What is wrong with this country?
Posted: January 3, 2011 at 12:08 am | Tags: gah, media, USA, WTFI’m Australian, and consequently value real-estate quite a lot (housing is in short supply and consequently rather expensive). I’m also, I guess, an intellectual, and value knowledge and books quite a lot too. So when I see photos, like these of Detroit, I am unable to comprehend why there is so much derelict property lying around (not to mention books, and police files). I do understand that Detroit is in the process of being abandoned and that there are many (apparently) insurmountable social issues, as well as being part of the rust belt’s decline, but I am staggered by the decay and abandonment of the property in these photos. Every time I see photos of abandoned real-estate in the US (without good reason like it being riddled with asbestos or unsafe to live in), I wonder how a nation can have such a glut of what is/was perfectly serviceable property that could be turned into residences or something else useful.
A photo of a library in disrepair. Books line shelves or are on the ground, light filters through a dirty window and the paint is peeling from the ceiling
Photos from police dossiers litter the floor of a police office. Filing cabinets have their draws left open and the paint on a secure room door peels
This photo (above) disturbs me for the wanton privacy breach. Because the people represented in the photos here clearly don’t deserve any privacy.
A ransacked desk is in the foreground with draws pulled open and a box of what appears to be brightly coloured Children's Books spilled onto the floor. The paint in the wide but brightly lit room is peeling and books remain on the shelves on the far walls
The Discussion
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The whole concept of just walking away and leaving everything where it was just blows my mind. I have seen photos of old hospitals and mental institutions that look like all the people just up and left, leaving everything else behind. It is spooky and weird. I can’t think of anywhere in Australia that is like that…
This does happen in rural areas of Australia, though nothing like this scale! Work dries up, drought or the end of a natural resource takes its toll on the area, suddenly houses are $2-3000 each…and then everyone leaves but the very old. Regional centres and cities are booming for this very reason. There’s not a housing shortage in Australia in sheer numbers, only a housing shortage in places where the jobs are!
I saw these photos online last night and they’re absolutely incredible. They’re compelling but also make me feel really sad.
I live in an area where the heritage buildings are lovingly restored, so it’s shocking to see those beautiful buildings in such a state of disrepair. That loving restoration inevitably increases rents making it almost impossible for me (a full-time worker) to afford to rent, let alone someone on the dole or working part-time or whatever.
There’s a couple of really big, dilapidated and abandoned buildings around my area that I guess will eventually be demolished or restored and turned into ritzy housing/apartments. I’d love to have the money to buy one (an entire building) and turn it into affordable housing and community gardens or something like that.
I saw the pictures and couldn’t believe the amount of things left behind.
lilacsigil, I’m just wondering where abouts are these properties or public buildings in Australia you are speaking of?? and who would I talk to in regards to their ownership?? Can you email me on the details please??
I agree though. They do leave a lot of stuff behind and hopefully one day someone can purchase those buildings and make great use of them.