Originally Posted by
nycphotography
Excellent points!
As a Detroit native, what areas can you suggest for affordable houses while still having a relatively quiet and safe neighborhood?
First, I'm not a city of Detroit native, but I work, ride and dream about moving there. I'm stuck in a suburb a few miles north of the city.
Detroit has a lot of interesting neighborhoods that each have their own strengths and drawbacks. The popular choice right now is the Midtown/New Center/Woodbridge area, which would be my preferred place to move to. It's central, walkable, and not too far from the proposed light rail. Corktown is another choice where you can probably find less expensive housing. It's nestled between the central business district and Mexicantown. Great food options here and lots of cyclists and urban farmers. The Villages on the lower east side are a little less urban and have everything from riverfront apartments to auto baron mansions. It's close to Belle Isle too. And the city of Hamtramck (located within Detroit) is a good choice for very diverse, dense neighborhoods. If you want a more urban core experience, you can find lofts and apartments in the central business district. That too will be served by the light rail.
Here's a real interesting guide to the city.
http://www.designspongeonline.com/20...ign-guide.html
It seems this paragraph from the guide is very relevant to this discussion:
In the three years since I originally wrote this guide, the New York Times has sent dozens of reporters here to write stories about the Detroit scene and the possibilities afforded by all the cheap space. I swear I saw a friend get a call, glance at his phone and say, “God, it’s the New York Times again.” I think what the Times is picking up on is that though Detroit missed out on a lot of the benefits of gentrification (i.e., all those ceramic antler peddlers) it retains an authenticity missing from cities that have suffered from extreme gentrification (Detroit is still gritty and dangerous like the pre-gentrified Brooklyn or the pre-Giuliani Manhattan that a lot of New Yorkers fetishize). As Detroit artist Vaughn Taormina recently said, “So if you think Detroit is a **** hole, fair enough. But we think your city feels like the mall.”