I guess we are forgetting the large swaths of Detroit that are sitting vacant (you can sugarcoat that all you want, but it's reality).
Nope. I'm pretty sure I remembered them earlier when I stated, "the emptiest neighborhoods will be the easiest to redevelop" but I guess I coated that sentence with too much sugar for your taste.
The fact that a majority of Detroit's entire economy rises and falls with the auto industry. Compare job growth in both Pittsburgh and Cleveland to Detroit, unemployment numbers, diversification, etc.
The unemployment rate of Pittsburgh and Cleveland peaked in February of 2010. Since then Pittsburgh has added some 81,000 jobs compared to Cleveland's 10,000. Pittsburgh's labor force has increased by some 61,000 people compared to Cleveland's labor force shrinking by some 26,000. Pittsburgh's unemployment rate is relatively low due primarily to job growth. However, Cleveland is still struggling with employment, and its relatively low rate is still due to people leaving the labor force. So really, Cleveland is in the same boat as Detroit. Granted, Detroit has seen a 2.5% increase in workers since February 2010, compared to a 1.0% increase in workers for Cleveland. Pittsburgh is certainly a bright spot in the economic recovery, but Detroit's economy seems to be recovering at a quicker pace than Cleveland.
Does Detroit have anything like UPMC or the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals? All of which are ranked among the top 10 hospital systems in the country.
That's a little unfair, considering Detroit's major university medical center is in nearby Ann Arbor, but even then yes Detroit has Harper University Hospital which is also ranked nationally. Obviously not at the same heights as the Cleveland Clinic, but it can hold its own.
Does Detroit have anything like Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, or Case Western in the city limits?
Again Detroit's answer to Carnegie Mellon and Case Western is in Ann Arbor (#29), but within the city limits you'll find Wayne State University and the University of Detroit Mercy (ranked #20 within the Midwest among regional universities). Wayne State is obviously no Carnegie Mellon or Case Western, but it is a fairly well-respected research university and has a decent medical school and engineering school.
Detroit doesn't have a neighborhood as vibrant as Oakland or University Circle. All the development happening in Detroit is all either downtown, or along Woodward in Midtown.
It's not just along Woodward in Midtown. It's all over Midtown. Eventually the area north of Mack will be just as "vibrant" as Oakland or University Circle. And there is plenty of development in the outer neighborhoods, does it really matter to you though?
There are even big swaths of vacant land along Woodward between downtown and Midtown.
That big swath of vacant land will soon be the site of the new Red Wings arena.
Isn't Dan Gilbert behind most of the renovations going on downtown? Most of the success stories coming out of Detroit as of recent we because Dan Gilbert is around buying the plethora of vacant buildings in downtown Detroit.
Actually pretty much everything Dan Gilbert has purchased has been move-in ready for the most part. He's certainly done some modernization in certain buildings, but he hasn't gotten his hands dirty with any renovations. (e.g. Broderick, Book-Cadillac, etc.)
Great! It's about time Detroit started investing in rail over the pathetic people mover. But still, it is not connected to anything. The point being, when I mentioned Cleveland and Pittsburgh's rail systems is the fact that they are already connected to established and extensive rail systems. In fact, Cleveland BRT Healthline connects to the Blue and Red lines downtown. Pittsburgh's new North Shore line connects to stations radiating to the rest of the city downtown as well.
Yeah and Detroit's streetcar line will also connect to planned commuter rail and BRT.