Motorcity. The birthplace of the Model-T and the industrial production model as we know it today. Yet as we enter the second decade of the 21st century Detroit's economy is anything but innovative. In the last few years we have seen scandals, followed by bankruptcy, followed by corruption in Michigan's most well known city. And where does that leave Detroit's reputation now? Internationally Detroit is synonymous with American failure, and domestically it is a symbol for our growing unemployment problem. Many people have been working on how we can "save" the car industry in Detroit and its surrounding suburbs. While the effort has merit, I believe that Detroit no longer has great potential to be the hub of the car industry. Fortune magazine recently published an article on a man who sees a much different future for Detroit.
John Hantz, former American Express stockbroker with a net worth of over 100 million is one of the richest men left in Detroit, and he has a plan to revive the city and put to use the acres upon acres of vacant land. His idea is to being to farm Detroit and turn it into the preeminent city garden of the world.
Yes, a farm. A large-scale, for-profit agricultural enterprise, wholly contained within the city limits of Detroit. Hantz thinks farming could do his city a lot of good: restore big chunks of tax-delinquent, resource-draining urban blight to pastoral productivity; provide decent jobs with benefits; supply local markets and restaurants with fresh produce; attract tourists from all over the world; and -- most important of all -- stimulate development around the edges as the local land market tilts from stultifying abundance to something more like scarcity and investors move in. Hantz is willing to commit $30 million to the project. He'll start with a pilot program this spring involving up to 50 acres on Detroit's east side. "Out of the gates," he says, "it'll be the largest urban farm in the world."
I personally think that this idea has a lot of potential. With the population of Detroit shrinking each year it is estimated decline to 700,000 inhabitants from over 2 million. All that extra space needs to be used productively in order for Detroit to regain any sense of prosperity and currently investors are not exactly jumping the gun to move in. The need for nourishment is universal though and growing food in the city would cut down the carbon footprint of transportation and create a sense of unity within the community of Detroit. What is your opinion of this idea? What other visions do you see for Detroit as we mature into adulthood?
For the full article
http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/29/news/economy/farming_detroit.fortune/index.htm
I feel like this would definately be a huge step towards the tourism industry in America. We are slowly becoming unable to compete with countries in the world who dont have minimum wages, age restrictions, and other such worker benefits in America. Since they can produce the products cheaper we can not compete. Because of this we are slowly turning into a nation based on tourism and agriculture than automotive or factory type jobs. This is why florida and california arent as effected as the worst state of all Michigan. Our economy was almost solely based on the automotive industry. Now that this is fading so is our economy. This is just another example of how Americas economy is in a transition.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I don't think Detroit has anything else left to lose. I live near the city and it's definitely a place that people avoid unless they're going to a sporting event or something important. I think it would be great to revive the city and have it flourish with people again. It would also be nice to finally lose the title of the worst city in America.
ReplyDeleteDetroit does need a change for the better. This idea would certainly produce fresh product for nearby markets as well as clean up some parts of the city. I think if farming did start up in Detroit that fertilizer and pesticide use should be kept at a minimum. This will reduce crop yield, but will also reduce the amount of contaminated runoff that drains into the Detroit River. Plus, it would be really nice to get fresh, tasty, organic produce from local markets where i live. (A)
ReplyDeleteI fully support this idea, though I have doubts whether it will do much to help the average citizen of the city.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, farming has a very low worker-per-acre ratio. Whereas the auto factories allowed thousands of workers to work productively in building, farming cannot employ the nearly the same number of laborers.
Second, farms are going to provide jobs that are quite low paying. I'm not arguing that farms should not be done, as they certainly are better than nothing, just that they should not be considered a primary solution to the problem.
I also doubt whether this would really become a tourist attraction, unless it managed to be on the large scale as shown in the drawing.
Still, something needs to be done and if he's willing to invest in this, good for him.
I like this idea for many reasons. I like it because economically, it will, if it works, provide a large amount of tourism for Detroit, and Michigan in general. This will certainly help boost the economy. Also, if it works, it will become a symbol of hope for those without jobs and those with big ideas. This project will also make Detroit very aesthetically pleasing. I see the marginal benefits greatly outweighing the marginal costs right now for those in the city, at least to start it. Hantz is the one taking the huge financial risk to bring his dream to life and to help improve his city. It will be interesting to follow this journey/experiment and see how well it works. I have my fingers crossed, but at the same time I doubt whether Hantz will be able to get alot of people on board with his idea. I think people will be watching this closely for the first year before deciding on their level of commitment and participation.
