Almost every single list of America’s most depressed cities features Detroit at or near the top. Cities like Detroit that were built on industry have suffered in recent decades as manufacturers have taken their business to developing companies with lower production and employment costs.

While some would like to paint a bleak picture of Detroit’s future, it is important to remember that the city is no worse off than European cities like Belfast or Turin that have managed to rebuild themselves in recent years. Indeed, Detroit has already begun the process of rebuilding itself from the ground up, not necessarily through economy or industry, but through construction.

Challenges

To understand the opportunities for rebuilding Detroit, it is important to first understand the city’s challenges. Detroit was settled in 1701 and is one of the oldest cities in the Midwest. The city grew with the automobile industry, and became one of America’s most populous cities by the beginning of the 20th century. When manufacturing jobs began leaving, however, so did the people.

Since 1950, Detroit has lost half its population – a decline no other major American city has seen. This great exodus of jobs and people has left Greater Detroit with beautiful, old buildings that have no one to use them and acres of abandoned urban lots. Foreclosed houses are so numerous that many are selling for less than the price of a used Ford.

Progress

While some have suggested that Detroit is beyond hope, its resilient residents have begun rebuilding through construction. In fact, according to the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Detroit is undergoing the country’s largest urban redevelopment boom with more than $20 billion in new development. This redevelopment includes major steps to rebuild Detroit’s historic downtown area. For example:

* Restorations have taken place at many of the city’s historic buildings like the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel and the Inn at Ferry Street. Even more of these restorations are planned throughout the next several years.

* A number of residential and mixed-use building projects are under way in the area including the Cadillac Centre – a $150 million complex attached to the Cadillac Tower.

* DTE Energy recently announced $50 million in improvements to its headquarters that will put parks, walking paths and a reflecting pool in downtown Detroit next to the MGM Grand casino.

* Quicken Loans, the nation’s largest online retail mortgage lender, plans to move 1,700 employees to downtown Detroit by the middle of 2010 and begin construction on a new downtown headquarters.

These developments are necessary to bring people, jobs and life back to downtown Detroit. But what about the city’s suburbs that are filled with crime and abandoned houses? Since Detroit is such a sprawling area, many of these neighborhoods seem to stretch on and on as desolate wastelands.

Construction managers and city leaders have taken on a renewed focus for rebuilding the suburbs through construction and restoration projects. For example, the city’s Brush Park neighborhood, which used to feature some of the most upscale homes in Detroit, has more recently been known for crumbling buildings, drug dealers and prostitutes. Today, however, neighborhood groups are restoring old homes and developers have begun building condominiums. One developer expected to build 375 new units in the neighborhood; however, demand has been so high that he’s now planning on 800 units.

Even bigger construction projects promise to bring thousands of new jobs and millions in revenue to the city. The proposed 2-mile Detroit-Windsor bridge promises to bring 10,000 construction jobs to the area and support 25,000 full-time, permanent jobs. The Woodward Avenue Light Rail, to begin construction in 2013, will connect the Detroit People Mover and the SEMCOG Commuter Rail, providing the area much-needed public transportation. Detroit is rebuilding itself – one construction project at a time.

Information in this article was provided by IADT Detroit, a Michigan design school. Contact IADT Detroit today if you’re interested in developing marketable knowledge and career-relevant skills with an industry-current degree program. (IADT Detroit does not guarantee employment or salary.)