10 Up and Coming Downtowns -MSN/FORBES (Detroit, Grand Rapids: real estate, 2015, renting)

[AdemH]

10 up-and-coming downtowns - MSN Real Estate

So, Detroit got ranked #5 as an up and coming downtown.
Detroit

Detroit has suffered a bad reputation for years now, thanks to its weak economy and mass exodus of residents. "It's a tale of two cities: the one that’s bankrupt and then there’s the one that’s revitalizing its downtown and attracting the 'young and the restless,'" says Lee Fisher of CEOs for Cities. Detroit's downtown is transforming in large part thanks to billionaire and Quicken loans founder Dan Gilbert, who has poured millions into redeveloping the area's commercial real estate, relocating many of his businesses to the area. In 2011, five companies — Quicken Loans, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, Compuware, DTE Energy and Strategic Staffing Solutions — pledged more than $4 million to encourage and aid employees in buying, renting or remodeling homes in the area. It's part of a larger initiative to attract 15,000 young professionals to downtown by 2015, Forbes' Joann Muller says.


What do you guys think? Correct representation?

[leroythelion]

If Detroit is going to redefine itself, it will have to start downtown. I am not originally from here but I was really surprised by how beautiful the buildings are downtown. I know residential Real Estate is tight so the downtown area will require more development to thrive. Also, I think the Red Wings (presumably) moving away from the fringes and centralizing their arena will help immensely.

[animatedmartian]

^Correction: The Red Wings are already downtown behind Cobo Hall in the Joe Louis Arena. They are, however, planning to move into a new stadium which is rumored to be built somewhere around Woodward and I-75 between Cass.

The only team outside of Detroit right now are the Pistons who are still out in Auburn Hills. Gilbert was saying earlier this week to the Pistons' owner that he should move them downtown.

[ColdAilment]

Revitalizing downtown is a step a lot of cities are taking now. But Detroit's problems are deeper than that. One of the greatest problems in the city aside from the crime, is the city's treasury. They can't afford basic police/fire/ambulance services to the people within the city limits.

I have never heard of a private ambulance service before reading an article on Detroit. Apparently people in Detroit will call on a private ambulance to bring them to the hospital because the ones from the hospital are too slow or sometimes won't come out to their area of the city! That's ridiculous!

The city is too large in square miles to support the infrastructure. Detroit needs to shrink, not just popultaion wise, the city limits need to contract so the city can better pay its expenses. The city will likely continue to bleed from its population for at least another decade before it will begin to make a strong and full fledged recovery. One can only hope though, we've been hearing sparks of recovery like this for decades now.

Detroit has a lot of potential, but it also has a long ways to go. This story is promising however, I hope for the best.

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

^Correction: The Red Wings are already downtown behind Cobo Hall in the Joe Louis Arena. They are, however, planning to move into a new stadium which is rumored to be built somewhere around Woodward and I-75 between Cass.

The only team outside of Detroit right now are the Pistons who are still out in Auburn Hills. Gilbert was saying earlier this week to the Pistons' owner that he should move them downtown.

Yes, the Joe is downtown, but quite frankly it is not near anything interesting, hence why I called it the fringes. I go to several games every year. I pull into the parking garage right of the Lodge and leave onto Jefferson straight to I75. It is in a terrible location and in desperate need of replacement. Even D1 college hockey teams have better scoreboards.

[ChargerMatt]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

Revitalizing downtown is a step a lot of cities are taking now. But Detroit's problems are deeper than that. One of the greatest problems in the city aside from the crime, is the city's treasury. They can't afford basic police/fire/ambulance services to the people within the city limits.

I have never heard of a private ambulance service before reading an article on Detroit. Apparently people in Detroit will call on a private ambulance to bring them to the hospital because the ones from the hospital are too slow or sometimes won't come out to their area of the city! That's ridiculous!

The city is too large in square miles to support the infrastructure. Detroit needs to shrink, not just popultaion wise, the city limits need to contract so the city can better pay its expenses. The city will likely continue to bleed from its population for at least another decade before it will begin to make a strong and full fledged recovery. One can only hope though, we've been hearing sparks of recovery like this for decades now.

Detroit has a lot of potential, but it also has a long ways to go. This story is promising however, I hope for the best.

My friend used to work for a private EMS service on a border city. He would literally sit at his station, watch people walk across the street, then call for an ambulance for a few reasons:

1: "I got dem skizzaz" - Translation - I have seizures.
2: "Gimme dem peanutbuttaballs" - Translation - Give me some phenobarbatol
3: "Take me to boxford" - Translation - Take me to Botsford"
4: "I got dem sugaz" - Translation - I have diabetes

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by leroythelion

Yes, the Joe is downtown, but quite frankly it is not near anything interesting, hence why I called it the fringes. I go to several games every year. I pull into the parking garage right of the Lodge and leave onto Jefferson straight to I75. It is in a terrible location and in desperate need of replacement. Even D1 college hockey teams have better scoreboards.

Ah, thought you meant suburban fringes. But yea, the west side of downtown from Washington to the Lodge is still pretty dead and empty.

It'd be awesome if in a few years time, there was enough demand to have those parking lots turn into residential with floor retail and hopefully have a continuous neighborhood into Corktown. Doesn't seem likely right now, but I hope it happens at some point.

[detwahDJ]

Anybody notice that Grand Rapids is also on the list?

[belleislerunner]

That is pretty impressive for Michigan to have two in the top 10. I think as soon as 2015/2016 people will be amazed at how impressive downtown/midtown Detroit has become. People like to think of other downtown cityscapes (e.g. Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte) and while they have newer office buildings - most of them are bland glass structures. From an architectural perspective - you aren't seeing anything in those towns that rivals the Penobscot, Guardian, Fisher etc. As infill happens up Woodward and around Midtown - it will just make Detroit that much cooler. Yeah most of the neighborhoods suck - but this isn't about the hoods - this is about downtown.

[Tekkie]

You ultimately have a blank canvas with Downtown. There are so many buildings that can be overhauled and rezoned. And I agree that Detroit's architecture has something that not many other cities have: historic value. Can't wait to watch the progress unfold.