Colorado to Michigan (Detroit, Warren, Sterling Heights: theater, school districts, tax)

[GoBlueA2]

Originally Posted by craig11152

Coincidentally since this thread started my wife went to work for the U a couple months ago. But she isn't on campus. Her office is out Plymouth Road in front of Domino Farms.

SMART MOVE! If I had it to do over again, that is the only way I would work for the U...not working on central campus or the main hospital. Congrats to her!
(Due to health reasons, I just upgraded to a closer parking spot...$1809.00 for this year.)

[MZMpac]

I will be on central campus but have dedicated staff parking. I heard parking on campus is outrageous otherwise.

Any general thoughts/advice on working for the U? I will be medical staff, but not part of Michigan Med. Central campus.

[GoBlueA2]

Originally Posted by MZMpac

I will be on central campus but have dedicated staff parking. I heard parking on campus is outrageous otherwise.

Any general thoughts/advice on working for the U? I will be medical staff, but not part of Michigan Med. Central campus.

See if you can adjust your work schedule so that you are not hitting the worst of rush hours.

As for lunch spots, there is a significant pricing difference between student cafeterias, medical facility cafeterias, and restaurants within walking distance of my office. I've found the med cafeterias more affordable. Medical center vending and food service does not sell regular pop any more, it's all diet. The rest of campus sells regular still. (Many disgruntled staff when it was initiated.)

As for the U itself, it's so large and fragmented, there isn't a typical experience. I hope that yours is a good one though! Enjoy campus and all of its offerings.

[Coldjensens]

Call in sick on Game days

[craig11152]

While game days do present some issues I think, having lived here since 1984, its not as dire as some might think.
During the game one can drive about town with ease.
About two hours before the game certain main roads coming off the freeways get busy.... Washtenaw, Main, Jackson, State, Ann Arbor Saline and to a lesser degree Plymouth Rd heading toward the stadium.

Other than that driving around is pretty easy as long as you avoid going toward the stadium until an hour before game time then some side streets get busy too as panicked late comers start looking for shortcuts.
After the game for an hour the same main roads toward freeways are busy again.
Other than that just don't try to eat in a restaurant near downtown or near a freeway heading out of town after a game.
Example: in my part of town after a game if you wanted to go to Chili's in Arborland, right next to US-23 it will be a 45-75 minute wait. But go 12 blocks to Carpenter Road and the Red Robin or Apple-bees, won't have much of a post game crowd.
If my wife and I want a beer and burger after a game its usually Banfields on Packard or we head to Ypsilanti where they don't "suffer" a post game crowd. I live on the SE side but I'm sure folks on the west side would say similar things. You learn how to get around on game day.

[xfactor85]

I lived in both places. Here are my thoughts.

1) What do you foresee as negative points of the transition?

The weather is a lot worse in Michigan. The winters aren't just snowy but they are extremely grey compared to Colorado. The sun doesn't melt the snow in 2 days here like in CO. Get ready to see snow all winter long. While Colorado will have 1-2 days where it is just bone chilling cold -20F, most days in the winter are a lot warmer (like 10 degrees) than Michigan. The summers are a bit warmer in Colorado, but the humidity is much lower. In Denver you get those days where it is 65 in January and Feb. Those days are much less common in Michigan.

While Detroit is improving, there is a lot more growth in jobs in Denver as compared to Detroit. It is likely that you will be able to find better jobs in Michigan in the long run. There will probably be more job growth in Denver. Housing will also likely appreciate faster in Colorado as compared to Michigan.

I think it is easier to make friends in Denver as compared to metro Detroit. There arent a ton of people that aren't from Michigan who choose to live in Michigan. It may be difficult to break into new friends circles if you don't know their friends or have some other HS or college connection. In interviews, it is common to ask which HS did you go to and if you knew so and so teacher at that HS. There are a lot more transplants in Denver.

The farm to table and trendy food/ bar scene in Denver is much better than Detroit. There are a lot more trendy restaurants in Denver as compared to metro Detroit. However the ethnic cousine is a little better in metro Detroit.

People are a lot more outdoorsy in Denver as compared to Detroit. People love going up north, but they just go to sit around and do nothing. Many more people hike, rock climb, mountain bike in Denver than Detroit. Also the skiing you can't even compare. You woulnd't even want to ski in Michigan. It is horrendous here, which sucks considering how much snow we get. You probably wouldn't even call it skiing!



2) Positives? I thought lower population density, great fishing and hunting, and of course lower COL.

The upside is that since there is a lot of snow and it stays on the ground, people are much better about salting the roads, sidewalks, and plowing right after snow.

It is cheap. Colorado isn't super expensive compared to CA or WA, but michigan is super cheap.

It is nice to be able to use the lakes for the few months that it isn't too cold.

Metro Detroit is much more diverse as compared to metro Denver. If you are a minority, you may feel more at home, particularly if you are middle eastern. The Asian food in metro Denver is atrocious. The mexican food is slightly better in Denver. In metro Detroit, I was often the only Asian in the room, but in Denver, I am often the only minority in the room.

[MZMpac]

Thanks for the reply, but we will be nowhere near metro Detroit, so these comparisons arent too pertinent.

I expect some of the changes you mentioned---less active population, snowier winters, more of a quiescent economy compared to Denver.

Denver isnt all that, IMO. It's slowly but surely being ruined by population growth and inflation. Legalization has brought thousands of the types of people you'd expect legalization would bring. Real estate is already equivocal to certain areas of WA and CA.

[Middy Matthews]

I want to put a plug in for Chelsea. I think that's the next up and coming area. It's all water and adjoined lakes. They are building up the DTE bike trail system, there's nothing but sporting biking, hiking, boating and everything in between. They have a brewery and Jiffy!

Are you moving here to work? Got to live in proximity of anything? That will drive your decisions. As far as education in your city, you'll need Ann Arbor for that. The theater and Arts here are just wonderful, right down to Shakespeare in the park (delightful way to spend an evening chasing the show from scene to scene in the Arb) and the bike community is huge, sports in general. If you're concerned that we are young, we are not. It's a sophisticated community with every person fully participating. Joyous.

[MZMpac]

We really liked the Chelsea and Dexter areas, but we are only looking at acreages. Places with in 30-40 minutes of Ann Arbor as that's where I will work. I'm not a city guy. Been in big cities for too long---I dont want to see my neighbors! We are working with an agent we know well.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by MZMpac

Thanks for the reply, but we will be nowhere near metro Detroit, so these comparisons arent too pertinent.

Someone pleez explain that they ARE in metro Detroit.