Best things about Detroit?

[rb336]

With the EFM/consent agreement, crime and other negative news [[even positive things are getting ripped on "style" issues) dominating DYes and other media, what do you all think are the BEST things about Detroit? I love it when I drive down a random road and see community gardens, the DIY ethic that brought us several great places.

[ProudMidwesterner]

Detroit has some of the most beautiful architecture in the nation. The Guardian Building and Book Tower in particular are among my favorite buildings, and I would love to see them in person.

[313WX]

As much as I hate Detroit [[and Michigan) for all of its faults, the city and state does indeed have some bright spots [[and I would miss thsee things when I move elsewhere).

Coney Islands
Pizza [[Loui's, Pizzapapalis, Jet's, Papa Romano's)
Motown
History
10 Cent Bottle Deposits
Better Made Chips
Faygo Pop
Vernors
Natural Beauty
Abundance of Fresh Water

[Richard]

Those that are fighting in the trenches against all odds to make their city a little bit better .

[GUSHI]

The amount of vacant land in the city, lol , if you build it they will come, and maybe even burn it down,

Beautiful old churches in the city, some of them are works of art,
The big 3
The pride in telling other your from Detroit,
The border between Detroit and the points, like flipping the switch on and off,
Tigers beating the Yankee and then me texting my cuz in ny and texting smack

[poobert]

People lament the loss of the old neighborhood.

Indeed, many old neighborhoods are literally gone. However I live in one that is still very much going.

I know many people say Detroit is suburban in layout, but Detroit is very much more like the old neighborhood than the post-war suburb. Where I live neighbors actually talk to each other and look out for each other because frankly we have to - so we are friends and we get together and have drinks with each other too. There are no attached garages to avoid the outside world and everyone has a big front porch. There are no McMansions, only '20's tudors and pre-war bungalows. The focal point of the living room is the fireplace, not the plasma tv. There is no Ruby Tuesdays, only the corner bar. Which people walk to. And when you're a city Catholic like me, you go to your neighborhood church that doesn't look like a handball court. You know, one that actually looks like a church.

Detroit is also where all the eccentrics go to escape ridicule. Anything goes here. It's strange not to be strange. In Detroit you will meet the strangest, most colorful, interesting people. Where elsewhere neighbors would gossip and sneer, no one bats an eye here.

While so much of Detroit is lost, little pockets of Detroit like mine are an anachronism like that in many ways and I love it. In part because it is so old to begin with and full of such eccentric folk, and in part because corporations have left the neighborhoods untouched. It's like living in the 1940's - except my street is full of both black and white folk.

[gameguy56]

People lament the loss of the old neighborhood.

Indeed, many old neighborhoods are literally gone. However I live in one that is still very much going.

I know many people say Detroit is suburban in layout, but Detroit is very much more like the old neighborhood than the post-war suburb. Where I live neighbors actually talk to each other and look out for each other because frankly we have to - so we are friends and we get together and have drinks with each other too. There are no attached garages to avoid the outside world and everyone has a big front porch. There are no McMansions, only '20's tudors and pre-war bungalows. The focal point of the living room is the fireplace, not the plasma tv. There is no Ruby Tuesdays, only the corner bar. Which people walk to. And when you're a city Catholic like me, you go to your neighborhood church that doesn't look like a handball court. You know, one that actually looks like a church.

Detroit is also where all the eccentrics go to escape ridicule. Anything goes here. It's strange not to be strange. In Detroit you will meet the strangest, most colorful, interesting people. Where elsewhere neighbors would gossip and sneer, no one bats an eye here.

While so much of Detroit is lost, little pockets of Detroit like mine are an anachronism like that in many ways and I love it. In part because it is so old to begin with and full of such eccentric folk, and in part because corporations have left the neighborhoods untouched. It's like living in the 1940's - except my street is full of both black and white folk.

That sounds very nice. Where do you live, if I may ask, poobert?

[poobert]

That sounds very nice. Where do you live, if I may ask, poobert?

Sure. I live in East English Village.

To keep it balanced, it's far from perfect. Foreclosures and people walking away have been a problem, and then the house becomes vunerable to scrappers. Of course the vacancy and market in general has caused the housing prices to drop dramatically too. And yes, higher crime than in the 'burbs, but still remarkably docile - unlike the typical Detroit cliche, there are tons of kids and families playing outside when its warm. All in all the unique features above make it a very pleasant, and certainly unique place to live. Though this is the exception for Detroit, not the rule, the better neighborhoods throughout the city still provide this old neighborhood feel and I love that.

