Great article. Thoughtful question on Detroit reset. How much might the presence of a strong union mindset had on Detroit, compared to what I would call an exploration mindset in California?
I think that's a valid point, especially when you consider the 1960s politics in both states. The governors of both states at the time might tell the story. Michigan's governor for much of the 60s was George Romney, a moderate-to-slightly-progressive Republican. Pat Brown ran California over the same period, known for his progressive policies and infrastructure investment. It's possible Michigan politics would've gotten unions in line with the rise of the defense and aerospace industry in the state, but I guess we'll never know.
Sort of a side question, but what do you think is the “reset” (if any) that’s driving Detroit’s (unequalish) comeback today? I feel like the media has been calling this comeback wrongly for decades, yet this time it seems legit. I’m wondering what’s the difference this time.
The short answer IMO is earlier revitalization attempts over the last 50 years weren't very deep, or anchored to any revitalization strategy beyond corporate vanity. In addition, I don't think many Detroiters, especially suburbanites, really believed Detroit was redeemable. Even though the city's revival had fits and starts in the 90s and 00s, they were undermined by local cynicism and skepticism. I don't think many metro Detroiters believed they had any connection to Detroit's misfortunes until the 2013 bankruptcy.
Once the bankruptcy was filed, I think more metro Detroiters became more invested in the city's future. I view the 21st century version of the city's rebirth as being catalyzed by suburban pioneers buying up and renovating properties in key areas, followed by outsiders doing the same. That made the investments made by Dan Gilbert and the Illitch family more meaningful, and create something more people could be proud of.
So basically, a critical mass of people within the Detroit area finally believed in the city's future, and that was enough to get the comeback started. If and when the city truly makes an economic pivot, it will go much further.
Thank you. That's funny, because friends and I would often make fun of the fact that everyone is trying to will Detroit's recovery by throwing clever marketing at the problem (ex. "Detroit Hustles Harder") and hoping that does the trick. But maybe it was mainly a problem of perception after all!
Great article. Thoughtful question on Detroit reset. How much might the presence of a strong union mindset had on Detroit, compared to what I would call an exploration mindset in California?
I think that's a valid point, especially when you consider the 1960s politics in both states. The governors of both states at the time might tell the story. Michigan's governor for much of the 60s was George Romney, a moderate-to-slightly-progressive Republican. Pat Brown ran California over the same period, known for his progressive policies and infrastructure investment. It's possible Michigan politics would've gotten unions in line with the rise of the defense and aerospace industry in the state, but I guess we'll never know.
Sort of a side question, but what do you think is the “reset” (if any) that’s driving Detroit’s (unequalish) comeback today? I feel like the media has been calling this comeback wrongly for decades, yet this time it seems legit. I’m wondering what’s the difference this time.
Great question. The long answer can be found in this post I wrote back in January: https://petesaunders.substack.com/p/detroit-analysis-of-a-comeback
The short answer IMO is earlier revitalization attempts over the last 50 years weren't very deep, or anchored to any revitalization strategy beyond corporate vanity. In addition, I don't think many Detroiters, especially suburbanites, really believed Detroit was redeemable. Even though the city's revival had fits and starts in the 90s and 00s, they were undermined by local cynicism and skepticism. I don't think many metro Detroiters believed they had any connection to Detroit's misfortunes until the 2013 bankruptcy.
Once the bankruptcy was filed, I think more metro Detroiters became more invested in the city's future. I view the 21st century version of the city's rebirth as being catalyzed by suburban pioneers buying up and renovating properties in key areas, followed by outsiders doing the same. That made the investments made by Dan Gilbert and the Illitch family more meaningful, and create something more people could be proud of.
So basically, a critical mass of people within the Detroit area finally believed in the city's future, and that was enough to get the comeback started. If and when the city truly makes an economic pivot, it will go much further.
Thank you. That's funny, because friends and I would often make fun of the fact that everyone is trying to will Detroit's recovery by throwing clever marketing at the problem (ex. "Detroit Hustles Harder") and hoping that does the trick. But maybe it was mainly a problem of perception after all!