It’s been too freakin’ cold to go out taking pictures of buildings, occupied or otherwise, so it’s back to the headlines for today’s post. So what follows is a quick roundup of what’s worth mentioning this month. Actually, what follows is what I can still find links for from this month’s newspaper articles. Less than comprehensive, in other words.

But first, today’s Random Photo of the Week, a strange array of multicultural ceramic gnomes that someone thoughtfully lined up in the courtyard of an abandoned building on Livernois. Now to the meat, as they say:

The Freep’s architecture writer has a very brief rundown of The Year in Architecture around the city. He strikes the right notes about rehabbing old buildings, but then laments that “it’s also sad the Detroit architectural scene still isn’t seeing any major new signature buildings, nothing by the likes of world-class stars of the Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Santiago Calatrava and Norman Foster caliber. The outlook for Detroit getting one of these scene-stealing designs anytime soon isn’t good.”

The city currently has very high vacancy rates for its office space; there’s thousands of offices waiting to be filled in already standing structures. There won’t be any “major new signature buildings” because there’s absolutely no practical need for one at this time. Silly writer!

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Political season for 2005 is already kicking into gear. Both failed gubernatorial candidate Geoffrey Fieger and conspiracyminded City Council member Sharon McPhail have announced plans to run for mayor next year, as has former deputy mayor Freman Hendrix, sort of.

With this group of oddballs running together it should make for an interesting primary, followed by a dramatic general election campaign season, followed by … Kwame winning anyway. Incumbency confers an almost magical power to politicians in Detroit, and Kwame, strippers, bodyguards, payroll relatives and all, will have the same traditional boost working for him. Don’t hold your breath.

“It’s true, no white guy could get elected mayor in Detroit – except me,” said Fieger who was born in Detroit and grew up in Oak Park. “I may look white but the citizens of Detroit don’t see me that way. I’m black.”

Fieger’s not kidding – he could easily win in this city, white or not. Black trumps white in city politics, but loud and obnoxious wins out in Detroit every time, regardless of race. Luckily, incumbency still trumps the loudmouth clown factor.

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Another multiple Muhlbach. Joey finally gets his shit together, has a pretty good game and some dink comes along and ruins it in the final seconds. Thanks, buddy!