[MS313]

If you HAD to live in one of these cities what would it be? Both have a HORRIBLE reputation and an even worse crime rate. But it can't be all bad, so if you had no other choice, which one of these cities would you choose?

[PreservationPioneer]

Something Flint has going for it, besides affordable housing, is that is has a nice downtown that has been revitalized for the most part. I think a strong core is really important for a city's chances of revitalization, and Flint has that. It also has a historic district (Carriage Town) near downtown, that the residents are really trying to bring back. So I think overall, Flint has hope, if it can find a way to control the terrible crime rate.

[MS313]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Something Flint has going for it, besides affordable housing, is that is has a nice downtown that has been revitalized for the most part. I think a strong core is really important for a city's chances of revitalization, and Flint has that. It also has a historic district (Carriage Town) near downtown, that the residents are really trying to bring back. So I think overall, Flint has hope, if it can find a way to control the terrible crime rate.

I haven't been to downtown Flint in a while. Isn't that where UofM Flint is?

[timeofseasons]

Both cities are high in crime, and it would largely depend on ones preference. Want easier access to other cities than Flint, want easier access to lakes I would say Saginaw.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313

I haven't been to downtown Flint in a while. Isn't that where UofM Flint is?

Yes. I visited downtown Flint back in 2008 and the progress was really striking. Since then, the historic Durant Hotel downtown has been completely restored into a beautiful apartment building, and other buildings have been rehabbed as well. Downtown Flint is quite nice, considering what you might expect it to look like. There is also a historic movie theater downtown that has been restored. Take that, Lansing!

[danielj72]

In my opinion Saginaw is the better of the two. It seems like a larger portion of Saginaw proper is still working class, wheras most of Flint is what you would call ghetto. Flint does have the revitalized downtown, but its neighborhoods are just too decayed. I live about 25 miles from both cities, and it takes about the same amount of time to drive to them. It seems that around here more people choose to go to Saginaw for shopping, and out to eat than they do Flint. I think that says something too. Flint seems to have a worse reputation as the media has focused on its fall for decades now. (think back to Roger and Me) It is a smaller and more northern version of Detroit, the same crime, same political corruption and same image problem. While Saginaws image is not steller either, its smaller than Flint and it has slipped under the radar. Outside of Michigan most people have never heard of it. Even in Michigan many know little about it. Many people in Detroit and Grand Rapids have never even visited the town, and havent heard about its troubles. Flint is a different story, everyone has heard about how bad it is there. Flints bad reputation helped seal its fate, as no one will take a chance there now. Saginaw has not reached that level yet, so there is still hope there. Saginaw also gets an economic boost from its proximity to prosperous Midland. That helps them out as well.