Moving to Detroit from Chicago... (Warren, Royal Oak: sale, new construction, living in)

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Coming from Chicago, the answer is "nowhere."

Metro Detroit has a lot of cool things to do but there is more to do on a few square blocks of Chicago than the entire city of Detroit, and the "urban suburb" Royal Oak will feel like a stretch of the lamest part of Lakeview. Birmingham is like a more upscale Oak Park.

You pretty much have to accept that you are moving to a bedroom community. Wonderful places to live (there are a lot of little towns around that might be comparable to Glen Ellyn) and raise a family but it is not like a smaller Chicago by any stretch of the imagination; it is an entirely different ballgame.

Magnificent Mile/River North? Museum Campus? Where else are these few square blocks having more to do than the entire city of Detroit?

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Magnificent Mile/River North? Museum Campus? Where else are these few square blocks having more to do than the entire city of Detroit?

He right though. Chicago's critical mass blows Detroit's out of the water.

For example, there are parts of Chicago where there are several locations of the same national chain within walking distance, whereas you're hard pressed to find ANY national chains in Detroit's city limits.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Coming from Chicago, the answer is "nowhere."

Metro Detroit has a lot of cool things to do but there is more to do on a few square blocks of Chicago than the entire city of Detroit, and the "urban suburb" Royal Oak will feel like a stretch of the lamest part of Lakeview. Birmingham is like a more upscale Oak Park.

You pretty much have to accept that you are moving to a bedroom community. Wonderful places to live (there are a lot of little towns around that might be comparable to Glen Ellyn) and raise a family but it is not like a smaller Chicago by any stretch of the imagination; it is an entirely different ballgame.

Pretty accurate post IMO.

You'll have to get used to a suburban lifestyle if you want to enjoy Detroit.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by 313Weather

He right though. Chicago's critical mass blows Detroit's out of the water.

For example, there are parts of Chicago where there are several locations of the same national chain within walking distance, whereas you're hard pressed to find ANY national chains in Detroit's city limits.

Fair enough. But as much as I hang out at Starbucks with my laptop, I wouldn't quite categorize it as "things to do". While yes, there are many, many more full service neighborhoods in Chicago, which obviously offers those who are looking for the "urban" lifestyle of never having to leave your neighborhood, I don't think they qualify as things to do, since those national chains are still found everywhere.

But yes, in terms of "urban" lifestyle, where you rarely have to leave the confines of your neighborhood, as opposed to the "suburban" lifestyle where you have to get to know the entire metropolitan area, Chicago is a top city for that.

[jonnynonos]

Tex if I remember correctly you have spent virtually zero time in Detroit.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Tex if I remember correctly you have spent virtually zero time in Detroit.

What do you know about me?? I went to school in Michigan for over four years, had friends that I would visit and hangout in SE Michigan, and later checked out tourist attractions on my own.

Doesn't make me an expert, but I felt like I were kept busy, but yeah, for someone who is a real city person, I could see why they wouldn't like would NOT want to move from Chicago to Detroit.

I'm really not, I feel claustrophic staying in a truly urban environment 24/7. Several of my jobs in the past required travel across several counties either in a company vehicle or my own and get paid mileage, and really enjoy that kind of work. If one considers this a "suburban lifestyle" then so be it.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Tex if I remember correctly you have spent virtually zero time in Detroit.

I was also going to add, that you compared Birmingham to a more upscale Oak Park.

Well, I lived in Oak Park for two years before I moved out to California, and loved it. If I were to move back to Chicagoland Oak Park would be at the top of my list. Like I said I'm not really a city person per se. I love a place that has a vibrant, walkable feel, but with old historic single family homes with mature, tall trees, and a barrage of greenery. (its summer greenery that I miss out in California, not any of the actual city stuff).

However, I realized that the nightlife around Lake street in Oak Park/Madison St in Forest Park, still seemed to be largely young couples. And I have met a LOT of young couples, we had a small meetup group that was of singles in the inner ring west suburbs, but there were very, very few of us, under the age of 35.

I always thought of the city urban core, as steeling away all the social scene and dating opportunities away from those who don't actually like a true concrete jungle. I thought I wonder how many more cute, single women would be living in places like downtown Oak Park if the urban core Chicago were in the condition as it was back in 1980 . . .

then when I've gone to visit Royal Oak and Birmingham, that was it felt like. As if Chicagos urban core was stuck in 1980, yet the suburban downtown got more of the single ladies and other young adults.

That, and since I'm a huge outdoors person, the fact that Chicagolands northwoods' are in a different state, whereas Metro Detroits' are in the same state.

I think the perfect midwest city for me would probably be Minneapolis - it might be the big midwest city if I were to return to the midwest. Lots of single social scene, but in a more toned down, sedate vibe, just as liberal/non traditional, yet people do a lot more outdoorsy stuff.

But as it is, I love the west coast, its my kind of part of the country, but my familys back in the chicago suburbs - so theres always the chance I would be going back there sometime.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Fair enough. But as much as I hang out at Starbucks with my laptop, I wouldn't quite categorize it as "things to do". While yes, there are many, many more full service neighborhoods in Chicago, which obviously offers those who are looking for the "urban" lifestyle of never having to leave your neighborhood, I don't think they qualify as things to do, since those national chains are still found everywhere.

But yes, in terms of "urban" lifestyle, where you rarely have to leave the confines of your neighborhood, as opposed to the "suburban" lifestyle where you have to get to know the entire metropolitan area, Chicago is a top city for that.

Just for the record, the OP said they were moving here for a job, not because they wanted to.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by 313Weather

Just for the record, the OP said they were moving here for a job, not because they wanted to.

Yes, but the OP was:

Hello this is actually my first post thanks in advance to those who respond. My wife and I are life long Chicagoans who will be moving to the Detroit area from Chicago due to my work. I've heard from numerous people to steer clear of the city area and to concentrate on the suburbs. We do prefer places that have some kind of culture/heartbeat; I heard good things about the Midtown area. What suburbs have the kind of spirit we're looking for? Also diversity is always a plus as well.

Thanks!

This is fairly general. Many, although not ALL those who live in Chicago feel an extreme attachment to the exceptional urban lifestyle qualities nor fully take advantage of ALL that Chicago has to offer, largely because not all actually live in immediate proximity to all that, even if they live in the city proper. Just like not all those moving from southern California are strongly attached to surfing, constant sunshine and Hollywood.

And it sounds to me that the OP is fairly open and flexible, and in this case . . . yes there are options that very well might suit them. The usual suspects.

[jonnynonos]

You can post 1,000 words, 10,000 words, 100,000 words and the bottom line is there is more to do on Clark between Diversey and Addison than in the entire city of Detroit.

I don't really care about or have any interest in context free statistics. It is what it is.

The poster expressed interest in finding the "cultural/heartbeat" of Detroit and I told him that compared to Chicago it doesn't exist.