Grosse Pointe- Please advise! (Detroit, Troy: house hunting, work, health)

[cac]

We are a young couple w/o kids (for now) & live in Troy. We thought about living around here but you don't get a lot for your money We work on the east side of Troy but if the commute isn't horrible, we'd consider moving to Grosse Pointe because we enjoy boating. Also, we don't have family in the area and we'd like to live somewhere where it is easy to meet people. Would someone please let me know what you think about this area? Is it accessible to grocery stores, exercise facilities, etc. and is it safe despite the fact that it is near Detroit? I've heard that it is unsafe to go to the grocery store after dark and there isn't access to things like Target, a safe mall, ect. Is this true? Any information on this area would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Catie

[M TYPE X]

I think Grosse Pointe people shop in St Clair Shores. Gratiot in Roseville at night feels unsafe compared to Woodward.

[lavendersunrise]

Roseville has gotten really bad. I've lived here my entire life, and now at 24, I would NEVER buy a house here. With that said, the communte from GP to Troy is going to run you 30-60 minutes because your main freeway will be the 696 which can be HORRIBLE during rush hour.

GP seems to be out of the way, depending on the area, it's off the beaten path of the 94. Also, it's an expensive area, probably similar to Troy. Don't forget you also have Detroit right next door, the areas leading into G.P. don't seem to friendly.

Personally, I recommend taking the 696 to the 94 and getting off anywhere between Moross and Harper, take a left (east) and see how you like the area leading into the Pointes.

The only mall, is located in Detroit (Haper Woods/Eastpointe, not sure of the city lines), and it is called Eastside Mall. It isn't that wonderful of a mall, but it has a Target and Macy's. I wouldn't go there after dark, personally. I went there on Black Friday (around 7am) and felt really uncomfortable.

There is also very little shopping in GP. There is a cute strip mall/main street area, however, it doesn't have much beyond specialty stores, borders, and a few places to eat.

[ultraviolet]

We live in south St Clair Shores and DH works off of Crooks and 75. Commute morning & evening is only about 30 minutes via 94, 696, and 75.

DH grew up in GPW. I moved to Michigan ~8 years ago and until last year, we lived a block from GP in Detroit. (Had we not needed a larger house and thought the taxes were insane, we'd still be there.) So with that in mind, I won't comment on crime, because what I say would not be very polite.

For shopping, a new Trader Joes is going in on Kercheval, which has a large variety of shops - including Borders, Ace Hardware, CVS, assorted bagel shops, coffee shops, ice cream shops, etc etc. A new Beaner's Coffee is currently being worked on on Mack, along with the gazillion shops of other variety.

For groceries, we have always gone to Village Food Market on Mack in the Farms. For my vitamins, I go to Healy's Health Hut on Mack in the Woods. The Farmer Jack at Mack/8 Mile is an overpriced hole, similar to all other FJ's, but with a slightly better selection.

Lowe's at Eastland in Harper Woods is good. I try to avoid malls, but when I go, it's usually to Somerset. Not because of store selection or safeness, but the dark hole mall style like Lakeside, Fairlane, and Eastland is just depressing to me.

I put my foot down when looking last year - I will not live further west in the Detroit area than 94 nor further north than 9 Mile.

[M TYPE X]

The GP is nice ... for visiting. It's too remote from everything else, unless you work in downtown Detroit and want to drive through the east side ghetto every day.

If you are a shopper, then GP may work for you. The rest of us need Troy and Novi close enough by. Rochester Hills finally got a Best Buy and an Outback Steakhouse ... I swear that my parents and brother are always there. I have hate shopping in the RH when I am home, and prefer to run over to Lakeside or Great Lakes Crossing, or preferably Somerset or Royal Oak.

[dmetro]

Grosse Pointe is beautiful, as well as extremely expensive, even with the stagnant housing market. It has many amentities, yes, but if you want to move somewhere with lower housing costs than Troy, Grosse Pointe is not the place. If you do want to buy there though, now is the time, since housing prices are falling.

[tudorhouse]

My husband and I moved to Grosse Pointe Park two-and-a-half years ago from Canton. We love it here. We were both west siders growing up, but my husband took a position in Clinton Township and the drive was killing him. After nine months of house hunting we found our home -- but we hesitated at first, because we're literally two streets from Detroit. We decided to take the plunge -- and I must tell you, I can't imagine living anywhere else in Metro Detroit. You couldn't pay me to live in Troy. GP is old, distinguished and lovely, with great schools, parks, services, etc. It's much like a small town, and the people are very friendly and family oriented. As for safety or crime...we've never had an issue. The police are top notch -- you call them and they arrive in two minutes. However, if you're looking for a lot of night life; traffic and chain stores, this is not the community for you. I shop at the Target on 8 Mile (which they're expanding); the Kroger off the expressway in Harper Woods; and the Village (downtown GP). I hit Gratiot in Roseville a lot. Finally, I order a lot through catalogs because I'm more of a buyer than a shopper. My husband uses the gym housed within our Windmill Pointe Park -- literally down the street. Oh...and there's a private movie theatre there, too. If you're going to raise a family, this is the community to do it in. So you have to drive down Cadieux or Moross to get here. Who cares? I've never had a problem. And...if you want to catch a Tiger game at the last minute you're only fifteen minutes away from Downtown Detroit. I can't say enough good things about this community, but I understand it's not for everyone. Good luck in your decision.

[saraht]

I think Grosse Pointe is fabulous and that you can not find a better place to live in the Detroit area. It is so nice to be close to the lake and within walking distance to shops, restaurants, parks and schools. The housing prices here seem to be very affordable compared to other areas around Detroit. We compared Grosse Pointe to Novi, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester and Northville. We were able to get a bigger house with more charm here for less money than those towns. The prices have come down even more since then. I was told that the taxes were higher here, but only slightly when we compared them to houses in Birmingham and Troy. We also have a lot more of city ammenities than those areas. You really get a lot for your money here. Everyone seems to love it here. My family visits from the south and they hate Michigan, but want to move to Grosse Pointe!! Good luck!

[Cato the Elder]

Is northbound I-75 bad during the morning rush? It would seem like a reverse commute to me. I-696 seems bad in both directions during rush hour, so I-94 west to I-75 north might be a better option during the morning.

People either seem to love GP or just not "get it." If we didn't have family in Beverly Hills, we would have looked down there as I work in the city and we love old houses (so Troy was absolutely not an option). We have many friends who love the community feel in GP. If you are into boating, it seems like the best option. Good luck!

[John Francis]

..Very good evening everyone:

I was just playing around on the Internet this evening, and came across this page, with comments about Grosse Pointe.

I grew up in Grosse Pointe, and my wife and I used to live in Grosse Pointe.

YES, it is quite expensive to live there. Why? It is such a great place to live.

Beyond great schools...beyond great police and fire services...THAT is why itr is so expensive.....friendly people everywhere, friendly neighbors...

Great place to live. John Francis