4 ms·

Agreed, but you're missing an important point. An influx of workers who move into the community will ultimately yield an increase in grocery stores and amenitie

Agreed, but you're missing an important point. An influx of workers who move into the community will ultimately yield an increase in grocery stores and amenities. Companies like Quicken (mentioned in the article) provide significant incentives to get their 4k+ employees to relocate downtown. And it's working...

mgkimsal 14y ago
i've worked at quickenloans, have lived in the metro detroit area, and have worked in downtown detroit. It needs more lifestyle infrastructure than one or two companies can provide incentives for. The state needs to take over the city, incent multiple neighborhood businesses (grocery stores, shopping malls, etc) to be relocating within a moderate radius of the downtown area, and incent families to move there (tax breaks, land redistribution, etc). Pull eminent domain on dozens of square miles of abandoned houses, relocate people if necessary, etc. Businesses grow around people, but people have way too many choices as to where to live. If Detroit is going to even moderately survive again, drastic action needs to be taken on multiple fronts - legal/govt, individuals and private businesses. I applaud the steps QL and others have taken, but it tends to be not enough - Compuware 15(?) years ago moved there and it didn't do much, for example.
- growdetroit 14y ago
  Upvoted :) You nailed it, couldn't agree more.
- numo16 14y ago
  How is the dev life over at QL? They keep calling and trying to get me to come in for an interview, but I haven't had the time to really consider it having just gotten in at ciber in Southfield a few months back.
  - RandallBrown 14y ago
    I worked with people at a company in Lansing (TechSmith) that worked at Quicken Loans. They were NOT disappointed with their move.
    - growdetroit 14y ago
      I've heard both sides of the argument.
  - mgkimsal 14y ago
    For me it was mixed, but it was 8 years ago. mgkimsal@gmail.com if you want more details - not comfortable posting publicly.
MSM 14y ago
I also have worked for QL, and there are actually very few of the workers that live downtown. Most commute from the 'burbs. I considered it and did a lot of research and here were my thoughts: -The income tax needs to go. 2.5% to live in a city with pretty bad crime and no amenities? No thanks. -Car insurance is through the roof. If you park on the street it's assumed your car will get broken into occasionally. -I don't feel entirely safe. If I were to walk home from a bar at 2:30am I would be concerned. 20 miles away in any direction and I wouldn't think twice about it (I'm a young guy and I will not drink and drive, so this is a legitimate issue) -It's actually quite expensive considering the above. A "nice" apartment in a decent part of downtown will cost $1k+/mo. Go to Plymouth, Northville, Royal Oak (high demand, up-scale areas nearby), and you'll be able to get a reasonable apartment for this same price, sans all the above issues. I really hope it turns around, but my realistic side is a little worried.
- mgkimsal 14y ago
  You could probably get a decent apartment for at least 20% less plus not as much crime, plus more amenities around town (whether walking or driving).
- smurph 14y ago
  All good points. I sometimes think it would make more sense for companies to skip Detroit and just open an office in Royal Oak or Ferndale. I would work there in a heartbeat.
  - BallinBige 14y ago
    Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham (anything on woodward north of Detroit) are great places to live/work
    - geogra4 14y ago
      Ferndale and Royal Oak don't really have white collar office jobs. At any rate. The state of Detroit is extremely Depressing. It's the region's major city!

mgkimsal 14y ago

i've worked at quickenloans, have lived in the metro detroit area, and have worked in downtown detroit. It needs more lifestyle infrastructure than one or two companies can provide incentives for. The state needs to take over the city, incent multiple neighborhood businesses (grocery stores, shopping malls, etc) to be relocating within a moderate radius of the downtown area, and incent families to move there (tax breaks, land redistribution, etc). Pull eminent domain on dozens of square miles of abandoned houses, relocate people if necessary, etc. Businesses grow around people, but people have way too many choices as to where to live. If Detroit is going to even moderately survive again, drastic action needs to be taken on multiple fronts - legal/govt, individuals and private businesses. I applaud the steps QL and others have taken, but it tends to be not enough - Compuware 15(?) years ago moved there and it didn't do much, for example.

growdetroit 14y ago
Upvoted :) You nailed it, couldn't agree more.
numo16 14y ago
How is the dev life over at QL? They keep calling and trying to get me to come in for an interview, but I haven't had the time to really consider it having just gotten in at ciber in Southfield a few months back.
- RandallBrown 14y ago
  I worked with people at a company in Lansing (TechSmith) that worked at Quicken Loans. They were NOT disappointed with their move.
  - growdetroit 14y ago
    I've heard both sides of the argument.
- mgkimsal 14y ago
  For me it was mixed, but it was 8 years ago. mgkimsal@gmail.com if you want more details - not comfortable posting publicly.

MSM 14y ago

I also have worked for QL, and there are actually very few of the workers that live downtown. Most commute from the 'burbs. I considered it and did a lot of research and here were my thoughts: -The income tax needs to go. 2.5% to live in a city with pretty bad crime and no amenities? No thanks. -Car insurance is through the roof. If you park on the street it's assumed your car will get broken into occasionally. -I don't feel entirely safe. If I were to walk home from a bar at 2:30am I would be concerned. 20 miles away in any direction and I wouldn't think twice about it (I'm a young guy and I will not drink and drive, so this is a legitimate issue) -It's actually quite expensive considering the above. A "nice" apartment in a decent part of downtown will cost $1k+/mo. Go to Plymouth, Northville, Royal Oak (high demand, up-scale areas nearby), and you'll be able to get a reasonable apartment for this same price, sans all the above issues. I really hope it turns around, but my realistic side is a little worried.

mgkimsal 14y ago
You could probably get a decent apartment for at least 20% less plus not as much crime, plus more amenities around town (whether walking or driving).
smurph 14y ago
All good points. I sometimes think it would make more sense for companies to skip Detroit and just open an office in Royal Oak or Ferndale. I would work there in a heartbeat.
- BallinBige 14y ago
  Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham (anything on woodward north of Detroit) are great places to live/work
  - geogra4 14y ago
    Ferndale and Royal Oak don't really have white collar office jobs. At any rate. The state of Detroit is extremely Depressing. It's the region's major city!