  Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 11 Registered: 08-2006 |
What IS your favorite suburb and why? My favorite East side suburb is Saint Clair SHores. Because of the lakefront, grid design, walkability, and I appreciate the 50's architecture. It is also very clean and safe, it is a model inner ring suburb, they are doing alot to keep the city in nice shape. In Oakland I would say that I like Milford best... I know it is an exurb city but It is very scenic and has lots of history plus I like that alot of large parks with lots of open space are accesable...I figured I had to pick one further out city to keep it fair though Im sure alot of people will think Im nuts. West Side I would go with Garden City. It is simple and working class I like the large lots found in the city and I think it gives people alot of space. IT is not the most glamourous but it is very normal and real. And downriver I would go with Wyandotte. It does alot to ivest in the city and there are many great homes as well as the city investing in opening up its waterfront. THe downtown and the neighborhoods are very walkable and very clean. THose are my pick like em or hate em...what are yours???? | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1642 Registered: 10-2003 |
Are there 3 sides? Or are you using Woodward as the divider all the way north? | ||
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox Post Number: 55 Registered: 04-2006 |
Hamtramck and Highland Park. | ||
Hudkina Member Username: Hudkina Post Number: 8 Registered: 12-2004 |
Downriver is the "third" side and acts similar to how Southwest Detroit acts to the East and West sides of Detroit. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 862 Registered: 01-2005 |
Milford and Romeo. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 835 Registered: 03-2006 |
SCS and .....I hate oakland County, well Ferndale is ok | ||
Kgrimmwsu Member Username: Kgrimmwsu Post Number: 92 Registered: 06-2004 |
Pinckney | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2176 Registered: 02-2005 |
Grosse. Pointe. (the parts south of Vernier). I find parts of Royal Oak, and Ferndale and parts of Dearborn, to be quite respectable. But they don't have the schools, waterfront, services, and variety of housing stock that Grosse Pointe has. A lot of these names coming up are of places that were once country hamlets very far beyond the sphere of Detroit, and thanks to the encroachment of sprawl, they are now suburbs-- Milford, i.e. The same goes for Ann Arbor, almost a 'suburb' by modern standards, but only because a surrounding metropolitan grew so much as to gobble it up. But I guess this all depends on your definition of 'suburb'...I consider the original, pre-1950s commuter suburbs, which sprang up to house people with mildly logical reasons for leaving the city, and who were still planning on working in/supporting the city, as the 'real suburbs.' Everything after the 1960s was gratuitous sprawl IMO, and how they could be called 'communities' I don't know. | ||
Miss_cleo Member Username: Miss_cleo Post Number: 336 Registered: 05-2005 |
I never thought of Romeo as a suburb of Detroit | ||
Belleislerunner Member Username: Belleislerunner Post Number: 280 Registered: 12-2003 |
Well coming from someone who grew up half a mile north of 32 Mile Rd, everyone who lives there does. | ||
Docmo Member Username: Docmo Post Number: 145 Registered: 10-2005 |
I like Plymouth. Interesting and walkable downtown with the central square park. Burgeoning nighlife. Close to Hines Park and good expressway access. | ||
Jerome81 Member Username: Jerome81 Post Number: 1152 Registered: 11-2003 |
Grosse Pointe. It is a little too sleepy, but the wonderful homes and streetscape is like stepping back in time. Just a very very nice place. Troy.... haha. Just kidding. I guess Royal Oak or Ferndale. Rochester Hills is an okay place too. Out west? Jeez. I never go out there. If I can do downriver, I'll take Grosse Ile. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 1076 Registered: 01-2004 |
Brownstown | ||
Dillpicklesoup Member Username: Dillpicklesoup Post Number: 204 Registered: 05-2006 |
Holly! We have the most park acreage in the state- lots of country and plenty of lakes- and a historical downtown- our taxes are higher than bloomfield hills! We are oakland county's most northern suburb- Stay where you are! | ||
Rustic Member Username: Rustic Post Number: 2844 Registered: 10-2003 |
