Sense of Urgency When Viewing PBS Documentary on Detroit Public Transit

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INTRO: Monday night, PBS showed a documentary about public transit in Detroit. It’s called ‘BluePrint America: Beyond the Motor City.’ An expert panel had a chance to see the film in an auditorium at the Detroit Public Library. They answered questions from an audience of 200 people. Michigan Now’s Chris McCarus was there.

A member of the audience asked how do we know a light rail line on Woodward Ave. will help Detroit’s economy? Matt Cullen of Quicken Loans said trains have helped cities across the country.

“I think it’s a very well informed bet. And I think there is a big focus on transportation under the President’s agenda right now.”

Cullen was head of real estate for General Motors. And Richard Baron’s real estate company has rebuilt urban neighborhoods across the country. Baron is based in St. Louis. But he grew up at 7 mile and Livernois.

“Until there is a real transformation and younger professionals and individuals of all colors come back to this city to try to help it rebuild itself you’re never gonna get the kind of change that you’re talking about.”

Baron blames Detroit’s problems on a lot of things: government subsidies for buying suburban homes starting in the 1950′s; cities emptied out by new roads; redlining that prevented blacks from buying homes where they wanted. Then add in suburban perceptions of crime and bad schools. Baron says the suburbs and the city need to get used to doing infrastructure projects together. Then the economy will improve.

“It’s a sense of purpose about Detroit. Being pooled together to make these things happen. In spite of all the negative national press and all the rest of it. I wouldn’t give it a second thought. Do it. Move it. Go. Do it. (Applause)

In December, the privately funded M1 Light Rail project got the green light. Congress said its funding will count as a match for the city to finish the whole line up Woodward to 8 mile. Some people still point to the Oakland County Executive as an obstacle. Matt Cullen says that might not be true anymore.

“I think people are beginning to understand that the region is losing in part because we don’t have a healthy urban downtown core. I was with Brooks Patterson the other day who is not always purported to be the most regional guy in his thinking. He told made the point to me that I’m still triple A or whatever from a bond rating standpoint. But he told me that his bond guys have told him if something doesn’t change in the city of Detroit then his bond rating is going down.”

Patterson has Wayne County to the south and Genesee to the north. He’s sandwiched by Detroit and Flint. Not only is Oakland at risk of having to pay more for a loan, they’re missing out on tax revenue and jobs created by recent college grads. They don’t want to drive from cul de sacs to malls. Matt Cullen says they want to walk the streets and ride on subways. So they migrate to cities where they can do this.

“If you look at all the kids that come out of the University of Michigan and these other schools, we have this outstanding university system in the state of Michigan, they’re all leaving. And they’re all leaving to go to Chicago or Boston or somewhere else because we don’t have the kind of urban environment that we want to be in. And so we need to change that.”

In 1976, the federal government offered Detroit and the suburbs $600 million for a transit system. They argued and the money went elsewhere. In that same year, the Washington D.C. metro began. This man was a minority in the room.

“You mentioned urban policy. There were policies on every level of government to isolate Detroit. I really think it’s ironic that we’re talking about the future of Detroit here in the heart of the city and 90% of the audience is probably suburbanites. But how do you address that inclusiveness to get Detroiters to be a part of the solution this time?”

The real estate developer, Richard Baron answered the question, laying less blame, but urging all sides to do better.

“This is a function of market. And who is it that you’re gonna attract to Detroit? And why would they want to come here versus going to Chicago or Boston or Los Angeles or out to San Francisco or Denver? And it’s gonna be because there’s something exciting going on in Detroit. And the more Detroit believes in itself the more that message will go out across the country. And there will be a new Time Magazine cover in a year.”