown/allstar/057.jpg

Very nice! Some surprising pics in this collection.

lol

Hudkina, the captions were kind of out of character for you. When did you take these? Man, that pic of the Leland Ramada is awesome. It's kind of decieving though. But that's how they built buildings back then.

Wow, downtown Detroit looks very attractive. Looks like there's been quite of lot of revitalization going on. I hope the rest of Detroit gets cleaned up in the same fashion.

Parts of it are being cleaned up in the same fashion.

I'm actually funnier in person, LMich.

Keep the left-handed compliments coming!

very nice photographs ! I hope to pay another visit to Detroit next fall.

Looks great. Nice shots.

I like the 14-foot seagull span. lol

I don't think I have EVER seen a Detroit photo essay produce so much positive feedback as this...on all forums... somehow overnight, Detroit just all of a sudden looks like "a place that I could live" or "doesn't deserve the negative hype" or "is so beautiful". Just goes to show how big of suckers people can be! ;)

That's because I'm the master of deception. I photoshopped all the nice things into these pictures. Detroit is really a bombed-out ghetto. At least that's what my cousin's friend's neighbor said.

Do you ever wonder how things get "bombed out" when there are no bombs in site in the first place? I wonder where that term came from? I wonder what a real bombed out neighborhood (literally) would look like? Not that I would want to see that.

Look at any pictures of Fallujah, parts of Kosovo, parts of Kabul, or Grozny in Chechnya...I could go on and on, there are plenty of truly "bombed-out" places around the world at the moment, unfortunately.

Detroit does have an internal war; a war of the streets. But then again, which major American cities doesn't have a war on the streets now that started many decades ago?

But still no bombs.

Exactly. But it's all semantics. "Bombed-out" has simply come to mean any large-scale decrepit area, and Detroit has plenty of those.

That's because I'm the master of deception. I photoshopped all the nice things into these pictures. Detroit is really a bombed-out ghetto. At least that's what my cousin's friend's neighbor said.

I really do like your pics and I know there are nice parts of Detroit, but lets not pretend like there are no bombed out ghettos in Detroit.

This pic is not photoshopped and my cousin's friend's neighbor didn't take it. This does not look like a healthy city:

http://img305.imageshack.us/img305/2275/12jo.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

It may not be healthy, but it's not bombed out. Lots of potential. Who said anything about pretending?

It may not be healthy, but it's not bombed out. Lots of potential.

Like Lmichigan said, "bombed out" is just a figure of speech. Look at that picture I posted. Look at the perfect grid with all of the abandoned lots. It looks like it could've been bombed and the grass grew over. That's not just one part of the city either. Lots of potential? You bet.

Who said anything about pretending?

Hudkina's sarcastic remark about Detroit being a bombed out ghetto because of what someone's cousin's friends neighbor said.........as if there are no bombed out ghettos to be found in Detroit.

I like these pics, but I really do want to see a bombed out ghetto Detroit picture thread. If you ever look at my pics of Minneapolis, I don't just take pics of nice looking areas.

Are you kidding me? You actually think there's an area of downtown that's bombed out? If there is I'd like to know. Sure there are storefronts that sit empty and a few skyscrapers that have been abandoned for the last decade or two, but downtown is anything but bombed out. These pictures are taken all over downtown. The only area I really didn't go was the northwest corner of downtown because that area is plagued with parking lots. These pics are pretty representative of the rest of the CBD.

Also, If you actually drive through a neighborhood like that, it doesn't look bombed out. It actually looks more like a country field with a few houses interspersed. Thankfully there aren't that many neighborhoods around the city that look like that.


BTW, these are your more typical Detroit neighborhoods:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/centralwest.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/farwest.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/eastside.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/southwestdetroit.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/uptown.jpg

Are you kidding me? You actually think there's an area of downtown that's bombed out?

I didn't say downtown Detroit specifically. Showing pics of downtown Detroit and being like "see, Detroit isn't bombed out" is like the guy who posts pictures of sunny days in Seattle after people talk about Seattle's cloudy weather.

Thankfully there aren't that many neighborhoods around the city that look like that.


I looked at Google earth, and there are large areas of the city that are like that.

That ariel pic of Detriot looks dense. Detriot looks like a typical American City.

Yes, there are large areas like that, The anti-cheesehead, but there are so many more that aren't. And while it is a shame that those particular neighborhoods cleared out like they did, it's not representative of the city as a whole. Besides, when a visitor comes to Detroit, how often do you think they drive through those neighborhoods. They generally stay within the downtown core (Downtown, Midtown, New Center, etc.)

