Moving from Suburbs of New Orleans to suburbs of Detroit.

[Berly2300]

Lived in suburbs of New Orleans my whole life. Familiar with at least one shooting a day on the news. I know which streets to avoid and how to be safe in New Orleans. Is livings near Detriot the same? Looking into Grosse Points area. Relocating for husbands job. One son who has Aspbergers. Thanks in advance!

[Mackinaw]

I think you will quickly get the hang of it for the reasons you mentioned, and that you will develop many interesting comparisons and contrasts between the two cities.

I love N.O. and particularly the intactness of many of its neighborhoods and especially its central quarter. That will be one of the main ways in which Detroit is different-- it's even more of a patchwork quilt. But it is also bigger and has greater economic magnitude, and it's legacy of being one of the country's largest and richest cities at one point will show through.

Grosse Pointe is an excellent choice for proximity to the city, some of the best public schools, and generally nice/historic neighborhoods. I grew up there and continue to see its merits today. I suggest reading up on it, even via wikipedia and then via other sources. One thing to know is that it's a fairly cohesive/connected swath of five individual towns, but the character changes from SW [[closest to Detroit) to NE [[furthest from Detroit, though still not distant). People have varying opinions, but the sections closer to Detroit-- the Farms, City, and Park-- have the most character and the better neighborhood layout and schools, in my view.

[Jimaz]

Welcome to the forum Berly2300.

Our family made that move in 1966. The most stark contrast was the climate of course.

Folks will probably ask for more details about your preferences before offering advice. What are the most important factors to you in choosing a place to live?

As far as shootings go, CrimeMapping.com is one good resource.

[aoife]

Grosse Pointe schools have really great programs for children with special needs. If you can find a house in the Kerby Elementary or Brownell Middle School district [[Grosse Pointe Farms) your child will definitely be in good hands. The teachers are really great and have experience with or support for working with children on the spectrum.

The Farms also has a great lakefront park and a great new dog park if you are into that sort of thing. It is a nice, somewhat sleepy place to bring up a family.

[Gpwrangler]

To the OP, read up on the GPs before you decide to move here. The proximity to Detroit attracted me here but is a deterrent for some. City services are excellent. There is high police visibility especially at the cities' borders which helps deter crime but this is not the suburbs so take reasonable steps [[lock cars and houses and keep valuables out of sight) and if your kids are of driving age make sure they watch their driving [[in town) and are aware of areas kids should not hang out. If you don't like seeing police on your streets this may not be your cup of tea.

Consider parking when you select a home. Many places have no option except street parking and it becomes a mess when it snows because they can't plow. Other places have parking on one side only. If possible select a home on the other side of the street. Nice place to ride bikes but mind traffic signals and such. This isn't Ann Arbor.

I like walking in town, there are nice little downtowns and there's Mack and Kercheval with places to eat etc, many walkable.

Review the sentiments toward GP on this and other forums before deciding to move here. It tends to be a lightning rod and, although that hasn't caused too many problems you never know. For that reason if I had it to do over again I would look for something in the Farms or Woods.

Housing runs the gamut from $60k in the Woods to obscene near the lake. I would pass up the $30k tear downs in some areas.

I have no advice on schools. I never picked homes based on schools anyway. My kids are long grown, weren't sheltered and did fine anyway. Ask around, people with kids may be more helpful.

This is may seem negative, but you need to know before moving here. Been here a few years now, and don't regret it yet but we'll see.

[Honky Tonk]

To the OP, read up on the GPs before you decide to move here. The proximity to Detroit attracted me here but is a deterrent for some. City services are excellent. There is high police visibility especially at the cities' borders which helps deter crime but this is not the suburbs so take reasonable steps [[lock cars and houses and keep valuables out of sight) and if your kids are of driving age make sure they watch their driving [[in town) and are aware of areas kids should not hang out. If you don't like seeing police on your streets this may not be your cup of tea.

Consider parking when you select a home. Many places have no option except street parking and it becomes a mess when it snows because they can't plow. Other places have parking on one side only. If possible select a home on the other side of the street. Nice place to ride bikes but mind traffic signals and such. This isn't Ann Arbor.

I like walking in town, there are nice little downtowns and there's Mack and Kercheval with places to eat etc, many walkable.

Review the sentiments toward GP on this and other forums before deciding to move here. It tends to be a lightning rod and, although that hasn't caused too many problems you never know. For that reason if I had it to do over again I would look for something in the Farms or Woods.

Housing runs the gamut from $60k in the Woods to obscene near the lake. I would pass up the $30k tear downs in some areas.

