Case study: Detroit

What type of place is Detroit?

• post-industrial city

• rust belt city

• shrinking city

Where is Detroit located?

• Michigan, USA

• north-east USA

• on the Detroit River

• between Lake Erie and Lake Huron

• close to the Canadian border

Why did Detroit grow rapidly?

• access to Great Lakes for transport

• location near raw materials (iron ore and coal)

• good transport links via waterways and rail

• mass production of cars

• availability of labour

Which industry dominated Detroit’s economy?

automobile industry

Which companies were based in Detroit?

• Ford

• General Motors

• Chrysler

Why was Detroit known as “Motor City”?

• centre of US car manufacturing

• mass production of automobiles

• Henry Ford pioneered assembly line production

What was Detroit’s population at its peak?

1.85 million (1950)

What is Detroit’s population today?

approx. 670,000

What percentage of Detroit’s population has been lost since 1950?

over 60%

Why did Detroit decline?

• deindustrialisation

• globalisation

• competition from foreign car manufacturers (e.g., Japan)

• automation reduced need for labour

• suburbanisation

• racial tensions

What is deindustrialisation?

the decline of manufacturing industries

What is suburbanisation?

people moving from the inner city to suburbs

Why did suburbanisation occur in Detroit?

• growth of car ownership

• development of highways

• desire for better living conditions

• racial tensions

What were the impacts of deindustrialisation in Detroit?

• factory closures

• job losses

• economic decline

• urban decay

How many jobs were lost in Detroit’s car industry?

over 300,000 jobs lost

What happened to car production in Detroit?

• decreased due to global competition

• production moved overseas

• factories closed

What happened in the 1967 Detroit race riots?

• caused by racial tensions and police brutality

• 43 deaths

• over 2,000 buildings destroyed

• 7,000 arrests

What were the social impacts of Detroit’s decline?

• high unemployment

• high poverty levels

• crime rates increased

• population decline

• racial segregation

What were the economic impacts of Detroit’s decline?

• loss of tax revenue

• business closures

• decline in services

• reduced investment

What were the environmental impacts of Detroit’s decline?

• derelict land

• abandoned buildings

• urban blight

• brownfield sites

How many buildings are abandoned in Detroit?

approx. 70,000 buildings

What percentage of Detroit's population lives in poverty?

approx. 30–35%

What was Detroit’s unemployment rate?

over 20% (at peak decline)

When did Detroit declare bankruptcy?

2013

How much debt did Detroit have when it went bankrupt?

approx. $18 billion

Why did Detroit go bankrupt?

• declining population

• falling tax revenues

• high pension costs

• economic decline

What were the impacts of Detroit’s bankruptcy?

• cuts to public services

• reduced pensions

• decline in infrastructure

• street lighting failures

• long emergency response times

What is a shrinking city?

a city experiencing population loss and economic decline

What regeneration strategies have been used in Detroit?

• urban greening

• downtown regeneration

• investment in services

• attracting new businesses and creative industries

What is urban greening?

converting derelict land into green spaces

What are some examples of urban greening in Detroit?

• community gardens

• urban farms

• tree planting

• green infrastructure

How much land is vacant in Detroit?

approx. 1/3 of the city

What has been done to regenerate downtown Detroit?

• renovation of buildings

• creation of new shops, bars, and restaurants

• improved public spaces

• investment in offices

Which company has famously invested in Detroit?

Ford

What is gentrification?

wealthier people moving into an area and improving it with the wealthy in mind

What are the impacts of gentrification in Detroit?

• improved infrastructure

• increase in house prices

• displacement of poorer, pre-existing residents

• inequality

What are the positive impacts of regeneration in Detroit?

• job creation

• economic growth

• environmental improvements

• new businesses

What are the negative impacts of regeneration in Detroit?

• inequality

• gentrification

• some areas remain deprived

• benefits not evenly spread

What is Detroit’s current economic focus in terms of sectors and industries?

• service sector

• technology sector

• creative industries

• tourism industry

What is the place perception of Detroit in the media?

• negative image due to crime, dereliction, and decline

• media portrayal of abandonment

• improving image through regeneration

Who is the current Detroit Mayor?

Mayor Mary Sheffield