And while I respect your concern for Detroit's problems, I think your rancorous attitude of the city is unhealthy. How about instead of focusing on what isn't there you focus on what is there.

It has been A LONG time coming since I saw very recent pictures of downtown Detroit, and downtown just looks better and better everytime I see it, and it is just astounding. Awesome pictures there, Hudkina, beautiful weather and a great time for the All Star Game as well! I haven't been to Detroit since the Auto Show in January, but guess who will be coming there for a Tigers game and possibly to go to the Detroit Zoo and other attractions soon, yours truly, Jaybird, and the city should look fantastic on my new digital camera. Planning multiple trips to one of my favorite cities! Heck, I might even try to stay in a downtown hotel one of these times, but not the Ramada.

Oh, and that arial view of bombed out places or whatever, with that in the middle of a largely populated dense city is never a good sign.

Hudkina great pictures. I was downtown on the same day and actually captured many of the same shots. My pinsir shot involved the Penobscot though.

Dont let the guy from Minneapolis stop us from enjoying downtown's rebirth. People like him who have a problem with us posting positive things about our city should just be ignored.

Like Lmichigan said, "bombed out" is just a figure of speech. Look at that picture I posted. Look at the perfect grid with all of the abandoned lots. It looks like it could've been bombed and the grass grew over. That's not just one part of the city either. Lots of potential? You bet.



Hudkina's sarcastic remark about Detroit being a bombed out ghetto because of what someone's cousin's friends neighbor said.........as if there are no bombed out ghettos to be found in Detroit.

I like these pics, but I really do want to see a bombed out ghetto Detroit picture thread. If you ever look at my pics of Minneapolis, I don't just take pics of nice looking areas.
You don't have to lecture to me about what Detroit is and isn't. If you want to see what you call a bombed out neighborhood, why don't you just come and find one yourself? I'm sure the locals would love to have you.

Hudkina great pictures. I was downtown on the same day and actually captured many of the same shots. My pinsir shot involved the Penobscot though.

Dont let the guy from Minneapolis stop us from enjoying downtown's rebirth. People like him who have a problem with us posting positive things about our city should just be ignored.
Exactly. How come we don't have threads dedicated to the bombed-out areas of Minneapolis, since I've just been educated that all cities have bombed out neighborhoods? Why is it that it is expected we show the worst of Detroit from other forumers, while they would never hold themselves to that same standard?

That's hypocritical.

Amazing pics. I want to go to Detroit now.

Thanks for the pics. I have never been to Detroit but am very curious. It looks like it was built to be a fine city and I know you guys are turning it around. You must turn it around, it is too good to lose. They used to say, What is good for GM is good for America. Well I think you could say, What is good for Detroit is good for America. When you guys turn that place around, we will all be looking at you for answers. Keep it up!

You know it’s a real shame that ignorant people like cheesehead have too always start shit with the Detroit forumers just because they say something that is opposite of a national mythe how sad.

Exactly. How come we don't have threads dedicated to the bombed-out areas of Minneapolis, since I've just been educated that all cities have bombed out neighborhoods? Why is it that it is expected we show the worst of Detroit from other forumers, while they would never hold themselves to that same standard?

That's hypocritical.

I do have pictures of Minneapolis that show shady neighborhoods. The reason why you won't see pictures of Minneapolis like the one I posted of Detroit is because those types of neighborhoods don't exist in Minneapolis. There are no abandoned neighborhoods like that.

I didn't come in here to start shit, but I did have to comment on Hudkina's remarks about "bombed out" areas. There is no such thing as a "national myth" regarding Detroit. For the most part, what you hear about Detroit is not a myth......so when Hudkina says something to the effect that Detroit doesn't have bombed out ghettos and that the only reason why one would believe that is because of what someone's cousin's friends neighbor said, I felt obligated to respond.

Again, great pics, but lets be real.

Fantastic photos of a fantastic city. I look forward to visiting there next week, and I need to make it a point to visit greektown which i havent before. Certainly doesnt look "bombed out" to me. Although there are areas that do, downtown is great, ten billion times better than phoenix's will EVER be.

I do have pictures of Minneapolis that show shady neighborhoods. The reason why you won't see pictures of Minneapolis like the one I posted of Detroit is because those types of neighborhoods don't exist in Minneapolis. There are no abandoned neighborhoods like that.

