Detroit Is Dying

"The notion that Detroit is in the midst of a renaissance is not true. A look across its 142 square miles shows that it is still mired in poverty. Although it has probably leveled off, the city has lost a massive number of residents. It also has many abandoned houses that will remain indefinitely. A small part of downtown has made a comeback, led by Rocket Companies founder Dan Gilbert, who has invested or brought hundreds of millions of dollars into the area."

"A portion of it has also been rebuilt by other companies. The most prominent example of this is Ford's refurbishment of the Michigan Central Station. Ford spent $950 million on the project. Ironically, very close by, the Renaissance Center-the tallest building in the city-was built largely due to efforts by Henry Ford II. General Motors bought the building and moved its headquarters there in the mid-1990s. The company is set to depart, leaving the huge building without a major tenant."

Detroit continues to experience deep poverty, widespread abandoned housing, and long-term population loss despite limited downtown reinvestment. Small pockets of revitalization exist downtown, driven by private investors such as Dan Gilbert and major corporate projects like Ford's $950 million Michigan Central Station refurbishment. Major landmarks such as the Renaissance Center face fragility as large tenants depart. Sports stadiums and casinos draw visitors but do not offset citywide economic distress. Key metrics include a poverty rate over 31 percent, median household income under $40,000, and a median home value near $106,000, with population falling from 1,849,668 in 1950 to 645,705 in 2024.

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