Comments on: Racial Segregation in Detroit: The Case of Grosse Pointe http://higley1000.com/archives/50 Racial Integration in the Wealthiest 1000 Places in America Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:04:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: joe http://higley1000.com/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-10984 joe Fri, 20 May 2011 03:23:20 +0000 http://higley1000.com/archives/50#comment-10984 Lastly, I would like to say that the fine neighborhoods just across Mack Ave. south of Cadieux that are struggling to hold on, have a shaky future. Many white folks (and blacks) stuck it out until THEY had to become prisoners in their own homes by putting bars on the windows (or nailing them shut). There is no doubt that much of Detroit that surrounds the Pointes will become GREEN SPACE as homes become abandoned and eventually demolished. There is an opportunity for the Jefferson Ave. corridor from Grosse Pointe to downtown Detroit to become a "gold coast", due to undeveloped riverfront that overlooks beautiful Peche Island and a international shipping lane boasting freighters (including those from across the Atlantic!) A strong, vital, relevant downtown Detroit is key. Mayor Dave Bing is a politically moderate black businessman who is making unpopular choices, but recently has gone lame by not supporting the necessary layoffs that MUST happen to a Detroit which is ONE-THIRD the size it was in 1950. Again, militant socialist union bosses and liberal courts stand in the way of progress-FOR NOW. To the north, St. Clair Shores has had good political leadership and has been proactive in keeping blight at bay. The key is Lake St. Clair- it keeps Grosse Pointe from becoming a cross-through community and its beauty and lakefront parks accessible by residents only (in SCS and Grosse Pointe) make it a destination to settle and stay. Lastly, I would like to say that the fine neighborhoods just across Mack Ave. south of Cadieux that are struggling to hold on, have a shaky future. Many white folks (and blacks) stuck it out until THEY had to become prisoners in their own homes by putting bars on the windows (or nailing them shut). There is no doubt that much of Detroit that surrounds the Pointes will become GREEN SPACE as homes become abandoned and eventually demolished. There is an opportunity for the Jefferson Ave. corridor from Grosse Pointe to downtown Detroit to become a “gold coast”, due to undeveloped riverfront that overlooks beautiful Peche Island and a international shipping lane boasting freighters (including those from across the Atlantic!) A strong, vital, relevant downtown Detroit is key. Mayor Dave Bing is a politically moderate black businessman who is making unpopular choices, but recently has gone lame by not supporting the necessary layoffs that MUST happen to a Detroit which is ONE-THIRD the size it was in 1950. Again, militant socialist union bosses and liberal courts stand in the way of progress-FOR NOW. To the north, St. Clair Shores has had good political leadership and has been proactive in keeping blight at bay. The key is Lake St. Clair- it keeps Grosse Pointe from becoming a cross-through community and its beauty and lakefront parks accessible by residents only (in SCS and Grosse Pointe) make it a destination to settle and stay.

]]> By: Stephen Higley http://higley1000.com/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-9843 Stephen Higley Sun, 01 May 2011 02:59:21 +0000 http://higley1000.com/archives/50#comment-9843 I agree with you that the Pointes are indeed a great place to live. They all have so much history and wonderful architecture. Although you put a positive spin on African-Americans moving into the Grosse Pointes, the only encouraging spot of integration is in the oldest of the Grosse Pointes, Grosse Pointe Park. There are very few in the other three (the Woods doesn't really count). I assume you mean Detroit must "de-annex and down size" as there is nothing politically left to annex. I am not so hopeful. The basic problem of grinding inner city impoverishment will never be solved without a clear policy of committing massive tax payer money to tap this vastly underutilized human potential. Although Obama is just as mute on inner city problems as Ronald Reagan or W, he is still called a Communist or a Socialist by racist lynch mob (aka the Republican Party) for making even the most flimsiest efforts at reigning in corporations and the wealthiest 2%. The United States doesn't have the foresight to tackle our inner city problems. Meanwhile, the Dutch, the Danish, the Swedes, and the Germans are unlocking the potential of all of their citizens, regardless of socio-economic status. I also wonder what you mean by "Middle-class black flight is taking a toll as of this writing". Haven't they all move to Southfield? PS. The Robb Report is not academic, scientific, nor anything more than an upper class, commercial magazine. The articles are not vetted by urban geographers nor anybody in the legitimate annals of academe. The Grosse Pointe area is still lovely but they are tied to a sinking ship. It is a disgrace that we've let Detroit fall from being one of the wealthiest big cities in the world to one of the most impoverished in the Western world. I agree with you that the Pointes are indeed a great place to live. They all have so much history and wonderful architecture. Although you put a positive spin on African-Americans moving into the Grosse Pointes, the only encouraging spot of integration is in the oldest of the Grosse Pointes, Grosse Pointe Park. There are very few in the other three (the Woods doesn’t really count). I assume you mean Detroit must “de-annex and down size” as there is nothing politically left to annex.
I am not so hopeful. The basic problem of grinding inner city impoverishment will never be solved without a clear policy of committing massive tax payer money to tap this vastly underutilized human potential. Although Obama is just as mute on inner city problems as Ronald Reagan or W, he is still called a Communist or a Socialist by racist lynch mob (aka the Republican Party) for making even the most flimsiest efforts at reigning in corporations and the wealthiest 2%. The United States doesn’t have the foresight to tackle our inner city problems. Meanwhile, the Dutch, the Danish, the Swedes, and the Germans are unlocking the potential of all of their citizens, regardless of socio-economic status.