I didn't come in here to start shit, but I did have to comment on Hudkina's remarks about "bombed out" areas. There is no such thing as a "national myth" regarding Detroit. For the most part, what you hear about Detroit is not a myth......so when Hudkina says something to the effect that Detroit doesn't have bombed out ghettos and that the only reason why one would believe that is because of what someone's cousin's friends neighbor said, I felt obligated to respond.

Again, great pics, but lets be real.

Lets be real. You took his comments the wrong way. Then you turned it into a Minneapolis is better than Detroit thing which is evident by you comparing neighborhoods in both cities and your comments. There is a myth about Detroit, you wouldnt realize that because you dont live around here. National perception and reality in many many ways are off about Detroit. Thats why on these boards people post images that focus on the good things happening in the city. Detroit's demise has been well documented as well as its abandoned buildings. Does that mean every time we post pictures of the city we should show this? No. Well maybe it would please you, but nobody sould care about pleasing you. Your image of Detroit is already burned into your head and no amount of positive posts or pictures is going to change that. I think you should do everyone a favor and stay away from posting about Detroit. You went out of your way to find some sort of photo to show Detroit in a negative light. Im just glad that more forumers here are open minded about Detroit and not like yourself.

Then you turned it into a Minneapolis is better than Detroit thing which is evident by you comparing neighborhoods in both cities and your comments.

No, Michi brought Minneapolis into this, not me. Michi wanted to know why you don't see any "bombed out" (abandoned neighborhoods) pictures of Minneapolis. The reason why you don't is because there aren't any.

There is a myth about Detroit, you wouldnt realize that because you dont live around here. National perception and reality in many many ways are off about Detroit.

National perception comes from this:

Detroit's demise has been well documented as well as its abandoned buildings.

Thats why on these boards people post images that focus on the good things happening in the city.

That's fine with me, just don't pretend like there aren't any issues, like Hudkina is doing in this post:

That's because I'm the master of deception. I photoshopped all the nice things into these pictures. Detroit is really a bombed-out ghetto. At least that's what my cousin's friend's neighbor said.

Detroit looks like an awesome city. Some people have described it negatively in the past and I can't imagine why... those pictures are beautiful.

No one is pretending. What you failed to get from Hudkina's post is the sarcasm. The cousin's neighbor comment is a joke because many peoples thoughts and reactions about Detroit come from what they have heard and not what they have experienced. No one from metro Detroit would dare pretend that the city doesnt have its share of problems. Like I said before and will say again you misinterpreted what he said. And another thing you probably failed to realize is that we dont like to use the term bombed out. Bombed out is for places like Iraq. Detroit has blight and abandoned buildings and there is a difference, im sure you understand that. Unless of course Minneapolis has no blight.

No one is pretending. What you failed to get from Hudkina's post is the sarcasm. The cousin's neighbor comment is a joke because many peoples thoughts and reactions about Detroit come from what they have heard and not what they have experienced.

No, I get the sarcasm. When someone actually experiences Detroit, they aren't going to see any "bombed out ghettos"? That's all just a myth? All hearsay from someone's cousin's neighbor's boyfriend's aunt? False national perception? There really aren't any abandoned neighborhoods? 1,000,000 people didn't really leave Detroit?

Unless of course Minneapolis has no blight.

Minneapolis has blight and I have taken pictures of it, it's all in my Minneapolis picture thread, however, there is nothing in Minneapolis that compares to the picture of Detroit I posted with hundreds of empty lots. You will not find that in Minneapolis.

Quit it already! There are two sides here that have gone too far outside of reality with their comments. We need to stop the two extremes and take Detroit for both the good and the bad. There is still a lot of decrepit neighborhoods left, no doubt, and people need to stop denying that as if they someone disappeared over night. BUT, even more importantly, there are more good and decent areas in the city than their are "bombed" out neighborhoods.

So, to both sides, quit playing the semantics games, quit with the exaggerations, and get real! Detroit has a road at least as long as it took decline to get back on, but it is on the right road. There REALLY is a middle ground here.

No, I get the sarcasm. When someone actually experiences Detroit, they aren't going to see any "bombed out ghettos"? That's all just a myth? All hearsay from someone's cousin's neighbor's boyfriend's aunt? False national perception? There really aren't any abandoned neighborhoods? 1,000,000 people didn't really leave Detroit?

