  Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 747 Registered: 02-2004 |
I know them for Detroit because ive lived there off and on my whole life, but I have no indepth knowledge of hamtown(other than drinking). Not exactly Detroit topic but an enclave so i think it counts. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 675 Registered: 07-2004 |
Well, you're more likely to become an alcoholic, for one con. | ||
Jfried Member Username: Jfried Post Number: 911 Registered: 11-2003 |
the only thing you need to know about hamtramck it at Polonia, 2934 Yemans. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 748 Registered: 02-2004 |
already there detroitnerd. lol working on keeping away dui's. I always move near bars I like or areas with bars in walking distance. WSU area , Ferndale, now interested in hamtramck. | ||
Mw2gs Member Username: Mw2gs Post Number: 226 Registered: 03-2005 |
You got it bad when your decision to relocate is partially based on bar proximity. Good thing you arent hooked on crack. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1325 Registered: 05-2005 |
lots of narrow one way streets with limited parking. I suppose that would be a con. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 750 Registered: 02-2004 |
Yeah thats what ive wondered about as well. Also how bad crime is there im sure it cant be as bad as midtown. Bar proximity is important, drinking and driving is not cool. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5056 Registered: 02-2004 |
PRO: HAMTRAMCK IS A MULTI CULUTURAL VILLAGE WITH A DIVERSED NEIGHBOHOODS AND BEAUTIFUL CLEAN ALLEYS AND FULL LINE OF MOSTLY WOODEN FRAME FAMILY FLATS. CON: MOST ETHNIC FOLKS DON'T WANT ANY MORE DIFFERENT ETHNIC FOLKS IN THEIR AREA FOR THEY CLAIM THAT THEIR PEERS DON'T GO FOR THEIR PEERS. PRO: IT WAS A FULL POLISH COMMUNITY CON: NOW ONLY A HANDFUL ARE LEFT. PRO: THERE WERE TWO SMALL BLACK COMMUNITIES IN HAMTRAMCK. CON: THEY ALL NOW DISPLACED INTO THE GHETTO-LIKE HOUSING PROJECTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE I-75 FREEWAY. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 676 Registered: 07-2004 |
There's a fair amount of property crime. You wouldn't want to leave bags in your car or a ladder in the yard. My favorite street is Klinger. I live on the "green" side of Conant, which I prefer to all points west of Conant, though I'd make an exception about Klinger. I get bummed out by too much concrete, and I even have a driveway. | ||
Gdub Member Username: Gdub Post Number: 1078 Registered: 10-2003 |
Parking on my street is no problem (and the one-way system reduces traffic & noise), and apparently I'm in a better section of town, N of Caniff, E of Campau, and crime does not seem to be a problem--lots of families, kids, well-kept homes. Pros: no shortage of walkable bars and other businesses, affordable, close to downtown/I-75/I-94, and a very unique mix of immigrants and colorful characters, kind of like living in Queens, NY or something. I tell people it's like living in a Jim Jarmusch film. Cons: an inordinate number of bad drivers and idiot teenagers. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 677 Registered: 07-2004 |
The Hamtramck left: Step one: Pull up to a stop light and be sure to nose forward into the intersection a bit, so cars attempting left turns against you have to give you a wide berth. Do not turn on your left turn signal. Step two: Wait for the light to turn green. Step three: Wait two seconds. It is now OK to turn on your left turn signal. Do not nose forward now, as that would allow people behind you to move around you to the right and continue through the intersection. (Often seen at Holbrook and Jos. Campau.) | ||
Solarflare Member Username: Solarflare Post Number: 549 Registered: 11-2003 |
CONS: Those narrow one-way streets with parking on both sides can be a real bitch in the winter. I dutifully shoveled out my spots and the old lady's next door, and would pound on the door of anyone who stole it. I know there are no "rights" to parking spots there, but if you are too lazy to shovel in front of your house, that's your problem, not mine. Some people mark their spots with a chair, that seems to not go over well though. Had my garage broken into a few times, all they took was a radio, I'm sure if I had used a gas-mower it would have been gone though. Don't leave anything of value out, lot's of foot traffic in the alley and it will be gone in a second. Car theft is suposedly bad, never had mine stolen, seems confined to certain types/models, per The Citizen crime log. Just don't get a place by a liquor store and you won't have anymore trouble than that. Some mouthy gangs of punks around every once in a while, littering, fighting. Not out of control or anything. PROS: Awesome food, eveywhere you go. Restaurants, bakeries, mom and pop grocery stores with loads of delicious homemade goodies, can't be beat in the whole metro area, in my eyes. Bars. The night life is hoppin' that for sure. Neighbors and people are incredibly freindly and very diverse. People from literally all over the globe. Most people around me were extremely freindly and always willing to help out. Tons of little old Polish grandmas still doing their thing. Lots of kids everywhere. Location. Centrally located to the rest of the metro area. I went from working in Troy to working in Dearborn and my commute time barely changed. And you're just a skip and a jump from downtown. Prices. Cheap! Housing, rent, food, it's all well priced there. Very walkable too. You can walk to anyplace you need from anywhere in Hamtown, IMO. Put in 6 years there, it was cool. Moved this year. | ||
