Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Not shocked that a thread that asks a question of Detroiters...is getting answered by those not here. And of course that have to bring the bashing stick as well.
My answer: No. It doesn't have much to do with the city though.
I would move to downtown or mid town in a minute if:
1. I did not have a large family with lots of kids.
2. I did not already live in a totally amazing place (Grosse Ile).
3. I had enough equity left in my house so I cold come away with a down-payment.
4. I was younger (actually this one is probably not mandatory, I woudl still move downtown probably - I would just enjoy it more if I were younger.
I would probably choose downtown over midtown. Midtown is further along, but I like downtown a little bit better (probably because i am over 30, mid town is probably the better choice for younger uns - at least right now it is).
I would move to downtown or mid town in a minute if:
1. I did not have a large family with lots of kids.
2. I did not already live in a totally amazing place (Grosse Ile).
3. I had enough equity left in my house so I cold come away with a down-payment.
4. I was younger (actually this one is probably not mandatory, I woudl still move downtown probably - I would just enjoy it more if I were younger.
I would probably choose downtown over midtown. Midtown is further along, but I like downtown a little bit better (probably because i am over 30, mid town is probably the better choice for younger uns - at least right now it is).
So in short NO, you would NOT enjoy living in Detroit.
SAying one WOULD move to Detroit IF I didn't have all this "responsibility" is like saying one is disgusted by the actions of politicians and refusing to challenge their decisions.
Obviously, those who would enjoy living in Detroit ALREADY live there. If we (wife & I) still enjoyed living in Detroit we would have never moved.
Other than the time I had to work in the city (September-MArch) I have not been back to the city. I almost went on Flower Day, but thought what was in it for me? I still love the city and would like to see it healthy again. But I realize that after watching the Lions for 35 years, there is little chance of either the city or the Lions coming out on top---I just wait in anticipation.
Last edited by zthatzmanz28; 05-24-2013 at 03:20 PM..
So in short NO, you would NOT enjoy living in Detroit.
SAying one WOULD move to Detroit IF I didn't have all this "responsibility" is like saying one is disgusted by the actions of politicians and refusing to challenge their decisions.
Obviously, those who would enjoy living in Detroit ALREADY live there. If we (wife & I) still enjoyed living in Detroit we would have never moved.
Other than the time I had to work in the city (September-MArch) I have not been back to the city. I almost went on Flower Day, but thought what was in it for me? I still love the city and would like to see it healthy again. But I realize that after watching the Lions for 35 years, there is little chance of either the city or the Lions coming out on top---I just wait in anticipation.
You are wrong. I would enjoy living in Detroit. I would not enjoy trying to deal with terrible schools and no place to play for the kids. As much time as I spend in the city, it would be easier to live here instead of driving here all the time. The opportunities in Detroit are unparalleled. It is also just a plain cool place to live. However I also live in a place that is completely fabulous in different ways. Just because I love other places too does not mean I would not love living in Detroit. There are probably two hundred places I woudl enjoy living. Just because I do not live in all of them does not mean I woudl not love living there.
I have quite a few friends and clients who live downtown or midtown and they love it. They live a lifestyle that i woudl love as well (sans children). It is not a question about responsibility, it is a question of Detroit not being a good place for raising children. For adults who like the lifestyle and who want to have some fun, it is a great place to live. It gets better and better as the negative nellies continue to move away and the positive petes continue to move in.
I am in the City pretty much every day and if you have not been here recently I can understand why you do not understand what has happened here. Downtown is not going to come back some day. It is coming back now. It has already begun and progress can be seen every month. It is not exploding with progress, but it is steady. Some of the investment type opportunities are now gone. You re not going to buy any more skyscrapers for $200,000. But on a smaller scale there are still some nice options. I have run into four different people who are eying that little hotel near the train station with plans to develop it into apartments. One of them will do it and do well. There are still a few homes and even some smaller buildings that can be had for a song, but it is getting bought up quickly. You read about Dan Gilbert, and Illich making the big buys, but what you cannot get form a newscast is the smaller groups buying up what they can and remodeling it. From the middle guys to the little guys a lot of property is being snapped up. For now, the supply of condos, apartments and restaurants/bars and shops is not able to meet the demand, maybe it will catch up eventually.
