Well, for one thing, Detroit doesn’t have any intact blocks that look like that (those are 19th century row homes). Those buildings would’ve been torched to the ground decades ago, save for maybe one or two left to rot. As a result, Detroit hardly has any late 19th century homes left. Entire neighborhoods used to have breathtaking Victorian homes and mansions - nearly all gone now aside from a handful from poor to restored condition just blocks from the central business district (which actually is booming).
“...just blocks from the central business district (which actually is booming).”
A couple of years ago, my alma mater played in the Quick Lane Bowl. We stayed out at the airport but as part of the charter. They drove us around downtown Detroit pointing out places like Cobo Arena, the Fox Theatre, etc.
I found myself thinking “Hey, this isn’t so bad looking here. It’s definitely an older looking downtown but it’s not that bad. It looks like they’re trying to clean it up”.
No, I can tell. I live in southern NJ about 45 minutes from that area. Been thorough it before on my way out to New Hope, PA. Believe it or not that squat looking brick building in the background is a public housing development. Can you also believe Walt Whitman was born in this city? This is the triumph of liberalism. Or it’s crowning failure.