poor ole Flint, Michigan! (Detroit, Davison: estate, housing, rent)

[wilcox street blues]

this is 3/16/2008 and I have just came home from
an interesting drive in Flint, Michigan, Genesee County
in the 4th or fifth ward, the old Chevrolet assembly plant
known to all as "the hole", because it is on the Flint River
at the base of the "Bluff" high spot area in the City next to
Chevrolet Avenue and Dupont, i think.
Well anyway, i am big into doing family history research and
my great great grandfather and his decendants up until my
dad and my daughters were born in Flint and left to live in
Davison, Michigan, had lived up until looks like 1921 at 528 Wilcox street,
in Flint, that is, the house there stood until 1921 when it was
i am sure torn down to build and make way for the "big time"
Chevrolet Assembly Plant of General Motors, also, know to us
"Flintoits" as "Generous Motors" and boy it was a "hay day" time!!
But my great grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins that
resided on Wilcox St and other close by streets had to vacate after
getting their homes purchased from Flint city; and had to move out to other
Flint City Streets for to make way for the big GM dream; and
now for what? what what what is to be the next dream?!
So, Oh Wilcox Street--- where are you with all your people and markets
and family and neighbors who were enjoying a bit of seemingly endless prosperity -----We miss you-- We miss you --- Old Wilcox Street!!!!
Carol from Millington, Michigan

[morningjoe]

Flint did not even have a theater during the big auto downturn in the early 80s. It almost did not exist, I can remember driving and having it look like a ghost town. It came back with the big up turn in the auto industry of the 90s. I also remember the slogan they tried to make Flint a tourist town [LOL] The slogan was look at our new spark, a play off of the ac delco spark plug plant. It never took off, Neither did the Auto world in detroit. No one goes to detroit or flint for vacation unless you are visiting family. I think it will be the same again maybe even worse, last time the rest of the country was doing well, this time it is not. can any one say Canada? Good health care and the dollar is worth more. LOL

[burgler09]

Good health care in Canada? Was I missing something here? I think you meant "free" health care system with no competition and actually no good. But yes, Flint and Detroit aren't really dying anymore they are dead... and I don't think they are going to be coming back from the dead any time soon unless there is a mad scientist who figures out how to recover the dead.

[Cato the Elder]

Dead? Dead are the Southwestern towns that have exhausted their last aquifiers and no water's coming out of the spigot. You can live without a/c and electricity and have the dreaded white stuff fall from the sky, but without water, you're done.

[treefrog]

I'm tired beyond words of those who so fervently criticize Flint. It's quite true that there's great need for improvement yet, I must say, that I'm quite content here (and that's coming from one who resides in the city limits). Both my parents are professionals (I'm 17) and we live in Flint's upscale Woodcroft community whose residents include various physicians, lawyers, engineers, executives, the Mayor, notable persons of Academia, and other such professionals. This community was (is) home to Flint's "Old Money" and as such, the architecture is amazing. Geographically, Woodcroft is close to Flint's best shopping, is easily accessible by freeway, and is only a quick 40-50 minute ride to the gorgeous Somerset Collection (which we frequent) and other parts of Metro Detroit.

Oh, and there's plenty of culture in Flint: Simply google the renowned FIM, Arts, etc.

And even better: the housing prices are so much less; estate homes in Woodcroft range from about $500K to about $800-$900K. In places like Bloomfield Hills, the Pointes, and in Chicago's upscale locales many would easily go for $2-$3MIL easily. This has allowed us to purchase a summer home in Key West and travel internationally 2-3 times a year as opposed to 1-2 when we lived in Metro Detroit and Chicago .

[trmaoy]

Originally Posted by treefrog

I'm tired beyond words of those who so fervently criticize Flint. It's quite true that there's great need for improvement yet, I must say, that I'm quite content here (and that's coming from one who resides in the city limits). Both my parents are professionals (I'm 17) and we live in Flint's upscale Woodcroft community whose residents include various physicians, lawyers, engineers, executives, the Mayor, notable persons of Academia, and other such professionals. This community was (is) home to Flint's "Old Money" and as such, the architecture is amazing. Geographically, Woodcroft is close to Flint's best shopping, is easily accessible by freeway, and is only a quick 40-50 minute ride to the gorgeous Somerset Collection (which we frequent) and other parts of Metro Detroit.

