Size of City of Detroit's work force...

[fryar]

Yeah, I'm with you on that. The not-so-new trend of people rediscovering the pleasures and stimulation of living in a city has not really hit SE Mich yet, at least as of 2 years ago. Royal Oak, and some other places, have cutesied up their walkable downtowns - which some people also like, FWIW - but none of the suburbs can hope to offer the diversity of options that potentially could exist in a dense, walkable corridor up Woodward from Hart Plaza out to Midtown. The trouble is just getting that ball rolling in the face of nonsensical obstacles, as discussed on this board. Meanwhile, the "brain drain" continues, and not only because of economic reasons.
The only advantage I see for me in this paradigm is that if I come back, I'll be way out ahead of the gentrification curve that would ultimately price my faux-bohemian though non-posh-hipster tuckus out. That, and the potential irony of the day, way off in the future, when erstwhile farmland is converted to suburban-style developments. Within the borders of a revitalized Detroit. At which time Danny's theory will have come full circle. :-P