"I spent 4 years at UM and never set foot in Detroit"

[illwill]

When I was in A2, the only reason most UofM students wenteast of A2 was to get to Royal Oak or Windsor. The only way a student would bein Detroit is if it was with a friend who grew up in or around the city. Thiswas in the nineties when there wasn't a lot of night life. Chicago has alwaysbeen a destination for MSU grads until the last decade. Chicago has now becomethe number one destination for UofM grads within the last 5 years or so,surpassing New York City.

Unfortunately, I assume most out of state UofM grads willcontinue to leave the state after graduation. Hopefully the Michigan nativeswill consider living in Detroit with all of the new options and the hard workthat residents are putting into the city.


Sorry for the bunched-up text…this website always gives meproblems.

[Hypestyles]

a light rail line and a direct bus line to/from ann arbor from detroit is needed...

[Bham1982]

Chicago has now becomethe number one destination for UofM grads within the last 5 years or so,surpassing New York City.

I don't believe this for a minute.

Do you have a source that confirms your claim that "Chicago has now become the number one destination for UofM grads"?

[lukabottle]

I don't believe this for a minute.

Do you have a source that confirms your claim that "Chicago has now become the number one destination for UofM grads"?

Maybe they meant MSU grads.

"There are more recent MSU grads in Chicago than in any other metro area -- including any community in Michigan."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz243YM8gLr

[wolverine]

Most Michigan students have cars, and for those who don't, it isn't exactly difficult to find a ride, whether you're going in either direction. I don't think that's a big issue.

And the 3 daily Amtraks in either direction are pretty limited. Obviously there's a big transit difference once you get in Chicago relative to Detroit, though.

I always thought Chicago had pretty poor connections from its train stations relative to cities in other parts of the country [[Union Station and Ogilvie Station both lack CTA rail service, and I suspect most visitors just take a cab or get picked up by car), but obviously relative to Detroit, there's no point in even comparing.

Grad students yes, undergrads no. That's maybe a separate topic. It's very similar to my experience. Once I was out of the dorms, in apartment, and working on projects in Detroit I had to get a car. It was always tough finding spots in the old 4th ward. There were never enough and I did know plenty of grads without cars.

As far as poor connections, it's a bit obnoxious I can't board a CTA train at Union, but connections to all systems are just a couple blocks away. Express buses all end at Union. You can get to all major tourist attractions and 95% of hotels with frequent express service.

Access to blue line is a 10 minute walk. Access to all other lines involves a transfer or a 15 minute walk [[very pleasant) through the Chicago loop. Many tourists take it. If they didn't Union would be flooded with taxis!!

The city realizes not everyone wants to walk a few blocks, especially when the weather sucks, and that's why the Clinton Street subway is under planning and would provide train to train connections rather than having to exit the building.

But I've been dealing with the connections from Union regularly for 10 years now. Since I've moved here, I've taken door to door express bus service from 900 North Michigan to Union Station at the oddest of times and have always gotten there quickly. I give Union Station access a B+, which I consider "great" but not superb. But definitely not "poor" as you suggest. I mean seriously, with the exception of a handful of East coast cities, where can I go EVERYWHERE in the metropolitan area just by traversing a few blocks to another train or out the front door to a bus?

[laphoque]

I used to go to Ann Arbor to visit friends sometimes but since SMART cut service into the city I have not. I typically would take the Michigan Ave Bus to Wayne and bike through Canton while pondering the destruction that that one community's decision to reject SMART has wreaked on Metro Detroit.

Sometimes I bike the whole way from Downtown to the University of Michigan's new home in Ann Arbor [[It was, of course, originally in Detroit ). I've had a crazy work schedule as of late so I haven't really had the time to do that.

I guess it is weird how I feel like I need to take a whole day to go visit people in a place that is only 45 minutes away by car and three hours by bike.

[Bham1982]

Maybe they meant MSU grads.

