A couple of questions about Birmingham (Detroit, Dearborn: houses, neighborhoods, construction)

[trevor0101]

So, I have two practical questions about Birmingham, particularly about driveways. Would love for some friendly Michiganders to offer some insights.

1. How do people park two cars (say, a medium sedan, and a crossover) in garages like this?

2. Given the above type of garage, how does snow removal work?

[djmilf]

Ah, the Birmingham Big Foot House!

This particular specimen is located in the south east section of the city, and is one of the last locations where there are still pre-war 850 square foot two bedroom one bath houses built originally for the working man's family of the 1920's and 1930's. Investors pay for the land, $300K a small lot, tear down the worn down, poorly maintained ramshackle house, and put up a $1.2 million 2,600 square foot four bedroom, 4 bath monstrosity that simply dominates the lot...and overshadows the neighbor's yards. Birmingham has been one of the most desirable suburbs of Detroit since the 1980's, with a highly rated school system and a premier downtown district.

The house in question is a tear down / new build, and the garage and driveway footprint were retained from the original house. It may look tight, but for over a century the owners of said lot have been able to navigate the 10 or 12 foot wide driveway between the houses to reach the two car garage in the back of the lot. In the second photo, note the adjoining old construction that boasts nearly the same driveway/garage footprint.

As for snow removal, it's a $1.2 million house in Birmingham. The owner probably will hire a snow removal service. If said owner has a degree of self-sufficiency, then a heavy-duty snow blower gets the job done. Prior to gentrification, the working man shoveled the snow by hand, or sent his son out to perform said task.

I know this area. In the 1930's, my grandfather rented for 10 years in this neighborhood, six blocks north and one block west. My father spent the first 10 years of his life there.

[DTWflyer]

djmilf - good synopsis of the big foot homes.

I had a driveway set-up similar to that when living in Royal Oak. Granted it was a 1000 sq ft bungalow, not a big foot, but a similar width lot with the driveway up again the side of the house and an angle into a two car detached garage.

My wife and I have used cars that we honestly didn't care if they were garaged or not. (Wife had a mid-size Sedan, I drove an SUV). On most days since we were coming and going we rarely pulled them both all the way into the garage just simply for the hassle of backing and and stuff. Would sometimes leave one on the street. We pulled them in the garage if it was going to snow or if we were leaving on vacation or something. I also used half the garage as a workshop area so we usually could only pull one car in anyways.

Also FWIW, I am pretty sure the house to the left in the aerial photo, actually as an "underground" garage if its the house I am thinking of. I lived just on the other side of 14 Mile from this part of Birmingham and use to run/bike down that street often. And another fun fact, when Drew Stanton played for the Lions he was living in one of the new build big-foots in that neighborhood.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

I had a driveway set-up similar to that when living in Royal Oak. Granted it was a 1000 sq ft bungalow, not a big foot, but a similar width lot with the driveway up again the side of the house and an angle into a two car detached garage.

My wife and I have used cars that we honestly didn't care if they were garaged or not. (Wife had a mid-size Sedan, I drove an SUV). On most days since we were coming and going we rarely pulled them both all the way into the garage just simply for the hassle of backing and and stuff.

Hah. Same, with the exception that my cars were new (when I still worked for Ford), but I couldn't be arsed to pull them into the tiny cramped garage. Fun fact, the one night I actually did, heavy winds showed up unannounced and blew a heavy metal awning from the neighbor's yard right where my brand new Focus ST was parked. I'm not a religious man, but even I said a quick one that morning. I did like living there, though. Less than a 15 minute walk away from Downtown, 20 to the gym and the zoo. Too bad the actual house was a total POS.

Unsurprisingly, less than a year after I moved, it was sold, torn down and wouldn't you know it...

[trevor0101]

Originally Posted by djmilf

Ah, the Birmingham Big Foot House!

That's hilarious that there is actually a name for these!

Originally Posted by djmilf

This particular specimen is located in the south east section of the city, and is one of the last locations where there are still pre-war 850 square foot two bedroom one bath houses built originally for the working man's family of the 1920's and 1930's. Investors pay for the land, $300K a small lot, tear down the worn down, poorly maintained ramshackle house, and put up a $1.2 million 2,600 square foot four bedroom, 4 bath monstrosity that simply dominates the lot...and overshadows the neighbor's yards. Birmingham has been one of the most desirable suburbs of Detroit since the 1980's, with a highly rated school system and a premier downtown district.

It seems that way, yes. I noticed that the most costly areas seem to be directly south of Birmingham, on the West side of Woodward. The cheaper areas seem to all be on the East side.

