April 8, 200916 yr Yeah. "Defecation Alley" behind the Farwell Building is a real "must see" tourist stop.
April 8, 200916 yr This is my favorite part of downtown too. It's the definition of hidden gem. Interesting buildings and angles surround you 360 degrees. When I worked in the Detroit suburbs, it seemed like everyone had heard of Harmony park but nobody had heard of this place. I remember a little building tucked away here with strange multi-colored windows, marked Jewish Community Federation or something like that. Deserted of course. Is that still there? Has anything been done with it? I don't remember it having great architecture, but I was fascinated by it for some reason.
April 8, 200916 yr Yeah. "Defecation Alley" behind the Farwell Building is a real "must see" tourist stop. You mean the other alley on the other side of the park. Walking by, the smell was revolting. I've never smelled something so terrible. Even the worst trash filled alleys of New York on a 105 degree day during a trash holiday couldn't come close, not even by a mile. ------------- I like the Detroit Pizza Factory in Capitol Park. 2 inches of bullet proof glass and homeless patrons who try to mooch off the owner. I also like the big mural on the restaurant wall of Detroit being burned down and destroyed. I think the RenCen was the only structure left standing.
April 8, 200916 yr I remember a little building tucked away here with strange multi-colored windows, marked Jewish Community Federation or something like that. Deserted of course. Is that still there? Has anything been done with it? I don't remember it having great architecture, but I was fascinated by it for some reason. That was the downtown Synagogue, which, last I heard, was still open (barely). Next door is Cafe d'Mongo's, a popular and eclectic hipster hangout, with pretty decent food to boot. For many years it was the closed, time capsule-esque "Larrie's BackAlley Speakeasy." All of the glasses still hanging from above the bar, mint bowl by the door, 4 inches of dust coating everything...like everyone ran out for a fire drill in 1983 (it was actually '93), locked the doors and never returned. Great to see d/Mongo's bringing back the spark.
April 8, 200916 yr I remember this part of Detroit. I figured it was the black part of downtown since there was a lot of black people waiting for the bus here...unlike the rest of downtown it seemed a little busy.
April 8, 200916 yr Yeah. We should just tear down Detroit and start over. I don't think the city can afford to even tear them all down.
April 8, 200916 yr It's sad because there's so much potential, but I seriously doubt anything will be done with it anytime soon.
April 9, 200916 yr What makes this place different from Harmony Park is that you feel more in the heart of downtown, while Harmony seems "quieter".more peripheral.
April 9, 200916 yr Yeah. We should just tear down Detroit and start over. "We" aren't doing it. The Ilitchs are! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 9, 200916 yr How is this part not bustling again? Oh yeah, all the money is directed towards Grosse Pointe and Royal Oak instead. Bleh.
April 9, 200916 yr Honest answer: the homeless and the bus station. I wish it wasn't that way, and I feel awful saying the homeless are the problem, but it's true. People avoid that area because there is a 90% chance you will get panhandled by a bunch of people. Capitol has an odd smell to it, the streets system is strange, and the park area is dark and depressing with such few lights. It doesn't have to be that way, and Detroit has proven that with some maintenance, brighter lighting, and enforcement against panhandling, the area can improve, and possibly encourage redevelopment. There are "plans" for all those buildings around the park, it's just a matter of the owners sitting and waiting.
April 9, 200916 yr Can we just bask in the Stott/Guardian/Penobscot triad of awesomeness for a moment? Okay. Back to reality. Hayward is right: that area is bummerific.
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