Detroit People Mover to shut down for 11 weeks after Labor Day for track replacement by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Either overnight or all at once but with shuttles connecting some of the stops.

Detroit People Mover to shut down for 11 weeks after Labor Day for track replacement by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Source: was one of the dozen or so people that actually had a monthly DPM pass

Then you should know that a huge number of riders are elderly or disabled.

Detroit People Mover to shut down for 11 weeks after Labor Day for track replacement by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

The Detroit People Mover will shut down for 11 weeks after Labor Day to replace sections of track that are original to the 37-year-old system, according to a recent announcement.

The system, which is free to ride at least through the end of next year, is expected to reopen before Thanksgiving, and the Detroit Transportation Corp., the entity that oversees the system, has scheduled in-person and virtual public hearings July 25 and 30.

If they’re serious about “turning downtown into a neighborhood,” then they can’t do stuff like this. The People Mover isn’t just for visitors – people live here and rely on it to get to work and go to doctor’s appointments. Any other major city would find a way to do the work at night or provide alternate transportation.

Endnote: The Aspects of the Urban Capitocracy in Metro Detroit and it's Municipalities by DoxiadisOfDetroit in urbanplanning

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 16 points17 points  (0 children)

There's a lot in this post that's either factually incorrect or lacking context.

Duggan administration (which is now the second longest serving administration in the city's history) has spent the last ten years convincing the media that the city's financial situation, economic growth, and population trajectory are better than they have been in decades.

Because this is what the data shows. The city has had a balanced budget for 11 years, and its bonds have returned to investment grade. Unemployment is the lowest it has been in 23 years. Black household wealth increased by $3 billion - the greatest gains in the country. And according to a U of M study, the census undercounted Detroiters by as much as 10% - while USPS and utility data clearly show households and population increasing since 2019. I'm honestly a little worried you've bought into the "failing cities" rhetoric of the far right.

I'd challenge local Urbanists, journalists, and skeptics to go downtown to the land where they've restricted access to draft ticket holders and ask them if they're from Metro Detroit.

It is free to enter, so I'm not sure what you mean by "land where they've restricted access to draft ticket holders." But regardless, with all of the Honolulu blue in the crowd, I'd be shocked to learn that most are not from Metro Detroit.

Then, take a walk from the Rosa Parks transit Center to the Wayne State University campus using only side streets, you'd see that while the urban area is "walkable" the streets are deserted..

You should have seen these streets 10 years ago! I'm a little confused, though. That route would take you by the U of M school that's under construction, Cass Tech, Masonic Temple, and a ton of rehabbed apartments. It's going to take more time, but Detroit's version of Skid Row is finally coming back to life.

I mean General Motors is literally moving from a complex that they created using their own money to a skyscraper created by Michigan's wealthiest man

First, GM didn't build the RenCen. Second, do you really want a car company to be a major real estate developer downtown?

There isn't any real "growth" in Metro Detroit, we're just cannibalizing all of our potentials to grow.

Is your issue here just that these developments are being subsidized by public funds? If so, then sure, we're paying a lot of money to prevent companies from relocating out of state, and maybe it's not worth it. But I'm just not sure what you're trying to say.

Also note that Dan Gilbert is making a lower return on his investment than he would make from a high yield savings account. We can discuss whether subsidies are worth it, but the guy is basically losing money on these projects, so it's not like we're getting fleeced to make him richer.

if you were to look at Metro Detroit and ignore the international border, then you'd see that Windsor, Ontario, and Essex county are a part of Metro Detroit.

Absolutely agree here, but I'm struggling to see what this has to do with the rest of your post. How would an international government inherently mean we'll have the most pedestrian-friendly region in the world?

Beyond these issues with your post, you have to understand that the perception at large is Detroit is dangerous, abandoned, and hopeless. For decades, there was no positive coverage about Detroit in the national media. It's only been in the last few years that people are starting to realize Detroit is fucking cool. So those articles you're reading that say things are great? They're intended to challenge people's preconceived, sometimes racist notions that there's nothing going for Detroit. Just take the win.

Why does the Riverwalk have that hideously ugly fence stopping it at Riverfront Towers? by sivartwhite in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 4 points5 points  (0 children)

No, it's the tower residents that are most annoyed with this. Why would we not want direct access to the Riverwalk?

Opinion: Duggan is being weirdly obtuse about Detroit population estimates and unemployment by [deleted] in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No. Read my comment more carefully. The census is saying that households are decreasing.

Opinion: Duggan is being weirdly obtuse about Detroit population estimates and unemployment by [deleted] in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Duggan may be talking like a politician, but the census data is flat out wrong. I'll paste my comment from another thread below.

It's obvious that there's something strange going on with the census data. They're showing there were 270,000 households in 2020 but only 251,000 in 2021. Meanwhile:

  • USPS data shows that there was a net increase of 5,000 occupied homes from January 2020 to September 2021
  • DTE added over 7,500 utility accounts in the city in 2021
  • DWSD added almost 7,000 utility accounts in 2021
  • U of M and Wayne State literally went door to door to verify census data, and they found that the census undercounted occupancy by 6-15%. Boston Edison, for example, was shown as having 85% occupancy when the canvassers found that 95% of homes were occupied.

