South Lyon.. What's all the hype about?

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Again what I sadi was those places failed to preserve what made them unique and special, not that they have failed as an extension of mass suburbia. Novi has done very well at that. However, as I said, Novi never had very much to work with (a general market, a camera store and maybe four other places, and a lot of farms. Perhaps it never had any chance to become anything more than an extension of the mass of suburbia sprawling out of Detroit. South Lyon, Northille, and some others had a chance and met that opportunity with varying degrees of success (or complete failure in the case of South Lyon). South Lyon has not failed as a temporarily trendy suburb. It failed to preserve what made it unique and special and different than other mass suburbia places. Other places have done a better job - Northville, Saline, Milford, Brighton (somewhat), even Farmington Hills.South Lyon and Lyon Township have been more "Hail developers - welcome. Bring us tax dollars and do anything you want. You don't live here or care about anything but the profit margins, but have at it. We just want to expand our budget and feel more important." That is where they "failed" and how other communities "failed before them. No real planning or control, just hodge podge development. Keep the developers happy and keep them coming for as long as possible, for soon they will move on to Milford and Brighton or Salem, or Saline or Plymouth. No question Lyon township has become the next Novi and will eventually become the next Farmington Hills or West Bloomfield. Nice enough, but dated and nothing special really. They could have been a special place more like Northville Plymouth, Saline, Dexter, Milford etc. But they failed.

Novi never had much chance as noted, but they also failed to develop a plan early on that woudl make Novi a special place. It is special if you like shopping malls. But the mass of subdivisions? nope not really different than any of a dozen other places with good schools and loads of McMansions.

Your obsession with Novi is bordering on pathological. It's plenty special for those of us who choose to live here. But, we appreciate your concern.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

Your obsession with Novi is bordering on pathological. It's plenty special for those of us who choose to live here. But, we appreciate your concern.

Actually you have that backwards. Novi is not special, it is just another suburb. It has no town to speak of. I do not focus on Novi. I say the same thing about amny communities that are similar. Rochester Hills, Troy, Canton, West Bloomfield, etc. However because you seems ot be extremely sensitive and defensive about Novi, you tend to make a huge issue whenever anyone implies it might be less than perfect in every way. It is oddly obsessive.

Novi is new subdivisions, strip malls and shopping malls. There really is no way to argue otherwise. That is what it is. That does not make it bad, but no amount of arguing or name calling will change what it is. If you like collections of subdivisions and strip malls, Novi offers the best of that lifestyle you can find. However it does not have a unique identity, a downtown, history, a center where the community can or does focus. You cannot say, "wow I am glad I live near the center of town where everything is going on" because there is no such place. It is not a charming town, or quaint. It is not really a town at all. That is ok- you do not have to get all worked up. Some places are that way, and they are still very nice places for the type of living they offer. You could say for example that Chelsea or Plymouth are all "dated" and old with very little "new construction and hardly any chain, big box or department store shopping or dining. Maybe that will make you feel better. That is a relatively true statement. Plymouth and Chelsea do not offer what Novi offers and Novi does nto offer what those places offer. However if someone says they are looking for a quaint charming small town kind of place - sorry Novi is not that, it cannot be that, it will never be that.

Sorry. Novi cannot be all things for all people. It is a specific type of place and does not offer things it does not have. Pointing that out is not an attack on your choice to live there. Obviously the Novi lifestyle is what you are looking for. If you calm down and do a quick review, you will find that if people coe to CD looking for new construction subdivisions, lots of shopping and good schools - Novi is the top of my list of suggestions for them. However small town, rural feel, quaint, homey, low traffic then I will point out to them that Novi as well as other areas (like Canton for example) are not what they are looking for.

Please stop getting all worked up every time someone fails to worship at the Novi altar. It is a hodge podge collection of new mostly McMansion subdivisions and malls. It has great schools and low crime and a really cool library. It has some large soccer field parks. Be happy with what you have and stop bemoaing what is missing (or you could move). However please do something to make you feel better. I hate to see you so unhappy about your home.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Actually you have that backwards. Novi is not special, it is just another suburb. It has no town to speak of. I do not focus on Novi. I say the same thing about amny communities that are similar. Rochester Hills, Troy, Canton, West Bloomfield, etc. However because you seems ot be extremely sensitive and defensive about Novi, you tend to make a huge issue whenever anyone implies it might be less than perfect in every way. It is oddly obsessive.

Novi is new subdivisions, strip malls and shopping malls. There really is no way to argue otherwise. That is what it is. That does not make it bad, but no amount of arguing or name calling will change what it is. If you like collections of subdivisions and strip malls, Novi offers the best of that lifestyle you can find. However it does not have a unique identity, a downtown, history, a center where the community can or does focus. You cannot say, "wow I am glad I live near the center of town where everything is going on" because there is no such place. It is not a charming town, or quaint. It is not really a town at all. That is ok- you do not have to get all worked up. Some places are that way, and they are still very nice places for the type of living they offer. You could say for example that Chelsea or Plymouth are all "dated" and old with very little "new construction and hardly any chain, big box or department store shopping or dining. Maybe that will make you feel better. That is a relatively true statement. Plymouth and Chelsea do not offer what Novi offers and Novi does nto offer what those places offer. However if someone says they are looking for a quaint charming small town kind of place - sorry Novi is not that, it cannot be that, it will never be that.

Sorry. Novi cannot be all things for all people. It is a specific type of place and does not offer things it does not have. Pointing that out is not an attack on your choice to live there. Obviously the Novi lifestyle is what you are looking for. If you calm down and do a quick review, you will find that if people coe to CD looking for new construction subdivisions, lots of shopping and good schools - Novi is the top of my list of suggestions for them. However small town, rural feel, quaint, homey, low traffic then I will point out to them that Novi as well as other areas (like Canton for example) are not what they are looking for.

Please stop getting all worked up every time someone fails to worship at the Novi altar. It is a hodge podge collection of new mostly McMansion subdivisions and malls. It has great schools and low crime and a really cool library. It has some large soccer field parks. Be happy with what you have and stop bemoaing what is missing (or you could move). However please do something to make you feel better. I hate to see you so unhappy about your home.

I'm not the one who unleashes five paragraphs of anger every time the subject comes up. And I don't have to defend it to you or anyone. Skyrocketing home values tell you all you need to know.

I'm quite happy in Novi. You seem to have a massive chip on your shoulder regarding the community. Sad!

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by jenn342

What's surprising to me is that South Lyon's downtown hasn't grown more along with the housing growth. Admittedly I haven't been there since we house-hunted there briefly a while back so things may have changed, but it surprised me that there weren't more restaurants, that the downtown was so limited/ offered so little compared to Milford, Northville, Plymouth etc. There's SO much new housing that I would've thought all that growth would demand more amenities overall - a new community center or library, more places to eat, etc. And it didn't seem like there was an influx of chain restaurants moving in or anything, so you'd think locally owned places would do well or more would open? It wasn't for us but I do understand the appeal.. new/newer houses and great schools for a much lower price than you'd find elsewhere.

But I'd also disagree that Novi has failed (outstanding schools, safe, great diverse community, good variety of housing stock, nice parks, all the 'amenities' you'd need.. definitely lacks charm, and has a lot of traffic, but that isn't unique).

That is because it is land locked as far as NEW development. All the new business are going up in Green Oak there at Lee Road and 23. Which instantly became its own cluster flick within months of completion.