The Mark Twain Library in Detroit opened in 1940 and served as an important community hub for decades, hosting events and providing a safe space for neighbourhood children. However, as the surrounding area declined in the 1990s, the library's finances deteriorated and it was forced to close and then only open two days a week. It eventually shut down permanently due to disrepair and asbestos issues.
Despite community fundraising efforts, plans to renovate the library were never realized. With no progress being made, the city demolished the building in 2011, much to the anger of neighbours who felt misled about how renovation funds would be used.
The site where the Mark Twain Library once stood at the junction of Gratiot Avenue and Seneca Street is now an empty lot.
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So people raised money to save it and the city used the money to demolish the building instead.
That's fucked.
That happened near me as well. Government couldn't afford to pay to renovate all the playgrounds. And they had fallen into such disrepair that they were dangerous and taping them off isn't exactly foolproof. They used the remaining funds they did have not to fix some of them, but to demolish.
Yeah fucked....
That said it was the best cost effective solution, as in after demolishing there isn't more costs and the demolishing part is covered by the donations. So it was efficient for sure.
Not useful for those who wanted a library that's for sure 😅. But for those that wanted to reduce costs it probably was.