Solarflare Member Username: Solarflare Post Number: 550 Registered: 11-2003 |
You got it right on the bad drivers there, holy smokes! I got rear-ended by a minivan that sped off trailing smoke, completely demolished front end. All I got was a truck bed full of minvan body parts. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 751 Registered: 02-2004 |
Im looking at a place on Florian north of holbrook west of jos campau any opinions of that area(seems very quiet looks like decent parking)?? another place was , holmes north caniff west of jos campau? Walking arouund to bars at night is alright?? Ive done it when i lived in midtown but I never felt comfortable doing it. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 61 Registered: 09-2006 |
Dont forget that Hamtramick has one of the last few active commercial strips in the metro on Jos Campau, one of the few areas that feels like a city is supposed to. Other than that I know nothing about Hamtramick. | ||
Solarflare Member Username: Solarflare Post Number: 551 Registered: 11-2003 |
That's where I lived. Pretty nice. You looking to buy or rent? The flat I lived in is still available, I believe, great price, great landlord.
Shouldn't be a problem, though anytime you are drunk and alone at night you're a possible target of opportunity. That goes for anywhere. | ||
Oldredfordette Member Username: Oldredfordette Post Number: 600 Registered: 02-2004 |
PROS: Too many perogies will make you very happy and fat. | ||
Solarflare Member Username: Solarflare Post Number: 552 Registered: 11-2003 |
Oh, almost forgot: PRO: Paczki Day! | ||
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1 Post Number: 226 Registered: 08-2006 |
I Agree Mayor Sekou. The Sad part is Hamtramack's shopping isn't helping the area overall in terms of storefront shopping due to the difficulty of traffic and accessing it. A lot of people I know hate traveling down Conant and Joseph Campau. However, the people living there, they have everything they need walking distance from their homes. Don't keep your heads up too high though, with the crime and traffic in the commercial district of Hamtramack, don't expect the once stores like Federals and Korvettes to return there, as more appear to be leaving Hamtramack daily and transitioning over to independent stores. Basically, Hamtramack is like Detroit's once bustiling downtown and lower class neighborhoods (excuse me all if I offended anyone but when I say lower class, I mean the ghettos), all apologies to the ones offended by the word ghetto. However, yes they are all or were once indentical, same with the front portion of Grosse Pointe Park. So basically, if you want to live in a place that resembled Detroit between early 50s-early 70s, Hamtramack is the place, with the exception of the segregation. Also, I meant once stores such as Federals and Korvettes because they were both in Hamtramack at one time, I'm comparing them to stores like Sears or Macy's | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 1023 Registered: 12-2004 |
Steelworker - come to Hamtown! Since I moved in a month ago, I've thoroughly enjoyed living here. There are always people on the street, the density is amazing, and fast food is 2 minutes away! In all seriousness, its just a great town, with nice people and nice old homes. If that doesn't do it for you, consider how devalued it is. My $100,000 house requires $250,000 in insurance for replacement. In other words, you can get a quarter million dollar home for less than $100k! That's awesome. If we can just gentrify this town a bit, we'll be rolling in the dough. Also, for a kid raised in the suburbs, its far less scary than a neighborhood in Detroit. But you get the urban experience. There are three problems - littering, loitering, and lawlessness. The last one is just petty stuff - people committ traffic violations all day long in this city. Its amazing. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 69 Registered: 09-2006 |
It is a pain in the ass tryin to find somewhere to park on those narrow streets before shopping. If there is one area that truly needs a parking garage nearby Hamtramick would be it. A garage would help in maintaining heavy volumes of shoppers so the strip stays healthy and who knows you may even see a national chain one day. It is fun shopping down there I like to imagine that the rest of city was "alive" like that but then I realize im not even in the city and even downtown is fairly dead. (sigh) | ||
