Looking to move out of Ypsi to a newer up and coming city in the Metro Detroit area. Suggestions?
Best up and coming cities/neighborhoods in Metro Detroit?
DiscussionOak Park, Hazel Park, Clawson, Berkley - everyone who got priced out of Royal Oak is expanding outward.
Thanks. Would you say this is a family-friendly area with good schools where new businesses are opening?
Certainly family friendly (I have a 2 year old and there are a ton of young families around)! Quite a few new businesses are popping up on 11 Mile and 9 Mile (breweries, bars, bakeries, pizza places). The north side of Oak Park is in Berkley school district (good) and the east side is in Ferndale district (fair). The rest is in Oak Park district, which isn't great tbh.
Oak Park has done a lot of cool urban planning projects under the radar to make it more vibrant and walkable. Road diets, bike lanes, pocket parks, the Water Tower social district. It's worth checking out!
I'm so stoked about the breweries, bars, bakeries, and pizza places. We bought in that neighborhood in 2019 when those spots were mostly empty. First they did the road diet, bike lanes, and microparks along 9 Mile; now a bunch of trendy businesses are filling up the previously empty storefronts and the neighborhood is has a ton of momentum.
We've had some excellent restaurants for a while though, particularly Tai Fai, Buena Fe, and Ernies. Wings Garden also has killer garlic ribs.
And there's always Ferndale, which is a quick bike ride/nice drunk walk down the street.
Buena Fe
I love this place.
Pro Tip: I don't believe they're on the menu, but if you like pupusas you can order them with rice flour instead of the corn masa. Rice flour pupusas are the bomb, only drawback is they don't reheat well.
I am totally going to get this next time, thanks for the heads up!
They were a hidden gem even in El Salvador about 15 years ago, I can't believe they're popping up even here in Michigan now lol.
You’re looking for South Lyon. Not too far of a move for you. Absolutely up and coming. Great schools. Only going up from here. It is literally the SWestern most corner of Metro Detroit, but I work in Royal Oak and play in A2. Great access to non- Metro areas. Avoid Oak Park, Hazel Park all the parks. Old houses, bad sewers, old infrastructure, all the traffic. On second thought, should’ve never opened my mouth. Prank call!
Those prices have already skyrocketed.
Sup neighbor
Up and coming? Most small towns within Oakland County.
Hazel park
I second this! The 10&John R corridor is looking super nice these days.
Yup, moved between 9 and 10 mile and John R two years ago and love it here
Hazel Park, Oak Park, Clawson
South Lyon is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Michigan. It's going to be the next Novi
One of Metro Detroit's biggest issues summed up in a single sentence.
No please lol, I liked when we didn't have traffic
I love the South Lyon/Lyon Township area. Easy access to Oakland and Metro parks, not too far from Ann Arbor, and honestly not too far from Detroit. Right now the construction sucks, but it is temporary. There are really building a lot of housing in the area
Yeah it's definitely a good spot. Amount of subs that have gone up in the past few years is insane. I can't see the downtown getting built up nearly as big as Novi anytime soon but you never know
Yeah the amount of housing being built out here is crazy. It's a lot of younger individuals mid 30s around my age to start families. But honestly I don't see Novi as having a Downtown Proper in the same way a Birmingham, RO, or Ferndale has. All Novi really has is Fountain walk, Maybe Novi Rd & Grand River? Lyon Township is desperately trying to make the Milford Rd & Grand River intersection a walkable downtown area. I'm not sure if it's going to work. What I am most excited about is the new Library being built.
Wow i did not know they were trying to make that a walkable downtown area. Theyd have to do a lot of work there to make it an enjoyable place to walk around. Thats like trying to make gd river and wixom a downtown area lol.
Have not heard of the new library, will definitely check it out. Salem district library pretty sweet if they still got their mascot the gecko.
It won’t succeed as a walkable area. They really need to build a permanent Farmers Market/multi-use pavilion right downtown on the corner of Pontiac Trail & 10 Mile. Add some more destinations like downtown Milford and it’d be golden.