Oakland: B'ham a nice mix of housing options, including plenty of options close to walkable retail. A charming feel unique to the metro DET area. Detroit's version of Westport, CT but at <<1/3 the price and >3x as nice. Also excellent location near metro DETs population center AND high end jobs and OAK cty ammenities. Downriver: Wayndotte. Nice little riverfront retail strip and some really nice housing too. A Gem. Faar west: Ypsilanti (if that counts as a suburb). An old dried up blue collar town that has been reborn as a regional state college town, some crummy areas but easy commutue to AA and to western suburbia excellent grwoth potential for infill housing, apts and teardown rebuilds. Macomb: umm ... er ... ah ... can GP count? HEY, another way to do it is Inner ring, middle ring and exurban and favorite not so much for being nice but interesting ... here goes ... Inner ring: East Dearborn, GPs and Southfield and environs. In a sense these three suburbs contain the cultural heart of three different demographic groups critical to metro DETs future. The continuing viabiity of these suburbs is critical to metro DETs future as a big city. If these inner rings devolve and dissipate metroDET will continue following the route of CLE, StL, PIT etc. toward population stagnation and increasing cultural insignificance, OTOH if these can somehow maintain their viability, perhaps things could turn around in metro DET. Here's why. GP: the TRADITIONAL home of DET's small but influential power elite (even if a lot of them don't live there anymore) with a good fraction of metro DETs petit bourgeois living there too. Beautiful place with lakefront close to CBD jobs but far from metro DET population center and most of the $$'ied stuff. tick tock tick tock ... Southfield, for ~ generation now the heart of middle class black Detroit. Detroit's black middle class has been shaken like a snowglobe for four generations now and has been unable to put down roots. Given the impact a transient middle class black Detroit has had, imagine the possibilites if roots could actually take hold somewhere. (once upon a time lots of people figured it would be in DET proper, that isn't looking to be the case.) ... but you have continuing flux further and further NW (as well as out of the metro area entirely) so ... tick tock tick tock ... East Dearborn the cultural center of middle eastern immigrant Detroit (metro DET's post-riot entreprenureal class). Is East Dearborn destined to become Hamtramack or can it be like NY's chinatown? Middle Ring: B'ham and Wyandotte mentioned above. Unfortunately IMO much of METRO Det's middle ring suburbia is doomed. Assuming Metro DET depopulates, it will be out of these areas, middle class out of WB, Canton, Troy, ... working classes outut of SH, MH, Westland, AP ... prices will plummet and lack of inherrent ammenities or value cw other parts of metro DET will doom these places to lower and lower selling prices. Exurbia: Ypsi. (Message edited by rustic on October 19, 2006) | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2177 Registered: 02-2005 |
Yspi could be now thought of as an exurb of metro Detroit, but like Ann Arbor, I give it more credit than that and leave it out of this discussion. Jerome81, indeed GP is sleepy. Drive down Kercheval at night...yeah. However, there are some interesting spots in Grosse Pointe Park that are actually open late at night (on Kercheval and Mack near the Detroit border) and appeal to the under 35 crowd. Other than that, people either go to clubs (country clubs, that is) or go downtown, and that's not a bad thing. | ||
Chandyside Member Username: Chandyside Post Number: 7 Registered: 08-2005 |
"I find parts of Royal Oak, and Ferndale and parts of Dearborn, to be quite respectable. But they don't have the schools, waterfront, services, and variety of housing stock that Grosse Pointe has." Well, A) You're talking about a pretty different tax base and B) when you check the #s, some Ferndale schools are really kicking ass -- Kennedy Elementary, CASA school of arts and sciences and a really energetic superintendeny principal at Roosevelt Elementary. Anecdotally they're solid and MEAPwise they're making big strides. But I'm a homer. Xhedos' 10th anniversary, new joints like Karma Tea and Tonic an dStrawberry Moon Bakery plus the Wright & Filippis HQ and impending lofts (not to mention the Natural Patch on 9 -- a great joint) and the general continued (cultural and development) progressive climate of the Dale is encouraging. For me. Thoug friends have said nice things about Dearborn recently, too, to be fair. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 1038 Registered: 12-2004 |