I also wonder what you mean by “Middle-class black flight is taking a toll as of this writing”. Haven’t they all move to Southfield?

PS. The Robb Report is not academic, scientific, nor anything more than an upper class, commercial magazine. The articles are not vetted by urban geographers nor anybody
in the legitimate annals of academe. The Grosse Pointe area is still lovely but they are tied to a sinking ship. It is a disgrace that we’ve let Detroit fall from being one of the wealthiest big cities in the world to one of the most impoverished in the Western world.

]]> By: joe http://higley1000.com/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-9771 joe Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:39:31 +0000 http://higley1000.com/archives/50#comment-9771 As recently as 2001, the Grosse Pointes were chosen as the seventh best community to live by the Robb Report. Being a strong boating and golfing community, the Pointes are blessed with beautiful Lake St. Clair and validated with the best yacht club in AMERICA, the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. Yes, things have changed in the last 40 years, like in any inner-ring old money suburb in America. But traditions live on, and the Pointers embrace a casual-ritzy sort of lifestyle which we share with our St. Clair Shores neighbors. The decline of Detroit is showing in the vacant blocks southwest of Grosse Pointe Park where opportunities for green space are emerging. Detroit has a bright future as a smaller city, which is improving from downtown outward, but needs to annex and downsize. People are paying outrageous taxes for poor schools and average to below-average services. Middle-class black flight is taking a toll as of this writing. Blacks and other ethnic groups are being increasingly represented in the Pointes which bodes well for our children who after all, are the most open-minded, prejudice-free among us. Lastly, much of what Iv'e written here can be applied to many major city/ inner-ring suburb relationships. As recently as 2001, the Grosse Pointes were chosen as the seventh best community to live by the Robb Report. Being a strong boating
and golfing community, the Pointes are blessed with beautiful Lake St. Clair and validated with the best yacht club in AMERICA, the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. Yes, things have changed in the last 40 years, like in any inner-ring old money suburb in America. But traditions live on, and the Pointers embrace a casual-ritzy sort of lifestyle which we share with our St. Clair Shores neighbors. The decline of Detroit is showing in the vacant blocks southwest of Grosse Pointe Park where opportunities for green space are emerging. Detroit has a bright future as a smaller city, which is improving from downtown outward, but needs to annex and downsize. People are paying outrageous taxes for poor schools and average to below-average services. Middle-class black flight is taking a toll as of this writing. Blacks and other ethnic groups are being increasingly represented in the Pointes which bodes well for our children who after all, are the most open-minded, prejudice-free among us. Lastly, much of what Iv’e written here can be applied to many major city/ inner-ring suburb relationships.

]]> By: Anthony McCormick http://higley1000.com/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-826 Anthony McCormick Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:27:08 +0000 http://higley1000.com/archives/50#comment-826 Excellent study, well done - thank you. It's a sad thing to see a neighborhood like Indian Village fall to urban blight. I hope it is protected. Excellent study, well done – thank you. It’s a sad thing to see a neighborhood like Indian Village fall to urban blight. I hope it is protected.

]]> By: John http://higley1000.com/archives/50/comment-page-1#comment-545 John Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:02:23 +0000 http://higley1000.com/archives/50#comment-545 A couple of areas need to be added. In the park windmill point drive needs to be added as well as Devonshire through Berkshire the 1000 block of Devonshire has the Highest average income in the Grosse pointes. Windmill point has the largest houses in the area and Definitly needs to be on the list. Also other places in he farms need to be added like kenwood and cloverly. Also the country club houses on moross the houses on the club are actually quite small for grosse pointe standards. A couple of areas need to be added. In the park windmill point drive needs to be added as well as Devonshire through Berkshire the 1000 block of Devonshire has the Highest average income in the Grosse pointes. Windmill point has the largest houses in the area and Definitly needs to be on the list. Also other places in he farms need to be added like kenwood and cloverly. Also the country club houses on moross the houses on the club are actually quite small for grosse pointe standards.

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