[growdetroit]

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...

[MSM]

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.

[astrodust]

Municipal income taxes is one of those things I've never understood about the United States. If the city is highly desirable, like NYC, or even San Francisco, then sure, it might make sense. It does seem like quite an absurd premium for a city like Detroit.

[smurph]

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]

Ferndale, Royal Oak, Birmingham (anything on woodward north of Detroit) are great places to live/work

[geogra4]

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!

[growdetroit]

This is just not correct -- plenty of white collar jobs in Royal Oak. There are an abundance of creative/web design shops within downtown Royal Oak area itself.

[BallinBige]

not true at all... Just last week I saw a sign for WambaTech being put up in downtown Royal Oak - http://www.wambatech.com

[mgkimsal]

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).

[tlb]

Municipal taxes pay for police. You can't simultaneously propose to eliminate tax and decrease crime.

[MSM]

It's true that my living in Detroit will help provide the police with more money, which may in turn make more people in the city, which may bolster the police even more... etc. However, I think it's quite a gamble. What if I buy property and the area does not improve? Who will buy it off me if things maintain or go south further?

All of the "nicer" areas that I mentioned in my previous post have very low crime rates and no municipal tax. To add to the previous issues I had, Detroit is poorly run. There have been quite a few cases of corruption of city officials.

It's just another thing that needs to be wrangled in.

[mgkimsal]

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.

[numo16]

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]

I worked with people at a company in Lansing (TechSmith) that worked at Quicken Loans. They were NOT disappointed with their move.

[growdetroit]

I've heard both sides of the argument.

[mgkimsal]

For me it was mixed, but it was 8 years ago. [e-mail] if you want more details - not comfortable posting publicly.

[growdetroit]

Upvoted :) You nailed it, couldn't agree more.