Posted on 07/21/2014 9:48:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Detroit neighbourhoods are being relit, its vacant homes are being sold off or torn down, its public transportation is cleaner and more often on schedule and the city has renegotiated some burdensome union contracts.
In the little more than a year since the state-appointed emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, made Detroit the largest US city to seek bankruptcy protection, it has experienced a wide range of improvements that will factor into Judge Steven Rhodes's decisions during next month's bankruptcy trial. A major piece of the bankruptcy puzzle could fall into place on Monday, with the expected release of the results of a vote by creditors, including more than 30,000 retired and current city workers, on whether to accept millions of dollars in cuts.
When Orr filed for bankruptcy, Detroit's debt then was estimated at $18bn, and its revenue streams were too small to keep up with basic city services.
Since then, the city has installed at least 10,000 new streetlights. It's also going after absentee landlords — threatening to take and sell or demolish vacant houses that violate city codes. Eight houses awarded to the city's Land Bank are being put up for auction. Belle Isle, the city's most popular public park has been put under state control and received a much-needed cleaning.
"Things are being done now that weren't being done," said Detroit barber DeAngelo Smith. "I wouldn't say it would have been as fast if the bankruptcy hadn't been filed."
Some of the most dramatic changes were designed to save the city money and didn't need to wait for the August bankruptcy confirmation trial.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
It certainly would help defend your clueless, ad hominem attacks on Detroit.......
BTW, is there anyone left in your border towns that speaks English other than the contractors driving the streets picking up the illegal day workers?........LOL!
They all speak Canadian in my neck of the woods.
Damn icebacks.
LOL!
Yes they would, the investors purchasing all the vacant properties will now be responsible property tax payers, creating a revenue source that has been absent up till now.
And in case you missed it,
Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch and his family released Sunday in a press release plenty of details about a bold $650 million plan to build a new hockey arena and entertainment district downtown
The investment, expected to transform downtown, will include "tens of millions of dollars in public infrastructure improvements" such as lighting, sidewalks, green spaces and streets concurrently with arena construction, according to a press release.
Ilitch's private investment of at least $200M for new, mixed-use development is expected to help transform dozens of blighted blocks into five new neighborhoods.
The project, expected to be completed in the summer of 2017, is expected to generate at least $1.8 billion in total economic impact, 8,300 construction and construction-related jobs and 1,100 permanent jobs.
You don't rebuild a city over night and the investors who are snatching up properties from downtown outwards are fully aware of that fact.
Try purchasing a condo or loft in downtown Detroit if it's such a worthless investment.......LOL!
Nope, not me........I'm fully aware of what they look like since I occasionally drive thru them.
And I also know that they are on their way out, especially around the outskirts of downtown where the transformation is taking place..........
They do, downtown near the stadium. There are some redone condos and things there, but I wouldn’t say there were enough to rate a mention really.
Thatcher Rule.
You go.
We have a lot of work ahead of us to update the map.
We may very well end up in another part of Michigan when we go but I will always love Detroit, and I am so so pleased to see her rebounding from the west coast.
Hope to meet you someday. I am going to order something from every start up company there that I can, like Shinola.
Shinola came up from Texas by the way. They seem to be a smallish but big money company. I know they were one of the top 3 sponsors of the Detroit Grand Prix last month with Penske and Quicken.
Somewhere I saw some sandals being made, I think it was on Hellyeah Detroit, and I plan to order several pair of them as well.
I am in *heaven* waiting to return. I have watched Detroit since I left and been there a few times in the late 80's...and now, yes! It is time to go home.
Made a friend at Henry Ford and that is my first choice for employment. We're open to Grand Rapids and Bay City/Saginaw but more and more it is looking to be Detroit for us.
The news just keeps getting better. We even have a church that we like in Rochester Hills. Almost everything we do now is planning for that move....
Don't mind my enthusiasm. :-)
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