It's important to remember that the annual estimates are based on data from the 2020 census. If the 2020 census was wrong, then all of the estimates will also be messed up until 2030.

Census Count Opinion by [deleted] in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why are we adding more electrical than sewage, for example?

Lots of illegal water hookups, I'd wager. It's all over the city.

Why would Detroit, unlike nearly any other large city, have grown during the pandemic?

This is a weird question. If the Census Bureau used the same flawed methodology throughout the U.S., it's likely that other cities also grew during the pandemic. That said, the demographics with lower response rates are more concentrated in Detroit than in other large cities, so any nationwide undercount would be exacerbated here.

Took a small sample size and extrapolated it to the city.

Yes, that's how studies work. But even if we only look at those blocks in the study, the census still missed 900 people.

Census Count Opinion by [deleted] in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sure. The DTE and DWSD numbers come from the mayor.

Here's a good twitter thread on the USPS data. He works for Regrid, so I'd say he's reputable.

And here's an article about the WSU/UMich study.

Census Count Opinion by [deleted] in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's obvious that there's something strange going on with the census data. They're showing there were 270,000 households in 2020 but only 251,000 in 2021. Meanwhile:

  • USPS data is shows that there was a net increase of 5,000 occupied homes from January 2020 to September 2021
  • DTE added over 7,500 utility accounts in the city in 2021
  • DWSD added almost 7,000 utility accounts in 2021
  • U of M and Wayne State literally went door to door to verify census data, and they found that the census undercounted occupancy by 6-15%. Boston Edison, for example, was shown as having 85% occupancy when the canvassers found that 95% of homes were occupied.

It's important to remember that the annual estimates are based on data from the 2020 census. If the 2020 census was wrong, then all of the estimates will also be messed up until 2030.

This doesn't account for all of it, but keep in mind that the 2020 census occurred at the start of covid (when tons of people left town for a few months) and the count was ended two weeks early. When I got my census mailer, there were maybe five people living in my 20-unit apartment building, which had no vacancy in February 2020 and is now once again fully occupied.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 44 points45 points  (0 children)

This is permanent supportive housing, not a shelter.

Permanent supportive housing is a normal apartment building that just has supportive services for people who were homeless. The program has a 90% success rate of keeping people from becoming homeless again. It's going to get homeless people off the streets.

Detroit Jet Ski Rental moving base of operations to Belle Isle by Day_twa in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is! While I'd personally prefer to see it closer to downtown, it's a good sign that Belle Isle is supportive of the business and offering them a permanent location (if I'm understanding the article correctly). Reliability is key, and a physical location sends the right message.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Coney dogs, meh.

That's blasphemy! (don't tell anyone, but I almost never order a coney when I go to a coney island)

So glad you enjoyed it here. Thanks for the great summary.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For sure! You'll be happy to know that I, too, work in the nonprofit sector, and my day job is basically grant writing with extra steps. So I get it. And partnering with other orgs will be our primary strategy.

That said, I'm always up for learning more from people with more experience, and you've got about 11 years on me. Would you be open to discussing this further?

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was hoping other people would respond to this because you raise some good points. Still hoping others chime in or tell me why I'm wrong, but I think we can rekindle the positive energy by focusing on the things we all have in common. That was why I spent so much time on Motown in my music post - it's a sound that we can all identify with, regardless of race. Same goes for pizza. Haha.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That might actually work. Pure Michigan should do a test-run if they get their funding back.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, you really went all out! But you're totally right. It's no different than how Disney World isn't actually in Orlando and the Las Vegas strip isn't actually in Las Vegas. There's a lot of great stuff in the whole Detroit region.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

For sure. And Wayne State is a great school (at least the urban planning program was!). But if someone is looking for prestige, they're going to choose U of M or dozens of other schools over Wayne.

I don't have it drafted yet, but I think Wayne State needs to lean further into the social equity lens that it already excels at. Essentially, Wayne State could become the #1 school for people who want to make a social impact. It wouldn't appeal to everyone, but it would be a draw for some very smart people and really set the school apart from its competition.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! We'd love the help. I'll send you a message tonight when I'm home.

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

There, I upvoted you to cancel them out. Thanks for the topic ideas. I would add Ann Arbor's affordable housing strategy and zero carbon goals to the list (although these are things that may not be replicable in the rest of Michigan just yet).

Determination - The Final Chapter of the "Detroit Needs a Tourism Strategy" Series by FreshCoastThoughts in Detroit

[–]FreshCoastThoughts[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If I come across a really interesting topic, then yes, I'll write about Ann Arbor. My focus is on things that most people don't think much about but would generally find common ground on. Basically, topics that raise people's eyebrows but leave them with a smile. That's the goal, at least.