Thinking of moving to Downtown Detroit but I have some concerns

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I am a young white male who lives downtown. It's fine. No worries on the race thing. Downtown's residential population is diverse. I haven't had a problem yet other that people assuming I'm from the suburbs. [[A stereotype I loathe and drastically wish to shed.) You may find yourself a minority in some situations, but it doesn't bother me. Black Detroit residents are great people and have a charm/swagger about them that is hard not to like.

Entertainment downtown is good. Lots of bars and restaurants. There are some good electronic music clubs if you're into that. There are the casinos if you gamble. Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings all in walking distance. Parks and recreation is great, too. I spend a lot time biking the Riverwalk or strolling through Campus Martius. Bell Isle is great. Midtown is pretty much unparalleled in terms of arts and culture. Dozens of museums and galleries. Lots of artists of all varieties, i.e. film, photography, sculpture, paint, music, artisans, etc.

Living downtown, you're part of a pretty elite group, so if you get out a lot and are a chatty Cathy like me, you will know all the regulars in no time. I don't think there is a bar within a mile of my building where I don't know the usual bartenders on a personal level. It's just the way it is here. On the flip side, if you are a single male and you have an apartment downtown, it's great for picking up women. When downtown gets really busy, it's mostly a constant and ever-changing rotation of suburbanites here for an event. Having a cool loft is a great way to impress and close out the night. [[I'm spoken for, but it works great for my buddy, just sayin.)

What else...? Groceries are plentiful despite everything you hear on TV. I shop at Lafayette Foods now, but Honeybee is also very good, as well as several other grocers in the greater downtown area. You should also get to know Eastern Market asap, it really cannot be beat.

I haven't been to Cleveland in a few years, but get used to bums if you aren't already. They love to spend their days lingering downtown asking you for money or cigarettes, or pretending they are war vets trying to sell you toothpick flags. Most are nice, rarely are they rude. I know most who hang around my building by name, but they can get annoying.

Biggest thing to avoid living downtown is the hip-hop clubs. They are loud and flashy and so are easy to spot, but they are also havens for outrageous nonsense and violence. Some of us downtowners are trying to get them sanctioned.

I think you will really enjoy the depth of people living in the city. Most people living in Detroit are here for a reason and have an attribute that lets them see the world through a different lens. It is refreshing, and you get the feeling of a real community.

In terms of places to live, the Kales is nice but has a long wait-list. I am not sure about Merchant's Row, which is also very nice, but I expect they too have a wait-list. If you want to live downtown, you should make your move soon and get on a wait-list. Rents are only going to go up and space is going to get even tighter with the new incentives being given to live downtown, which will be announced tomorrow [[Monday).

Best of luck, and welcome to Detroit.