Originally Posted by djmilf

The house in question is a tear down / new build, and the garage and driveway footprint were retained from the original house. It may look tight, but for over a century the owners of said lot have been able to navigate the 10 or 12 foot wide driveway between the houses to reach the two car garage in the back of the lot. In the second photo, note the adjoining old construction that boasts nearly the same driveway/garage footprint.

This makes sense, I think I'm just thinking about the mechanics of this! Seems goofy, I know. I am used to having either a front facing garage, or a side garage with quite a bit of turnaround room. If looking at the house from the street, I'm picturing the crossover / larger vehicle on the left, and the smaller vehicle (say a small sedan) on the right. I cannot quite picture how the smaller vehicle would pull out, or even in without hitting the house.

Originally Posted by djmilf

As for snow removal, it's a $1.2 million house in Birmingham. The owner probably will hire a snow removal service. If said owner has a degree of self-sufficiency, then a heavy-duty snow blower gets the job done. Prior to gentrification, the working man shoveled the snow by hand, or sent his son out to perform said task.

Totally get that, I think the thing I'm wondering is where the snow goes. It seems that in that house in question, it would be thrown up against the neighbor's house on the left assuming we're looking at the house from the street? Feels like that could cause a basement leak?

Originally Posted by djmilf

I know this area. In the 1930's, my grandfather rented for 10 years in this neighborhood, six blocks north and one block west. My father spent the first 10 years of his life there.

Very cool, and it's wild to think that way. My family has been fairly mobile since they left the "old country".

[djmilf]

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

I had a driveway set-up similar to that when living in Royal Oak. Granted it was a 1000 sq ft bungalow, not a big foot, but a similar width lot with the driveway up again the side of the house and an angle into a two car detached garage.

One of the advantages of living in my corner lot house - the garage faces the side street and pulling cars in and out is very easy.

Also FWIW, I am pretty sure the house to the left in the aerial photo, actually as an "underground" garage if its the house I am thinking of.

That corner house is at Tory Street and Bennaville Avenue. Google Maps shows that the corner house has a ground level garage, but the second story of the house extends over it.

[djmilf]

Originally Posted by trevor0101

I noticed that the most costly areas seem to be directly south of Birmingham, on the West side of Woodward. The cheaper areas seem to all be on the East side.

The expensive areas are the ones close to downtown and west of Woodward. The Bigfoot House effect is most pronounced there - some go 3 1/2 or 4 stories, with the garage in the front of the house directly facing the street. Snout Houses on steroids.

The extended area northwest of downtown also commands high prices, even though it's not close to the downtown area. Originally 1950's through 1970's housing for the upper middle class, I'm thinking the bigger lots there diminish the impact of the Bigfoot Effect, making them just as desirable as the more cramped neighborhoods closer in.

Totally get that, I think the thing I'm wondering is where the snow goes.

Snow from the forward end of the driveway winds up on the front yard; snow from the rest of the driveway ends up in the back yard.

If you have a snow blower, you'll move the snow twice. If you have a snow removal service, it's their problem where the snow goes. And if you shovel by hand, it's one shovel-full carried all the way to either yard. I've had to do this myself when there was just too much snow in the driveway and I only had a snow shovel.

[trevor0101]

Thank you @djmilf and all! This really helps. Been trying to figure these two things out, and that house was a current example of what I meant to understand.

[Coldjensens]

Very few people seem to keep their cars int he garage. The garage is for yard equipment, storing worthless junk and decorations and possibly some tools that never get used like a table saw.



Your $68,000 pick up sits outside in the driveway. Maybe that is to make sure your neighbors see that you have such a fancy truck or car.



A small driveway like that - probably shovel. The exercise is good for you. Or hire some neighborhood kids to shovel it. Possibly a small snow blower, maybe electric. Or hire a professional company. Some driveways in high end communities are heated. Flip a switch and the snow melts as it falls.



Our driveway is long, our kids are grown. We have a snow blower, but it still leaves a half inch or more on the driveway. We usually just drive over the snow. It melts within a few days anyway (most of the time). We rarel;y get much snow accumulation anymore.

[less than usual]

[quote=Coldjensens;65140010]Very few people seem to keep their cars int he garage.
I keep my car in the garage but the garage is even with the house and not in the backyard. This set up makes things nice alright in the wintertime but come springtime there is salt and dirt stains all over the floor where the car gets parked.
There are lots of Bigfoot home built in Dearborn too. An ordnance was passed to prohibit these from being built.I was quite surprised to notice these enormous homes being built anyway. Wealthy Middle Easterners usually build these. Not for resale.