Southofeight Member Username: Southofeight Post Number: 14 Registered: 07-2005 |
I've lived there. Parking is a bitch and if your car is on the street and there is anything closely resembling a massive snowstorm, you're screwed. You'll be shoveling that car out for hours. Make sure you have four-wheel drive. Other cons: It's a depressed community financially. People generally aren't very friendly; lots of petty crime bullshit; horrible city services; wicked insurance rates. Pros: great restaurants and bakeries, excellent drinking community, strong cultural presence (from all angles); super cheap rent (you get a lot of house or apartment for the money); close to downtown Detroit (I used to ride my bike to Comerica). Enjoy | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3059 Registered: 10-2003 |
Pros: New Palace Bakery, Kopytko Sausage, Polonia Restaurant, Ghandi Restaurant, vibrant Joseph Campau with color, diversity, tons of little owner operated shops [like a snap shot of Detroit ca. 1940], tidy proud homes cheek to cheek, chair holding shoveled out spots in the winter [Steelworker you be better off messing with the guy's wife than trying to park in one of those spots], upper and lower flat with balconies cascading with petunias, Planet Ant, Moslem calls to prayer mingling with church bells and easy expressway access to anywhere in the D. Problems? Sure, but this is one cool, colorful, walkable and shoppable community. No wonder artists, adventurous types in search of the urban experience flock there. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 752 Registered: 02-2004 |
Florian street seem to have decent amount of parking I have driven through it to see how it is at different times before i decide to move there. Holmes (n.ofcaniff,E. ofjoscampau) seem hard to find. hummm what a lot of glowing reviews. for car insurance i think ill still play the (i live in oakland county game). | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 1024 Registered: 12-2004 |
Silly me, I have a garage. Also, why dont people park on side streets when going to stores on Campau? | ||
Eastside Member Username: Eastside Post Number: 929 Registered: 01-2005 |
Ghandi Restaurant...love that $5.99 buffet. | ||
Solarflare Member Username: Solarflare Post Number: 554 Registered: 11-2003 |
Someone mentioned bad city services...when I first moved there in 2000 there were a lot of problems, but city services noticibly improved in the time I was there, in my opinion. Oh, and rock bands, TONS of bands live in Hamtramck. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 753 Registered: 02-2004 |
Similar to a past thread im debating between oak park and hamtramck. I remember a thread comparing the two culturally. Oh yeah i know tons oh bands in hamtown. Is car insurance in hamtramck same as detroit? | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 501 Registered: 02-2006 |
Because this is Detroit, and that'd be HORRIBLY inconvenient. Better just go to the strip malls on Jefferson or in Hazel Park. LOL. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1214 Registered: 10-2003 |
One big con to think about: litter (which has been mentioned) along with a general downturn in cleanliness and upkeep. Overall, today's Hamtramck is not the "tidy" or "well kept" enclave of yesteryear. Some pockets are downright filthy. It's really too bad, because many of us have memories of spotless sidewalks and streets and manicured lawns in that community. | ||
Revolutionary Member Username: Revolutionary Post Number: 113 Registered: 09-2004 |
Pros: You can get a nice cut of beef or whole chicken from a butcher at 11pm on Christmas eve. Locally-owned businesses. Walkability with actual destinations. Fiesty old folks who walk everywhere and cuss out mouthy teenagers. General un-pretentious attitude. Affordability, especially housing and food. (Low home values means lower taxes). Firmly entrenched in the old-shcool. Hamtramck Disneyland Cons: Auto theft problem (especially chrysler/dodge products by teenage kids.) High insurance Property crime Suburbanites with huge McTrucks who constantly complain about lack of parking. (There are two municpal lots within two blocks of Jos. Campau/Caniff which I've never seen filled.) Old people who abandoned Hamtramck and show up to whine about how it's not exactly the way they left it. -- A side note: people talk a lot about how neat and tidy Hamtramck used to be but what they don't know is that an esteemed former mayor raided the city's pension fund to pave the alleys and keep the streets swept. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 754 Registered: 02-2004 |
Is there strict parking enforcement in hamtramck or can you pretty much park anywhere? | ||
Revolutionary Member Username: Revolutionary Post Number: 114 Registered: 09-2004 |
You can pretty much park anywhere for as long as you like. As long as you're not blocking a driveway, in front of a meter, or in a fire lane you're good until your tags expire. When I lived in Lansing you had to have your car off the street by 2am or you'd get a ticket. Hassle. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 512 Registered: 02-2006 |