Eastside: St. Clair Shores - homey, with a touch of sea life. West Side: Birmingham - it has a nice, walkable downtown area, despite its snobbery. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 773 Registered: 02-2004 |
wow id say for eastside Mount Clemens. north ferndale, west- east dearborn(or farmington), only one good place in downriver thats wyandotte(THE OAK bar). | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 373 Registered: 05-2006 |
Hamtramck, by far the best "suburb". You can live here without owning a car, and walk to any store (or bar)to buy what you need. Far eastside, Grosse Pointe Park from Alter Road until Nottingham. Very old style feel, alleys, grocery stores within walking distance. As a lifelong eastsider, I would pick Ferndale as my westside suburb, simply because it has the annemities that I have preveously mentioned! Detroitej72...American by birth, Life Long Eastsider by CHOICE!!! | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3136 Registered: 10-2003 |
N-Holly | E-Mt. Clemens | W-Ann Arbor | S-Sandwich | Downriver-Gibraltor | ||
Thegse Member Username: Thegse Post Number: 6 Registered: 10-2006 |
AS much as you all are going to flame me for this, West Boomfield is about a good of a reason as any to move out of the city. While taxes may be high(exact # not on hand) the police, fire and city services are second to none. There is an amazing amount of diversity, which leads to an amazing choice of dining oppportunities. Every road borders a lake. The school system is top notch. There is a park/ golf course (snowmobile trail) pretty much everywhere. Also, accessable to major highways( granted it takes a while to get to the D in rush hour but closer to the Palace than Milford is to the D.) Also, I'd take Pontiac for diverse and entertaining nightlife over Royal Oak or "Fabulous Ferndale" anyday. anyways, I will admit that I went to school there to preempt any homer comments, and I hated it then. but now it aint so bad | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3911 Registered: 11-2004 |
Can I count Windsor in there?? It's got a nightlife, low crime, friendly people, super nightlife, great restaurants, diversity, gambling without smoke, allowable sin, art, culture, a second language, cool looking money, an affordable hockey team to watch, a decent exchange rate, and in my humble opinion- the BEST view of Detroit period! | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 1080 Registered: 01-2004 |
Are we calling each city outside of Detroit a "suburb" here ? Isnt "suburb" a type-of-use area designation ? Im with the Smog on this one, Canada is my favorite suburb. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 839 Registered: 03-2006 |
1953 I'm suprised you didn't mention our oldstomping grounds Clinton/Macomb TWp | ||
Rossco Member Username: Rossco Post Number: 61 Registered: 07-2006 |
Traverse City | ||
Everydayislikesunday Member Username: Everydayislikesunday Post Number: 268 Registered: 12-2004 |
Ferndale and Grosse Pointe. Two distinctly different histories, and vibes, but unique in their own right. I admire the residential architecture, shopping, and independent stores/restaurants in each. If I am going out at night, I prefer downtown, but Ferndale has some decent places, considering I have a low tolerance for fools. I also think both of these cities have a history of residents who appreciate history and enjoy good conversation, if that counts for anything... (Message edited by everydayislikesunday on October 20, 2006) | ||
Rosedaleken Member Username: Rosedaleken Post Number: 268 Registered: 06-2005 |
East- Mt. Clemens On the west side, I like Royal Oak for the night life, and Franklin if I had to pick a place to live. | ||
Kiplinger Member Username: Kiplinger Post Number: 39 Registered: 06-2006 |
Depending on the criteria for 'best'. On the Westside I like Franklin for the amount of land per house and the wooded lots. On the Eastside I like most of the Pointes for the architecture but I would never feel comfortable living there. North is Pleasant Ridge or Birmingham, because of the architecture and proximity to the places where I spend the most time. They also have interesting homes and lots and are walkable. Downriver I say Wyandotte only because I know quite a few people who have moved there in the last couple of years and they love it. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 284 Registered: 04-2006 |
Smog/Mauser, Lowell said Sandwich! | ||
Mind_field Member Username: Mind_field Post Number: 633 Registered: 10-2003 |