"There are more recent MSU grads in Chicago than in any other metro area -- including any community in Michigan."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz243YM8gLr

This probably makes sense, since MSU grads are overwhelmingly in-state, and recent grads usually flock to large urban areas for a few years.

But UofM has a significantly lower proportion of in-state residents, and very likely has a larger geographical spread of graduates. It would make sense that the overall proportion spending their first years after graduation in destinations outside the immediate Midwest.

The state of Michigan, however, is, by far, the biggest current location for grads of both schools. It would be interesting to see the age cohorts, though, and see if Michigan's proportion of younger grads was lower than in past years, or part of a longer term trend.

[wolverine]

I used to go to Ann Arbor to visit friends sometimes but since SMART cut service into the city I have not. I typically would take the Michigan Ave Bus to Wayne and bike through Canton while pondering the destruction that that one community's decision to reject SMART has wreaked on Metro Detroit.

Sometimes I bike the whole way from Downtown to the University of Michigan's new home in Ann Arbor [[It was, of course, originally in Detroit ). I've had a crazy work schedule as of late so I haven't really had the time to do that.

I guess it is weird how I feel like I need to take a whole day to go visit people in a place that is only 45 minutes away by car and three hours by bike.

After finishing grad school, I had alot of time during the summer and would make that bike ride. I'd follow the bike trails along the Huron River until I got to Ypsilanti and switch over to Michigan Ave. It was an excellent ride. Maybe someday it will be a bike trail the whole way.

[kenp]

So one guy makes a statement about never going to Detroit and this means something? Let me guess, UM is arrogant, UM is this, UM is that.
The disconnect is not between AA and Detroit, its from everywhere and Detroit.

[renf]

For more than a decade I have been teaching a one credit course at U of M about the history and future of Detriot as often as four times in a University Year. I get 45 students or so each year. Quite a few U of M student seem very interested in the city of Detroit. The University also sponsors a Semester in Detroit program. There are many out reach programs in the professional schools that involve students in the city.

[aj3647]

Sounds like a pretty arrogant thing to say. Par for the course I'm sorry to say. Lots of UM students think that AA is the center of the universe.

So you say it's "arrogance", and then go on to make a negative blanket generalization of a population of +30,000 students based on one guy's statement.

I went to UofM and just about everyone I knew there had been to Detroit, whether it be for a Tigers or Wings game, the DIA, volunteer work, etc.

Ever hear of the Detroit Partnership?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Detroit_Partnership

Yeah, it's UofM Ann Arbor students, imagine that...

But hey, I guess it's just easier [[or lazier) to just stereotype them all as being arrogant white kids afraid to step foot in the city of Detroit.

[illwill]

These numbers are overall graduates. I assume most natives stay in the area and most out of state students relocate to other cities.


http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...ZAAAqTJymHykPQ

[illwill]

I would think Detroit has the potential to put a large dentin the number of students moving to Chicago? I know a large number remain in"metro Detroit" but I'm talking city proper.

[ghettopalmetto]

Speaking from experience, it was a hell of a lot easier to get to Chicago from Ann Arbor than to Detroit. Being sans auto, it was easier to find a cheap Amtrak ticket than figuring out how to get to Detroit.

Now, the adventurous folks could take Greyhound to Detroit. But it's a bit of a schlep to downtown on foot from the bus station. And still have to figure out how to get to the DIA/Mexicantown/Belle Isle from there.

Long story short: Detroit is not easily navigated by those without cars or unfamiliar with the city. Fix that, and you might have more visitors.

[iheartthed]

Long story short: Detroit is not easily navigated by those without cars or unfamiliar with the city. Fix that, and you might have more visitors.

The problem is that the people running the show don't see this as a problem.

[Bham1982]

Speaking from experience, it was a hell of a lot easier to get to Chicago from Ann Arbor than to Detroit. Being sans auto, it was easier to find a cheap Amtrak ticket than figuring out how to get to Detroit. .