It was like that in Kalamazoo as well, but I think only in the winter. Of course you couldn't park at all in certain neighborhoods, but through most of the city, it was no parking 2-6am in the winter, and you could only park on alternating sides of the street, based on what day it was. Very confusing. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 1028 Registered: 12-2004 |
Insurance is definitely high - I don't know if its as high as Detroit, but my premium would have doubled if I didn't drop collison coverage. | ||
Revolutionary Member Username: Revolutionary Post Number: 115 Registered: 09-2004 |
It's as high as Detroit. I think if maintaining a nice, shiny car is a high priority, then Hamtramck probably isn't for you. According to the latest FBI statistics Hamtramck is now #1 in the nation for automobile theft. (Message edited by Revolutionary on October 12, 2006) | ||
Genesyxx Member Username: Genesyxx Post Number: 598 Registered: 02-2004 |
No longer in receivership, which is always good. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 762 Registered: 02-2004 |
Its almost for sure I will be moving to hamtramck and become an unofficial resident. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4410 Registered: 11-2003 |
Pros. You get to live near where Jimmie Hoffa was torched. You get awaken at 5 am by the Imam Saudi al-ben Farouk. Polish Inn on Yemans. Totally blessed by The Pope. (How many places have a Pope statue?) 1940s Detroit look and feel. Saving a parking space in winter is called "dibs." There's a word for the six kitchen chairs, saw horses, or stolen orange cones in "YOUR" spot. If somebody takes your space, run your garden hose out there and give it a car wash in 10 below weather. He'll quickly get the point. Watch from your window as he tries to use his mini-blow torch on the keyhole and on the door frames. jjaba, Urban Survivor on the Westside. | ||
Cherry Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2004 |
You won't be able to vote in our crazy elections. The Szklarski-Thompson insurance agency on Conant is a good place to look for car insurance. (Hamtramck residents can buy steering wheel locks from the PD at City Hall for $10-15.) Best things: People from different continents discussing groceries in French. 26 languages, over 100 dialects. Locally made chevapi, pierogi, samosas, bread. Corner Stores. Corner bars. Variety of traditional dress worn. Paczki Day, Blow-out, Labor Day Festival and Parade, Strawberry Festival, and the Bangladesh-American Festival. Police and Fire department response times. Worst things: Your wife, girlfriend, family and/or friends won't feel safe here. (lots of street harassment) 26 languages, over 100 dialects. Police and Fire departments are very busy. Hangovers. | ||
Solarflare Member Username: Solarflare Post Number: 558 Registered: 11-2003 |
Steelworker, If you still need a place there, let me know, I'll hook you up with my old landlord. On Yemans, west side of Joseph Campeau. Upstairs flat. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 763 Registered: 02-2004 |
I may but as of right now i gave 200 dollars to hold a place on florian street. Yeah it would be nice to claim residency in hamtown or detroit(when i lived there)But then its not affordable anymore to live there. I already have a Brake lock for my car from the days of living in detroit and having two car stolen without it. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 773 Registered: 11-2003 |
Check out the inside scoop at www.hamtramckstar.com | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4411 Registered: 11-2003 |
Cherry, welcome to The Forum. You tells it like it tis. Excellent list, all's you really need to know about Hamtramck in post #2. I presume your 26 languages includes ein bissella Yiddish. jjaba, Westside Bar Mitzvah Bukkor. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 769 Registered: 02-2004 |
Is comcast the only game in town??? | ||
Cherry Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 3 Registered: 09-2004 |
Steelworker: yes for cable tv and cable internet. Most people have satellite dishes for TV and SBC or AOL dial-up accounts. There is a WISP on the north side that I have heard good things about (Deshi Connect: www.d-conn.com) | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 770 Registered: 02-2004 |
wonder if landlord will allow satelite. Thanks your very helpfull Cherry. Ill have to remember you for more advice once i move there. | ||
Cherry Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2004 |
Jjaba: Thanks for the warm welcome. 26 is the number most often repeated, but I believe it is based on a survey of school children. I doubt their grandparents were included. (Surely, some of my neighbors speak Yiddish.) I should probably confess now that Revolutionary + Cherry = Hamtramck Star. We bought a house here two years ago on advice given to us by DetroitYES forumers. No regrets. |
