Warren Rises? Good News for Warren

[Lowell]

Warren has taken a pounding as the quintessential suburb that gave 8 Mile Road its symbolism. Remember "Borin' Warren?" Exploding from a cross roads village on Mound Round its population would double for three straight decades. It peaked at 180,000, 99.5% Euro-American.

Much has changed since. The city has lost 35,000 and is more diverse, with the Euro-American population now under 80%, making it, in my eyes at least, more interesting and more sympathetic. Its population stabilized with the 2010 census and Warren is showing signs of rebounding. So I am happy and hopeful for Warren when I read the following list of developments and jobs coming to the now struggling town. Go Warren!

General Motors Co. Technical Center renovations
Cost: $1 billion
Project: Expansion and renovation of the 326-acre campus, coupled with the creation of 2,600 jobs
Expected completion: End of 2018
Location: Van Dyke Avenue between 12 Mile and 13 Mile roads

Former Campbell Ewald building redevelopment
Cost: $35 million
Project: Renovation of 10-story building across from the GM tech center for 800 new GM jobs
Expected completion: By 2017
Location: Van Dyke north of North Civic Center Drive across from the tech center

City Square Lofts
Cost: $30 million
Project: 210-unit loft project with rents from $1,200 to $2,000 per month by Bingham Farms-based Burton-Katzman LLC
Expected completion: 2017
Location: South and east of Warren City Hall

Five-star hotel
Cost: $50 million
Project: 200-room hotel with retail space including specialty grocery store, a 1,000-person banquet center, conference room and rooftop swimming pool by Lansing-based The Boji Group
Expected completion: Not known
Location: East side of Van Dyke across from the tech center

Prestige Cadillac dealership
Cost: $10 million
Project: New dealership by Gregory Jackson, chairman, president and CEO of Jackson Automotive Management, on 4.6 acres
Expected completion: April
Location: Van Dyke and 12 Mile Road

Majestic Plaza Shopping Center redevelopment
Cost: $2 million
Project: Redevelopment of shopping center for new 40,000-square-foot Y & C Beauty Supplies store
Expected completion: 2017
Location: Van Dyke at Martin Road

Tech Plaza redevelopment
Cost: More than $10 million
Project: Redevelopment of shopping plaza with at least a dozen new stores
Expected completion: By the spring
Location: Van Dyke at 12 Mile Road

Menards
Cost: $8 million
Project: Construction of new 170,000-square-foot store
Expected completion: Sept. 21
Location: Van Dyke at 14 Mile Road

Art Van Furniture warehouse renovation
Cost: $18 million
Project: Warehouse and office remodeling
Expected completion: October
Location: 14 Mile east of Mound Road
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Source: Crain's Detroit Business

[1953]

Still pretty boring, though...

[401don]

I'd have to agree. Having stayed in hotels in pretty much every burb during my numerous visits, Warren clearly has the least character. No malls, no downtown, no major sports/entertainment facilities, mostly chain restaurants and Walmarts. Lots of great Hotwire deals on the many all-suite hotels though. As GM goes, so goes Warren.

[Wintersmommy]

Warren is doing well, we have clean streets, controlled blight, great response times to emergencies, wonderful trash collection [[bulk pick up every single Friday) and a wonderful community center....but it stops there. Its a bedroom community where people only go to sleep. There is no downtown, the traffic on Mound road is too fast to have any viable businesses on the mound strip. Its not walkable. There are a few nice bars but no nightlife to speak of. No cute shops. No great parks. in short Warren is not a destination ...but its not a terrible place to sleep at night

[401don]

Warren is doing well, we have clean streets, controlled blight, great response times to emergencies, wonderful trash collection [[bulk pick up every single Friday) and a wonderful community center....but it stops there. Its a bedroom community where people only go to sleep. There is no downtown, the traffic on Mound road is too fast to have any viable businesses on the mound strip. Its not walkable. There are a few nice bars but no nightlife to speak of. No cute shops. No great parks. in short Warren is not a destination ...but its not a terrible place to sleep at night

Not a destination? Just last week Biden asked Obama, "What do you want to do next week?" Obama didn't hesitate, " I want to visit Warren, Michigan Joe!"

