Vernor Highway, Mexican Town, Southwest Detroit, Springwells Village

**ABetterDetroit** · August-16-17, 09:05 PM

The neighborhood with many names.

It never gets the the love as the new trendy hot spot but is undeniably on a years long upward trajectory.

I visit often for the authentic Mexican food, but
here one may find many of the ingredients that are often discussed on this forum as needed in Detroit.

It is as walkable as you could ask for with restraunts, bakeries, shops and stores, food trucks, busy gas stations that are as nice as anywhere, barbershops and salons, banks, a post office, a good grocery centrally located [[no pun intended) and the list just continues to grow.

Slowly but surely one by one buildings have been renovated and commercialized on a smaller scale with a plethora of services. Help wanted signs are common. The housing is improving with renovations and additions and rising property values.

My favorite is the carne al pastor gorditas at the Nuestra Familia and if you have never been and decide to give it a try don't get the gringo beans, you want 'the whole beans'!

What are your impressions and favorite places in this neighborhood?

**Bham1982** · August-16-17, 09:11 PM

By "upward" you mean "downward", right?

Mexicans have been leaving SW for Downriver, Taylor, Romulus and the like in increasing numbers, and the massive drop in Mexican immigration means no one is taking their place.

**masterblaster** · August-16-17, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

By "upward" you mean "downward", right?

Mexicans have been leaving SW for Downriver, Taylor, Romulus and the like in increasing numbers, and the massive drop in Mexican immigration means no one is taking their place.

This guy talked about the POSITIVE. He talked about the INCREASING vibrancy of the neighborhood

-He commented about the growing number of bakeries, restaurants, and stores.

-He commented about the good quality grocery store that is centrally located.

-He commented about the commercial buildings being renovated and filled with services.

-He talked about the plethora of HELP WANTED signs in the store windows

-He talked about the housing being renovated, and new additions being added to some houses, and the rising property values

This guy pointed out SO MANY positive happenings in that area, but all you chose to do is bring up something negative. T

ALTHOUGH HE DID BRING UP MEXICAN FOOD, NOTICE THAT HE NEVER ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASING VIBRANCY OF SOUTHWEST DETROIT SOLELY TO THE HISPANIC POPULATION.

There is no proof that the Mexican population of Detroit is DECREASING. The only hard data we have is the decade-to-decade U.S. Census. According to the U.S. Census, the Latino population in Detroit in 2010 was 49,000 [[6.8% of the population) and in 2000 the population was 47,000 [[5.0% of the population). That shows slow growth, stagnation at the worse, but not DECLINING.

http://censusviewer.com/city/MI/Detroit

**Junjie** · August-16-17, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

My favorite is the carne al pastor gorditas at the Nuestra Familia and if you have never been and decide to give it a try don't get the gringo beans, you want 'the whole beans'!

Love these types of posts. I'm coming back to MI for a reunion with friends in a few weeks and we'll be spending some time in Detroit - any other tips on specific places to visit, shop, or eat in this area?

**Eber Brock Ward** · August-17-17, 08:25 AM

It never gets the the love as the new trendy hot spot but is undeniably on a years long upward trajectory.

People who are priced out of Corktown, Midtown, and Woodbridge have been moving to Southwest for years. Houses in Hubbard Farms that went for $50-60k five years ago are now exceeding $200k, and in the stretch between Livernois and Grand Blvd, houses that once went for $10-40k are now often getting over $100k. Lots of hipster types moving down there, which helps explain the comment someone made above about the Hispanic population dwindling a bit [[thought it's still the dominant culture down there).

**EastsideAl** · August-17-17, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

By "upward" you mean "downward", right?

Mexicans have been leaving SW for Downriver, Taylor, Romulus and the like in increasing numbers, and the massive drop in Mexican immigration means no one is taking their place.

Have you been down there in recent years? As Eber Brock W. says, the area is actually growing, with housing prices going up and new stores and restaurants opening. The area may become somewhat less Hispanic-centric as the population dynamics shift somewhat, but southwest is doing pretty damn well at the moment.

**Honky Tonk** · August-17-17, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

The neighborhood with many names.

It never gets the the love as the new trendy hot spot but is undeniably on a years long upward trajectory.

I visit often for the authentic Mexican food, but
here one may find many of the ingredients that are often discussed on this forum as needed in Detroit.

It is as walkable as you could ask for with restraunts, bakeries, shops and stores, food trucks, busy gas stations that are as nice as anywhere, barbershops and salons, banks, a post office, a good grocery centrally located [[no pun intended) and the list just continues to grow.

Slowly but surely one by one buildings have been renovated and commercialized on a smaller scale with a plethora of services. Help wanted signs are common. The housing is improving with renovations and additions and rising property values.

My favorite is the carne al pastor gorditas at the Nuestra Familia and if you have never been and decide to give it a try don't get the gringo beans, you want 'the whole beans'!

What are your impressions and favorite places in this neighborhood?

I swear to God... All four are four different areas.

