Looks like a great setting for "Phantom of the Opera."
Posted on 04/19/2010 6:40:22 AM PDT by TonyInOhio
Chris Hansen traveled to Detroit, Michigan for a Dateline special that aired tonight on the state of what is probably America's most desolate city. And in aerial footage—devastation porn at its best—Detroit's grim plight was revealed.
"Today, from the air, parts of Detroit look like a war zone," Hansen said in a voiceover near the beginning of the special, before he listed some of the most shocking facts about the city's current state—the population is less than half of what it was decades ago; there are 400 liquor stores there, but only eight supermarkets—all while panning shots of the consequences of its deterioration flashed on the screen.
Describing Detroit as "a city that is virtually on life support," Hansen then introduced the audience to an ambitious plan by Mayor Dave Bing to bulldoze down more than 10,000 buildings and literally shrink the city's borders in order to save money spent on public services. Again, disturbing aerial shots were abound.
As the special's end drew nearer, depressing music played as even more aerial shots revealed Detroit's desolation—combined with shocking information, like the fact that there are 40 square miles of vacant/abandoned property within the city's limits—and Mayor Bing explained in more detail to Hansen his plan to shrink its size (something he claims will take 10 to 20 years, if it's able to be completed at all).
Will Detroit ever return to its glory days of the first half of the 20th Century? Probably not. Will it even be able to avoid going completely bankrupt and return from the brink of total destruction? Nobody really knows. What is clear, though—especially after seeing the devastation from the sky—is that the Motor City has a long, long way to go to even become a shell of its former self.
By the way, I completely agree with the mayor on bringing in the city limits. There is no reason to have fire and police in an area with just a few homes. The land can be used for farming or something productive.
The Obama posters in Detroit says a lot about who is voting in these Marxists.
SAdly, much of this (Det riot) is too much like the photos often seen on EnglishRussia, another failed Empire gone to rot.
SAdly, much of this (Det riot) is too much like the photos often seen on EnglishRussia, another failed Empire gone to rot.
That's a terrible thing to say about Sarajevo.
Environmentalist whackos brought Detroit down when they banned the auto companies from dumping into the Detroit River. The River was what gave Detroit it’s competitive advantage over other areas, and the Feds killed it.
Looks like a great setting for "Phantom of the Opera."
The destuction by neglect of Brush Park lies at the feet of the racist mayour Coleman Yound and the prevention of whitey from coming in and redeveloping the area.
If able to carry the correct amount of fire power, I’d love to explore some of those old buildings. They have always fascinated me.
With Obama gutting our military we would probably lose and have to keep the darn thing! :-)
Those looked they were really nice homes in their day.
Sad...
It is a GREAT plan! Lets do it!
I’m a former Metro Detroiter and it’s sad to see this city in this poor shape. That’s what bad government over decades has done. I read where Mayor Dave Bing has implemented a new plan on bulldozing hundreds of old houses and buildings over the next few years. This has been needed for a long time. This a good start.
Indeed... Sarajevo had that nice Olympic Village.
Here's a current view of the soccer patch:
Sarajevo looks better. lol
I attended the Republican National Convention in 1980, which was held at Cobo Hall--named for Albert Cobo, one of Detroit's last Republican mayors.
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