Moving to Detroit from Sweden; any advice?

**Zeyrek** · November-17-11, 02:12 AM

Hello everyone,

I will be moving to Detroit from Stockholm, Sweden next April for a job at the U.S. branch of the engineering company I work at. I am very excited to be moving to a great American city such as Detroit and was wanting to see if people on this forum had any tips for me, especially on where to live. I will be working downtown and am accustomed to city living, so I would like to find a residential neighborhood within cycling distance of work. Also, i am married and have two elementary school age boys [[5 and 7), so if there is an excellent public [[not private) school is close enough for them to walk or cycle to that would be preferable too. One reason we want to live in the city rather than the suburbs [[which I understand are nice) is to be close to Detroit's city amenities, so if the neighborhood has shops and cafes to walk to that would be very good.

Also, I am told that some parts of Detroit are some high in crime, so are there any neighborhoods I should avoid?

Any other tips you could provide as I organize my move would be appreciated. This will be my first time in the Midwest united states and I am looking forward to it very much!

Zeyrek

**riviera** · November-17-11, 03:03 AM

Hi Zeyrek,

You should consider living around Midtown [[or one of the more stable Detroit neighbourhoods with large houses and yards, if you can afford it and want to take a risk with crime).

For schools I think private is the way to go if you are living within Detroit, do you have a religous affiliation? There are several alrite faith based schools around. It also depends on how far you want to travel to drop off/pick up the children.

**Dexlin** · November-17-11, 03:50 AM

Moving to Detroit from Sweden; any advice

Bless your heart. lol

Yes; get ready for a culture shock. Heck, even a healthy place like Boston or New York would be a culture shock. Detroit is going to blow your socks off...in both very good and very bad ways. This city is an extremely aquired place. Good look, and please, please do some serious homework before making decisions.

**davewindsor** · November-17-11, 06:47 AM

I would recommend the neighbourhood of Indian Village. One of the local tour guides, Stewart McMillin, lives there and is always giving great reviews of the area. On the south side of Jefferson are apartment buildings and nice plazas like Harbortown. Jefferson from Indian village to downtown runs parallel to the Detroit river. It's always been one of the best areas of the city. The city is also spending a lot redeveloping the green space along the river.

**DetroitScooter** · November-17-11, 07:52 AM

Welcome to Detroit Yes! Feel free to ask any questions that you might have right here, we will be able to get the answers for you!

If this is indeed your first time in Detroit, I'd make a quick trip here before you move. It will help you envision any neighborhood that you might be considering and will allow you to do better research when you return home. Also, be sure to use any relocation services that your company offers, as they have done it all before.

**Pam** · November-17-11, 07:55 AM

Also, i am married and have two elementary school age boys [[5 and 7), so if there is an excellent public [[not private) school is close enough for them to walk or cycle to

Lafayette Park neighborhood has a school within walking distance which is supposed to be good.[[Chrysler Elementary) Other posters who live there can tell you more. [[Paging Neil

)

**Bham1982** · November-17-11, 08:45 AM

I would strongly recommend you move to Oakland County. There are many thousands of European expats [[mostly in engineering, mostly for the auto industry) in Oakland County. Your business colleages and friends will live in Oakland County.

There are no public schools anywhere in Detroit comparable to the better school districts in Oakland County.

If you crave urbanity, there are no neighborhoods in Detroit with more urban amenities or more walkability than Birmingham.

And, in terms of shopping and services [[especially shopping and services targeted to auto industry expats; things like bakeries, butchers and grocers for the German engineers) you will be traveling to Oakland County anyways.

Then there's all kinds of other issues, from higher taxes in Detroit, to out-of-control crime, to nonexistent services.

If you're single and want to live a hipster lifestyle for a few years, Detroit is an option. If you have kids and want a family-oriented neighborhood, it isn't a realistic option for 99.9% of people.

I guarantee that folks you speak with in your company will say the same things as me. Ask anyone in Metro Detroit outside of the DYes forum, and you will hear similar themes.