People tend to see what they want to see. Just like the New York post or whatever NYC paper it was decided to do a piece on the old Tiger Stadium that is out of use and decaying instead of brand new Comerica Park that sits in a revitalized stadium and theater district. If you visit Detroit with an open mind you wont be disappointed. If you go looking for decay and grime you will find it but you havent experienced Detroit. Ill take LMichs advice and end this right here. No matter how many posts I make your thoughts on Detroit wont change.

Oh and if you truely understood the sarcasm we wouldnt be having this conversation.

Great pics, I love Detroit.

Downtown Detroit's looking great. She's a beaut. If there were maybe 5x more people out, it would be just perfect. Thanks for the pics. ;)

Now let's see those shitty Minneapolis photos so I can pretend the whole city is like that!

Quit it already! There are two sides here that have gone too far outside of reality with their comments. We need to stop the two extremes and take Detroit for both the good and the bad. There is still a lot of decrepit neighborhoods left, no doubt, and people need to stop denying that as if they someone disappeared over night. BUT, even more importantly, there are more good and decent areas in the city than their are "bombed" out neighborhoods.


That's exactly what I was trying to say, only you said it better.

Oh and if you truely understood the sarcasm we wouldnt be having this conversation.

I understood the sarcasm completely.

That's because I'm the master of deception. I photoshopped all the nice things into these pictures. Detroit is really a bombed-out ghetto. At least that's what my cousin's friend's neighbor said.

This is how I interpret that:

Hudkina is a master of deception-----obvious sarcasm, he's really not deceiving us at all, the pictures are real.

He photoshopped all of the nice things into the pictures---obvious sarcasm, he didn't, the pictures really are of nice things and aren't photoshopped

Detroit is really a bombed out ghetto according to someone's cousin's friend's neighbor---sarcasm? In reality there are no bombed out ghettos to be found in Detroit??

Show me where my interpretation is off.

Now let's see those shitty Minneapolis photos so I can pretend the whole city is like that!

You're making this out to a black and white issue when it's not. It wouldn't be true to say that all of Detroit is a bombed out ghetto but at the same time, it's not true to say than none of Detroit is a bombed out ghetto. The reason why Detroit has the reputation it has is because it's one of the largest cities in the country and it has probably fallen harder than any other large city. It fell so hard that people study it and write books about it.

Just to make some of you feel better, here a few pics of not so nice Minneapolis. This is about as bad as it gets in Minneapolis, and you don't see it often because it's usually cleaned up quickly. The city of Minneapolis will not let a burned out house or graffitti stay for very long:

http://img288.imageshack.us/img288/1783/11wa.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img288.imageshack.us/img288/58/20fc.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img288.imageshack.us/img288/9948/38fk.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Minneapolis:
http://img288.imageshack.us/img288/9948/38fk.jpg

Detroit:
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/midtown/011.jpg

Wait, which city is the one with all the abandonment?;)

And to be fair, here are pics I've taken of Detroit's blight:

http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/brushpark/018.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/brushpark/019.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/brushpark/020.jpg

I think what you need to understand, anti-cheese is that every time there is a Detroit thread, it can be expected that someone will throw it off course with "this kind of stuff". The Detroiters like myself who put time and thought energy into forum posts become frustrated and get defensive. I don't mean to sound like a prick when I reply, but it gets so redundant sometimes.

As someone who's spent his post-highschool career (6 years now) devoted to studying Detroit and living in the city, I don't think it fair to even bring up the word "pretending" as a word to describe how Detroit is thought of. There's just too much to Detroit to say it is one way or the other. Heck, I've touched upon almost every corner of the city now and still feel like I have a lot to learn.

Anyway, I appologize for being a fart face and hope we can all just get over the whole misperceptions about Detroit. The reason I become so reactive is because like I said, I've devoted a lot of my life to it.

Detroit is really a bombed out ghetto according to someone's cousin's friend's neighbor---sarcasm? In reality there are no bombed out ghettos to be found in Detroit??

Show me where my interpretation is off.

I mentioned it before. His statement isnt saying that there are no blighted or abandoned places. Thats what you took it as. His statement makes fun of the fact that many peoples thoughts about Detroit often come from either something they heard or someone else who had visited and not from personal experience. I picked up on that right away because I deal with Detroit misconceptions often. And when someone is sarcastic I dont believe it is always a complete reversal of their statement. Since you took it that way though it is understandable as to why you would think that he meant there are no ghetto's in Detroit when reality is that couldnt be further from the truth.

Nice pictures BTW.

those are some really fun pictures! the captions are great! :laugh: