Moving to Detroit in May, need suggestions for an exploratory visit in March

[Django]

Hope to meet you both at a Dyes meet up. I think the one on Belle Isle in the summer is the biggest and best.

Ill welcome you once you decide to stay .

I'd suggest the area just East of Brush on Kirby if you can find a rental there. Ill take a look next time I;m there to see if there are any signs for rent.

[p69rrh51]

All are great suggestions but if you would really like to see the city let me know and I will give you my tour of the city.

[professorscott]

Welcome to Detroit and we'll be glad to have you! There are a lot of other neighborhoods where you might be able to rent a house, enjoy your dogs, and be able to locate an office nearby. Just to think of a couple off the top of my head, you could live in East English Village, which is near that great big park with the golf course [[somebody help me with the name of the park here) and you can eat at the Blue Pointe Cafe, run by a relative of the locally famous Muer family, or that Belgian place with the mussels and beer and the feather bowling. [[Again, name please, someone).

Or west side you have the University District off Livernois north of McNichols, east of Livernois, from there you can with a few miles drive hang out in midtown or downtown Detroit or Ferndale which is a very cool and funky inner 'burb. Or Old Redford, out Grand River a ways. Just thinking out loud.

Lots of interesting areas actually, and as you know the housing is quite affordable. Good luck!

[Kathleen]

....East English Village, which is near that great big park with the golf course [[somebody help me with the name of the park here)

Chandler Park....but even closer to EEV is Balduck Park [[big, but no golf course, just a big hill!)

....that Belgian place with the mussels and beer and the feather bowling. [[Again, name please, someone).

The Cadieux Cafe!!!

[PeachLaser]

Did you happen to visit Atlanta last weekend? I met a young couple from Portland at the Perpetual e-Motion dance that could fit your profile. If it was you, then it's a very small world, indeed. If not, then I must say there are some nice people coming out of Portland.

Good luck in your search.

[sbs0909]

I’m moving to Detroit this spring as well with my fiancé. I’ll be attending architecture school while he either transfers his job or finds a new one. I’ve done tons and tons of research on the city and it excites me that the “American Dream” is actually a reality in Detroit. I really want to be part of a city that I can help.

I’ll be going to visit Detroit in about two weeks to check out Univ of Detroit and go house hunting. I will let you know what my thoughts are after my visit since we are in the same boat.

I find that the hardest part about telling friends and family I’m moving to Detroit is trying to persuade them that Detroit has so much potential for growth. I’m from RI but did my undergraduate studies in Salt Lake City and it seems as though all everyone has heard about is the dangers of Detroit. I’m not sure if everyone else agrees but it seems as though many of the big publications are always talking poorly about Detroit and it really annoys me.

[swingline]

I’m moving to Detroit this spring as well with my fiancé. I’ll be attending architecture school while he either transfers his job or finds a new one. I’ve done tons and tons of research on the city and it excites me that the “American Dream” is actually a reality in Detroit. I really want to be part of a city that I can help.

I’ll be going to visit Detroit in about two weeks to check out Univ of Detroit and go house hunting. I will let you know what my thoughts are after my visit since we are in the same boat.

I find that the hardest part about telling friends and family I’m moving to Detroit is trying to persuade them that Detroit has so much potential for growth. I’m from RI but did my undergraduate studies in Salt Lake City and it seems as though all everyone has heard about is the dangers of Detroit. I’m not sure if everyone else agrees but it seems as though many of the big publications are always talking poorly about Detroit and it really annoys me.

Welcome sbs0909. Sounds like exciting times for you. If your house hunting includes an interest in purchasing a single family home, you should check out the University District adjacent to UDM. The homes there are probably the best bargain in the city when you consider their size and quality relative to price.

Check out these two foreclosures within walking distance to campus. http://www.trulia.com/property/30720...troit-MI-48221 http://www.trulia.com/property/30521...troit-MI-48221 They both need a little work, but after-tax monthly cost [[P&I, taxes, utilities, insurance) would probably be less than $1500 for either one. They both retain their beautiful leaded glass windows, which isn't always the case in the University District. Good luck.

[hamtown mike]

Dive bars? No kids? Walkable city like Portland? I'd suggest taking a spin through Hamtramck, at least grabbing a cup of coffee at cafe 1923.

[casscorridor]

Dive bars: Midtown-- Temple, Jumbos, Comet, Old Miami... all within a few blocks of each other [[even though you probably shouldn't walk between them)

Coffee -- Cafe con Leche in SW, Astro in Corktown, Thistle in Midtown or 1923 in Hamtramck

Eat -- Russell Street Deli, Supinos Pizza, Slows bbq, Cass Cafe, Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, Shangri-La [[only Dim-Sum in the city)

See - Detroit Institute of Arts, Henry Ford Museum, Belle Isle Conservatory, Cranbrook Institute [[Bloomfield Hills)

Day trips: Ann Arbor [[U of M, museums, shopping, restaurants, etc), Toledo [[Art museum, zoo), Frankenmuth [[Christmas town)

Within five hour drive: Toronto, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati

[MidTownMs]

Dive bars: Midtown-- Temple, Jumbos, Comet, Old Miami... all within a few blocks of each other [[even though you probably shouldn't walk between them)

Coffee -- Cafe con Leche in SW, Astro in Corktown, Thistle in Midtown or 1923 in Hamtramck

Eat -- Russell Street Deli, Supinos Pizza, Slows bbq, Cass Cafe, Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, Shangri-La [[only Dim-Sum in the city)

See - Detroit Institute of Arts, Henry Ford Museum, Belle Isle Conservatory, Cranbrook Institute [[Bloomfield Hills)

Day trips: Ann Arbor [[U of M, museums, shopping, restaurants, etc), Toledo [[Art museum, zoo), Frankenmuth [[Christmas town)

Within five hour drive: Toronto, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati

That's a great list, however, I would like to add The Heidelberg Project to your list:

www.heidelberg.org

[kryptonite]

Welcome to Detroit! I hope we meet your expectations! Many of us think Detroit is a wonderful place to live, and that it has much to offer.

I lived in Woodbridge once and found the people there to be among the friendliest I have ever met. I think the same is true of Corktown.

Our art institute is wonderful, the riverfront gets better every year, we have many theaters for movies, performances, plays, musicals, etc. Regarding dive bars - do yourself a favor and check out Nancy Whiskey [[Corktown), Nemo's [[Corktown) and the Bronx Bar [[Cass Corridor, or 'Midtown'). Those are just my personal picks. But there are so many dive bars in Detroit that you may spend many years finding them and rating them.

[sbs0909]

Swingline, thanks for posting those links to those two homes! I'm actually thinking of buying a cheaper home, fixing it up a tad, then renting it out. I'm guessing with UD being so close that rentals are always needed.

Maybe if I buy enough rental homes I'll be in need of a good lawyer!