I have no advice on schools. I never picked homes based on schools anyway. My kids are long grown, weren't sheltered and did fine anyway. Ask around, people with kids may be more helpful.

This is may seem negative, but you need to know before moving here. Been here a few years now, and don't regret it yet but we'll see.

I'd say that's a pretty honest assessment.

[nain rouge]

I think the GP schools are pretty darn good and will continue to be. As good as when GP was in its heyday? Probably not. But the complaints are way overblown. Some people will make you think Grosse Pointe North is a bad high school. Ridiculous. Standards are high, and while in many ways that's a good thing, it can cloud people's judgments. I'd take Grosse Pointe North over any of the high schools in Warren, which is where I grew up.

[GPCharles]

Consider parking when you select a home. Many places have no option except street parking and it becomes a mess when it snows because they can't plow. Other places have parking on one side only. If possible select a home on the other side of the street.

It take it this is a generic comment. Very few homes in Grosse Pointe come without driveways and garages. I have lived in GP Park since 1958. Our streets and sidewalks are always plowed promptly.

[nain rouge]

Also, just FYI, you could also look into the Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, and south Royal Oak area for housing. That's another nice, walkable area right outside the city.

Otherwise, the only other semi-walkable area near the border of Detroit is Dearborn - which I happen to love - but it's a bit rough around the edges in places. Well, there's also River Rouge and Ecorse, but the modus operandi is to essentially pretend those cities don't exist. Both are pretty urban [[especially RR), but are very polluted and on a noticeable decline.

Just to give you the full scoop, so you know all the options.

[Bham1982]

Also, just FYI, you could also look into the Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, and south Royal Oak area for housing. That's another nice, walkable area right outside the city.

Yes, relatively nice and walkable, but probably a worse option for a family with school age children. Ferndale schools [[which includes Pleasant Ridge) stink.

[nain rouge]

I think the schools in Ferndale are fine. Not amazing, but not horrible. Ferndale is suffering from a change in image, from a family-orientated city to more of a hip, urban city. That's all. People see 9 Mile and Woodward and think they couldn't possibly raise a kid there. Still, I think you'd have to be a real snob to refuse to raise your kid in Pleasant Ridge.

[nain rouge]

A lot of the schools that get a bad rep score high on diversity. I wonder why that is? For me, diversity is a big selling point. I really appreciated the demographics of Warren Mott. Blacks, old school American whites, Chaldeans, Eastern European immigrants, Indians, Vietnamese... it was a great experience and I think it's made me more understanding and tolerant of others.

[Bham1982]

I think the schools in Ferndale are fine. Not amazing, but not horrible. Ferndale is suffering from a change in image, from a family-orientated city to more of a hip, urban city. That's all. People see 9 Mile and Woodward and think they couldn't possibly raise a kid there. Still, I think you'd have to be a real snob to refuse to raise your kid in Pleasant Ridge.

Ferndale schools have student performance that is far below the state average, and the state is below average for the nation, so most parents with options are not going to send their kids to Ferndale schools.

The schools are overwhelmingly poor families, so I doubt there are many kids from Pleasant Ridge in the school system. I don't think it's coincidental that Pleasant Ridge is probably the most heavily gay town in Michigan. It's filled with childless couples of all types.

I think, if the choice is Grosse Pointe or Ferndale, and there's a school age child in the mix, the choice is obvious. You have one of the best suburban districts vs. one of the worst. And I far prefer this side of the metro. If you want better restaurants, more central location, more stuff in proximity, obviously Ferndale, but for schools, no way.

[nain rouge]

Yep, who knows what might happen to your precious child if they have to interact with... [[shudder) the poors.

[Bham1982]

Yep, who knows what might happen to your precious child if they have to interact with... [[shudder) the poors.

You can laugh but most people don't want their kids attending schools where there have been shootings and gang incidents. There are plenty of good schools in the area, why would someone willingly choose failing schools?

[Rolfsy]

Yep, who knows what might happen to your precious child if they have to interact with... [[shudder) the poors.

Very broad socioeconomic spectrum at Ferndale Schools.

What I've noticed is that kids with stable homelife and money [[Pleasant Ridge on the one extreme) do fine, make friends and go on to college/success as they would in Northville or GP. Kids with an unstable homelife and no money [[Royal Oak Township on the other extreme).... well I'm not sure.

But what I have also noticed about Ferndalian youths is they seem to be very confident in general, and comfortable around a wide variety of people. Parents seem to helicopter a bit less there too. Overall, a bit more 'grit' or what have you. Often the hothouse flowers coming out of exurban compounds or public ivys can't deal with life outside the safe zone.

