South Lyon.. What's all the hype about? (Detroit, Farmington Hills: house, high school)
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That's their fault for living that far out. You don't get "city amenities" like 6 lane roads, stores, malls, chain restaurants, ect in your backyard when you move to a small town. And all this talk about some suburbs not being what they used to be, the question is would they still be the same if they didn't have a newer suburb to keep running to?
Yep - we ended up in Lyon because we were priced out of Novi/Northville.
Well, actually, we found a better house in Lyon so we stopped looking at the stock in Novi.
Novi's kind of tricky because of school district lines. Even if you live in Novi, you could be zoned to South Lyon Schools, Walled Lake Schools or Novi schools. There were a few great houses at our price point, but they weren't in the school district we wanted our son to be zoned to. Or they were in the right school district, but not the right house (people asking too much for what they were offering). It is what it is.
A lot of the older residents are really upset that somehow we are ruining their rural paradise.
The dirty little secret is that it was because of the new developments that Lyon didn't end up going into bankruptcy. So, do you want to live in a township that's broke or do you want one that is growing and fiscally sound? Sometimes, you have to make the unpopular choice.
We moved into an already established subdivision. The guy we bought the house from was downsizing because his last kid was going off to college and didn't need all the space.
We aren't particularly thrilled to be out so far, but we love our new neighborhood, so we make it work. You get used to it.
Still, it's funny when people freak out about the idea of having Panera Bread set up shop in the area.
It's like you are committing a sin if you make "give your ideas about how you'd like to make Lyon better." (Oh no - we've got to stay the same, forever. Nothing can change - ever!).
I really don't feel bad for laughing because I'd prefer having a Panera over having another pizza place in town.
Some of us are hyped up because we like our lives here.
We want to see Lyon develop responsibly and meet the needs of its citizens. However, we simply aren't going to have the same character over time because more people are going to be here with their wants, needs, and desires. People move to a growing community because it's growing, not because of what it used to be 20-30 years ago (or even 10 years ago). So, there's definitely tension between newcomers like me and older residents.
However, OP is right in that it's not all that it's cracked up to be either.
When we were shopping for houses, we drove through South Lyon proper. It was the original, older part of town. It felt like we were driving downriver somewhere and it turned us off to South Lyon. Honestly, the "booming" parts of South Lyon appeared to be overpriced, cheaply built Mcmansions. I don't see what all the South Lyon hoopla is about. I work with and know a lot of people who moved there from Livonia, Westland, Redford, Garden City, etc. who work in or close to Detroit. Why the desire to add 20-30 minutes to their commute to move to what's becoming another suburb? Is it a white flight thing?
South Lyon was the detonation spot for Redford exiles. It is really a nice area, if you do not mind rural living. They lack big box store but Green Oak and New Hudson are filling that void with new franchise construction.
My brother in law has lived in the Green Oak side of South Lyon (Marshal between 9 mile and Silver Lake) for almost 30 years and his 3 daughters all graduated from South Lyon schools. Strangely NONE stayed in South Lyon??
Outside the trailer park there on Nine Mile at Rushton, most houses are pricey--downtown because it is close to town and outside of the downtown area older homes tend to have acreage or are new construction.
Construction had just resumed on the development at the corner of 8 mile and Currie. I think these are starting at $300K?
But comparing it to anything in Wayne County is not really valid. Having grown up in Wayne (Taylor-tucky and Redford) and now living in Livingston County (between Brighton and Howell) there is no way I would be looking back and I would not trade in my 110 mile round trip commute into Detroit MidTown for Wayne or most of Oakland county east of Beck and south of Grand River.
Construction had just resumed on the development at the corner of 8 mile and Currie. I think these are starting at $300K?
But comparing it to anything in Wayne County is not really valid. Having grown up in Wayne (Taylor-tucky and Redford) and now living in Livingston County (between Brighton and Howell) there is no way I would be looking back and I would not trade in my 110 mile round trip commute into Detroit MidTown for Wayne or most of Oakland county east of Beck and south of Grand River.
That was my playground growing up. I had some "pet" foxes that lived in the side of a very old dump site back in there. We would dig up the old mild bottles and medicine bottles and take them into the antique store in Northville and sell them for money for candy and fireworks. I cannot look at that subdivision and golf course and not get angry or sad, especially since those mcmansions are particularly hideous.
It depends on where in Wayne County you compare, many areas of Wayne County are simlar to Lyon township. Northville is partly in Wayne County. Canton, Huron Township, Out around flat rock, parts of Romulus, parts of woodhaven, Gibraltar (if that is still Wayne county).