ReplyDeleteE, A
I feel that this would be a great way to create tourism and also fresh produce that would create more jobs and local stores that would pour money into the city. I live fifteen minutes away from Detroit, and I can tell you first hand that there are vacant houses all around you as you enter the city, and go through the city. I believe that if these houses were torn down and the land was leveled, farms could flourish in the area. Doing this would create tourism because people do not want to see vacant houses when they visit a city, they want to see the buildings and scenery. Also, it would give visitors a feeling of safety, because vacant houses usually don't give people a good impression. Detroit could also be a good place for fresh produce with these farms. They could ship their produce elsewhere to make profit, but also they could set up local stores to sell the produce in the city that would more than likely attract people to get the fresh foods. With fresh produce and less vacant houses, people would feel safer and more confident in visiting the city to buy fresh food, and see farms in a city, something that few other cities have. This could all bring money into the city of Detroit and because of that, I think this is a great idea. (A)
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting idea. My parents have conditioned me to not think much of Detroit, much less encourage me to visit. Turning the city into a farming tourist attraction seems like quite a feat.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I never really considered the demand for tourist in America. Tourist attractions obviously bring more money into our economy, but do we need more of them? Do we just need something new and different? I think this plan, if carried out, would be a good mark on America's record for caring about the environment. We need it, especially after the Kyoto Protocol.
Hanz reminds me of David Orr who built a sustainable building at Oberlin College. Hanz has a big plan that needs a lot of cooperation and dedication for it to be pulled off. If people are willing to put their money and energy into the plan, I think it can be really successful.
I think that Detroit could be a successful farming city. With the river running along side the city, there is a great source of irrigation. So what if the already abandoned building will have to be demolished. As far as I'm concerned, turning Detroit into an agricultural city would simply take care of the problem of all the abandoned and dilapidated building throughout the city. Detroit has nothing to lose so we may as well go for broke. A, E
ReplyDeleteWOW! SMALL WORLD!!
ReplyDeleteJohn is my Dad's business partner...
He always talks about his farming plan and he has a lot of passion and willingness to make it happen. I know I'm biased in this situation, but trust me when I say that John is ridiculously intelligent and he knows what he's doing.
I like the idea of urban farming in theory but not in practice. Everyone's saying Detroit has nothing to loose but in my opinion, that's incredibly pessimistic. Detroit is not a wasteland that's in such poor shape that urban planners have the right to do as they please without accounting for consequences down the line. The consequences do matter. It may look awful to you but it's a a place people call home and it's full of history, culture, art and athleticism that could all be tapped into by tourism departments and urban planners alike to create a more successful city.
ReplyDeleteYou don't need to build a green house around the People Mover to revitalize the city. Why don't we do something rational that's been done before and has been proven to create a vibrant, thriving city? Like implementing a stylish, effective public transportation system that will bring the suburbs of Detroit back into the city for a small cost (for all of you other metro-Detroiters, the SmartBus DOES NOT count). And what about getting rid of that God-awful River Place parking structure that provides a demonstration of exactly what not to do with a coastline and capitalizing on the resource that we all learned in grade school every big city needs: a water source. Detroit has plenty options for improvement without throwing caution to the wind and giving up its cultural roots to become a new-age tourist phenomenon.
Bridgett:
ReplyDeleteI admire your enthusiasm and sense of nostalgia, but I don't see how a person could turn down a major improvement that would be a completely private project at literally no cost to taxpayers. Could you explain your side?
I guess I'm nostalgic, too. Seeing that number, 700,000, broke my heart. So sad to see a city shrink like that.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog topic. I dont know much about Detroit but the proposal sounds feasible. Agriculture is one of those industries that will always be accomodated for in the world market. With today's rapid increase in population, there is a high demand for agricultural products which results in a shortage of food for all the people in the world. Prior to inductrialisation, China relied on agriculture as their main export. In my opinion, it helped to revive their economy. I am not saying that this will the same result in Detroit, but the possibility exists that it might have similar outcomes.
