Imagine a city with open space larger than the size of Paris, where people are planting hardwood trees and vegetable gardens,
and

neighbors have plenty of room to spread out. It would sound so idyllic,

if only it weren’t Detroit. The open space is largely
abandoned

land, the lack of neighbors the result of an inexorable exodus, the

planting the work of residents striving to stop the
blight from

spreading. America loves a big comeback, but Detroiters harbor few

illusions. For many here, it's about salvaging what
remains of a

once-great city. Throughout its long decline, Detroit has sought ways to

restore to its former glory a city that was home
to 1.8 million people, pinning its hopes on grandiose plans for the automotive industry or casinos.