Live Midtown - New incentives to draw residents to Midtown

**justanotherboy** · January-13-11, 09:58 AM

Provost Ron Brown announced at the Jan. 12 Academic Senate meeting a new program called Live Midtown created to draw more people to reside in the area.
At the meeting, Brown listed some of the perks of the program, which will be officially announced Jan. 13.

The program is geared toward those working at Wayne State, the Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Hospital by providing $20,000 to $25,000 in forgivable loans to those looking to purchase a home in Midtown, Brown said. For renters, the program will provide $2,500 allowance in the first year and $1,000 the second year, he said.

http://http://www.thesouthend.wayne....nts_to_midtown

**Alley_Cat** · January-13-11, 10:48 AM

For some reason I wasn't able to get to that page. Try this one......
http://thesouthend.wayne.edu/index.php/article/2011/01/new_incentives_to_draw_residents_to_midtown

**Alley_Cat** · January-13-11, 10:51 AM

The UCCA is now commenting on the program............
http://www.freep.com/article/2011011...s-to-employees

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · January-13-11, 02:56 PM

This seems like a wonderful idea. A nice incentive for people who already have a vested interest in the area to move into it. Or stay there.

**stromberg2** · January-13-11, 03:10 PM

Is this for anyone or just the above listed employers?

Stromberg2

**NorthofNormal** · January-13-11, 03:12 PM

Stromberg, it looks like it's just for employees of those companies, alas.

**stromberg2** · January-13-11, 03:13 PM

Yeah, I just read the article...that's too bad.

Stromberg2

**esp1986** · January-13-11, 03:42 PM

With the Kresge and Hudson-Webber foundations taking a part, I wouldn't be shocked to see something like this in the downtown area... this is just the type of thing that Dan Gilbert would have his name written all over...

**rbdetsport** · January-13-11, 04:25 PM

This is a great plan to help move Midtown forward and to keep becoming the greatest asset that Detroit has. But I have one concern, why the hell is Mack/MLK the southern border of these incentives? Why was Cass Corridor and Brush Park not a part of these incentives? In my eyes, these are the areas that need the most help and will connect the vibrancy of downtown and the cultural center.

**canuck** · January-13-11, 07:53 PM

This is good news, a definitely refreshing outlook. This coupled with both institutions helping to foster small businesses in the area would certainly go a long way in attracting residents.

**fryar** · January-13-11, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by esp1986

With the Kresge and Hudson-Webber foundations taking a part, I wouldn't be shocked to see something like this in the downtown area... this is just the type of thing that Dan Gilbert would have his name written all over...

Crossing my fingers they hurry up and get to it - and don't tie it to employer support. Hey, a guy can dream...

**rhythmc** · January-13-11, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by rbdetsport

This is a great plan to help move Midtown forward and to keep becoming the greatest asset that Detroit has. But I have one concern, why the hell is Mack/MLK the southern border of these incentives? Why was Cass Corridor and Brush Park not a part of these incentives? In my eyes, these are the areas that need the most help and will connect the vibrancy of downtown and the cultural center.

I think the incentive is a great idea. Unfortunately, the program has to start with a limited area. I'm sure they understand that Cass Corridor and Brush Park need the most help and to me, that would be the very reason they should stick with their plan. The area that they are incentivizing also has a great deal of private investment and can succeed immediately in drawing new residents with less of a "frontier" feel than Cass Corridor and Brush Park. If the program is successful, they will have created another hub upon which the city's population of educated professionals can grow.

**mwilbert** · January-13-11, 09:53 PM

This is just a guess, but aside from targetting the incentives to a limited area, if you get off Woodward more than a block or two south of Mack you don't have a lot of housing except for what I think is a low-rise project, and there are only a few blocks between Mack and the freeway anyway. I guess it means people who want to live on 4th are out of luck though.

I was somewhat surprised that they extended the zone as far to the northeast as they did--I understand including Virginia Park, but on the other side of Woodward the houses start to thin out a lot. On the other hand, that is a convenient area to provide services to, so encouraging people to live there is fine with me.