My vote goes out to Milford on the west side. It's a pretty classy little town, with a lot of nice stuff to do close by. It is sad watching all the new development eat up all the natural habitat along Milford Rd. especially north of downtown and south of Highland. The Huron River adds a very nice setting for the city to build upon and the downtown is very clean, pedestrian oriented and vibrant (for it's size anyways). | ||
Ha_asfan Member Username: Ha_asfan Post Number: 44 Registered: 06-2006 |
For the West side, I love Huntington Woods...on the East side, afraid I don't enough about the East side to make that call. | ||
Tarkus Member Username: Tarkus Post Number: 116 Registered: 04-2006 |
St. Clair Shores since 2002, East Warren/ Outer Dr before that for 35 years. (Message edited by tarkus on October 20, 2006) | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2955 Registered: 08-2004 |
I'll add to the chorus for St. Clair Shores... it's a great place for Landlubbers and Seadogs alike! For quaint.... Franklin Village. For up market.... Grosse Pointe Farms ("The Hill" section from Charlevoix to the Lake)... and that part of West Bloomfield along Kirkway Dr. (the winding drive along the lake behind Kirk-In-The-Hills). And what I call "urban bucolic".... driving thru Detroit's Elmwood Cemetary along the Fox Creek riverbed (where all the hillside mausoleums are). | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4426 Registered: 11-2003 |
Stop it. Ann Arbor is not a suburb of Detroit. jjaba doesn't know suburbs, but DOES know that Ann Arbor is almost not even Michigan, let alone a Detroit suburb. jjaba, Westsider. | ||
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian Post Number: 218 Registered: 08-2006 |
Gotta vote for the one I live in. Hazel Park. Smaller suburb, in square mileage, with lots of things to walk to. The downtown strip on John R has everyhting you need in an easy to get to fahsion. Quiet neighborhoods with good neighbors that don't whine when I part out a car in my backyard. Good schools, I could go on and on. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2180 Registered: 02-2005 |
Amen jjaba. | ||
Everydayislikesunday Member Username: Everydayislikesunday Post Number: 269 Registered: 12-2004 |
Cambrian -- could you maybe elaborate on your love of Hazel Park, and this "downtown" area you speak of? | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 568 Registered: 11-2005 |
I agree it is not a suburb but what do you mean not Michigan? Sure it is. I was just there this morning and didn't cross any state lines to get there.  | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1202 Registered: 11-2003 |
EverydayislikeSunday-- Hazel Park on John R is very much like a downtown, with many stores and businesses lined up against the street and parking in back. There's some great bars on that strip as well. And then when you get to 9 mile you have a lot of the more strip mall feel, but it's always busy and thriving. | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 12 Registered: 08-2006 |
I agree Ann Arbor has always been its own large city with a different culture and economy than Detorit. I would almost put Pontiac in the same category. The large outer cities I dont believe to ever be considered suburbs are Flint, Port Huron, Toled, Ann Arbor, Windsor. These cities would have continued as sizeable towns if Detroit didnt sprawl so far. | ||
Jjw Member Username: Jjw Post Number: 186 Registered: 10-2005 |
------------------------------ ------------------------------ -------------------- quote: Stop it. Ann Arbor is not a suburb of Detroit. jjaba doesn't know suburbs, but DOES know that Ann Arbor is almost not even Michigan, let alone a Detroit suburb. ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -------------------- hmmmm--is this a bit of envy rising from the ashes???? A2 not in Michigan?? Curious about this statement. | ||
Bussey Member Username: Bussey Post Number: 275 Registered: 12-2003 |
Hazel Park and Taylor YEE HAW! | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1204 Registered: 11-2003 |
And Detroit is a ghetto wasteland. See how fun it is when we make generalizations, Bussey? | ||
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian Post Number: 221 Registered: 08-2006 |
