Surprise, Surprise, Millennials are liking Detroit

[Detroitdave]

"While millennials looking for jobs may tend to focus on larger cities like New York, Washington, Los Angeles or even Chicago, they might want to start looking at Detroit.

According to LinkedIn , Detroit is among the five surprising cities attracting millennial job seekers.
Coming in at No. 3, Detroit is ahead of Charlotte, N.C. and Cleveland, Ohio, and behind the Raleigh-Durham, N.C. area and Austin, Texas at No. 1."

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/detroit-among-surprising-cities-attracting-millennials-looking-for-jobs-linkedin-says

[Detroit Stylin]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detr...-linkedin-says

"Less Urban" though?

[Colombian Dan]

Hola mis amigos en Detroit. I made the journey to Bogota Colombia. I read the Detroit downtown is picking up. How are the neighborhoods doing?

[Don K]

"Less Urban" though?

Mmmm ... yes. Once you get into the neighborhoods, Detroit doesn't have the same feel as, e.g., Philadelphia, Boston, or Chicago. Maybe it's because Detroit was developed relatively lately, but even in its heyday, large swathes of Detroit seem pretty much indistinguishable from adjacent areas of Warren, Redford, or Dearborn. For better or worse, Detroit just isn't that urban an experience.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Mmmm ... yes. Once you get into the neighborhoods, Detroit doesn't have the same feel as, e.g., Philadelphia, Boston, or Chicago. Maybe it's because Detroit was developed relatively lately, but even in its heyday, large swathes of Detroit seem pretty much indistinguishable from adjacent areas of Warren, Redford, or Dearborn. For better or worse, Detroit just isn't that urban an experience.

This is true. I grew up in Birmingham, and my uncle's neighborhood [[on Muirland) could have been in Birmingham. Small lots, tree lined street, handsome brick and stone houses. Most Detroit residential neighborhoods [[not counting blight and decay) are structurally and aesthetically similar to our inner-ring suburbs.

[313WX]

Mmmm ... yes. Once you get into the neighborhoods, Detroit doesn't have the same feel as, e.g., Philadelphia, Boston, or Chicago. Maybe it's because Detroit was developed relatively lately, but even in its heyday, large swathes of Detroit seem pretty much indistinguishable from adjacent areas of Warren, Redford, or Dearborn. For better or worse, Detroit just isn't that urban an experience.

SW Detroit, Cass Corridor / New Center Area and the Lower East Side were very much urban [[similar to the South Side of Chicago and Philadelphia). The average density was easily in the 20,000-30,000 per sq. mi range during the 40s - 70s in these neighborhoods. What Hamtramck is like today is essentially what many parts of Detroit were like.

Streets like Gratiot, Grand River, Mack, Kercheval, 12th Street, etc. were extremely pedestrian-oriented and in virtual gridlock during busy times of day.











You wouldn't be able to tell that now though because they've either emptied out the most or were bulldozed in the name of "urban renewal."

[EGrant]

That third image is jaw dropping.

[Scottathew]

That third image is jaw dropping.

I was thinking the same exact thing... Just wow...

[stromberg2]

#3...now that's urban.

Stromberg2

[Dan Wesson]

This explains a lot of things...





Like when I tell people that the only places to play as a kid was alley ways and in the streets. A few Parks, school lots and your dinky backyard.

Like the feeling when you left the house as a teenager you were at the mercy of the law and outlaws where ever you [[trespassed) went.

Could never venture off the roads without being on someone else's property.

And, now it seems, the last time I attempted to go to a metropark you have got to pay to get in.

Such is life in the big city.

[archfan]

That third image is jaw dropping.

Agreed. Any ideas on where and when the third image was taken? It appears to be taken from a plane [[so post WWI?), but there are very few trees - early 1920's? I'm not seeing any obvious churches - those are often good landmarks.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Agreed. Any ideas on where and when the third image was taken? It appears to be taken from a plane [[so post WWI?), but there are very few trees - early 1920's? I'm not seeing any obvious churches - those are often good landmarks.

In the upper left corner, you can faintly see the skyline downtown I believe.

[masterblaster]

Mmmm ... yes. Once you get into the neighborhoods, Detroit doesn't have the same feel as, e.g., Philadelphia, Boston, or Chicago. Maybe it's because Detroit was developed relatively lately, but even in its heyday, large swathes of Detroit seem pretty much indistinguishable from adjacent areas of Warren, Redford, or Dearborn. For better or worse, Detroit just isn't that urban an experience.

This is true. I grew up in Birmingham, and my uncle's neighborhood [[on Muirland) could have been in Birmingham. Small lots, tree lined street, handsome brick and stone houses. Most Detroit residential neighborhoods [[not counting blight and decay) are structurally and aesthetically similar to our inner-ring suburbs.

