Rebuilding Rob

When I was in Detroit yesterday attending Autorama, I decided to snap a few pictures of the surrounding area. It isn’t much, and I know I’m really not a very good photographer; but I’ve been inspired by seeing some of my fellow bloggers posting photos that they take.

The Renaissance Center is perhaps the single most famous building (or complex) in Detroit. The main tower is also the tallest building in Detroit. Huntington Place is the city’s convention center. Located between Huntington Place and the Renaissance Center is the spirit of Detroit Monument. The statue will usually get draped in a Tigers , Lions, Pistons, or Red Wings jersey – when one of the city’s teams makes their respective league’s postseason.

It has been said that, outside of the Middle East itself, metro Detroit has the world the largest population density of Middle Easterners. Because of that, the ongoing Israel / Palestinian war has become a particularly hot-button topic in the area; one that became a referendum on this past week’s Michigan Presidential primaries. I had heard about it in advance, so I was a little surprised when I walked out of Huntington Place, and I saw this protest making its way from Hart Plaza up Woodward Avenue.

This is the newest addition to the Detroit skyline. Tentatively, referred to as the Hudson Tower, this building is on the site of Detroit’s longtime famous retail store, Hudson’s. When completed, it will be the second tallest building inMichigan.

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This will probably sound really corny, but as I mentioned on yesterday‘s post To The Batmobiles! I went downtown alone yesterday. I know that most people will wait for a friend to come with them, or even one of their kids; otherwise I just wouldn’t bother going. But this was something I really wanted to do and I feel like too often in life I take things for granted, or just opportunities to do things like this pass me by.

Yes, Detroit saw more “white flight“ and urban decay than any other major metropolitan city during the 20th century. The city has a national, and even worldwide reputation, of being a combat zone. But I honestly feel like Detroit is just like any other big city: know where you’re going, don’t make yourself an easy target for bad people, don’t be a jerk, Detroit, particularly the downtown area, has made considerable progress in the last 20 years. Next month, the NFL draft will be held in the city. I just hope that we don’t get any snow that week…

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:

• Teacher Armor and the Saturday Clearing
• The Extra Day: A Ten-Year Memory
• Of Training Wheels and Christmas Lights
• Charity Starts at Home (And I’m Back in My Childhood One)
• The Muscle of Empathy

The article “worth 1000 words“ originally appeared on Rebuilding Rob.