[JBMcB]

The river
Proximity to Canada
Belle Isle
DIA, Great Lakes Museum, main branch Library
Some decent colleges and universities
Nearly unlimited clean water [[this is becoming more and more important)
Cheap land and housing
Hardly any natural disasters or catastrophes
Some very nice architecture
Good sports teams [[well at least one is usually decent any any given time
Some pockets of promising entrepreneurship
Riverwalk and Dequindre cut
Some really good restaurants and bars
Eastern market

[Tig3rzhark]

Since everyone already named all of the good stuff, I'll just add a few more:

Motown Records

Techno

and the Jazz Festival.

[j to the jeremy]

Outstanding food at every price point
Outstanding Michigan beers to compliment any food

Vibrant communities next door to surreality

Eccentric folks doing their thing

Summer sun, Belle Isle, Festivals, and laid back bike rides all over the city

Musicians who care a lot

Artists who care a lot

[ordinary]

Being able to listen to CBC radio.

[j to the jeremy]

Being able to listen to CBC radio.

And don't forget CJAM 99.1 from Windsor- way better than anything on the American side

[ordinary]

I almost forgot about that one.
Also, the new state park downtown. That area is great.

[detroitgirl]

For SW Detroit, I love the diversity and activist/community spirit. There are so many groups trying to improve things on their own rather than waiting on the city. Also, taco trucks are a huge plus and it is very cool to see the kids playing soccer in the street during the summertime. Additionally, MI Ave. and W. Vernor are both long stretches where the business community is still relatively strong.

For midtown, Wayne State University has to be one of the best things about Detroit. I can't imagine what that area would be like if it wasn't there! I haven't been yet, but I hear the river walk downtown is quite nice.

[Buy American]

I love the wonderful memories of growing up in Detroit. My schools, elementary, jr. high and high school were all within walking distance. The Charlevoix bus would take us downtown to Hudson's or Kresges. The wooden floor at Littman's on Jefferson and Lillibridge. Riding my bike to Belle Isle, fishing on the canal with my Dad using a bamboo pole. The Tambor submarine behind Brodhead Armory on Jefferson. The Booth theatre, the Chinese Teapot restaurant on Jefferson between Lemay and Fairview. Archway Bowling Alley. Playing kick the can in the alleys behind our house. The tunnel of trees in the summer and the snow tunnels in the winter. The smell of burning leaves and so much more....wow, I'm feeling very mellow right now.

[sumas]

Poobear, EEV is a great community! Grew up there when it was DEAR, now renamed. Went back to care for Mom for her last seven years of life. It was still great. Live now in a different east side "Village" of Detroit.

The great thing about viable Detroit communities is our neighbors. I can't extoll them enough.

[sumas]

Sorry got the name wrong .... poobert!

[sumas]

Oh what the heck, I have been insulted on this forum many times for being an unabashed Detroit supporter. What's one more time?

Great neighbors, great housing stock and actually most city workers try hard to perform in a bad scenerio. Not terribly worried about city managers, city bankruptsy Etal. Will work around what ever gets thrown at us.

The only thing that worries me is lack of schooling and resources for our kids. Programs exist but not sure kids can find them on their own. My neighborhood works hard to identify kids at risk. Some make it, some don't. Poverty, ignorance and parental lack of guidance do take a toll.

Just do not assume that a vast majority of Detroiters do not care. We do!

[313hero]

Being able to buy weed @ any gas station. LOL

[j to the jeremy]

Being able to buy weed @ any gas station. LOL

Or liquor store

[oladub]

Memories of the Bob-lo boat.

[detroitsgwenivere]

The possibilities.

The People.

Being in an environment in which the landscape isn't fake and meticulous everywhere. Having nature and mortor in the same space. Where you see things that actually inspire creativity and emotion and movement.

Walking past a stranger, them actually saying hello to you.

The fact that this city in it's entirety has yet to become a police state, even if we need more good cops.

And what poobert said. A city for those of us who don't fit in, in other places...

Freedom. And a city worth fighting for.

[socks_mahoney]

Crickets and cicadas lingering with electrical wires.

The old homes and the stories they hold.

The rouge plant, endlessly industrious.

The people. The passion. The perseverance.

The art.

The history of radical ideas and radical politics.

Parallel universes mingling together.

[Brian1979]

Lafayette Coney Island
Motown
The beautiful buildings [[Fisher, Guardian, Penobscot, Book Tower)