Tearing Down Detroit to Build It Back Up

Detroit is in the midst of a construction surge, according to an article by John W. Schoen for CNBC. "With the city no longer facing financial catastrophe, investors have returned and Detroit's downtown is enjoying a boom in new construction, including a series of commercial, retail and residential projects"

But as downtown grows, many of the structures in Detroit's residential neighborhoods are facing the wrecking ball. "In just the last two years, more than 10,000 demolitions have cleared the way for a series of neighborhood transformations aimed at redefining urban life in Detroit."

What should replace the many vacant buildings has been a subject of much debate. "Proposals for the vacant land left behind include new parks, biking trails, community gardens or a 10-acre solar array currently in the planning stages in the Plymouth neighborhood," Schoen explains.

The plan has been to aim development toward walkable centrally-located neighborhoods. While some say this centralization has helped improve services in the city and rescue cratered property values, others feel left behind in neighborhoods that feature blocks of "trees and grasses" instead of homes.