What if U of M never left and Windsor was part of Detroit (Ann Arbor: theater)

[Tex?Il?]

I was thinking:

I'm fascinated by Detroit and southeast Michigan and I am still convinced that if people knew what the region had to offer, companies and people would be relocating here in larger numbers. (Between Downtown Detroit, Midtown Detroit, Dearborn, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Ann Arbor, and Windsor).

Heres something interesting: University of Michigan used to be in Detroit in the mid 1800s before it was moved to Ann Arbor. What would Detroit be like if the University of Michigan stayed there?

Do you think its possible that the whole Ann Arbor university/intellectual/progressive culture could have developed IN Detroit and acted as a creative anchor in which to diversify the economy and keep part of the city vibrant even after the riots and subsequent white flight?

Chicago was largely blue-collared and industrial (and of course ist still in some parts of the area no eoubt) and racially polarized like Detroit. But Chicago has the regions great universities very close to downtown (DePaul, U of C, and Northwestern in Evanston). I believe this is a difference that predates anything that happened in the 1960s.

Also, when Detroit was still one of Americas thriving cities, what if Windsor was willing annexed to Detroit? (I know its another country) Windsor I think is a perfect, close example that dependency on the auto industry is not so much why Detroit proper is full of abandonment. Because Windsor is largely auto-oriented but is not like Detroit.

Countries have gone to war over control over straits (IE; Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey in WWI) for the control of trade, transportation which could spurn growth. Again, with Chicago, the focus on the financial district in the loop and the growth of O'Hare kept Chicago strong through the rustbelt decline.

So in conclusion: Even before the troubles of the 60s and 70s, do you think that Detroit would be a very different place if U of M was IN Detroit, and Detroit was on both sides of the river.

(Of course the troubles of the 60s and 70s made everything worse: Motown might have given Detroit a strong recording industry, and the lack of riots and white flight might have made for a more attractive city where many more corporations would want to locate to (again like Chicago).

Anyways, just some thoughts. I know it does little good now, but I still committed to the belief that the difference between SE Michigan and Chicagoland are are a series of historical accidents.

[Tiger Beer]

Personally I think the automobile was not only the key to Detroit, but also it's demise.

The city of Detroit is absolutely nothing like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc. Meaning, there are few if any dense areas with public transportation, etc. Most of the city just has massively wide streets everywhere, a feeling of desolate, not people-friendly, not people-oriented, not convenient (except for cars), etc.

It's the ideal city for people with cars...but when suburbs were created, they just drove right on out and lived in the same residential areas but safer.

I can't see any reason whatsoever to live in Detroit, it lacks all the cool things that cities provide and is filled with all the negatives. People look over the negatives (DC, New Orleans, etc.) if you at least have convenience/density/interesting places to walk around within distance of your home, etc.

[Tex?Il?]

What I'm saying is: if the Ann Arbor culture developed within Detroit, Detroit would be a much more attractive place today. I mean in regards to Chicago for example:

its the north side (a couple miles from the lakefront) that has pulled the weight in making Chicago an attractive place to live. Most of the south and west sides have blight a little similar to Detroit, and the far northwest side is mostly semi-suburban blue collared Irish/Polish/Italian Americans that have fled when blacks and hispanics start moving in.

The fact that Detroit has museums, theaters, historic ethnic enclaves, and great architecture, (the few intact, nice areas of Detroit proper are more stunning than just about anywhere) could have been couple with the Ann Arbor and Windsor culture which does emphasize walkability and progressive thought.

[Dexterguy]

Detroit has Wayne State University, which brings in thousands of suburbanites each year, both by commuting and room and board.

I agree with what you are saying about U of M though. With a big nationally recognized university in Detroit I think that it would have made some kind of difference.

But with annexing Windsor, I don't know if that ever would have happened. Windsor and Detroit are separated geographically and nothing can change that. There is a reason why the United States is separated by the Detroit River, to make it harder to cross over, that would have never been changed.