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On the way in to downtown Detroit yesterday we drove local streets the whole way from Dearborn. Compared to driving around Detroit on the freeways (which is about all I've ever done before) it provided an interesting, closer up view of the cityscape.
The first thing that struck me is that Detroit is architecturally similar to Chicago. Commercial buildings and houses have similar design. The second thing that struck me is, compared Chicago, it's 2/3 abandoned. Lots of stores, and not a few houses, are empty, boarded up, even burnt out years ago and not repaired.
Census Bureau statistics bear out the reality seen on the ground. Detroit's population peaked at 1.8 million in 1950. The 2020 census reported just over 600,000. Literally 2/3 of the population are no longer here.
The first thing that struck me is that Detroit is architecturally similar to Chicago. Commercial buildings and houses have similar design. The second thing that struck me is, compared Chicago, it's 2/3 abandoned. Lots of stores, and not a few houses, are empty, boarded up, even burnt out years ago and not repaired.
Census Bureau statistics bear out the reality seen on the ground. Detroit's population peaked at 1.8 million in 1950. The 2020 census reported just over 600,000. Literally 2/3 of the population are no longer here.