True! I was suprised when I moved there how many people actually are from the south. It's an earned moniker. Taylor does not have a downtown per se though. You got shopping areas on Telegraph and Euraka, but it's a newer type suburb, not very pedestrian friendly. You can't get around without a vehicle too well there. I can ride my bike all over the east side and never have to get on a high speed road where the limit is over 25 mph. I just found out our City Manager is also a marriage counselor, how cool is that? House of Shamrocks is the best kept secret too, single malt scotches for less than $10 per glass. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 1084 Registered: 01-2004 |
WHOA! We forgot Lincoln Park, home of the "RailSplitters" and the Mighty MC5. (jus dont try wearing your MC5 tshirt to Lincoln Park High...) | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3919 Registered: 11-2004 |
Ah yes, the RailSplitters... that has got to be one of the most interesting mascots of any high school team anywhere. | ||
Bussey Member Username: Bussey Post Number: 276 Registered: 12-2003 |
Susanarosa, I'm all bout the Tuckey's. | ||
Ordinary Member Username: Ordinary Post Number: 54 Registered: 06-2006 |
St. Clair Shores? If you drove down Jefferson and didn't know the lake was there, it would look like any other town. They did a horrible job of developing the water front. It's like, "Okay all you peasants, here's your 100 square feet of park to look at the water, but we waterfront residents won't allow you to even get near the water by our houses". Other than that it's a nice little town and they take care of business. | ||
Jerome81 Member Username: Jerome81 Post Number: 1154 Registered: 11-2003 |
Ordinary- Agreed. That's why I don't think SCS is all that great at all. Yeah, its nice it is next to the lake, but compared to other on-lake cities/towns I've been to, you don't even know the stupid thing is there. And to get to the lake or restaurants near the lake, you gotta go through parking lots and boat yards. Why wasn't the "main drag" near the lake? You could have had such a quaint little downtown and then put some marinas in from there. That, and at least compared to GP right next door, you cross the line and suddenly find noticably cheaper built homes on streets that just don't have nearly the same feel as similar streets in GP. Don't really know why. IMHO, the lake is the ONLY thing that sets SCS apart. Otherwise the place doesn't have any charm. | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 695 Registered: 10-2003 |
Chandyside..... ......interesting opinion of the Ferndale schools. Grabbed my interest because I went to Roosevelt Elementary and graduated FHS in '66. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2958 Registered: 08-2004 |
That's because St. Clair Shores is a middle class town, while the Grosse Pointes are an upper class town. Can't do anything about the canals and the marinas... they've been there for over half a century. Maybe you have to be a pleasure craft owner to really appreciate St. Clair Shores and the Nautical Mile. It's a boat thing... | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 377 Registered: 05-2006 |
Also forgot to mention Harper Woods on the eastside. Cozy little bedroom comunity. Great schools, as they are part of Grosse Pointe system. Detroitej72 | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2959 Registered: 08-2004 |
Actually only part of Harper Woods belongs in the Grosse Pointe School System. I don't know the boundary, but the bigger part is in the Harper Woods School System. But yes Harper Woods has some real nice housing stock. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 380 Registered: 05-2006 |
The part of HW's east of B-Field is in GP's school district, which is acctually a larger portion of the city. I know because my parents live there and my ex recently bought a house there to send my daughter to the GP schools. That is a major selling point for the area, which has become very diverse in the last 10 or so years. (i.e. black and white living side by side) Of coarse, not everyone in the town has embraced this concept. Still, Harper Woods is a fine community to raise a family. Detroitej72 | ||
Ordinary Member Username: Ordinary Post Number: 55 Registered: 06-2006 |
Jerome81, I imagine the main drag wasn't by the lake because that was probably all swamp at one time and that land is mostly fill. You're right about the lake being the only thing that sets it apart. Gistok, It probably is a boat thing. I think that's where SCS gets a lot of its revenue. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 10779 Registered: 10-2003 |
Gee, it's so hard to pick just one. hahaha | ||
Yvette248 Member Username: Yvette248 Post Number: 7 Registered: 10-2006 |
