[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

When I lived there you rarely saw black people venture into the near NW side of town. Now, when I go back I see black people living in near NW, far NW and NE. The truth is that in my youth were scared to venture into those areas. Equally shocking is seeing white people walking down my old block……AT NIGHT EVEN! Aside from the new commercial and residential structures, European like “turn abouts” and the like, I am most shocked by how polarization has somewhat diminished in the area. I credit that to school integration and busing, to a large degree, as well as a growing level racial tolerance in America.

I know what you mean. I spent summers in the early 90s working at the Richmond Park pool, and we'd have people from the neighborhood distastefully ask if they ever got many black swimmers at the pool. Last time I was back in town, we ended up doing a slurpee run to the 7-11 on Alpine Ave. because I currently live in an area with a distressing lack of 7-11s and I had a craving. It was surprising to see how many black people were in a neighborhood that used to be pretty militantly anti-black. (Hispanics allowed if they could keep up the yard without mowing on Sundays)

Grand Rapids is never going to be a trendy place to live, but it strikes me as one of the few places in the Rust Belt that has an achievable plan for the future. I just wish that the GRPS school board had made some different decisions about 15-20 years back and started off the long downward spiral they haven't been able to reverse.

[tjay]

there are about an average of 2 foreclosed homes per street in our small town....ortonville, mi
the neighborhood has actually cleaned up since the 70's though. looks nicer, except for the houses that are being rented.

[jmlowman]

We were in Flint a few weeks ago, as well as the summer of 2007, to visit the in-laws. My old neighborhood, near downtown, looked like a third-world country. The house where I grew up - gone. My grandparents' house across the street, as well as another house and a commercial building behind it - gone. The new apartment building that my parents lived in after I left for college - gone. Not only vacant, but one unit that was visible from the street looked to have been gutted by fire.

When I was growing in the 50s and 60s, most of the people who lived within a radius of a few blocks were elderly. As they passed, I guess some bad elements moved in. My parents had retired to Florida in 1975, before things got bad.

Within a few blocks' walk, there was a major supermarket, three small independent groceries, two funeral homes, an interior decorator, a place that sold fish and chips, two pharmacies with counters, Sears, the north end of downtown, a barber shop, my dentist and a salon. All gone except the north end of downtown, and it seems to be improving with the expansion of U-M and the renovation of the once-stately Durant Hotel.

But, on this last visit, I had to admit that things were looking up, despite the economy. The neighborhood to the south of Mott CC and west of Dort Highway, as well as one off Miller Road near MSD, looked very well-kept. Ditto for Nolen Drive near Mott Park Golf Course, and the more working-class neighborhoods west of Center Road and north of Davison Road, where my wife grew up. Lots of restaurants and other businesses on Linden Road, as well as large medical complexes. Two major investment firms were across the road from each other. I was beginning to wonder if everything that was doom and gloom about Flint was still true. Granted, most areas on the north side were bad and were spreading, but the northeast part of Flint was trouble when I was a kid.

The newspaper is down to three days a week now, but even the LA Times is having financial difficulties. Today, people can get news on TV as well as online for free.

[jeanniepep]

The downtown area of Flint is definitely not a place I'd want to be walking alone at night, but I have a lot of friends from that area. Flint for some reason seems to inspire a fierce devotion in its residents and all my friends work tirelessly to get fun things up and running downtown and to improve its image. The area has been hit VERY hard by the economy and it wasn't in great shape to begin with, but the residents are still trying! The Crim Festival of Races is up there in a couple of weeks, and the city does a fantastic job with that. If you were ever going to visit Flint, that would be a great time - if you can find a parking spot!

I live in Ferndale, and it has changed a LOT in the last 30 years - for the better!! When I was a kid, my dad managed a Perry Drugs down here and there was nothing around but a couple of auto parts stores and a lot of shady characters. He came down to visit me last week and flipped out about all the "upscale restaurants" (his words) and shops that are here now! The streets are lined with gorgeous flower displays and there seems to be a festival of some kind going on almost every weekend, in the summer at least. The DDA is extremely active and constantly trying to make downtown more attractive and fun. There are a few empty storefronts, but overall there's a lot of great places to shop/eat/drink around here now. I don't know what the surrounding neighborhoods looked like before, but most streets are packed with rows of well-cared-for little bungalows, pretty gardens, and great big old shade trees.

I was chatting with one of my neighbors, an older guy who was born in Kentucky and lived in Ferndale for most of his life (never lost the Kentucky accent though!). I remarked at how much Ferndale has changed over the years, and he said "Well there's more gays...there didn't used to be so many gays...but that's okay, they take good care of their yards." LOL!!! If it was "the gays" that made Ferndale turn into such a pretty, hip little town, then I sure wish we could get more of them to move in and spiff up some of the dying neighborhoods in Michigan!

[chiroptera]

Originally Posted by jeanniepep

I remarked at how much Ferndale has changed over the years, and he said "Well there's more gays...there didn't used to be so many gays...but that's okay, they take good care of their yards." LOL!!! If it was "the gays" that made Ferndale turn into such a pretty, hip little town, then I sure wish we could get more of them to move in and spiff up some of the dying neighborhoods in Michigan!

LOL....not the first time I have heard that.

I've lived in Flint for five years - I won't say I'm fiercely devoted to it. Hardly. But I own my house outright (easy to do here!) and have a business...is it where I want to spend the rest of my life? Absolutely not, but I'm a "bloom where you are planted type" of person and for now, making the best of it. I ignore the crap and appreciate the good.

I must say, people who are outside this city have a somewhat skewed opinion of it. While big areas of Flint are, indeed, blighted and crime-ridden, much of it really is no worse or no better than anywhere else. There are some downright NICE neighborhoods, plenty of safe parks and open space and some pretty neat cultural amenities. And I say this as someone who has lived all over the world and in three other US states.

Frankly, my neighborhood has changed for the better since I bought my house (east side/state street 'hood, south of Davison Rd.) Several houses on my short dead-end street have been bought by people who could scrape together enough to buy a bank-owned or trashed house. As a result, instead of renters, there are a few more owners now living in and fixing up their houses, which is much better than a rotating roster of crappy renters or empty homes. (Nothing against renters in general - just crappy ones. )

[michsnowlvr]

I live in a pretty nice area of downriver....Wyandotte/Southgate have very well-kept homes, lawns, etc. Really no signs of the recession. I also think downtown Wyandotte is getting nicer and nicer, its like a mini Royal Oak.