Survey about relocation to Ann Arbor

[CatLover1327]

I moved there from Canada. Now I live in another city in Metro Detroit. Apologies for my English as it's not my first language.



How has Ann Arbor compared to where you came from?

Since I came from a bland, boring suburb where I grew up it seemed amazing at the time. I loved all the activity and it was really easy to make friends and get a social life even though I was in a new country. It also reminded me of the "downtown" in most medium sized cities in Canada. Due to this being a college town, the older you get, the harder it will be to rely on the liveliness to get a social life.




Are you in the city itself or a nearby suburb?

I lived on Kingsley St. right in town and then later in the 800 Fuller Ave apartment building. So always right in town.



Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner.

Renting a house: it was very bad quality student housing. Most of the homes around downtown are in poor condition. They are owned by investors, and students treat them like crap. Lots of parties, discarded solo cups etc. If you are an adult I would suggest staying just outside downtown but the cost of living is outrageous. However if you are coming from somewhere more expensive maybe it will seem relatively cheap to you.

If you can't afford to live "just outside" downtown you will be in a suburb. But the city isn't that big so only a few minutes drive. The mature suburbs have good quality housing. Large and nice architecture. Nice sized lots and winding leafy streets. Still relatively walk-able if you have good tennis shoes. The newer suburbs have homes closer together and they all look the same.

800 Fuller was "just outside" and wonderful. It was quiet, many of the other tenants were more mature. The building outside is ugly but inside was mid-centry modern and fabulous. Spacious unit with balcony, parking, great location, etc. One year there were lots of bees nests in the side of the building which was a little concerning.



How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation.

Easy to walk to downtown or to Fuller Park area from where I was staying.

Everyone always complains about the layout and design of the roads but I didn't find it that bad. I have some friends that never really got to memorize the streets even after living there for years but in a few months I knew the city and all the shortcuts like the back of my hand. It does feel like the red lights last longer in Ann Arbor than most other cities.

One thing that was bad about living downtown was that most of the major shopping like Meijer (Midwest version of Walmart) or Briarwood Mall was on the edge of the city. Independent stores are cute but sometimes you need an old fashioned big box store to get your household essentials. The downtown doesn't have any major grocery stores either.

I found the local transit system AATA AKA "The Ride" easy to use. The buses ran frequently and covered pretty much all of the urban areas on Washtenaw county. The Ride doesn't connect well with the transit systems of Detroit (DDOT) and suburban Detroit (SMART).

The University of Michigan has a monopoly on the center of Ann Arbor so if you aren't working for the University you will most likely be in a suburban office park either on the edge of Ann Arbor or in Detroit which will require a car.

Ann Arbor area has many freeways that connect it with other cities: I-94, US-23, and M-14. M-14 provides easy connection to suburbs of Detroit. I-94 gets you to Detroit, Canada or Chicago. US-23 connects you with Northern Michigan or I-75 in Toledo which is a major crossroads for driving across the US.

There is an Amtrack with multiple daily runs to Detroit/Pontiac and Chicago. It's not too difficult to escape to Chicago for a weekend either by train or car....surprised no one mentioned this.

Ann Arbor is 20 minutes from Detroit's International Airport which is a Delta Hub. You can fly pretty much anywhere around the world easily from the region.


Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term?

I didn't move there to live in Ann Arbor. I moved there to go to college. I really miss my days in Ann Arbor, but I don't think I can ever get those days back. I think I actually miss just being younger and enjoying my college years. Moving away felt like it was the end of my college years. Actually a lot of my best friends moved to different parts of the country for jobs. It's kind of depressing. I wouldn't mind living in the semi-rural areas in Ann Arbor but I would have to detach from the nostalgia.


How would you rate Ann Arbor's arts/culture scene (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.)?