Royal Oak - hands down. For the things to do, places to go, things to see. Very diverse population welcoming to all. | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 214 Registered: 02-2006 |
East-Grosse Pointe Northeast-Sterling Heights North-Flint Northwest-Southfield West-Dearborn Southwest-Ecorse South-Windsor Southeast-Peach Island? 313 | ||
Mcpd1300 Member Username: Mcpd1300 Post Number: 129 Registered: 01-2006 |
Eh, mine has to be Ferndale and then my hometown to the extreme north, Armada | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 382 Registered: 06-2005 |
For the West side Milford gets my vote as it gets my property taxes as well. To the North I really like the area around Alogonac, but it's almost far enough North to be a suburb of Port Huron instead of Detroit. On the South side my vote goes for Grosse Isle/Trenton. | ||
Waxx Member Username: Waxx Post Number: 21 Registered: 09-2006 |
Clinton Twp. (I used to live there) and Birmingham (it reminds me of the Somerset Collection with traffic lights-lol, not to mention the Birmingham Theater and the Uptown Palladium). | ||
French777 Member Username: French777 Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2006 |
Rochester Hills and Warren | ||
Detroitbill Member Username: Detroitbill Post Number: 53 Registered: 09-2006 |
Huntington Woods,, moved from downtown there for three years and moved back downtown last year, Was actually a real nice place, very liberal, cool homes ,, but, I just missed the city,, and most of the people there like the city also. | ||
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox Post Number: 56 Registered: 04-2006 |
I did think of Huntington Woods when I saw this topic, since I love the diversity in housing stock compared to most of south Oakland (and even north Detroit). I don't really like the way it's been going in the last few years, though. Too many teardowns and massive additions being built for my taste, and if Rackham were developed (which doesn't seem to be ruled out yet)...Oh, and the ban on overnight street parking SUCKS. | ||
Rocket_city Member Username: Rocket_city Post Number: 122 Registered: 04-2006 |
My favorite suburbs are Rose Township and Bruce Township. | ||
Detroitbill Member Username: Detroitbill Post Number: 54 Registered: 09-2006 |
yes they do have some kinda dumb rules but the environment is very cool, the people like to get very politically involved, ( big on hate bush signs) so it was a comfortable area for me,, They also were quite educated,, intelligent and diverse, and very big on cleanliness,,,would be a great city neighbourhood. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 2046 Registered: 10-2003 |
West - Ypsi East - Da Clem or Romeo North - Pleasant Ridge South West - East Dearborn | ||
Wsukid Member Username: Wsukid Post Number: 152 Registered: 06-2004 |
My fav burbs S- Toledo NW- Lansing N- Flint ( by the rate were going prob the nothern most suburb is Birch Run) W- Jackson ( Oh hell why dont I just say Benton Harbor) E- Sarnia Ont. Really though W- Dearborn I really like both downtowns and really if were in another part of the state it would be the city center it has so much to offer that regular suburbs dont. And frankly other suburbs feed off Dearborn as in Melvindale,Allen-Lincoln Park Ecorse and such S- Wyandotte-I love it being both charming with its great stock of houses and its working class downriver feeling N- Ferndale E- I really dont go on the east side at all so I am not familiar with the cities as much ( I guess Mt.Clemens) | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 3046 Registered: 10-2003 |
Ann Arbor is a Detroit suburb now. It wasnt in the past. Suburbs dont have to be dependent on the central city. Much Like Fort Worth has a different history and Culture from Dallas, and St. Paul has one from Minneapolis, (and lets not even bring up Kansas City Kansas vs. Kansas City, Mo.), Ann Arbor is one of the 3 poles in the Detroit CMSA Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint- so says the US Census Bureau. The tradiional argument against the Suburbanization of Ann Arbor at on time made sense- access roads were limited, and travel between the cities made it seem a world apart. But now better roads, stronger radio and tv signals, and the growth of businesses along the cooridors of M-14 and I-94 make it alot closer to the individual citizens. There are about 100,000 people who commute daily between the two cities of A2 and Detroit. People who want to veiw A2 as separate are dreaming still in the 20th Century. While they are not dependent on each other, they do have an interdependency and a connected history. Their destinies lie within each other... | ||