**hybridy** · August-17-17, 11:45 AM

-Vernor Highway provides a walkable streetwall backed up with intact neighborhoods. It also has an authentic identity [[Mexicantown) which urban planners can't replicate.

-In addition to both the DIFT + DRIC, SW Detroit has excellent proximity to the CBD - all generators of commerce.

-Future plans show BRT and Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter line having a stop/station here.

-Clark Park will have a greenway connecting to the rest of the city [[walk/bike). source

- Active community development groups

-SW Detroit is also very diverse [[Hispanic/white/black) in comparison to the rest of Detroit proper - and growing population.

All of these components make for a good long term bet.

**masterblaster** · August-17-17, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by hybridy

-SW Detroit is also very diverse [[Hispanic/white/black) in comparison to the rest of Detroit proper - and growing population.

All of these components make for a good long term bet.

In addition to the white/black/Hispanic population, sections of Southwest Detroit adjacent to Dearborn are seeing an increasing Middle Eastern population and influence. You see a lot of this in the McGraw Avenue corridor near I-94 and Lonyo. Also, McGraw recently got a Dominican Restaurant.

https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/r...nt?oid=4813828

**professorscott** · August-17-17, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by hybridy

-Vernor Highway provides a walkable streetwall backed up with intact neighborhoods. It also has an authentic identity [[Mexicantown) which urban planners can't replicate.

-In addition to both the DIFT + DRIC, SW Detroit has excellent proximity to the CBD - all generators of commerce.

-Future plans show BRT and Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter line having a stop/station here.

-Clark Park will have a greenway connecting to the rest of the city [[walk/bike). source

- Active community development groups

-SW Detroit is also very diverse [[Hispanic/white/black) in comparison to the rest of Detroit proper - and growing population.

All of these components make for a good long term bet.

All true about one of my favorite neighborhoods. In addition to that, I expect to see improved DDOT service through the community in the next year or so.

**softailrider** · August-17-17, 04:33 PM

My brother lives in Hubbard Farms, actually right on Hubbard Street, south of W.Vernor [[ I think that's south, I'm feeling a little confused ) near the Blvd. I try and not be Mr. Negative but, it's not exactly my idea of "living". Security cameras, a guard dog, guns in almost every room, who needs that? Want to take a walk at dusk or after dark? Strap on your .40 and hope for the best. As I previously asked, who needs that?

Yes I have seen some hipsters in the area that I didn't notice before. I'll bet when the hipsters have babies they don't stick around too long.

**professorscott** · August-17-17, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

My brother lives in Hubbard Farms, actually right on Hubbard Street, south of W.Vernor

I feel badly for your brother, if he thinks he needs that much hardware, but that's not the neighborhood we're talking about at all. It's a good bit farther east, and if you go even farther east, it gets even shadier. Get yourself over to the neighborhood we're talking about and walk around, the neighborhood west of the Fisher Freeway, from the Bumble Bee grocery and Mexican Village and going west from there almost all the way to the Dearborn city limits. Different planet from your brother's neighborhood.

**masterblaster** · August-18-17, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

I feel badly for your brother, if he thinks he needs that much hardware, but that's not the neighborhood we're talking about at all. It's a good bit farther east, and if you go even farther east, it gets even shadier. Get yourself over to the neighborhood we're talking about and walk around, the neighborhood west of the Fisher Freeway, from the Bumble Bee grocery and Mexican Village and going west from there almost all the way to the Dearborn city limits. Different planet from your brother's neighborhood.

No, your time away from Detroit has begun to fade your memory of the neighborhoods.

Hubbard Farms is right in the thick of things. It is a small residential district that is easily the most spectacular and desirable residential district in southwest Detroit. It is sandwiched between the 2-block long "Mexicantown" restaurant district and Vernor Highway where it really starts to take off west of Clark Park.

http://detroit1701.org/HubbardFarms.htm

http://opportunitydetroit.com/blog/n...hubbard-farms/

And the grocery store is called HONEY BEE, not BUMBLE BEE.

It is unfortunate though that the gentleman's brother has to implement such extensive security measures and is a reminder that Southwest still has large obstacles to overcome.

**professorscott** · August-18-17, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

No, your time away from Detroit has begun to fade your memory of the neighborhoods.

Sigh. I wish it was my time away from Detroit; unfortunately it's something else and much worse. But I'll keep kicking it as long as I can. Anyhow, thanks for the clarification. In all the time I spent in that neighborhood [[now, granted, I never lived there) I never felt like I was in a dangerous place.

**beanietek** · August-18-17, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

In addition to the white/black/Hispanic population, sections of Southwest Detroit adjacent to Dearborn are seeing an increasing Middle Eastern population and influence. You see a lot of this in the McGraw Avenue corridor near I-94 and Lonyo. Also, McGraw recently got a Dominican Restaurant.

https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/r...nt?oid=4813828

There are still Poles in that area - however many have raised families and moved out. A lot of Romanians moved in and kept up the neighborhoods along with the Dominicans. Also in the neighborhoods surrounding Abick's bar [[Michigan/Livernois) downtown professionals and young couples have moved into the area as housing is affordable and close to downtown.