Will Detroit ever be what it once was? Probably not. Will it come back as a smaller but still cool city? Clearly parts of it will. Some parts are unsalvagable, but there is enough left to bring back a decent city and it is happening now.
You are wrong. I would enjoy living in Detroit. I would not enjoy trying to deal with terrible schools and no place to play for the kids. As much time as I spend in the city, it would be easier to live here instead of driving here all the time. The opportunities in Detroit are unparalleled. It is also just a plain cool place to live. However I also live in a place that is completely fabulous in different ways. Just because I love other places too does not mean I would not love living in Detroit. There are probably two hundred places I woudl enjoy living. Just because I do not live in all of them does not mean I woudl not love living there.
I have quite a few friends and clients who live downtown or midtown and they love it. They live a lifestyle that i woudl love as well (sans children). It is not a question about responsibility, it is a question of Detroit not being a good place for raising children. For adults who like the lifestyle and who want to have some fun, it is a great place to live. It gets better and better as the negative nellies continue to move away and the positive petes continue to move in.
I am in the City pretty much every day and if you have not been here recently I can understand why you do not understand what has happened here. Downtown is not going to come back some day. It is coming back now. It has already begun and progress can be seen every month. It is not exploding with progress, but it is steady. Some of the investment type opportunities are now gone. You re not going to buy any more skyscrapers for $200,000. But on a smaller scale there are still some nice options. I have run into four different people who are eying that little hotel near the train station with plans to develop it into apartments. One of them will do it and do well. There are still a few homes and even some smaller buildings that can be had for a song, but it is getting bought up quickly. You read about Dan Gilbert, and Illich making the big buys, but what you cannot get form a newscast is the smaller groups buying up what they can and remodeling it. From the middle guys to the little guys a lot of property is being snapped up. For now, the supply of condos, apartments and restaurants/bars and shops is not able to meet the demand, maybe it will catch up eventually.
Will Detroit ever be what it once was? Probably not. Will it come back as a smaller but still cool city? Clearly parts of it will. Some parts are unsalvagable, but there is enough left to bring back a decent city and it is happening now.
I just don't get what you people mean when you say negative nancy's??? First off, most of the negative nancy's you are talking about, probably don't live in the city. To me it seems like you are saying anyone that has any criticisms of Detroit is a negative nancy. As someone who wants to see Detroit succeed, WTF am I supposed to do, ignore the crime and city service issues?
The most damaging thing about Detroit imagewise is the crime... When I was in Chicago I was talking to some European travellers, the first thing they asked me how dangerous is the city/is it as dangerous as they say etc. Think about what could happen if the crime issues were turned around... Yet it seems like if you mention it all that will be brought up is you're just some scared suburbanite. I've spent time any many cities including Detroit obviously. I share accolades and criticisms for any cities but fact is these cities aren't all equal, and when the problems of crime are fixed that could catapult things.
It's not like the crime has to be fixed to a pristine level, just to a level where people(young people) will be more adventurous than living in areas besides downtown etc, other cities have many of those kind of neighborhoods, and also many of those types of neighborhoods may be viewed as too expensive but many are affordable as well.
And about Detroit not becoming what it used to be... who knows, maybe it will become something newer and different, obviously it would take time though.
Personally, in a brutally honest assessment, I see no evidence of community in Detroit. None whatsoever.
I really like Marvin. VERY optimistic, and certainly an appreciable seasoning on the table of this forum. Seemingly, a decent and intelligent man. The thing is, I am perfectly confident that Marvin would enjoy living ANYWHERE. But that's because of Marvin, not the city of Detroit or anywhere else.
The question should be, How many people enjoy living in Detroit just because they live in Detroit and what are those reasons? In other words, what does the city do for them as residents that create this enjoyment or feedback?
There are people living in the worst third world countries imaginable that enjoy living, while being there, just like Marvin does in Detroit. That's an important part of what keeps the human animal alive and kicking.
