Yes, when I visited Detroit I was shocked at how widespread the disinvestment was. They have nothing as intact as south city and it also appears to be a noticeably poorer city.Baltimore Jack wrote: ↑Jun 22, 2023^The disinvestment in Detroit is on a massive scale--even compared to Cleveland, St. Louis, etc. And that said disinvestment is spread over 143 sq mi as opposed to 66 sq mi here (or 82 in Cleveland) just serves to make it that much more stark.
While I didn't know prior to reading the above that Target had no existing stores within Detroit city limits it doesn't surprise me that is so.
St. Louis is already building a Target, so we are actually in front of them in terms of development.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Jun 22, 2023^How does Detroit not have a Target? Is there some other chain filling the void? (And if so, how can we lure it here?) Glad to hear the developer plans to go forward anyway.
Not only is St Louis already building a (second) Target, but we already have had one for a while nowgoat314 wrote: ↑Jun 22, 2023St. Louis is already building a Target, so we are actually in front of them in terms of development.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Jun 22, 2023^How does Detroit not have a Target? Is there some other chain filling the void? (And if so, how can we lure it here?) Glad to hear the developer plans to go forward anyway.
I think St. Louis is blessed to have SLU, Wash U, the Medical Centers and a smaller city footprint, because it definitely could be worse. Also, Metrolink has definitely helped to somewhat stabilize the central corridor. With the expansion N-S, St. Louis will probably only be behind MSP and Chicago as far as being able to live a functionally urban lifestyle in the Midwest. If we could just get crime under control and increase development in North city, St. Louis would be in a great position.MOsloth22 wrote: ↑Jun 22, 2023They had one on the edge of the city up until 2003. There are couple Meijers in Detroit, which kind of fill that void, but they’re also near the edges of the city. Detroit is a pretty notable food/national retailer desert.
This project is in midtown Detroit and was officially announced the same week as the Midtown Target here, and has yet to break ground. If you’re frustrated about the pace of development in STL…it could be worse.
I quite forgot that Fresh Thyme was Meijer. I'm really looking for a general purpose retailer, and something between a Macy's and a Target. I'd gotten the wrong impression about Meijer, so they're really not the right answer. (We could maybe use ore grocery competition, but in the end we do have some. And the big local chains are fine, though I'd love more smaller, local groceries and fewer enormous supermarkets.) Anyway, ignore me. This is off the topic of Detroit anyway. I am genuinely surprised that we're less of a retail desert than they, given that we're a pretty bleak retail desert in a lot of ways, and the place is twice our size.MOsloth22 wrote: ↑Jun 22, 2023There’s a regular Meijer being built in Metro East. They’re also behind the Fresh Thyme at the Foundry I believe. It’s basically an exact replica of the small format Meijer in Detroit. Meijer and Fresh Thyme are related, not sure the exact structure of the relationship though.
A regular Meijer has a footprint of something like Wal-Mart and doesn’t belong in an urban area, in my opinion, and their small format stores are mainly grocery stores. The small format Targets are probably the most useful all around retail for an urban area.