[Scottathew]

A lot of Warren's population loss can be attributed to baby boomer parents moving into Warren, having a TON of kids in small ranch houses, then the kids move out, and the parents remain, build wheelchair ramps on the front of their houses, and die in their recliners decades later.

I used to live in Warren and we liked it. The neighborhoods are diverse and safe. There is a large stock of parks. Folks around us were working-class, just like us. We lived south of 10 Mile in the Center Line school district.

We left Warren because we wanted better public schools and a bigger house.

[Warrenite84]

Good to hear developments in Warren, especially the planned downtown project. Any renderings out there? The previous mayor, [[don't remember his name), worked to assemble land around the new City Hall to plan a formal city center. The renderings at the time included 3-5? story structures with parking decks along Van Dyke, but faced with businesses with apartments and condos above...

Hope the area is able to support all the new developments. Menard's has close competition with Lowe's at 13 & Van Dyke and Home Depot at 16 And Van Dyke.

[Danny]

Warren did a fine job of most black folks from Detroit south of E. 8 Mile Rd. It really kept the population stabilized. Remember Mayor Steenburg assaulted a black teen as he walk through a Warren neighborhood. Or that time that a black lady had brought a home at a Warren neighborhood north of 12 Mile between Ryan and Mound. Her home was vandalized by racist punks so she move out. Yeah a fine job slowing down low-income welfare and food stamp black Detroiters who want to move to Warren for safety concerns.

Today more black folks are moving to Warren and they contribute to the population growth. It's about 15 percent of the population. It's not going to grew that quick. I'm glad that white folks in Warren even near 8 Mile Rd. defend their homes with care. If a hoodie cases and looking for someone rob, shoot and kill. It's police force will waiting for him before he can cross south of 8 Mile Rd.


Way to go Warren for not keeping Van Dyke Rd from look like a "Detroit Rock City" ghetto Mayor Fouts kicked out the owner of Detroit Rock City novelity shop out of the Van Dyke Rd north of 9 Mile Rd. YAY Warren! for making a downtown to nowhere. They Warren City Council wants to create a new downtown on Van Dyke Rd. near Civic Center Dr. Instead they put up a city hall that looks like leaning Tower of Pisa. Thank you Warren for not letting non-Warren folks lease books and use their public internet.

Warren! what a great city to live in. I'm glad that Cambell corp. move out of Warren and into Gilberttown Detroit. That's where the action is.

[313WX]

FWIW, GM purchased the Campbell-Ewald building. Its renovation is lumped in with the Tech Center renovations.

[DetroitBoy]

B.F.D. So GM is going to throw some money at Van Dyke between 11 mile and 12 mile. They have been there forever and the area will never be more than a blue collar haven for low class whites and now upwardly mobile working class blacks. I am not holding my breath that will go smoothly before white flight happens. Developing a 'downtown Warren' is like saying developing a 'downtown Taylor". The Civic Center area will always be a crash pad for GM corporate slobs who are visiting the area. What young professionals do they think they will attract to the planned loft apartments? Does anyone on the city council even know what a loft apartment is other than what they read about in The Macomb a Daily? Warren is 36 square miles. When they start redevelopment of the 8 mile and Schoenherr shopping center and the flea market anchor store, that would really be called Warren Rising.

[Danny]

I can see it now:

Warren, MI. in the year 2099

population 856,789

[Bham1982]

Warren is circling the drain. No, a new car dealership isn't going to reverse long-term demographic issues. And LOL at a claimed "five star hotel" coming to Warren.

[softailrider]

Say you're a young married couple with kids or going to have kids and you're looking for a secure, reasonable priced place to buy a house. Why wouldn't Warren fit that to a tee? Maybe those type of people don't care that there's no downtown or the city isn't walkable. The schools seem to be okay, they don't have to live there forever, they would be buying in an area where they should be able to re sell.

[DetroitBoy]

Say you're a young married couple with kids or going to have kids and you're looking for a secure, reasonable priced place to buy a house. Why wouldn't Warren fit that to a tee?

Yes, if they move to Warren from Arkansaw, Kentucky or Alabama.

Hamtramck is already tapped out of Polish people to move 'out to Warren".