ReplyDeleteAgriculture is a primary industry but it can lead into other secondary and teritiary industries. Oftentimes, when we think about agriculture we only think about the person tilling the ground or driving a tractor but this is not true. If for example, Detroit produces wheat, jobs could be created in sewing and harvesting the wheat. Other jobs could be created in making cereals, wheat biscuits, wheat bars etc. Other jobs could be created in customer service representatives, sellers, salespersons etc.
If this proposal is well-thought out, it can provides a considerable amount of employment for the local population.What exactly will this farm produce? What level of education will the workers have to have? Who will they sell all this produce to? Is there a ready market for it? Did they do any scientific reasearch on the soil in Detroit? Is it suitable for whatever type of agriculture they are proposing?
Based on A, T, E
ReplyDeleteI think that urban farming is a great idea for Detroit. It seems like a great way to revitalize Detroit's downtown area. Also the economic benefits from the tourism related to it would be great for the city. (A)
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most difficult things that people running economies face is investing in a time consuming, expensive efforts that they will yield the fruits of many years ahead. Change, especially in the entire business of such a famous city, is a tough pill to swallow; and Detroit officials and politicians have good reason to be wary of it. This being said, innovation and change, creativity and enthusiasm for it, are what fuel success.
ReplyDeleteFor reasons listed above and since turning over a city requires enormous effort and a whole lot of stress, Detroit needs individuals who are committed to the heart of the city; what it once was, and what it can be. Hantz seems like that type; enthusiastic and passionate about the city and its change. I think the city is ready for this kind of change.
What am unusual idea. All that land around the city was once farms, so now that it is not being used, why not turn it into farms again. However I have my doubts as to if abandoned houses can be turned into farms or greenhouses profitably. Also you have to look at the long term effect of a full scale implementation of this project. Detroit would become patch of farm country surrounded by a ring of suburbs.
ReplyDeleteA
I honestly think although this is a intriguing idea, people in the detroit and flint area have a history and also experience of manufacturing. With all the money that the government is pumping into alternative energy sources, this state should be lobbying to build these windmills and also hydroelectric dams because the closed auto factories can produce these with a few minor changes.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, although farming is a good idea who would want to eat food from a dirty city like detroit, and also why re-train a population a skill when they already have the manufacturing infrastructure and knowledge with an unemployed workforce?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/business/energy-environment/26wind.html
As a native Detroiter,to see that the only thing that people feel is good enough for the city is farming is very disheartening. Do not forget that Detroit was once a booming city with the auto companies thriving. It is so frustrating to hear people say that Detroit is this deteriorating and abandoned wasteland.It's not as people assume it to be, I know because I lived in one of the lowest income neighborhoods in the city and I survived.
ReplyDeleteI am not optimistic about this idea whatsoever. You can say "what does the city have to loose because it's going down anyway?" But this idea might sound good in theory but realistically this will not work. First of all the land is not suitable for farming. Second of all why not do something that will benefit the people more like build houses and businesses.
My neighborhood back home consists of about 4 houses maybe and the rest either abandoned houses or vacant lots. I don't think I want to go home to see a farm next door I rather have neighbors. It is important that we see the city of Detroit advance in more of a technological way. I have hope that Detroit has the potential to thrive!
A,T
Changing the way Detroit is right now is not a pretty bad idea. Since it is really famous for the Model-T I think that with this totally different invention the city would definitely get more tourists. Instead of polluting the city more, it will be an environmentally free area and it will encourage other major cities that are going through the same problem as Detroit to change their production. It’s really not a bad idea because Detroit hasn’t figure out much by now on what to do with their unemployment rate and if someone is willing to invest in this project, why not. In my opinion this project would have more benefits than negative sides to it. E.A
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that this idea, while in no way certain to succeed, has a lot of potential. As Mysha said, people will always need food, so we can be pretty sure that if successful, demand for Detroit's agricultural products would not melt away like demand for its cars has. I feel, moreover, that it is important to try and move Detroit, and indeed Michigan, beyond its heavy reliance on the car industry. I've read numerous articles in a number of magazines speaking to the way in which the car market is currently saturated, so I feel that car makers are unlikely to open new factories in Detroit. Moreover, I've read other articles saying that the auto industry as a whole is set to get much less profitable, as the smaller cars which the industry is switching to are not as profitable as larger SUVs. Food, on the other hand, is only going to go up in value. As global warming disrupts agriculture elsewhere in the world, and as consumers in developing nations like China earn more money and are able to afford more meat (which is both more expensive than and more demanding overall in agricultural resources than crops ) demand, and price, will inevitably increase. From an ethical standpoint as well, creating farms in Detroit is the "right" thing to do, as increasing the overall supply of food will help to moderate the coming rise in food prices, provide jobs for the many unemployed living in Detroit, and help to draw carbon out of the atmosphere. Indeed, rather than looking nostalgically back upon Detroit's former status as "The Motor City", we should look forward to a bright, profitable new era of Detroit as "The Farm City"
ReplyDeleteIf you don't agree, read this.....
