Last class we discussed Detroit and the decline over the past decades. It seems most people associate the decline of Detroit with racial tensions experienced mostly in the 60's and though that was a major factor, if you take that out of the equation it was still evident that Detroit was set up for its demise.
Detroit is the “Motor City” and in the late 40's and 50's there was an economic boom which allowed families to buy the cars which Detroit was producing. As credit became more available, more and more Americans started owning their own vehicles. This automotive boom, along with a massive transformation of the landscape into a grid of single home dwellings which were accompanied by huge highway projects allowed Americans all over the country and epically Detroiters to sprawl out and live the “American Dream”
We have talked in class about the Michigan Central Station which met its maker in 1988 when the last Amtrak train left the station. It seems this building never had a chance. As I mentioned Detroit is Motor City, and as the automotive era exploded into what we see today. There seems there as little place for this old train station in the automotive capital.
So when you step back and look at it all; and I think Lee you mentioned this. The Michigan Central Station is sort of a visual representation of Detroit's rise and fall. The overwhelming grandeur of the building shows how Detroit was once a wealthy metropolis, but it seems to me, given all the factors: the automotive and housing boom and massive government initiatives to build highways . Michigan Central Station was bound to fall, and Detroit failed by the very means which made it, the automobile.
I thought it was interesting to see the images in class of places in Detroit. To think that Detroit was once a place with grand architecture, which some of it is now gone or in ruins is fascinating to me. I wonder now that there are old buildings in disrepair and some of which are demolished, if there is some sadness to not having parts of the 'old' city of Detroit in its' original form. Cities change over time and that is evident with Detroit.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I cannot believe that Detroit's old Michigan Central Train Station is not being used for something else. What a shame that such a beautiful building has gone untouched for years. Michael Bay used the building in a few of his movie scenes such as his movie "The Island" and "Transformers".The building stands as a Roman ruin. I feel as if Detroit has left this treasure by the roadside.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbtyUsnrY2I
I had the opportunity to see the outside of the station with my classmates however, this video was my first opportunity to see the interior. I had been very curious until this viewing.
This blog also has a lot of pictures and information about the station.
http://www.artificialowl.net/2008/09/abandoned-michigan-central-station.html
I learned that the cause of the abandoned building was collection of economic and polictical hits (WWII, the Great Depression, etc.)Services were cut back drastically for survival. In 1956 the owners tried to sell the facility for $5 million which is only 1/3 of the original worth in 1913.
Wow is all I have to say