[Warrenite84]

???What's with all the Debbie Downers? Those of us living in Metro Detroit are on the same team, [[one would think). No, we're not Birmingham. No, we are not Canton, Rochester, Detroit, etc. Yes, like all cities, Warren has its frailties, shortcomings, imperfections. So they are trying to assemble a walkable downtown like Royal Oak, Clawson, Romeo, Birmingham. Aren't they just as deserving of a walkable semi-urban environment? How about some constructive ideas, a "good for you..."?

[Lowell]

???What's with all the Debbie Downers? Those of us living in Metro Detroit are on the same team, [[one would think). No, we're not Birmingham. No, we are not Canton, Rochester, Detroit, etc. Yes, like all cities, Warren has its frailties, shortcomings, imperfections. So they are trying to assemble a walkable downtown like Royal Oak, Clawson, Romeo, Birmingham. Aren't they just as deserving of a walkable semi-urban environment? How about some constructive ideas, a "good for you..."?

Agreed. We are all one big international city from outer space. The health of one is good for the health of all of us. We are all members of the same team. I want all to succeed and I cheer for all.

[softailrider]

Yes, if they move to Warren from Arkansaw, Kentucky or Alabama.

Hamtramck is already tapped out of Polish people to move 'out to Warren".

Oh okay I forgot all about the hillbillies. Of course you're right.

[Honky Tonk]

I'm glad that Cambell corp. move out of Warren and into Gilberttown Detroit. That's where the action is.

Just ask rex and Nicole Curtis.

[SyGolden48236]

Yes, if they move to Warren from Arkansaw, Kentucky or Alabama.

By the way, I believe you meant Arkansas for the purpose of your putting other people down. Arkansaw is a small unincorporated area in western Wisconsin

And what do you have against people from Arkansas, Kentucky or Alabama? Are they inferior people? Are you better than them? Are you better than Warren residents?

Your snobbery and elitism is repugnant. Feh!

[softailrider]

Warren is circling the drain. No, a new car dealership isn't going to reverse long-term demographic issues. And LOL at a claimed "five star hotel" coming to Warren.

There's one coming to Telegraph and Ten mile in Southfield. Or so they say, looks like their working on it anyway. Wouldn't have believed that either 6 months ago.

[JenniferL]

Sounds like the proposed developments are all happening in northern Warren, which is more middle class. South Warren is a ghetto.

[Danny]

Sounds like the proposed developments are all happening in northern Warren, which is more middle class. South Warren is a ghetto.

Of course that area looks like Eninem dumps his mess all over it. Look at Van Dyke Rd. from 8 Mile Rd to Center Line. A white man's ghetto!

[Danny]

???What's with all the Debbie Downers? Those of us living in Metro Detroit are on the same team, [[one would think). No, we're not Birmingham. No, we are not Canton, Rochester, Detroit, etc. Yes, like all cities, Warren has its frailties, shortcomings, imperfections. So they are trying to assemble a walkable downtown like Royal Oak, Clawson, Romeo, Birmingham. Aren't they just as deserving of a walkable semi-urban environment? How about some constructive ideas, a "good for you..."?

When Warren was developed after 1950s thanks to GM and Chrysler buying cheap land along Mound Rd, newer bigger and better cookie cutter ranch home with big attach two car garages will popping up like mushrooms. North Warren become the hot spot for middle income folks. Fewer stores were built and no proposed downtown to beautify that area. Folks in Warren will enjoy what they have, where they live. They need to look like Downtown Royal Oak or Birmingham or Richville.

[TTime]

???What's with all the Debbie Downers? Those of us living in Metro Detroit are on the same team, [[one would think). No, we're not Birmingham. No, we are not Canton, Rochester, Detroit, etc. Yes, like all cities, Warren has its frailties, shortcomings, imperfections. So they are trying to assemble a walkable downtown like Royal Oak, Clawson, Romeo, Birmingham. Aren't they just as deserving of a walkable semi-urban environment? How about some constructive ideas, a "good for you..."?

A lot of people are assholes and they simply aren't that bright either. Sure Warren could be better but I could think of plenty of places around here that would be very happy to have a slice of their residential and commercial tax base because let's cut the bullshit, that's what the bashing is really about. No one is moving to this region from elsewhere so rather than promote the general health of the area let's just poach from each other and continue the divisiveness.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

^^ Good call....