Park Place is the Detroit of Norfolk.

35th Street Mural. More please. (pic|flickr)

Think about it. A region once known for architectural beauty, factory work, and central location. Over time, it has fallen prey to white flight, economic downturns, and stereotypes. Time passes, and the cultural and economic value the area brings to its neighbors and counterparts begin to dull. Cardboard appears where windows once glistened. Alleyways replace games of catch or tag with vagrancy and crime. People say “it used to be so [insert compliment here], but now…” if they say anything nice at all.

A generation plus passes by. Somewhere along the way a small population starts to question the origins of the area’s decline. Then, they begin to change the landscape of both the streets and the thought patterns of all associated.

See? Park Place is the Detroit of Norfolk.

At a previous job, my Detroit counterpart and I became fast friends. This was the early 2000′s. I remember unthinking little comments like “I read today our population just went below a million,” and how there was a sound of desperate hope to his tone. Just a few short years later, another 300,000 have fled.

Though unsure why, I’ve always perked up at the mention of “The D.” I’m sure it has something to do with music, Motown, Magic Stick, MC5, well, you get the picture.

A couple of years ago, those same feelings started to permeate on a more real, local level with my move to Norfolk and subsequent discovery of the pros and cons of life neighboring Park Place. (Pro’s: beautiful buildings, beautiful people—especially on Sunday afternoons. Con’s: suburban friends with overactive imaginations, lack of restaurants/bars/retail.) I’ve blogged about it before, so no need to reiterate. If you’re looking for up-to-the-minute information, you can simply click on Melissa Richard’s awesome update from this weekend’s community meeting (also published today).

What was discussed there, as well as what’s going on in Detroit, is the idea that the residents who’ve decided to buck up and stick around owe it to themselves and their neighbors to beautify, enliven, and encourage. The beauty part is easy. Locally, Norfolk Neighborhoods Envisioning Change has implemented several clean-up days and has been extremely encouraging to neighbors regarding keeping the vicinity presentable and more.

In Detroit, this has gone even further. There are similar, very dedicated citizens doing anything and everything to keep their neighborhoods up to par or above. This includes pooling funds and time to perform duties the city couldn’t, such as having vacant lawns mowed and neighborhood patrols.

After basic beautification, next comes the need for an enlivening spirit to keep the residents satisfied, the trickling newcomers committed, and the naysayers transformed. Relevant, important changes have already begun. The second GreenBuildIt home is almost ready for debut, and there was a great time had by all at Kerouac’s. What about the other (aka: boring) stuff? What about the real estate or the dog poop or children running around unsupervised? These are things that effect me and many other people who live near–but not in–The P. (See what I did there?) Those things are really the meat and potatoes, folks.

Abandoned living room no more. An installation in Detroit. | pic: Juxtapoz

The most spectacular thing I’ve heard anyone do for Detroit has been Juxtapoz Magazine’s transformation of an entire neighborhood into a giant art project. Click here for the synopsis and some a-maz-ing pics, or pick up last month’s issue for even more info. Basically, the magazine bought cheap, dilapitated houses and sent artists to them. They can live for free there, but must turn the spaces into works of art. All the debris and abandoned fixtures, furniture, etc. were free game for source material — and the place looks insane. Beyond that, though, is the more important outcome. Old-school residents who didn’t up and leave the blight are now true community with their new, eccentric neighbors. At first they were skeptical, then they were bewildered by the changing facades and strange colors and sculptures. Then, they simply started talking to each other. Now, they’re an actual neighborhood.

While Park Place may never turn into a giant canvas like this, I don’t see why a block or two couldn’t with the right benefactors. Hampton Roads, The Canvas is doing great things all over the city and something like this could be an eventual next step.

Lastly, I mentioned the need for encouragement. Those who are already stepping up and starting (or patronizing) businesses in Park Place need to stay the course and more of us need to begin following their leads. This attitude, too, is working for Detroit in many ways. Their downtown is, surprisingly, thriving. Its income surpassed what was expected in Census estimates by 33%, with almost 30% of its downtowners making between $100,000-$250,000 and 43% making between $50,000-$99,999. Census data also showed they’re largely young professionals with secondary degrees. This kind of information lures retail, sports teams, condo developers, and so on and so on. The real inspiration is in the innovation, though. Click here for some videos CNN recently put together that show the true meaning of people taking their community back. These clips make me realize what it means to be a pioneer in the 21st century.

If more homeowners willing to work and commit to Park Place move in, everybody wins. If investors invest and don’t live in the suburbs as absentee landlords, everybody wins. If all of us think outside the box, whether we live there or just nearby, everybody wins.

Go Tigers!

OK, there was news today as well:

More Disturbing Facts About Aftermath of Police Recruit’s Death

Though most of the information here has already been listed in fragments across many other stories, this piece by Patrick Wilson provides a nice play-by-play regarding what (and when) former Police Chief Bruce Marquis knew about recruit John Kohn’s controversial death.

The rundown: Recruit John Kohn collapses and passes away nine days later following a collision AND repeated punches to the head during training. Training supervisor Capt. Paul Galligan doesn’t tell his boss, Sharon Chamberlin, about the punches during his first report. She clarifies and obtains the truth, but also omits the punching to her boss, Chief Marquis. He then releases a news release stating the collision could have played a role.

When video of the punching is released, outrage ensues. Marquis is essentially fired and, weird, his replacement is Sharon Chamberlin.

I thought something smelled fishy here from day one. It didn’t make sense that Marquis would have stated incorrect information so publicly after such an attention-grabbing tragedy. It makes even less sense what happened next.

Another Waterside Opinion

Mike Gruss declares we’ve reached the point with Waterside that nothing will be good enough, and he may just be right. He doesn’t criticize any of the building’s previous or current tenants or any of the four million proposals received on renovation or renewal either. He simply says that the long and winding process it’s taken us to get, well, nowhere yet, has most likely reached a point where citizens’ expectations are either too high or dead. He gives the example “the nine-year reception hall,” figuring no matter what they do with the space, the reaction will be “it took THAT long to only come up with a market/art space/event space/offices/etc.” I hope he’s wrong but he makes a valid point.

Besides, if they don’t use my ferris wheel idea, they’re totally bonkers anyway.

Moonshine Makes Comeback in Western Virginia

Yeeeeeehaaaw!

While you don’t want to get jake leg or anything like that, what’s the overall big deal? We are allowed to make our own beers and wines at home. We’re allowed to possess moonshine, just not make it, buy it, or sell it (How do they think we acquire it? Unicorns?) What’s the big difference with whiskey?

This isn’t prohibition times, people. There may be a few larger rebel distilleries out there, but largely people who moonshine these days aren’t making livings on it. Industries like Nascar and legends like Gatsby will never be born of distilled corn ever, ever again.

Beyond that, there’s a certain romance to it, with terms like “White Lightning” or “Thunder Road” evoking for many Appalachians a sense of ownership in something (albeit illegal and intoxicating) cultural.

Leave them alone is my stance. And if you agree, message me privately for a great recipe called Apple Pie, in which there are no apples nor pie.

Indestructible

The Apple versus Everyone Else war continues. Of course, Apple wins again.