Both cities have the three daily Amtrak trains. Both cities have the limited bus service. There's really no difference in car-free accessibility from Ann Arbor.

The difference, of course, is once you arrive. Chicago is obviously much easier to navigate without a car.

But I really don't think most people are taking transit to either city. They're taking cars. Either that, or they aren't going anywhere on weekends, because there are only those three trains.

[iheartthed]

But I really don't think most people are taking transit to either city. They're taking cars. Either that, or they aren't going anywhere on weekends, because there are only those three trains.

Take the MegaBus to Chicago on a Friday afternoon and you won't continue to think that.

[EastsideAl]

I grew up in Detroit and I never went to Ann Arbor until I was an adult. It's really another planet, and one we never had any reason to visit.

My dad is an 87 year resident of the City of Detroit, and I doubt that he's been in AA more than a handful of times. I'm sure he'd be lost unless he went there with directions.

[iheartthed]

I grew up in Detroit and I never went to Ann Arbor until I was an adult. It's really another planet, and one we never had any reason to visit.

My dad is an 87 year resident of the City of Detroit, and I doubt that he's been in AA more than a handful of times. I'm sure he'd be lost unless he went there with directions.

Probably depends more on your orbit than anything else. For instance, I grew up on the west side and I don't think I've ever been to Mount Clemens in my entire life. Seems like westsiders are more apt to go to A2 than eastsiders.

[Parkguy]

I'm not so sure AA is part of Metro Detroit. The census doesn't include it in the metro statistical unit. They have their own suburbs, their own water system, they are not part of SMART or DDOT, they have their own city and university transit systems [[both at UM and EMU). Ann Arbor does belong to SEMCOG, so that is one thing that connects them to SE Michigan.

[daddeeo]

So, does the guy want a medal or something?
Sounds kind of ignorant.

[Hermod]

So, does the guy want a medal or something?
Sounds kind of ignorant.

I am 73 years old and spent 28 years in the Army. I have been to a lot of places but I have never been in New York City. The closest I ever got to New York was Newark [[been there a few times) unless you want to count changing planes at JFK. If someone is pursuing an education in a pretty live and happening college town, why would he feel the need to go to Detroit?

[ghettopalmetto]

Both cities have the three daily Amtrak trains. Both cities have the limited bus service. There's really no difference in car-free accessibility from Ann Arbor.

The difference, of course, is once you arrive. Chicago is obviously much easier to navigate without a car.

But I really don't think most people are taking transit to either city. They're taking cars. Either that, or they aren't going anywhere on weekends, because there are only those three trains.

Great. Thanks for informing me of my own life experiences. Just in case you were paying more attention to my life than I was.

But since you always claim that you're not arrogant, I assume you're merely trying to be helpful.

[Detroitnerd]

Well, I think there are some practical considerations here on why Ann Arbor students might not visit Detroit, what with Detroit's lousy transit and the way Ann Arbor is this bubble with everything you'd need.

But there's something else at play too that's much less innocent. Many Ann Arbor residents and business owners hate to be associated in any way with Detroit. And I mean hate it. They are not at all interested in being lumped in with Detroit in any way.

Which is weird, because, as a west-sider, I'd go to Ann Arbor pretty often, if for no other reason than the cool records stores like Wazoo, Schoolkids', etc. Although the kids did strike me as soft and what little grit Ann Arbor had left over from the hippie days was being shined away.

Oh, and Ypsi is the new Ann Arbor. I can't be the only one who feels that Ann Arbor is a victim of its own success.

[Pam]

I'm not so sure AA is part of Metro Detroit. The census doesn't include it in the metro statistical unit. They have their own suburbs, their own water system, they are not part of SMART or DDOT, they have their own city and university transit systems [[both at UM and EMU). Ann Arbor does belong to SEMCOG, so that is one thing that connects them to SE Michigan.

I agree. It's part of the SE Michigan region, but not Metro Detroit.