Grand River & Greenfield (Detroit, Redford: for sale, foreclosures, homes)

[paulmcall]

Man, The Great Lakes Theatre was an early casualty when the neighborhood hit the skids.
The Norwest bit the dust a few years ago. The old Montgomery Wards and Federals buildings are still standing like tombstones over the area.
With St. Mary of Redford schools shut down, I shutter to think how much lower the place can go.
Only Rosedale Park seems to be holding up and you have to wonder how much longer they can last.

[doctorofenglish]

I had two cousins who grew up in Rosedale Park (graduated from Redford High in 1959 and 1962) and their parents lived there until 1984, I remember visiting them and all of the beautiful brick homes with equally beautiful yards. The residents had such a pride in their neighborhood. What has happened to this once beautiful city, and people forget that this was at one time the 4th largest in the US, is a shame. We all know that times have changed; the automobile industry is suffering, the school district is inept and has had poor administrations for over 30 years, businesses have left the city, the people have elected city officials who only cared about themselves and the residents who do care get little or no help. This should be the showplace of Michigan but it is the laughingstock of the country. Don't believe it? Just travel around the country and asked them what they think about Detroit. It is sad to hear what they say.

[scolls]

Originally Posted by doctorofenglish

I had two cousins who grew up in Rosedale Park (graduated from Redford High in 1959 and 1962) and their parents lived there until 1984, I remember visiting them and all of the beautiful brick homes with equally beautiful yards. The residents had such a pride in their neighborhood. What has happened to this once beautiful city, and people forget that this was at one time the 4th largest in the US, is a shame. We all know that times have changed; the automobile industry is suffering, the school district is inept and has had poor administrations for over 30 years, businesses have left the city, the people have elected city officials who only cared about themselves and the residents who do care get little or no help. This should be the showplace of Michigan but it is the laughingstock of the country. Don't believe it? Just travel around the country and asked them what they think about Detroit. It is sad to hear what they say.

This problem isn't exclusive to Detroit. It's a fundamental change in society. Detroit has taken it harder than other cities. Look at comparable cities to Detroit in the 50's. Chicago has lost close to a million people. Chicago has a lot of abandoned buildings. Chicago also has a lot of crime. Chicago's schools are also dangerous and not exactly great. Difference between Chicago and Detroit is Chicago has experienced gentrification and has a diverse economy. It also has continued to develop it's infrastructure. This has kept Chicago a world class city instead of like Detroit where it went from world class to 3rd world. Philadelphia has lost about 700k in population and has seen abandonment and wide spread crime along with subpar schools. These problems are not exclusive to Detroit. Cleveland, St Louis, Minneapolis etc have experienced the exact same things you mentioned. Difference is for most of them they have found ways to remain viable cities.

I was intrigued by this thread and drove by the area. I'm not familiar with the west side. Grew up on the east side so I didn't know much about this area. I toured Rosedale and over by 8 Mile and Telegraph. Not as bad as I was thinking. It's still salvageable. Not as bad as the eastside in terms of blight. The area by Telegraph was interesting. Didn't remind me of Detroit. Looked like a northern Warren or southern Sterling Heights in terms of housing architecture.

[paulmcall]

Most of Rosedale looks pretty good.
Area down from there toward Grand River and Greenfield has a fair amount of boarded up houses.
It gets worse when you pass Greenfield going east.
Anyone have old photos of the neighborhood?
I have posted most of what we have.
One more of Mother of Our Savior (which was about a mile and a half south of Grand River and Greenfield)
on Greenfield and Tyler before you hit the Jefferies.

[paulmcall]

MOS here.

[doctorofenglish]

Originally Posted by scolls

This problem isn't exclusive to Detroit. It's a fundamental change in society. Detroit has taken it harder than other cities. Look at comparable cities to Detroit in the 50's. Chicago has lost close to a million people. Chicago has a lot of abandoned buildings. Chicago also has a lot of crime. Chicago's schools are also dangerous and not exactly great. Difference between Chicago and Detroit is Chicago has experienced gentrification and has a diverse economy. It also has continued to develop it's infrastructure. This has kept Chicago a world class city instead of like Detroit where it went from world class to 3rd world. Philadelphia has lost about 700k in population and has seen abandonment and wide spread crime along with subpar schools. These problems are not exclusive to Detroit. Cleveland, St Louis, Minneapolis etc have experienced the exact same things you mentioned. Difference is for most of them they have found ways to remain viable cities.

I was intrigued by this thread and drove by the area. I'm not familiar with the west side. Grew up on the east side so I didn't know much about this area. I toured Rosedale and over by 8 Mile and Telegraph. Not as bad as I was thinking. It's still salvageable. Not as bad as the eastside in terms of blight. The area by Telegraph was interesting. Didn't remind me of Detroit. Looked like a northern Warren or southern Sterling Heights in terms of housing architecture.

I know what you are saying. I travel frequently to California and see what has happened to Los Angeles that isn't reported. We, you and me, are closer to Detroit so that interests us more. Detroit has created alot of their problems such as electing officials that don't care or give the opinion that they don't care, allowing an incompetent school board run these once fine schools into the ground and failing to diversify the economy until it was too late.

[scolls]

Originally Posted by doctorofenglish

I know what you are saying. I travel frequently to California and see what has happened to Los Angeles that isn't reported. We, you and me, are closer to Detroit so that interests us more. Detroit has created alot of their problems such as electing officials that don't care or give the opinion that they don't care, allowing an incompetent school board run these once fine schools into the ground and failing to diversify the economy until it was too late.

I feel Bing is a good mayor but I'm wondering how long the Detroiters will give him. Coleman Young took years to destroy Detroit. It's always quicker and easier to ruin something than to improve it. Detroiters ran out Dennis Archer who was a breath of fresh air.

I hate when people blame schools for the kids failing. A lot of these kids come from single parent families. They have numerous siblings, their single parent has a drug problem, low income, asked to help raised younger sibling, no parental guidance etc. I guarantee if you take these kids at random and run them through Grosse Pointe schools, the kids scores would be lower than the kids from Grosse Pointe. Teachers can only do so much. The root of the problems lie at home.

[paulmcall]

The old Likers Hamburger joint still is standing on Greenfield and Acacia across from the old Federal's parking lot. I had many a burger there especially after delivering my newspapers in the mid 60's.

[John Day]

Spent many-a-day at Grand River and greenfield stores. I grew up at Puritan and Southfield but a very good friend, Steve Robertson and I rode our skateboards to those stores daily durning the summer to hang out. I loved it there in Detroit and the schools which were old but that's what made Detroit different and fun to live there. Now there are are not many schools left since they have closed them all down and the country is slowly over taking the city as it once did in the Henry Ford era.

[313Weather]

7 Mile & Gratiot was basically its identical twin.

Cunninghams was where the McDonalds is now,
Fretter Appliances was at the corner of Maddelein & Gratiot (a pharmacy is there now)
Montgomery Wards was at the SW corner of Lappin & Gratiot (became a Shoppers World for some time after Montgomery Wards closed)
Woolworth's I believe was closer to 7 Mile and Gratiot on the westside
Sanders Ice Cream was at the corner of Gratiot and Pfent (building still stands vacant)

There was also a Federals, Winklemans, Hughes, & Hatcher, etc. in there too.

Whoever decided to destroy it (including the absolutely gorgeous Montgomery Wards building) for that suburban cluster**** there now needs to be thrown under the jail IMO.