What specifically has Detroit done to earn for, or provide it's residents with, enjoyment? You might be waiting for a while on answer to that last question.
Well actually, no. I wouldn't enjoy just living "anywhere". I've lived/live in Kalamazoo and I REALLY dislike it for a number of reasons. Not just Kalamazoo but west MI period. Matterfact, the Metro Detroit area is the only area in Michigan I could see me living in for the rest of my life and not feel like I'm missing out on something or wasting my life away. I think i'll be ok in any large metro BUT Detroit has the culture and vibe that really makes me feel like that's where I belong. When I'm there I don't feel like leaving after a week or so nor do I feel out of place like "wtf am I doing here?". The people and the things to do caters to me in a unique way that most cities don't. It's hard to explain. Detroit isn't for everybody but I feel like I have a purpose here, like I am part of the future of Detroit. Like I said, I'm not the type of person to run from a few problems but actually try to find solutions to fix them.
I just don't get what you people mean when you say negative nancy's??? First off, most of the negative nancy's you are talking about, probably don't live in the city. To me it seems like you are saying anyone that has any criticisms of Detroit is a negative nancy. As someone who wants to see Detroit succeed, WTF am I supposed to do, ignore the crime and city service issues?
The most damaging thing about Detroit imagewise is the crime... When I was in Chicago I was talking to some European travellers, the first thing they asked me how dangerous is the city/is it as dangerous as they say etc. Think about what could happen if the crime issues were turned around... Yet it seems like if you mention it all that will be brought up is you're just some scared suburbanite. I've spent time any many cities including Detroit obviously. I share accolades and criticisms for any cities but fact is these cities aren't all equal, and when the problems of crime are fixed that could catapult things.
It's not like the crime has to be fixed to a pristine level, just to a level where people(young people) will be more adventurous than living in areas besides downtown etc, other cities have many of those kind of neighborhoods, and also many of those types of neighborhoods may be viewed as too expensive but many are affordable as well.
And about Detroit not becoming what it used to be... who knows, maybe it will become something newer and different, obviously it would take time though.
I agree with all of this. It's especially annoying when someone who lives in the suburbs criticizes someone who lives in the city that deals with its bullcrap everyday about being negative.
However, without a doubt, Detroit won't be anything like it used to be. It will definitely be something newer and different, but nothing will be able to replicate what was once the arsenal of democracy.
Chicago, NYC and Philadelphia meanwhile, over the past 50 years, haven't changed significantly like Detroit. Relatively speaking, they still resemble the same great cities they were in the 1950s.
Some people tend to see only the negative side of things. They are incapable of accepting anything positive. They do not see a balance, they only see negative things. If there are positive aspects of a place or event, they do not see them. If they are pointed out, they still deny them. Their interest is only in complaining as much and as often as possible and they complain about everything everywhere.
That is a negative Nancy and Michigan, especially Detroit is loaded with them. Lots of places are loaded with them. For whatever reason they never seem to move to the places they think are so much better than where they are, probably because they know they will hjust complain about the place they think is better.
Some people tend to see only the negative side of things. They are incapable of accepting anything positive. They do not see a balance, they only see negative things. If there are positive aspects of a place or event, they do not see them. If they are pointed out, they still deny them. Their interest is only in complaining as much and as often as possible and they complain about everything everywhere.
That is a negative Nancy and Michigan, especially Detroit is loaded with them. Lots of places are loaded with them. For whatever reason they never seem to move to the places they think are so much better than where they are, probably because they know they will hjust complain about the place they think is better.
You make a good point that there are cynics and complainers everywhere but I can genuienly see why someone might not necessarily be enchanted with the fact that they live in detroit. One could point out the crime rate and say: "I'd really like to live in (blank) where the rate is much lower." Or they might say: "I'd really like to live somewhere less industrial with more vibrant architecture." These are just a couple examples but my point is that Detroit doesn't necessarily have it's reputation for nothing. What you might be mistaking for negative Nancy's are people who are just a bit hyper aware of the turmoil. I am not claiming to be a detroit expert, as I haven't been there in eight years, but I think sometimes people give others a hard time for being complainers when it's often valid and not excessive or trivial.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