Yea the Library was a millage vote in 2022. It was the first election I got to vote as a resident of Lyon Township. The current one is pretty small, its pretty apparent that they have outgrown the space, there isn't really a hosting area for guests to come in and read books to kids etc. The location is pretty central to Lyon Township so I think that is ideal.
https://lyon.lib.mi.us/new-library-plans/
I think the thought process is that you have the Huron Bike/walking trail dumping out right into that shopping area where there is the Lowes, Walmart, and all. You also have the New Hudson Inn. Joanna's Bar, and Whole hearted Winery. The whole area behind those & behind the shopping center has potential to put in a "fountain Walk" type of atmosphere but it would require buying up a lot of property and a lot of development. I'm not saying I agree with it or even think it will work, I'm just saying what their thought process is. Plus don't forget about the MASSIVE subdivision of Lakeview (Technically bottom corner of Milford) and I believe they might develop a shopping area directly across from that subdivision. Overall there is this tradeoff between these cities/townships economically growing and the peacefulness of a more rural area. I like that it is more rural after moving from Clawson, but I also like to see the community growing, people investing in the community, Schools, Etc. time will tell what happens.. As I mentioned the consensus data shows that its one of the fastest growing parts of the state. Novi for the most part is full and for younger people to get into there its really difficult (My wife and I looked) South Lyon gets you access to Novi, Northville, & Milford with a ~top 95th percentile school in the state of Michigan while also giving you access to a lot of the recreational areas and Blakes apple orchard and cider mill, plus I'm on 3/4 or an acre vs only getting 1/3rd of an acre in Novi or Northville.
I would agree that it would be nice to see them connect the Huron trail to downtown Milford but I think you would have to eat into people's properties for that.
Lake Orion
It’s not that far!
😂 & it’s sooooo far
Yeah the Lake Orion / Oxford area is awesome for raising a family. Tons of parks, lakes and golfing too along with the good schools. There aren’t many places in the US that have all this while still being an affordable place to live.
Don't tell anyone.
Everyone already knows it’s so crowded on Lapeer out there lol
No kidding. Traffic is getting worse every year since we moved here.
L.O. is an odd mix of rural and affluent. I really noticed it in the school district during the pandemic, when the use of masks was a polarizing topic.
Southwest/Mexicantown but hopefully we don’t end up looking like the ugly parts of Corktown.
Mt Clemens is going to pop off in the next 10z15, I'd wager
Been saying this for 25 years, not sure it's going to happen
Born and raised in the area. This happens every 10 or 15 years…. Someone comes to town with investment money and a “better” plan. It always falls through. Nothing of substance can last long term in Mt. Clemens. The housing is poor, the neighborhoods for the most part are run down and the schools are way way under standard. Families won’t move there, bars and nightclubs seem to be the only things that stick around.
even the bars and nightclubs have been down for the last 20 years IMO. There used to be way more bars, nightclubs, and restaurants downtown in the 2000s. It use to be one of the big club/bar scenes when I was in high school/college. It was never my scene, but went there for local shows at Hayloft and Emerald Theater or Bdubs when it was new and the only one around the area. But on an average Friday or Saturday, the area was packed with people and bar hopping. We still go down there from time to time for 3 blind mice, new age noodles (who are closing and moving to a new location) and Mothers for food, but it's a shadow of its former self now.
All true. The last couple years the downtown area has put on concerts near the fountain which is pretty cool. It’s nice to head down on a summer night and have dinner and drinks and listen to the live music. It’s pretty lively. I hope they are putting them on again this summer.
I enjoy the Octopus Garden in the summer, nice to sit by the water and great beer selection.
Haven’t been there yet. Will get there this Summer. I’ve heard good things.
EASTPOINTE!!
Saint Clair Shores - very affordable , really nice area. Is on lake Saint Clair and has a nice downtown.
I was thinking this. Downtown, with their social district through the summer, Nautical Mile, new restaurants opening up. Taxes may be a little high, but there are a lot of community activities.
Property tax is high
People saying Hazel Park? There's nothing there.... Sure there are some businesses, and aside from like Mabel Gray's nothing that great or unique just crappy bars and food places in between depressing shuttered buildings and bland suburban nothingness. To get anything unique you have to leave HP and go to Ferndale.
There’s lots of new stuff opening up on John R. It’s gonna take time for sure but it’s definitely on an up swing.
Up and coming? Do all of you just have just extremely low standards for what constitutes a decent neighborhood? Driving down John R from like 9 mile to 11-12 mile is extraordinarily depressing.
Well Hazel Park ends at 10 mile. You don’t have to believe me, but it’s pretty undeniable that there’s a bunch of new businesses coming to HP. Who knows what it will look like in the next 10-15 years but I’m hopeful and clearly so are others
Not even sure if this is metro Detroit, but Brighton seems nice and businesses are opening often. Downtown just got renovated.
I’m curious what r/Michigan thinks of Brighton.
Born and raised in Brighton. It’s a great place to live but it’s getting way too overpopulated. Housing/renting is outrageous but I guess it’s like that everywhere these days. It’s becoming the new Novi.
I like their MJR. Where my wife and I go to watch movies.
Tuesdays are where it’s at! $5 tickets can’t beat it
Madison Heights?
New Center/Milwaukee Junction in the city
Oak Park, especially near the borders with Ferndale and Berkley.