Are The Pointes in decline?(Grosse Pointe) (Detroit, Ann Arbor: real estate, 2013)

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

What do you think?

Do you think the growth of Oakland County has hurt the Pointes?

[gameguy56]

Other than Birmingham I don't think that there's much cross-shopping between Oakland County and the Pointes. They attract a different crowd. I doubt Novi or Oakland Township really appeals to someone potentially interested in 48230 and vice-versa.

[belleislerunner]

No - They cater to different markets. GP caters to the downtown executive who wants lakefront living. BH and Bham cater to the execs in Auburn Hills. Different strokes for different folks. Homes in GP still fetch up to $5 million. 1010 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores MI - Trulia

[Almont1]

Yes and no.

The Pointes are still very nice, and will probably always be nice, but are they in "relative decline"? I would say yes.

In 1960, if you asked what area of Metro Detroit had the highest priced real estate, the best schools, and the best reputation, 99% of people would answer "The Pointes".

In 2013, if you asked the exact same question, 99% of people would answer "Bloomfield-Birmingham area".

So, in that sense, the Pointes have declined, in a very relative sense. The wealthiest people aren't concentrated there like they used to, and home prices haven't kept up with other affluent areas.

Having said all this, the Pointes basically look the same as they've always looked, and are still quite desirable.

[animatedmartian]

It's kinda of a old-money, new-money thing. Grosse Pointe has that old-money type of wealth passed down through the generations.

Bloomfield Hills and area is more new money where the wealth was more recently generated; ie doctors, businesspersons, and real estate developers.

Though in fairness, parts of Grosse Pointe weren't really fully developed until the 70s and 80s.

[LeavingDetroit]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

It's kinda of a old-money, new-money thing. Grosse Pointe has that old-money type of wealth passed down through the generations.

Bloomfield Hills and area is more new money where the wealth was more recently generated; ie doctors, businesspersons, and real estate developers.

Though in fairness, parts of Grosse Pointe weren't really fully developed until the 70s and 80s.

So how much truth is there in this by now cliche polarization of East vs. West (old v new) money?

Also, as there has been more socioeconomic diversity out there, I think that many professionals, entrepreneurs and other economically successful people of multiracial/religious/origins want to live on the West side as the East is perceived as being less accepting of non WASPs. Is it true? i've ever lived there and the only friends I had from there were not that way. However, I didn't know a lot and most West siders and East siders stuck to their own kind while socializing
.

[DTWflyer]

Since the business community of Metro Detroit is scattered throughout the region, Grosse Pointe is not necessarily for all of the prime spot for the regions wealthy people.

Plus the days of the riches and obscene wealth in the auto industry are long-gone, but the aura of such still lives on in the 'Pointes or the "Hills.

Downtown, Auburn Hills, Troy, Southfield, Dearborn, Novi/I-275 Corridor, Ann Arbor all have lots of successful business professionals and Grosse Pointe is not always the most convenient location to reside if one works in some of those areas.

Also, Grosse Pointe has been built-out for decades and other areas may offer larger pieces of undeveloped property (Oakland Twp), or may lend themselves better for tear-down and custom home construction (Birmingham/Bloomfield).

It isn't an old/new money thing necessarily. There is plenty of old money in both Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield Hills. Heck, the average age of Bloomfield Hills residents is 65! Birmingham tends to be much younger than the 'Hills.

People have different tastes and desires in the type of home and location.

There are many more options than there were decades ago when the region was much smaller and the majority of power-business centers of the region was in the City of Detroit.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Grosse Pointe Shores is where the "old money" is concentrated in the Pointes. Edsel and Bill Ford both live there as do desecendents of the Dodge family. This is the Grosse Pointe that people think of when they picture big, beautiful old mansions on Lakeshore Drive. The rest of the Pointes are like any other nicer burbs as far as the population is concerned. I work with a lot of people who live in the Pointes and they don't wear ascots or talk about their sailing weekends.

[Retroit]

There isn't a competition between the two areas. Grosse Pointers don't have a need to venture off to Oakland County very often (and vice versa). Each area has all the amenities their citizens need. Hell, the whole metropolitan suburban area is nothing more than endless repetition.

Even when you look back on the pre-suburbanized Detroit, you had Boston-Edison, Indian Village and Palmer Woods all coexisting harmoniously. There's plenty of wealth to support a few wealthy areas.

[us66]

Originally Posted by Retroit

There isn't a competition between the two areas. Grosse Pointers don't have a need to venture off to Oakland County very often (and vice versa). Each area has all the amenities their citizens need. Hell, the whole metropolitan suburban area is nothing more than endless repetition.

Even when you look back on the pre-suburbanized Detroit, you had Boston-Edison, Indian Village and Palmer Woods all coexisting harmoniously. There's plenty of wealth to support a few wealthy areas.

Actually, not really. Entertainment options are few and far between in GP. Shopping is limited (though having Trader Joe's is nice), the Barnes and Noble is tiny, and a lot of the locals won't touch Eastland Mall with a ten foot pole, even with a very good Target and Lowe's. This kind of stuff keeps GP city fathers up at night nowadays, and you can tell from looking at the GP News and various GP online and social media sites that there is a definite need for things such as movie theatres and other things.

Are the Pointes in decline? I'm going to say yes, but not uniformly. Things aren't always as kept up in the Pointes- I have been to a TON of open houses over the course of the past few years (under $250K) and the GP houses nearly always need updating, whereas the similar houses in Oakland County (Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Beverly Hills, Birmingham, north RO) have had that work done in most cases. Don't get me wrong, I love avocado and harvest appliances (I'm not even lying) but I see a lot of houses in the Pointes that have that vibe. (The one good thing about this is that GP houses in this price and size range more often than not still have that 30s-50s tile bathroom, frequently in pink and usually in rather good condition.)