Downtown Detroit or Royal Oak/ Ferndale--Help!

[Dexterguy]

Originally Posted by Wingnatic

The Mayor of Warren has come out in the media hinting that GM should move it's headquarters to the Tech Center which is looking pretty thin lately as far as employee cars . The Tech Center is located directly across from the City of Warren's city hall . The Mayor of Warren has also stated in the media that he'd like to see another '' cash for clunkers '' program , but this time for GM , Ford , and Chrysler cars only lol You can't blame the Mayor for trying lol But as far as moving people out of the GM Building(RenCen) downtown Detroit to the GM Tech Center , thats all I've heard so far .

I know that GM has gone against moving the headquarters to Warren. But I read somewhere, maybe in the free press, that GM is moving something like 300 people in the RenCen to the Tech Center.

[Dexterguy]

GM planning to move some employees out of RenCen | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Here's a new article that just came out today in the Detroit News that explains what GM plans on doing with about 1,500 people in the RenCen. It looks like it was more people than they said before, now they are saying that 1,500 people will be moved to either the Warren Tech Center, Pontiac, or Grand Blanc.

The Michigan Economic Development Authority also released that the RenCen is currently 67% occupied. That's about where I would have guessed the occupancy rate would be at. That includes all the GM divisions like OnStar, GMAC, and the rest of the white collar workers.

I hope that GMAC retains their headquarters in the RenCen and doesn't move to North Carolina like they were reporting earlier on in the year.

[KMB323]

Ferndale isn't as nice as Royal Oak. Royal Oak borders Birmingham, which is the wealthiest community in Metro. Ferndale borders the Dirty, you start to see more gun shops and roach motels on Woodward as you get closer to the Dirty. lol RO is very trendy, young, lots of art and music. With the way the market is right now you will easily find a spot in Royal Oak in your price range. I would NOT suggest living downtown Detroit. Ew!

[mogo]

Originally Posted by KMB323

Ferndale isn't as nice as Royal Oak. Royal Oak borders Birmingham, which is the wealthiest community in Metro. Ferndale borders the Dirty, you start to see more gun shops and roach motels on Woodward as you get closer to the Dirty. lol RO is very trendy, young, lots of art and music. With the way the market is right now you will easily find a spot in Royal Oak in your price range. I would NOT suggest living downtown Detroit. Ew!

I wouldn't be so quick to count out living in downtown Detroit depending on each person's position in life. I wouldn't live there if I had kids. And, I wouldn't live outside of downtown (except areas like Indian Village, etc.). But, if you are a young professional, work downtown and believe that Detroit's economic future will be improved when you sell, you may feel that now is a great time to buy a place down there.

If my job were closer to downtown Detroit, I would move there.

[KMB323]

Downtown Detroit isn't like Downtown Chicago, or any half decent downtown scene. A short walk from the casinos and venues and you're in the ghetto. If you'd spent enough time walking around in the city you'd be singing a different tune. It's fun if you're going to a specific event or restaurant, but it's best not to stay in town past a certain time LOL

[Marc2]

Depends on your speed. Forget Detroit. There's nothing going on down there. Royal Oak and Ferndale are okay--I lived in Royal Oak for a few years. You'll meet, on one hand, a lot of frat types at the big bars down Main Street, and, unless it's changed a lot, a ton of alternative types. Ha. That was my scene back in the day. Ditto with Ferndale--it's kind of an ugly place but the nightlife is all right.

If I were you I would move to Birmingham or Ann Arbor. The commute is going to be worse but if you're a lawyer and looking to meet someone to date, etc., you're going to meet a lot more single, young people on the same page as yourself in those cities.

Royal Oak is cool but very urban...depends on your experience. I worked at a lot of bars, etc., so was kind of exposed to the underbelly. Ferndale's also very gritty. It's one of those places people always say is up and coming but realistically it's pretty much a boring small city with a few cool hipster nightlife venues, bordering Detroit, which is... Detroit. If you have a girlfriend and are looking to buy a cheap place or something, it would be fine, but it's really a bedroom community.

Downtown Detroit...that's the real deal. I live in the heart of another huge city now--one five times as big--and let's just say the two have absolutely nothing in common. There's no reason to live downtown except to say you live there to your art school friends.