Grosse Ile is in wayne county and IMO the nicest place to lie for families in S.E. Michigan. (But it really does not compare to any other place, it is kind of unique).
Oops - I was thinking of 10 mile and Currie. 8 and currie was a horse farm with a giant barn and really expensive horses. A tornado wiped out the barn and killed many of the horses. Not sure I even realised they were putting houses in at 8 and currie.
What is the deal with the development at 8 and beck? a small swampy lot where all the forest was cut down and graded flat with a sign "Starting in the low 800s" What? who would put an 800K house there? It is a terrible location and the property is bleak and desolate now the removed all life from it. That intersection has a huge traffic problem and the section of 8 mile it fronts on is the tail end of the high speed section of 8 mile. (55, but everyone goes 75). It is near mayberry, but not that near the entrance, and you certainly are not going to let young kids wander across 8 mile to the park. I cannot see anything that would make a house in that location 800K
That was my playground growing up. I had some "pet" foxes that lived in the side of a very old dump site back in there. We would dig up the old mild bottles and medicine bottles and take them into the antique store in Northville and sell them for money for candy and fireworks. I cannot look at that subdivision and golf course and not get angry or sad, especially since those mcmansions are particularly hideous.
It depends on where in Wayne County you compare, many areas of Wayne County are simlar to Lyon township. Northville is partly in Wayne County. Canton, Huron Township, Out around flat rock, parts of Romulus, parts of woodhaven, Gibraltar (if that is still Wayne county).
Grosse Ile is in wayne county and IMO the nicest place to lie for families in S.E. Michigan. (But it really does not compare to any other place, it is kind of unique).
Oops - I was thinking of 10 mile and Currie. 8 and currie was a horse farm with a giant barn and really expensive horses. A tornado wiped out the barn and killed many of the horses. Not sure I even realised they were putting houses in at 8 and currie.
What is the deal with the development at 8 and beck? a small swampy lot where all the forest was cut down and graded flat with a sign "Starting in the low 800s" What? who would put an 800K house there? It is a terrible location and the property is bleak and desolate now the removed all life from it. That intersection has a huge traffic problem and the section of 8 mile it fronts on is the tail end of the high speed section of 8 mile. (55, but everyone goes 75). It is near mayberry, but not that near the entrance, and you certainly are not going to let young kids wander across 8 mile to the park. I cannot see anything that would make a house in that location 800K
You probably ran with or know my sister in law who grew up at Chubbs and 10 mile. Remember the kid that was killed in Salem along the railroad tracks?
Currie and 10 Mile is up and building as well. The reason Grosse Ile is so nice is the very reason many have left Wayne County--TAXES...
Taxes have also chase many families out of Northville as well. Surprisingly, parts of Taylor are also seeing increased taxes, particularly homes that have more an 1 acre.
I wondered abort that 8 Mile / Beck development as well..Looks like a good solid rain would create a new lake..
[quote=zthatzmanz28;46795343]
Currie and 10 Mile is up and building as well. The reason Grosse Ile is so nice is the very reason many have left Wayne County--TAXES...
/QUOTE]
I think I lived there a bit before your sister. I did read about the kids who ran the light at a train tack in Salem and were killed. I hope that was not your sister. I did have a friend that lived at 10 and Chubb who was seriously injured and a friend of his killed. they dropped an M-80 into a pipe sticking out of the ground and it turned out it connected to some sort of old fuel tank that was mostly empty. Boom.
Taxes in GI are higher than surrounding Wayne County cities, but pretty close to nice Oakland County suburbs like Lyon township. South Lyon, etc. It probably helps that property values are high, so even at average or slightly above average tax rates, they get a lot of money (3% of $500,000 is obviously more than 3% of $150,000, thus, the same tax rate will yield more net dollars in a location where propriety values are high). It is a cycle. Pretty much every millage for schools or public safety, or bike trails or greenspace gets approved. This in turn results in outstanding safety, schools and trails, which in turn causes property values to increase, which in turn generates more tax dollars. So, while houses can be pretty expensive, especially on the water, I do not think the tax rate is that much higher (probably some higher becuase we approve so many millages, but not a ton).
One reason it is so nice, is the government in Grosse Ile has long been anti-growth. When someone wants to build yet another ugly crowded subdivision the township tries to buy the land and turn it into greenspace. Lyon township by comparison appears to celebrate every time someone wants to cut down the forests and build another ugly crowded subdivision.