Museums are still good but the art and culture scene in general is becoming bland, generic, and way too "yuppie-fied". I think Ann Arbor used to have an independent spirit, or maybe I was naive and young. Now it feels generic. Still good, but not edgy in any way. If Austin is weird, Ann Arbor is predictable. It seems like the individuals in the art scene are afraid to try something new. If you live there it will seem cool at first but you will eventually see it all.

Ann Arbor also has a ton of churches for some reason and has progressive options. Even the First Baptist Church has a rainbow flag and says "Welcome to All, Closed to None" outside. I find that people in Ann Arbor are very religious. The pews are always full.



Concerts? Well if you like whiny, 90s Alternative rock you will be in heaven. Otherwise, there isn't much in Ann Arbor proper. Detroit is a HOT SPOT for concerts which makes up for it.

Hipsters don't age like wine.... they age like milk. That's right: If you move there a lot of your neighbors will be Aging Hipsters. Most 20 year olds can't afford to live outside the student-housing area. Aging Hipster is a common phenomenon in South East Michigan. A sure sign of this is that many women in their 30s will wear flannel and bring their baby or toddler to the bar so they can drink craft beer. They are growing up but still trying to cling on to their gritty youth. Maybe this is normal in USA but seemed very foreign to me.

I have noticed that South East Michigan seems to have a lack of live music at bars compared to other places in North America. It's usually craft beer and board games.

There is a ton of really awesome museums and galleries in Detroit.



What do you like best about Ann Arbor?

The best assets are the parks and the big open green spaces right in the middle of the city. If you like to live in the city but go outside and enjoy nature and quiet once in a while it's PERFECT. There are so many hiking trails, nature trails, parks, gardens, swimming pools, an arboretum, a river to float or kayak down, long bike trails, everything... Ann Arbor has Parks and Recreation down pat.


Now I live 40 minutes drive from a swimming pool, but when living in Ann Arbor I used to cool off at Fuller Park pool in the summer.

It's clean, safe, great restaurants, nice neighborhoods, and small.


What do you like least?

I have always considered myself center-left politically but I honestly hate the aggressive far-left liberals that inhabit the city. You walk down the street and see things graffiti'ed on the walls like "All Men are Trash" "F*** Private Property" "Resist Resist Resist Fascism". I know there are plenty of youth in Ann Arbor but some of the far-leftists really just sound juvenile and vulgar. I think it's getting a lot worse now that Trump is elected. The reason I mention this is because it can feel oppressive. People bring up politics themselves, and then even act suspicious if you try to change the subject. It's like walking on egg shells.

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by CatLover1327

Hipsters don't age like wine.... they age like milk. That's right: If you move there a lot of your neighbors will be Aging Hipsters. Most 20 year olds can't afford to live outside the student-housing area. Aging Hipster is a common phenomenon in South East Michigan. A sure sign of this is that many women in their 30s will wear flannel and bring their baby or toddler to the bar so they can drink craft beer. They are growing up but still trying to cling on to their gritty youth. Maybe this is normal in USA but seemed very foreign to me.

This is the "Post of the Week."

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by CatLover1327

I moved there from Canada. Now I live in another city in Metro Detroit. Apologies for my English as it's not my first language.

Thank you for such an informative, well-thought-out post. Please don't be stranger to the Detroit and Ann Arbor forums. One point I might disagree with you about is the lack of live music at bars. I can think of 4 venues in Downtown Ferndale off the top of my head, and Corktown in the city has several - but maybe they are the exceptions.

[craig11152]

I'm not sure what constitutes an "aging hipster" but I don't think I see much of that on the SE side of town. I would suggest any city has neighborhoods that have their own flavor. Trying to label a town by a particular neighborhood doesn't give an accurate picture of a town.
Down on my side of town the student influence is non-existent. But when I go to the dog park I am dog park pals with a few students....All post grads working on PhD's , MBA's or MD's. So my student experience is very different from someone who lives near campus. But it's still Ann Arbor just as surely as the Bronx and Manhattan are NYC.