Treelock Member Username: Treelock Post Number: 161 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ordinary, You're right about St. Clair Shores doing a crappy job of planning its lakeside community. It's also full of 1950s air-raid architecture homes. But I'd argue that every single city along Lake St. Clair did a pretty crappy job of embracing its best attribute. There is almost zero public space to speak of (save for the faraway Metropark), and the residents-only city parks in the Grosse Pointes don't exactly cut it. Unless you own a boat slip somewhere, have fun trying to access the water. You can't even park anywhere that I'm aware of to soak in the views in the few places where you can see the lake from the road. | ||
Karl Member Username: Karl Post Number: 4645 Registered: 09-2005 |
Many beautiful suburbs around Detroit, each unique. Dearborn stands out to me. World class tourist attractions (Greenfield Village/HF Museum - now all The Henry Ford) along with classic old (and still operating) Dearborn Inn, historic walkable neighborhoods new & old, diversity of population and abundance of churches, even a mosque, diversity (driving along Warren is as Middle Eastern as the Middle East) good schools. Impeccably maintained via good city administration and strict building codes. Last time I was there in the summer I wondered if they'd cornered the flower market. Many first class senior centers. The working class of the Rouge complex, the exec class of Ford World Hqtrs. Is there still Camp Dearborn out in Milford? (a 600 acre playground for the citizens and their guests) and finally, there used to be Dearborn, Florida for retirees. Also good community college & growing UM Dearborn campus. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 1093 Registered: 01-2004 |
"Ah yes, the RailSplitters... that has got to be one of the most interesting mascots of any high school team anywhere." Hmmm...Id have to pick the Fordson "Tractors" for strangest mascot ! The Harper Woods/GP school system borderline is not Beaconsfield, it comes a block and a half east of Beaconsfield. The HW school system is insane, and we lost Notre Dame and Regina. Pblah. I loved living in Plymouth, and Northville is(was) cool with tons of great history. I hated Sterling Heights almost as much as I currently hate living in Harper Woods. | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 578 Registered: 11-2005 |
Yes. | ||
Saintme Member Username: Saintme Post Number: 5 Registered: 08-2006 |
Well I may as well throw my two cents in: N- Ferndale S- Wyandotte E- Windsor? W- Ypsilanti | ||
Treelock Member Username: Treelock Post Number: 162 Registered: 03-2005 |
Sorry to hijack, but my alma matter can definitely compete for strangest mascot: The Ann Arbor Huron River Rats. Go Rats! I still can't accept A2 being called a suburb. | ||
Treelock Member Username: Treelock Post Number: 163 Registered: 03-2005 |
er, sorry, that is ALMA MATER. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 1857 Registered: 10-2003 |
Sorry to hijack, but this is ridiculous:
By that logic, DC is a suburb of Baltimore, and Philadelphia is a suburb of New York. WTF??? | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1211 Registered: 11-2003 |
Sorry to hijack this thread yet again, but Regina is still open. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5110 Registered: 02-2004 |
Treelock, You right! St. Clair Shores neighborhoods looks like Levittown in reverse with its fewer mom and pop stores. Most of the retail strips on most main roads are torn down from the mid 1970s to the 1980s to make room are parking lots, more smaller, but wider retail strips and collision shops, Grosse Pointe retail strips on the main roads are the most beautiful well kept area. Full line of fashionable mom and pop and corporate stores. Especially on Mack Ave. | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 3047 Registered: 10-2003 |
Rebutting DaninDC... The Logic flows in the fashion that your examples are all in seperate statehood jursidictions, making the distinction greater. But it dosent cheapen the notion that they exist and actually plan as metropolitan areas. Much like Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Mo, they have to consider themselves in a interdependency. But Lo, A2 and Detroit are in the same state and less that 30 hour from city limit to city limit. In most places in America, that denotes suburb. But then, maybe the word suburban is a appendage for the 20th century that needs to die a long death. It obvisouly confuses people like Danindc and others who dont beleive in the connectivity of large urban areas. Yes Metropolitan area, is a better term. So we'll use that one instead. Because it explains areas like the DC, Baltimore, Northern Virgina area much better.* (*ooops theres that flawed logic again...) | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 1859 Registered: 10-2003 |
