Is Detroit fixable? How would you fix it?

[muon2]

Has the state ever given consideration to a subdivision of the city into smaller independent self-governing communities? That could provide the means for different leaders to try different solutions to the problems that may be too big when addressed at the scale of the whole city.

[muon2]

Has the state ever given consideration to a subdivision of the city into smaller independent self-governing communities? That could provide the means for different leaders to try different solutions to the problems that may be too big when addressed at the scale of the whole city.

I suggested that.

But has there been any discussion in Lansing?

[muon2]

Has the state ever given consideration to a subdivision of the city into smaller independent self-governing communities? That could provide the means for different leaders to try different solutions to the problems that may be too big when addressed at the scale of the whole city.

I suggested that.

But has there been any discussion in Lansing?

That would NEVER pass.  The Detroit City Council would be enraged over that proposal.  In fact, I can picture that council meeting.  Lansing would probably need their approval, and even if they didn't, the Council would raise such a huge fuss that even the most determined, well-intentioned legislator would give up.

I suspected that would be the case, but I could imagine that some legislator from a more distant corner of MI might have proposed it anyway. I wouldn't expect much in the way of complaints from constituents in a district in central or western MI.

[muon2]

I mean look at how Pittsburgh is turning around right now. That was a rust belt city that was assumed to be the next Detroit and just decay and die. But eventually the cost of doing business falls so much in an area that it begins to be an ideal place to set up shop. The low amount of high paying jobs allows you to set up and pay a bargain for wages relative to the rest of the country. Your property is super cheap and you basically have your pick of whatever you want relative to many parts of the country. The contractors that you bring in to fix up the property, bring in any machinery, etc. are all really cheap. To the extent that any of your suppliers are local they may end up being pretty damn cheap as well.

As much as Pittsburgh is a great model for reinvention, there are some significant differences. One is the role of major universities, and Carnegie Mellon and U Pitt have been major drivers for transition from heavy industry to health care and high tech. I don't see U Detroit and Wayne State in the same role.

[muon2]

I mean look at how Pittsburgh is turning around right now. That was a rust belt city that was assumed to be the next Detroit and just decay and die. But eventually the cost of doing business falls so much in an area that it begins to be an ideal place to set up shop. The low amount of high paying jobs allows you to set up and pay a bargain for wages relative to the rest of the country. Your property is super cheap and you basically have your pick of whatever you want relative to many parts of the country. The contractors that you bring in to fix up the property, bring in any machinery, etc. are all really cheap. To the extent that any of your suppliers are local they may end up being pretty damn cheap as well.

As much as Pittsburgh is a great model for reinvention, there are some significant differences. One is the role of major universities, and Carnegie Mellon and U Pitt have been major drivers for transition from heavy industry to health care and high tech. I don't see U Detroit and Wayne State in the same role.

Fair point, but at some point Detroit just needs to gain some competitive advantage, anything. It doesn't have to be education driven like Pittsburgh and instead can be something like its bottom dollar for property, but it has to be something and it has to be significant enough that certain kinds of businesses can thrive there more than anywhere else.

The problem is that cheap property can be found in lots of areas of the country. Since the recession struck commercial real estate that has been more true than ever. In order to compete there needs to be something more than the land to offer.