And the outer neighborhoods of Boston, Chicago, and Philly are indistinguishable from its inner ring suburbs

You won't find two-family flat neighborhoods like the following in the suburbs [[except maybe GPP Cabbage Patch):

Near west side:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3791...8i6656!6m1!1e1

Dexter-Davison:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...6!4d-83.130855

At Detroit's peak population in 1950, it had a higher population density [[13,300/sq mile) than Baltimore and Washington, DC, at their peaks, and was not that much below St. Louis [[14,100/sq mile) and Philadelphia [[15,500/sq mile).

[masterblaster]

Here is an intersection demonstrating the former density of the near west side neighborhoods and the variety of housing types. Multiply this by block after block and you can get a picture the density


https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3750...8i6656!6m1!1e1

[313WX]

Here is an intersection demonstrating the former density of the near west side neighborhoods and the variety of housing types. Multiply this by block after block and you can get a picture the density


https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3750...8i6656!6m1!1e1

Below is an image of another neighborhood near Hamtramck. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear it was the South Side of Chicago or Philadelphia.

Do the same as you suggested [[multiply by several blocks) and you get the same picture.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4066...7i13312!8i6656

Unfortunately, when the below keeps happening over and over again, you tend to lose traces of the above ever existing.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4175...7i13312!8i6656

[mwilbert]

Another thing to keep in mind about this is that the vast majority of housing units being added in the city now are multifamily. Going forward, Detroit is very likely to have a bigger portion of its area in forms that are more typically urban, and a substantially bigger portion of the population will be living in those areas.

[emu steve]

Another thing to keep in mind about this is that the vast majority of housing units being added in the city now are multifamily. Going forward, Detroit is very likely to have a bigger portion of its area in forms that are more typically urban, and a substantially bigger portion of the population will be living in those areas.

I agree.

Do they even build single family detached houses in Detroit?

Isn't almost all either multi-family dwellings or townhomes?

[[I believe the Census Bureau collects data on new construction where they collect building permit data.)

[mwilbert]

I see at least one permit issued for a new single family dwelling, so I guess someone probably is. I don't think it is a substantial number. There's probably some way to count them up, but because of the way they do the descriptions I can't be sure I have found all of them.

[emu steve]

I see at least one permit issued for a new single family dwelling, so I guess someone probably is. I don't think it is a substantial number. There's probably some way to count them up, but because of the way they do the descriptions I can't be sure I have found all of them.

Thanks.

I think you have pointed out the 'future' or 'future growth' of Detroit. It will continue to be multi-family housing primarily in areas such as downtown, Midtown, corktown, river front, etc.

That said, is there much single family housing being built in Dearborn, Southfield, etc.? Probably not.

I think we can see a pattern for the entire region, i.e., Detroit, close in suburbs, further out suburbs.

[swingline]

Agreed. Any ideas on where and when the third image was taken? It appears to be taken from a plane [[so post WWI?), but there are very few trees - early 1920's? I'm not seeing any obvious churches - those are often good landmarks.

Pretty sure that this image is of the Dexter Linwood neighborhood from the north facing south. Linwood is the main thoroughfare running from the lower left through the center of the image. Upper left institutional building is the former Detroit Central HS complex. Downtown is near the horizon edge of the image.

[Neilr]

Pretty sure that this image is of the Dexter Linwood neighborhood from the north facing south. Linwood is the main thoroughfare running from the lower left through the center of the image. Upper left institutional building is the former Detroit Central HS complex. Downtown is near the horizon edge of the image.

Good observation, Swingline. And that dark tower in the upper right center of the picture would be Sacred Heart Seminary with the old Boston-Chicago apartment neighborhood just this side of it and the Boston-Edison neighborhood just to the left of the seminary.

[ABetterDetroit]

Getting back to the topic of the thread.

Without a doubt Milennials have played a tremendous role in the resurgence of downtown and adjacent neighborhoods whether in the desire to attract them by business or meeting their needs as they have arrived. If the city as a whole can improve substantially remains to be seen until the reigns of power have been turned over to them. Frankly it can't happen fast enough, it would almost be impossible for them to do any worse than the last few generations.

[archfan]

Pretty sure that this image is of the Dexter Linwood neighborhood from the north facing south. Linwood is the main thoroughfare running from the lower left through the center of the image. Upper left institutional building is the former Detroit Central HS complex. Downtown is near the horizon edge of the image.

I think you're right, and the density hasn't entirely gone away [[I hope the link keeps its orientation): https://goo.gl/maps/wj4gp2ekVPF2

[Danny]

The attraction of new high tech jobs and demand for housing lure millennials to Gilberttown Detroit. While poor low-income folks that lives of welfare checks and food stamps hit 8 Mile Rd. and to the suburbs.

[Danny]

I think you're right, and the density hasn't entirely gone away [[I hope the link keeps its orientation): https://goo.gl/maps/wj4gp2ekVPF2

'


I see the density of poor black Detroit ghettohood filled with fewer vacant lots of abandon buildings.