Zulu, your "reasoning" doesn't make any logical sense. You are applying your own, arbitrary, made-up definition, and poorly at that. The DC and Baltimore areas most assuredly don't plan together. The federal government would support this, as each city has its own Metropolitan Planning Organization. And although not in the same state, are closer together (35 miles) than Ann Arbor and Detroit (40+ miles). Hell, even people in Akron (less than 30 miles from downtown Cleveland) will tell you they are not a suburb of Cleveland. But they both root for the Browns and watch their news on Channel 8, so it MUST be a suburb, right? St. Paul is a suburb of Minneapolis? They're both about the same damn size! Are you out of your mind? It must be nice to apply such broad, simple strokes to everything. Saves time from having to think, doesn't it? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2973 Registered: 08-2004 |
Danny, those "Mom and Pop" stores in SCS were dumps... hardly maintained in 50 years. Granted they added to a friendly ambience, but they were still dumps... although I don't care for the onslaught of drug stores. And as for the planning.... yeah it would have been nice to have some waterfront promenade. Those marinas were the only business in SCS and Harrison and all points northward 50 or 75 years ago. So it's not so much poor planning as it is keeping taxpaying businesses. Those 70,000 pleasure crafts have to park somewhere, although it would have been nice to have the marinas on the landward side of Jefferson. The only reason that Grosse Pointe has Lakeshore Dr. was not due to the foresight of great planning... it was because for many decades there was an Interurban streetcar line between Detroit and Mt. Clemens that owned all the land along Lakeshore, and ran their line along it. When they went belly up, voila... a goldmine for Grosse Pointe. | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 3048 Registered: 10-2003 |
Your facts are inncorrect Dan, which is why your logic is failing you in this discourse. "The DC and Baltimore areas most assuredly don't plan together" http://www.bwmaglev.com/about/ timeline.htm http://www.geog.umd.edu/resac/ urban-modeling.htm The referenced links suggest that there is some planning going on. The simple fact is that the US Census Bureau considers it so. Please dispute that fact. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 1860 Registered: 10-2003 |
Horseshit. The BW Maglev is dead for one. Secondly, Amtrak's Acela runs from Washington to Boston. Is Boston a suburb of DC now? Third. Academic research of the Chesapeake Bay watershed (note UMD link) does not indicate formal cooperative affilitation, or dependent-interdependent status between two cities. Now as far as planning goes, the officially designated MPO for DC is the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. MWCOG has the same function as SEMCOG in Detroit. Where do you see Baltimore? http://www.mwcog.org/about/jur isdiction/ What about DC? http://www.baltometro.org/ Certainly, I've gone too far with this hijacking. I do it because I'm really tired of people just making shit up lately, and then insisting that it's true because they think it so. Logic has gone completely out the window, folks, and on this board, which has tended toward being a bit more high-minded, that's completely unacceptable. | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 3049 Registered: 10-2003 |
I certanly agree with you on that point. This board was to orginally debate issues and to present perspectives. To have such a dismissive attitude is childish and somehow intellectually dishonest. And cursing demonstrates pure lack of integrity and moral fortitude. It is highly offensive and beneath the ultimate goals of this board. I am ashamed for the young minds that have to see such perversion in the quest to prove a minor point. It should not be allowed on this board. | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1213 Registered: 11-2003 |
Wow, how's the view from that high horse Zulu? | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 3050 Registered: 10-2003 |
Its quite fine. It looks like a suburb. |
