RustTown

Yes, beatneck hit on an important point. It's going to be very hard to get some river access at the site as a major rail line hugs the riverfront along the entire area.

Yeah, but the city (and most of the state) doesn't seem to be ready for the change.

Yeah, but the city (and most of the state) doesn't seem to be ready for the change.

Michigan Avenue - Late Summer 2007 This is just slightly panned to the east from the picture above.

It's really quite common. Few cities these days, it seems, have a residency requirement for police officers, and even fewer for other public sector jobs. From what I understand, it was a debate that's been largely decided.

Well, LCA (GM Lansing Car Assembly) really didn't add anything to any skyline, but it's certainly a huge, gaping hole in the cityscape, now. What's bugging me is that the city and GM are being so incredibly tight-lipped about ideas that they have for the land. The public doesn't know if they are looking to keep it industrial, make it a residential neighborhood, make it a mixed used urban neighborhood...etc Wentworth Park - Late Summer 2007: included in this historic park that was the site of the worst hotel fire in Lansing's history (Hotel Kerns fire) is a piece of the destroyed NYC World Trade Center. Something else to note is how far down the Grand River is in this picture. At the time the photo was taken the river was lowered to inspect the BWL North Lansing dam in Old Town.

Late Summer view of the demolition of LCA (Lansing Car Assembly

December 25th, 2007 - The Boji with its new (and more aenemic) antenna

They took it off yesterday morning for repairs, and to quadruple the power of our local jazz station. It was quite a site. They took it off with a heavy helicopter.

People were talking about it, when they were filming it in the station a few years back.

I'm not so sure about downtown, that is, if you haven't checked it in a few months. It does not show any of the MGM construction, which started quite a few years ago, now.

I'm not sure if this was brought up, but I'm surprised this didn't get more play, here, in the media and the development community. As everyone knows, Kilpatrick has finally challenged the Census Bureau Estimates for Detroit which placed it at 871,121 as of the summer of last year. According to a report done by D.C.-based Social Compact study group, they say the population loss is MUCH less than what the Census has been reporting it to be. As of summer of last year they estimate the population to have actually been 933,043, which would be less than a 20,000 lost since 2000. This is amazing to me, because while I always expected the loss to have been overestimated, I'd never thought it would be by this much. Even if the report is biased, and even if the loss is only half of what they say that'd still be amazing. The report, in specific, said that undercounts of 20% of more were reported in Hubbard Richard, Corktown, and Near East Riverfront. Other neighborhoods with high undercounts included Middle East Central, Butzel, State Fair, and West Riverfront.

I must say, that you definitely shouldn't be trying to take photos while going through a roundabout. A roundabout takes all of your concentration.

The others face Capitol Park. I believe the taller one is called simply the "Capitol Park Building" formerly the Peter Smith & Son's Company, and then American State Bank, I believe. It's currently owned by Exclusive Realty of Detroit with a "deal pending" to sell it (http://www.exclusive-realty.com/properties.html). I wonder who's in negotations to buy it? BTW, I haven't been around here in awhile; how is the foundation work for the The Griswold ~ Capitol Park going?

I assume because it has a customs station. That's all that you need to be labeled "international" from what I've heard. You don't even need any flights outside the country.

Thanks, Allan. As someone, even have lived in the city, I'd only been to the Southwest a few times as a kid. I took a drive through a year or two, ago, and couldn't believe how busy it was, like any other vibrant, ethnic hood in any other city. Sure, it's still a bit rough around the edges, but it's quite clear that it's a growing area, and, again, the only one that posted a significant population gain over the 1990's. Vernor is very comparable to Hamtramck in its feel.

It really is, and one of the very few actually gaining more residents than its loses. It's still very rough in places, all that said, if it even is densely occupied.

Allan, if it's not too personal or bold, it sounds as if you're near your rope's end with the city; what would it take to make you move? With the affordability of the inner-ring, what's keeping you from moving on?

Funny, I heard that the main reason was money, but that they didn't want to block the view of campus, which really does sound silly. They had no problem with blocking the Lansing skyline, though, by building up the west tower. lol

Pontiac, and the same goes for the other county seat of Mount Clemens to a lesser extent, much like Detroit, were sucked dry by their respective sprawl.

I knew at lot of central Pontiac was razed. It's pretty obvious. But seeing the sheer amount is devastating.

It really don't mind that it's not symmetrical. It makes it quirky and unique. That said, they should have, at least, reconstructed the entire exterior. Spartan Stadium has always been a rather ugly thing, and some of that red brick and green glass, if wrapped around the current concrete facade, would go a long way in making it look nicer.

The 160-foot tall Spartan Stadium. Patrick T Power - http://www.flickr.com/photos/o_caritas/

Let's just chalk that up to hyperbole under frustration.

I guess it's time to make a call, huh?