Oh, and there's plenty of culture in Flint: Simply google the renowned FIM, Arts, etc.

And even better: the housing prices are so much less; estate homes in Woodcroft range from about $500K to about $800-$900K. In places like Bloomfield Hills, the Pointes, and in Chicago's upscale locales many would easily go for $2-$3MIL easily. This has allowed us to purchase a summer home in Key West and travel internationally 2-3 times a year as opposed to 1-2 when we lived in Metro Detroit and Chicago .

Glad to see someone with a positive outlook on Flint. From what you said I don't think you were born and raised there. How long have you lived in Flint? It is good that young people like yourself have a positive outlook. That is what Flint needs. I hope you plan on staying around or coming back after you get out of school.

[jm060048]

I dont think there is nothing positive coming out of Mayor Don Williamson and his off the wall decesions.

[tomjoad]

Its quite obvious that you are a 17 year old kid. Looking for some crack? Why not have your mummy drive you to Flints East side or the North end of Flint for a nice sightseeing tour?? Looking to invest in boarded up crack houses?, check out the great area between Dort and the river. Or for a real treat, visit the northern towns of Mt Morris and Clio and watch some of Flints exports in action as they destroy places that were once considered "nice" and now are just Flints northern twins. You live in isolation from the REAL Flint. Try taking your rich-kid attitude outside of your amazing community one Saturday night and mix it up with the locals and see how content you are then... I realize that you are just a child, and are speaking from the point of view of someone who has very little real world experience, and your post highlights this fact. Spend some time slumming around with the rest of us in the REAL Flint. THEN we can talk about being tired beyond words of people who put Flint down.

Originally Posted by treefrog

I'm tired beyond words of those who so fervently criticize Flint. It's quite true that there's great need for improvement yet, I must say, that I'm quite content here (and that's coming from one who resides in the city limits). Both my parents are professionals (I'm 17) and we live in Flint's upscale Woodcroft community whose residents include various physicians, lawyers, engineers, executives, the Mayor, notable persons of Academia, and other such professionals. This community was (is) home to Flint's "Old Money" and as such, the architecture is amazing. Geographically, Woodcroft is close to Flint's best shopping, is easily accessible by freeway, and is only a quick 40-50 minute ride to the gorgeous Somerset Collection (which we frequent) and other parts of Metro Detroit.

Oh, and there's plenty of culture in Flint: Simply google the renowned FIM, Arts, etc.

And even better: the housing prices are so much less; estate homes in Woodcroft range from about $500K to about $800-$900K. In places like Bloomfield Hills, the Pointes, and in Chicago's upscale locales many would easily go for $2-$3MIL easily. This has allowed us to purchase a summer home in Key West and travel internationally 2-3 times a year as opposed to 1-2 when we lived in Metro Detroit and Chicago .

[tomjoad]

I think you can answer your plaintive question by answering this one: Why do you live in Millington, rather than in Flint?

Originally Posted by wilcox street blues

this is 3/16/2008 and I have just came home from
an interesting drive in Flint, Michigan, Genesee County
in the 4th or fifth ward, the old Chevrolet assembly plant
known to all as "the hole", because it is on the Flint River
at the base of the "Bluff" high spot area in the City next to
Chevrolet Avenue and Dupont, i think.
Well anyway, i am big into doing family history research and
my great great grandfather and his decendants up until my
dad and my daughters were born in Flint and left to live in
Davison, Michigan, had lived up until looks like 1921 at 528 Wilcox street,
in Flint, that is, the house there stood until 1921 when it was
i am sure torn down to build and make way for the "big time"
Chevrolet Assembly Plant of General Motors, also, know to us
"Flintoits" as "Generous Motors" and boy it was a "hay day" time!!
But my great grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins that
resided on Wilcox St and other close by streets had to vacate after
getting their homes purchased from Flint city; and had to move out to other
Flint City Streets for to make way for the big GM dream; and
now for what? what what what is to be the next dream?!
So, Oh Wilcox Street--- where are you with all your people and markets
and family and neighbors who were enjoying a bit of seemingly endless prosperity -----We miss you-- We miss you --- Old Wilcox Street!!!!
Carol from Millington, Michigan