**p1acebo** · January-13-11, 10:12 PM

Did it say anything about it applying to students in the area?

**English** · January-13-11, 11:21 PM

Both my secretary AND the girl who does my hair sent this information to me. Very exciting; I am tempted!

**English** · January-13-11, 11:35 PM

Actually, after reading the site, I'm more than tempted. I was seriously considering moving to Lafayette Park or one of the riverfront communities, because of security. Family and friends are very concerned about my safety as a single woman in Midtown... even though I lived there for four years, they believe the city's less safe than 10 years ago.

I see this as a call to action. This is a huge deal. It amounts to $200 cash *per month* towards your rent for the first year and $100 during the second... and a $20-$25K forgivable loan if you become a homeowner. I did the math, and along with other incentives, by the spring, I could have the place I want.

I value my city and my job [[which happens to also be my alma mater). I've been wavering back and forth, but I think it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is. I am a little nervous about moving back, because there are so many naysayers in my real -- offline -- world, but in my department several other professors live in the city. Maybe this is quixotic, but I think I'm going to look into this.

And if even a fraction of the employees of these institutions follow suit, hopefully it will have a ripple effect. Perhaps there will be private philanthropists who will match funds, or one of us can write a grant to give working artists and musicians some incentives for moving in...

We hope for better things.

**canuck** · January-13-11, 11:46 PM

This could be an incubator for other types of projects where institutions and businesses can use their leverage capabilities in attracting resident workers. Quicken Loans is especially well situated to fund this sort of thing in the CBD. I hope this idea makes little replicas of itself.

DetroitDad · January-13-11, 11:56 PM

Very nice! Given that I work for one of the mentioned institutional areas, I will very likely be taking advantage of this, and moving from the CBD.

**Richard** · January-14-11, 12:38 AM

This is a very nice step hopefully the next one will be the city implementing the $1 home sales of city owned tax properties as other cities have in the past.

**R8RBOB** · January-14-11, 08:22 AM

First off, L. Brooks isn't going to take kindly these institutions taking his residents out of OC....LOL

As for the paying workers to relocate to Detroit's Midtown well I don't anything wrong with it. Companies have always paid for relocation so this is no different. In order to repopulate Detroit, incentives will be needed to get people to want to live in Detroit.

**DetLiving** · January-14-11, 08:53 AM

Someone needs to let "them" know that Brush Park is part of Mid-Town. Why was Brush Park left out the area?

**Zacha341** · January-14-11, 08:59 AM

This is good news. Perhaps something incentives south of the berlin wall [[Euclid)...

**casscorridor** · January-14-11, 09:14 AM

Yeah it is dumb to not include Brush Park and Cass Park. You can walk to DMC from there. DMC facilities are directly across the street from the start of Brush Park. Yet they include somde questionable areas like the prairies next to Rosa Parks north of I-94. Not against including that area but I am if its a choice between it and Brush Park. The zone between Downtown and the developing section of Midtown is absolutely essential. It desperately needs new residents and investment.

**esp1986** · January-14-11, 09:29 AM

For the record, Quicken and their family of companies has increased pay, albeit marginally, for anyone who lives in the city, to compensate for taxes and all, but this is a substantially better deal, hope to see more companies in the Downtown and Midtown areas joining this trend.

bartock · January-14-11, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by DetLiving

Someone needs to let "them" know that Brush Park is part of Mid-Town. Why was Brush Park left out the area?

I wonder if empowerment zones have something to do with it? Not sure where the boundaries of those are.

Federal and local zoning incentives aside, I think it is great that private money is paying for the main incentives to have people live in an area near their institutions.

I am sure that loose paralells can be drawn between this and some of the corporate and suburban sprawl of the 60s, 70s, 80s, but I do wonder if, for example, GM did something similar to curb the exodus from a city like Warren, it would be met with venom on these boards.