Another reason GI is nice is community participation. People come together to make things, clean up, donate, fund raise, etc. A big reason however is the former presence of the Federal and county government who donated a lot of property to the township, and some unusual tax foreclosures that netted the Township a golf course, a farm/community center, not sure what all else.
Currie and 10 Mile is up and building as well. The reason Grosse Ile is so nice is the very reason many have left Wayne County--TAXES...
/QUOTE]
I think I lived there a bit before your sister. I did read about the kids who ran the light at a train tack in Salem and were killed. I hope that was not your sister. I did have a friend that lived at 10 and Chubb who was seriously injured and a friend of his killed. they dropped an M-80 into a pipe sticking out of the ground and it turned out it connected to some sort of old fuel tank that was mostly empty. Boom.
Taxes in GI are higher than surrounding Wayne County cities, but pretty close to nice Oakland County suburbs like Lyon township. South Lyon, etc. It probably helps that property values are high, so even at average or slightly above average tax rates, they get a lot of money (3% of $500,000 is obviously more than 3% of $150,000, thus, the same tax rate will yield more net dollars in a location where propriety values are high). It is a cycle. Pretty much every millage for schools or public safety, or bike trails or greenspace gets approved. This in turn results in outstanding safety, schools and trails, which in turn causes property values to increase, which in turn generates more tax dollars. So, while houses can be pretty expensive, especially on the water, I do not think the tax rate is that much higher (probably some higher becuase we approve so many millages, but not a ton).
One reason it is so nice, is the government in Grosse Ile has long been anti-growth. When someone wants to build yet another ugly crowded subdivision the township tries to buy the land and turn it into greenspace. Lyon township by comparison appears to celebrate every time someone wants to cut down the forests and build another ugly crowded subdivision.
Another reason GI is nice is community participation. People come together to make things, clean up, donate, fund raise, etc. A big reason however is the former presence of the Federal and county government who donated a lot of property to the township, and some unusual tax foreclosures that netted the Township a golf course, a farm/community center, not sure what all else.
My sister-n-law was in South Lyon Schools in the early 1970s. Graduated like 72 or something? My wife said she was at 8 Mile and Chubb--the big horse farm---The Baggett family I guess had been there for YEARS...
The kid that was found dead at the tracks had been kidnapped off the street with hos girlfriend and later found murdered in Salem just off the railroad crossing around Six Mile and Napier area...there by the Thayer cemetery?
The low tax rate here in Livingston County is what tempts people from Western Oakland County to cross over.
Then they find out Police and Fire service is sketchy (but we did approve an increase for fire here in Brighton, and funding for veterans on a county wide basis). And the roads, the roads started crumbling long before state funding dried up..
The latest joke is the building of sidewalks from Kensington to Old 23....not sure who will walk there? The rumor is the old church land across from Briggs lake there on Grand River has sold and the local buyer (Maybe Boss?) is going to put in a huge residential development there around the little lake...
Then there is the Brighton Township sewer fiasco--the township created a sewer system for Woodland Lake residents and it costs the folks like $400--$600 a month for sewer and water..after a $10,000-$20,000 connect fee....OUCH!
Y So, do you want to live in a township that's broke or do you want one that is growing and fiscally sound? Sometimes, you have to make the unpopular choice.
It's like you are committing a sin if you make "give your ideas about how you'd like to make Lyon better." (Oh no - we've got to stay the same, forever. Nothing can change - ever!).
However, we simply aren't going to have the same character over time because more people are going to be here with their wants, needs, and desires.
Broke would be better. The Township really does not do all that much anyway. Besides, they woudl have recovered, nearly all municipalities were broke and nearly all have recovered.
Change just for change is not always beneficial. Sensible change that maintains the character of the place is great. Turning a quaint rural community into Rochester Hills is not sensible change. Pretty soon all the McMansions will be "dated" no one will want them and the mobs will move on the destroy the next quaint Rural community. If you want a Panera instead of Joes Bakery, or if you want to be able to walk to a health club rather than having to drive 15 minutes (or why not ride a bike there or run?) then please stay in Rochester Hills and tear out the park so you have a shorter drive to your health club.
However it is pretty much too late for South Lyon/Lyon township. It is pretty much already Rochester Hills light and there is little left of the quaint rural atmosphere. And you are right, it was never all that anyway, but it was a cute small town/township friendly, and with home grown business rather than chains like every other overrun community has. Now there is very little left to make it unique. The hordes will start moving on soon.
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