In general - as long as the school is safe and the teachers aren't complete muppets, the pre-existing home situation is really determines where they go after high school. GPA chasing is often cover for polite racism [[not always, not always).

[Bham1982]

In general - as long as the school is safe and the teachers aren't complete muppets, the pre-existing home situation is really determines where they go after high school. GPA chasing is often cover for polite racism [[not always, not always).

There have been multiple shootings in Ferndale schools in recent years. It has nothing to do with "polite racism"; the schools suck. There was a shooting just a few months ago. There was another a few years ago.

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/02/...hool-shooting/

http://www.dailytribune.com/general-...-school-office

In addition, Ferndale High kids have been murdered in incidents outside of school hours in recent years. Middle class parents don't even have Ferndale schools on the radar.

[nain rouge]

See, you're picking on the Digital Learning Center alternative high school. Well, that's great man. Keep tearing down Ferndale for trying to provide solutions. If you have your way, pretty soon you'll be tearing down Birmingham, too.

[Bham1982]

See, you're picking on the Digital Learning Center alternative high school. Well, that's great man. Keep tearing down Ferndale for trying to provide solutions. If you have your way, pretty soon you'll be tearing down Birmingham, too.

No, actually I'm picking on Ferndale schools. Three separate shooting incidents, three separate schools. Can't get much worse than that.

[Rolfsy]

The Ferndale schools are definitely not an 'easy' option, and I'd say for every middle class family that keeps their kids in, there's another that outsources to private schools or moves to get in a more esteemed district. There's been another influx of young families to Ferndale recently so it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the next 5-10 years. Probably more of the same, but things might improve.

But anways, before I waded into the school debate, I wanted to suggest to the OP to keep Ferndale in mind as a decent 2nd choice to the Pointes. It's got a lowkey/inclusive vibe, decent mainstreet and is centrally located to the whole Metro Detroit region. That 'close to everything' aspect is actually one thing I would put over the Pointes [[archicture and commercial districts, not so much....). It's future is not set in stone like the Pointes, but I'd say for a borderburb it's one of the few that is above water with an upward trajectory.

[nain rouge]

But the test scores are a result of Ferndale serving a diverse chunk of humanity. I think this post explains this situation well, if it's a bit boosterish: http://patch.com/michigan/ferndale/b...rndale-schools . You've got Ferndale taking on kids from poor Detroit neighborhoods and impoverished Royal Oak Township [[different from the City of Royal Oak) and whites unduly fleeing the district as a result. If you're scared of an integrated school, by all means Ferndale is to be avoided. But IMO that's an unacceptable attitude in the 21st century.

[nain rouge]

Shoot, I'd even consider Hazel Park a solid working class community. For you to insult Ferndale like this shows your prejudices.

[Bham1982]

Shoot, I'd even consider Hazel Park a solid working class community. For you to insult Ferndale like this shows your prejudices.

You're right, as a parent I am prejudiced against school districts that have multiple shootings, coupled with abysmal school performance.

Hazel Park schools are poor performing too, but I am not aware of shooting incidents. Along with Oak Park, and Pontiac, these are probably the worst districts in the county.

[mwilbert]

There have been multiple shootings in Ferndale schools in recent years. It has nothing to do with "polite racism"; the schools suck. There was a shooting just a few months ago. There was another a few years ago.

http://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/02/...hool-shooting/

http://www.dailytribune.com/general-...-school-office

In addition, Ferndale High kids have been murdered in incidents outside of school hours in recent years. Middle class parents don't even have Ferndale schools on the radar.

That fact that neither of these incidents actually took place at an actual Ferndale public school does kind of reduce the salience of your concern. The adult ed programs serve separate populations and are separate physically and administratively from the regular Ferndale system.

I'm not going to defend the quality of the Ferndale schools because I don't know enough about them, but I'm not enthusiastic about the quality of schools in general. Sometimes you find one that suits your child, and sometimes you don't. I speak as someone who removed his child from a high school district which [[statistically at least) is at least as good any in Metro Detroit because although the elementary school was fine the later grades didn't work well for her. I know another family who recently took a child out of Cranbrook because it wasn't working for him [[although it was great for his sisters) and another who took their kid out of U-D High for the same reason. There isn't some magic number that will tell you that a school is good for you.

[nain rouge]

Charlie LeDuff lives [[or lived?) in Pleasant Ridge with his family. Imagine that!