ReplyDeleteFact: Detroit has more violent crimes per 100,000 citizens than ANY city in the USA.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/23/most-dangerous-cities-lifestyle-real-estate-dangerous-american-cities.html
I have also read estimates of the total abandoned houses ranging from 10,000 to 44,000--never lower than 10,000.
Unemployment is over 21% in Detroit.
And to people are questioning if the soil is cultivatable: Would somebody who has a self-made net worth exceeding $100 million prepare himself to invest $30 million in a farm on unfarmable land, or do you think he would be intelligent enough to acquire the proper information before thinking to invest so much?
I think Detroit should deffinitely go ahead with this idea. It will help the environment and lead to a lot of other movements in detroit for the better... Even though farming won't replace as many jobs that were lost, it doesn't have to since 1.3 million have already left the city. Personally i think they should try and bring in an alternative energy company which can take over old manufacturies and help bring more jobs in. I know in flint that they are trying to bring in an alternative energy company from sweden that will bring in a lot of jobs and revenue.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the best idea's i've heard for detroit's revitalization, and the one that i hope most to succeed. Blight and abandonded buildings brings nothing to the city but negative elements, even if the project doesnt pan through or become profitable atleast they will start to tear down some of those awful buildings. Its kind of ironic that the industry capital of the world 40 years ago is not looking to turn it's inner city to pasture. Sad but ironic.
ReplyDeleteJust to add to Jared's comment about alternative energy, bringing farming to Detroit could actually provide a proven source of renewable energy as a by-product. Methane, produced by cows and other livestock, is already successfully and profitably harvested by farmers around the world. Were Detroit to start large-scale farming, it could raise livestock and harness the methane, which in turn could provide an eco-friendly way to power the farm equipment, run the buses, and even supply new natural-gas power plants.
ReplyDeleteI just saw Shea Howell, who works in Detroit on Urban Agriculture projects, speak about this and she was very interesting. Some of the points she made were:
ReplyDelete1. The unemployment rate is 60% and those jobs may not come back for a while. We need to find a way to feed the people NOW.
2. The unused, potential farmland in Detroit is the size of San Francisco
3. Already Detroit produces 120 tons of vegetables a year
4. Hantz's project is a way to get people working again, to cultivate community.
Howell was somewhat concerned, however, about how Hantz would go about this project because the last thing Detroit needs is to become a giant industrial farm polluting and destroying the soil She did say, however, that this project has lot of potential and recognizes that at some point urban gardening, to have widespread success in Detroit, needs to be more than just backyard gardens here and there. So it sounds like as long as Hantz is willing to work with the city to observe sustainable agriculture practices, massive farms may be the future of Detroit. Maybe in five years people will be saying, "Yeah, my city is nice but it's no Detroit"
As far as Detroit's status as the hub of the auto industry, I'm going to insist that it's not over yet. Ford recently posted it's first annual PROFIT in a few years. I'm sure Chrysler and GM will follow suit eventually. Ford was the first to struggle, and the first to recover. I'm almost positive that Detroit will remain the center of the auto industry. My hometown, Dearborn, is built around Ford. Michigan has depended on the auto industry economically for too long to be able to forget about it and move on to farming. There are too many families depending on their connection to the Big 3.
ReplyDeleteI don't see potential for Detroit to become the "garden of the world." Not that this farming idea is a horrible concept. I think it'll be a great project and can provide support - locally.
A, E