Young Couple (new grads) moving to Dearborn (Detroit, Livonia: condos, neighborhood)

[mbziems]

Hello,

I just got a job in livonia and my S.O got a job in dearborn with ford. We are just graduating from college, so are hoping to live somewhere where there is some night life, and not too much suburbia just yet. We would like to be able to have a cool downtown with things to do within walking distance if possible.
We would really not like to commute over 20/30 min. We are leaning towards dearborn, but still aren't sure.

Any suggestion so areas to live in Dearborn or other cities close by?

thanks!

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Congrats to you both!

Dearborn's "downtown" (if you want to call it that) is pretty lame. They tried to have a bar district, but more than half of the bars/nightclubs have since shut down. It now consists of a handful of bars in one large strip mall area.

For a 20-30 minute commute to Dearborn, Plymouth is about the only city with a downtown that has some nightlife. However, that nightlife skews older and is a more laid back (read: old) than the typical twenty-something bar crowd.

Royal Oak or Ferndale is much more along the lines of what you describe - young, vibrant nightlife - but would put you at 45+ minute commutes.

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by mbziems

Hello,

I just got a job in livonia and my S.O got a job in dearborn with ford. We are just graduating from college, so are hoping to live somewhere where there is some night life, and not too much suburbia just yet. We would like to be able to have a cool downtown with things to do within walking distance if possible.
We would really not like to commute over 20/30 min. We are leaning towards dearborn, but still aren't sure.

Any suggestion so areas to live in Dearborn or other cities close by?

thanks!

Well, Dearborn ain't really it. The burbs are all pretty sedate except for the Royal Oak area.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

Congrats to you both!

Dearborn's "downtown" (if you want to call it that) is pretty lame. They tried to have a bar district, but more than half of the bars/nightclubs have since shut down. It now consists of a handful of bars in one large strip mall area.

For a 20-30 minute commute to Dearborn, Plymouth is about the only city with a downtown that has some nightlife. However, that nightlife skews older and is a more laid back (read: old) than the typical twenty-something bar crowd.

Royal Oak or Ferndale is much more along the lines of what you describe - young, vibrant nightlife - but would put you at 45+ minute commutes.

Actually Dearborn has two downtowns: Downtown East Dearborn is centered at Michigan Avenue and Schaefer in a mostly Middle-Eastern neighborhood, and Downtown West Dearborn is centered on Michigan Avenue west of the Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum complex. Both downtowns are not destinations for whatever reason, although the west Downtown does have some good bars and restaurants (BD's Mongolian BBQ, etc). The condos and retail developments built in that downtown in the past decade have not succeeded for some odd reason and are half-empty as Mr. Sellers has alluded to.

I would look into downtown and midtown Detroit - they are closer to Dearborn and Livonia than Royal Oak and Ferndale. Plymouth is for families with children. You can still find some real affordable places in Midtown, Downtown not so much. The commute down I-94 for Dearborn, and I-96 for Livonia would be 15-20 minutes, because you guys would be doing the REVERSE commute.

[MS313]

Downtown and Midtown Detroit best fits what you describe. Much more going on than downtown Dearborn. That is the closest and best option for an urban area with alot of things to see/do imo. About 10-15 minutes from Dearborn and 20-25 minutes from Livonia with no traffic.

Your runner ups are the north Woodward corridor cities (Ferndale, Royal Oak, and Birmingham). Although much smaller, great options as well, the commute is not so great however. I don't think the commute will be more than a half hour to Livonia or Dearborn unless your in a traffic jam. If one of you have to commute during rush hour then yea, 45+ easy.

Congrats on the new jobs and welcome.