Miami - I have long rooted for Detroit - old Tiger Stadium, new Comerica, Auto Show, Lions moving downtown, restored Fox Theater and, yes, those pistachio baskets at the Astoria Bakery in Greektown. Besides, I like underdogs. And yet is Richard Florida too optimistic (Financial Times op-ed in link below) about the role of the Detroit's new "creative class" in the revitalization of a city on the edge of the abyss? Sure, what he describes here about a new, youthful technorati is hopeful, but this is the easy part. Young, hip pioneers will always reclaim the best of decayed but worthy urban spaces, especially in Detroit's "post-government" era. Key to success will be connecting these successful albeit small private initiatives to the larger, longer and tougher public-private partnerships needed to move Detroit forward in more than a boutique manner. Still, you have to start somewhere.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/7c1692b6-9c71-11e2-ba3c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2QSXibxh6
Twitter @jessicamcwade
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/7c1692b6-9c71-11e2-ba3c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2QSXibxh6
Twitter @jessicamcwade