**ndavies** · November-17-11, 08:50 AM

I wouldn't set your heart on living in the city. You'll be moving to the suburbs shortly after your wife and children get here. Your wife won't tolerate the lack of personal safety and the minimal ammenities found in the city. The city of Detroit is not like any first world city you've ever been to.

There's a reason most of the hipsters move out of the city as soon as they have children.

Also plan on needing 2 cars. Public transit is virtually non existent in southeastern michigan.

**Lowell** · November-17-11, 08:55 AM

Välkommen to Detroit and the forum!

At the very least you will feel at home with our Detroit Red Wings hockey team with its present and past core of Swedish superstar players. I take a tiny share of the pride in this as my grandmother came from Skåne.

For bikeable distance living there are three neighborhoods near downtown to consider, the cultural center / midtown area, Corktown and Lafayette Park. The first has great creative assets -- museums, libraries, theaters, the symphony, art galleries and the university. However there are not a lot of houses available if that is what you are looking for. Corktown,adjacent to downtown on the westside, has more of those and a good community structure, but it weaker on the shops and cafe side. Lafayette Park has good townhouses and great location. In addition to the above mentioned Chrysler public school, it is home to the excellent Friends School, private however so there is tuition.

Finally if you get the urge for some things Swedish you can shoot out Grand River to the Swedish Club in Farmington http://www.swedishclub.net/

**Zackdog** · November-17-11, 09:17 AM

With your two young sons, I feel you should consider Oakland County as well or perhaps the Grosse Pointes. Royal Oak, Berkley, Pleasant Ridge, & Birmingham are all nice with good schools and family oriented neighborhoods. While biking to work is always fun, our changing seasons and hourly weather changes makes riding a bike to work impractical for much of the year. If anything, rent in one of those neighborhoods and get to know the city for a year before planting down some roots. Unless you go to sporting or cultural events, everything you do will be done in the suburbs.

**animatedmartian** · November-17-11, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Pam

Lafayette Park neighborhood has a school within walking distance which is supposed to be good.[[Chrysler Elementary) Other posters who live there can tell you more. [[Paging Neil

)

I agree about Lafayette Park. The area is designed in such a way that the school can be accessed by walking paths without the kids having to cross any streets. It's also a pretty safe community. I'm not sure how long the bike commute would be but it is possible though! The homes and apartments were designed by Mies van der Rohe so it's pretty similar in design to modern European neighborhoods. Good Luck on your search Zeyrek!

**iheartthed** · November-17-11, 10:38 AM

.........what engineering firms are located in downtown Detroit?

**j to the jeremy** · November-17-11, 10:44 AM

I had a friend from Sweden who lived in Indian Village for a while, he liked it a lot.

I would suggest finding something in the Woodbridge, Corktown, or Lafayette Park areas. The midtown area is the best for shopping and walkable neighborhoods, but it also has more apartments than houses. This is where most of the Europeans I know live.

The suburbs are much safer, and have more shopping, but you will find that NOTHING is in walking distance unless you live in "downtown" Royal Oak or Birmingham. The scale of sprawl is daunting to many people who aren't from the States.

I would suggest doing some in-depth research on the block where you decide to get a house, and asking your future neighbors how the schools, services, etc. are. Detroit can be very spotty with these things- One block can be great, the next one over can be a terrible place to live.

Good luck, and welcome! I hope you're a hockey fan because the Red Wings are basically the Swedish National team

**Bham1982** · November-17-11, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

The suburbs are much safer, and have more shopping, but you will find that NOTHING is in walking distance unless you live in "downtown" Royal Oak or Birmingham. The scale of sprawl is daunting to many people who aren't from the States.

This is true, though no different than Detroit. Unless you live in Downtown or Midtown, you will find essentially nothing in walking distance.

And it's frankly much easier for all family members to walk around to all sorts of places at all hours in a place like Birmingham or Royal Oak than it is in Downtown or Midtown Detroit.

**iheartthed** · November-17-11, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

This is true, though no different than Detroit. Unless you live in Downtown or Midtown, you will find essentially nothing in walking distance.

That's not true.

