Comments for Semester D

Comment on SDBA Spring Clean-up – Success! by Tamara

Tamara — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:50:28 +0000

I am so proud of all your hard work. You organized a fantastic event which included great community involvement. My family actually had fun!

Comment on The Belle Isle Conservatory by Carol

Carol — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:20:49 +0000

Refreshing change to see the beauty of Detroit. Show us more!

Comment on SDBA Spring Clean-up – Success! by Carol

Carol — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:00:42 +0000

The before and after pictures of the improved sites speak volumes about how a little sprucing up can go a long way to diminish the marred look of a property. How many bags of trash were removed – looks like tons. Job well done!

Comment on SDBA Spring Clean-up – Success! by Cooper

Cooper — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:04:17 +0000

Good job, Leeya!

Comment on SDBA Spring Clean-up – Success! by Jenny Geiger

Jenny Geiger — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:33:48 +0000

Leeya, I’m so proud of you! Looked like an amazing day. You’re incredible.

Comment on In Detroit life is worth living by patrick

patrick — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:41:51 +0000

I enjoy and always see people outside when I bike. Then one time I realized I bike during the middle of the day when people should be inside at work and school.

Comment on The Belle Isle Conservatory by Cooper

Cooper — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:28:45 +0000

That photo on top is gorgeous. The conservatory is definitely one of my favorite places in Detroit. I always try to bring people there because it’s so nice and so unexpected. I just wish they hadn’t closed the aquarium! Thankfully there’s a group working to bring it back:

http://www.belleisleaquarium.com/

Comment on The Belle Isle Conservatory by Lauren

Lauren — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:24:07 +0000

Thanks for adding this Leeya, these pics are beautiful!
I want to go now!

Comment on Field Trip by Gahl Liberzon

Gahl Liberzon — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:23:27 +0000

Sorry, I was filling out my witness statement!
-g.

Comment on Meijer…. by Rebecca Disbrow

Rebecca Disbrow — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:00:48 +0000

I assume what you are referring to in the organizational ecology comment is that opening a Meijer would begin to get Detroiters used to having access to produce, and thus to start creating a demand for it (the legitimization aspect of org. ecology, yes?). With this theory, though comes the other tenant of organizational ecology, which is that of competition, which works opposite: stifling the success of multiple businesses. The effect “competing” will have on killing local grocers (or killing the potential for them before they even exists) depends almost exclusively on the customer base – is there enough to support more than just Meijer, if fresh produce and groceries becomes a demand of the region?
This question I do not know the answer to, because I don’t know how much of a ripple effect the influx of fresh groceries can create (Michelle and her efforts at Peaches and Greens probably can answer this more), nor do I know much about the population distribution in Detroit and their access to vehicles. (I do know about 60% of southwest residents do NOT have access to a vehicle).
I also know that the population of Detroit has dropped off to less than a third of what it once was. Whether this population is
(1) numerically big enough for,
(2) has transportation access to,
(3) is affluent enough to support, or
(4) has the potential demand for
both a meijer-type supermarket and a number of small grocers is really at the heart of the question.

We might begin to answer the questions by looking at the grocers that are successful (to name some in SW: E&L, Hacienda Foods, Vernor Food Store, Honeybees…) and asking them if produce sales are or have ever been sustainable, and as a followup to watch their growth or decline with the addition of a supermarket in the area.

Thanks for the comments, interesting topic and debate. And just to reiterate – I am not against bringing cheap food into Detroit, nor agaisnt the corporate nature of Meijer in this instance. In the situation of Detroit, I would LOVE to see a Meijer come in, downtown, into an urban building, with street and/or underground parking. (Heck, throw in some public transit, too!) It’d be more readily accessible to those without a vehicle and it would increase traffic, vitality, safety, and business in the city center.