When
it was built in the early 1970's Detroit's Renaissance
Center meant to herald, as its name
implies, the revival of downtown Detroit. Thirty
years later, and now world headquarters of the
General Motors Corporation, it overlooks the
overgrown remains of the volleyball courts of
the short-lived Atwater Beach Club and
nearby industrial ruins.
The Atwater BC is
one of the many defunct establishments that
dot a once vibrant area of nightclubs and small
industry, dubbed Rivertown.
To the left can be seen the ruins of the Globe
Trading Company that once served as
a 19th Century shipbuilding facility. The story
of Rivertown is one of urban indecision that
led to a loss of community, history and continuity
that began with its speculation as a site for
Detroit's casinos as previously presented in
this in
this website.
Follow along as
I revisit Detroit's Rivertown District in Autumn
2003.
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