**j to the jeremy** · November-17-11, 10:56 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9gN2hdybFY

If you go on walkscore.com, the part of Midtown just south of WSU has the highest walkscore in the state of Michigan.

http://www.walkscore.com/score/680-W...ave-Detroit-MI

Corktown is pretty high as well:
http://www.walkscore.com/score/Porter-and-Trumbull

If you live on Main St. in Royal Oak, it rates just shy of living in a midtown neighborhood, but it's 3x as expensive.

http://www.walkscore.com/score/Main-St.-Royal-Oak

**Bham1982** · November-17-11, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

That's not true.

Where outside of Downtown or Midtown do you have safe, walkable streets with plentiful retail and services?

SW Detroit [[Vernor) has plentiful retail [[well, mostly Mexican restaurants and bakeries/groceries), but definitely not safe, family-friendly or easily walkable.

NW Detroit is safe, family friendly and walkable in parts, but Livernois is an absolute disaster in terms of retail.

None of these areas have walkability or services comparable to parts of Dearborn, the Pointes, Woodward Corridor from Ferndale to Birmingham, and the little enclaves, like Rochester, Plymouth, Wyandotte, etc.

**bopcity** · November-17-11, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Zeyrek

One reason we want to live in the city rather than the suburbs [[which I understand are nice) is to be close to Detroit's city amenities, so if the neighborhood has shops and cafes to walk to that would be very good.

Ferndale and Royal Oak would both fit that bill, both are pedestrian friendly, with ample housing stock, relatively low crime, downtown and the Cultural Center easily accessible, a quick 15 minute drive down Woodward. Bus service is also much better in those areas.

Midtown's great but the two boy's school considerations might make that problematic. Doubt you'll find any situation that touches all your bases so best to prioritize your wish list, figure out what's most important to you and your family.

**Danny** · November-17-11, 11:04 AM

Yes, move to Detroit, lots of excitment there. Don't move the suburbs. The suburbs are bad! Move to Downtown Detroit. buy a house or supercondo. You will get a tax break if you do.

**iheartthed** · November-17-11, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Where outside of Downtown or Midtown do you have safe, walkable streets with plentiful retail and services?

SW Detroit [[Vernor) has plentiful retail [[well, mostly Mexican restaurants and bakeries/groceries), but definitely not safe, family-friendly or easily walkable.

NW Detroit is safe, family friendly and walkable in parts, but Livernois is an absolute disaster in terms of retail.

None of these areas have walkability or services comparable to parts of Dearborn, the Pointes, Woodward Corridor from Ferndale to Birmingham, and the little enclaves, like Rochester, Plymouth, Wyandotte, etc.

Off the top of my head: Grand River from about Greenfield to about Lahser. If you live in Grandmont, Rosedale Park or North Rosedale Park, you can get just about anything you need without having to use a bus or a car. There is a grocery store, several drug stores, numerous restaurants, dry cleaners and even a gym. The only thing missing is a major clothing retailer, which you'll have to drive to a mall to find... But you'd have to do that from just about any of the suburbs that you named as well.

bartock · November-17-11, 11:15 AM

I would advise you to drive on the other side of the road here.

**ndavies** · November-17-11, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

I would advise you to drive on the other side of the road here.

That would get him killed. Sweden drives on the same side of the road we do.

**swingline** · November-17-11, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Zackdog

Unless you go to sporting or cultural events, everything you do will be done in the suburbs.

Wow. What an amazingly untrue and uninformed statement.

bartock · November-17-11, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by ndavies

That would get him killed. Sweden drives on the same side of the road we do.

dammit....

**rjk** · November-17-11, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Off the top of my head: Grand River from about Greenfield to about Lahser. If you live in Grandmont, Rosedale Park or North Rosedale Park, you can get just about anything you need without having to use a bus or a car. There is a grocery store, several drug stores, numerous restaurants, dry cleaners and even a gym. The only thing missing is a major clothing retailer, which you'll have to drive to a mall to find... But you'd have to do that from just about any of the suburbs that you named as well.

That sounds like the unwalkable area/suburb that I live in. Actually that sounds like 1/4 of the unwalkable area I live in.