Detroit's Midtown renaissance begins to spill into other neighborhoods

[marmar]

from the Freep:


Unable to find a suitable site in busy Midtown for their Two James Spirits distillery and tasting room, partners Peter Bailey and David Landrum opted for Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, where they'll open in early 2013.

"Midtown always presents a really enticing opportunity," Bailey said. "It's one of the most energetic areas, with lots of diverse foot traffic."

But Scott Benson, who helps develop businesses with the civic group Midtown Detroit, said it has become increasingly difficult to find the right space for potential commercial tenants in Midtown, including a major national bank anxious to locate a branch in that part of town.

"We're looking around Mack and Warren but can't find something that meets their needs," he said. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20121125/BUSINESS06/311250293/Is-Detroit-s-turnaround-turning-a-corner-Development-spreads-to-new-neighborhoods?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

[navarth]

1. talking about 3 places dear to my heart:

Midtown, where I lived for 3 glorious years, Mack and Warren on The Goode Olde East Side, where I've lived off and on for the last 20 years, and wonderful Corktown,. All 3 are wonderful locations.

It's great to hear about Midtown. I lived there in the late 70's/early 80's and I still remember looking around at the wonderful old buildings and thinking to myself 'why doesn't somebody fix these? they're gorgeous!' And now I see it happening and I think to myself 'why the hell didn't you people do this when I was here???' but I'm really glad to see this happening.

BTW I coined the term 'Midtown' way back then. Friends and colleagues would say 'oh, but you live downtown' and I would correct them: 'no actually it's Midtown'. Never heard anybody else call it that, it was always the 'North Cass Corridor'. I still like the Cass Corridor title but Midtown is probably better. I still hope to move back in there sometime.