Sweeping survey of Highland Park reveals sobering reality of abandonment

A sweeping survey of every parcel in Highland Park has revealed the extent of erosion in Highland Park’s neighborhoods.

The Motor City Mapping project, which already surveyed every parcel in Detroit, released its sobering findings today for Highland Park.

Among the discoveries:

• More than a third of the houses and buildings are abandoned.
• 40% of the 6,344 properties are vacant lots.
• 71% of the abandoned structures are open to trespass.

Check out the interactive map created by Loveland Technologies, a Detroit-based company that is taking mapping to a new level. The map shows every parcel with findings from the survey.

Highland Park’s population dropped 77% since peaking at 53,000 in 1930 because of the dramatic decline in the local auto industry.

  Abandoned Buildings, Highland Park, loveland technologies, Map, motor city mapping, neighborhoods, Study, survey

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.

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