Flint, Michigan

[marek bielski]

I was watching Micheal Moore`s movie (Roger and Me) about GM plant closings in Flint, Michigan in the late 80-ies. He was filming when GM announced 30 000 lay-offs in Michigan, most of them in the older Flint plant, and he continued on to witness firsthand the effects of this decision on his home city. The city was in aweful state: some hoods looked bombed out, crime was rampant, people could not pay the rent, many were moving to the Southeast and California. New hotel went belly up, so did the amusement park. No future.

How does the city look now? After 15 years, has it been able to rebound and stop the hemorrage? Anyone got pics of Flint?

[Azn_chi_boi]

Hopefully if Detriot can be growing again, so will Flint.. otherwise, I dont think there is a almost no hope for Flint. Poor Flint....

[Lmichigan]

Go to www.urbanplanet.org/forums/

In the Midwest section, there is an entire subforum devoted to Flint. There is a lot going on.

[cjfjapan]

A lot going on in Flint? There might be on the fringes, but the center of the city is deader than Terre Haute! :) I drove through last year--and the neighborhoods to the north and west of downtown were a real mess. downtown too, was hurting. The shuttered Hyatt Hotel sat forlorn on the Flint River, and the AutoWorld amusement park was now UM-Flint. There were very few businesses downtown, and many abandoned or unkempt houses in the area. I looked at the real estate listings for the city, and there were houses listed in the city for a few HUNDRED dollars. Makes one wonder why people aren't moving there for that reason...at least in Terre Haute the cheapest house is $18,000!

[hudkina]

Flint isn't nearly as bad as the perception. It's no worse than Youngstown, Dayton, or any other older rustbelt city that has lost a lot of manufacturing jobs. Also, like Detroit, Flint has some very wealthy suburbs.

[Lmichigan]

cjfjapan, did you go to the forum I provided?

[Michi]

A lot going on in Flint? There might be on the fringes, but the center of the city is deader than Terre Haute! :) I drove through last year--and the neighborhoods to the north and west of downtown were a real mess. downtown too, was hurting. The shuttered Hyatt Hotel sat forlorn on the Flint River, and the AutoWorld amusement park was now UM-Flint. There were very few businesses downtown, and many abandoned or unkempt houses in the area. I looked at the real estate listings for the city, and there were houses listed in the city for a few HUNDRED dollars. Makes one wonder why people aren't moving there for that reason...at least in Terre Haute the cheapest house is $18,000!
Nothing says "EXPERT" like driving through. Were your eyes open or closed?

[cjfjapan]

cjfjapan, did you go to the forum I provided?

I went to the site, but couldn't find the Flint forum--do you have a more direct link, or guidance about where to find it?

[cjfjapan]

Nothing says "EXPERT" like driving through. Were your eyes open or closed?

Fair enough--passing through isn't the same as spending a week or month there, but was my short observation on the mark, or off?

[Jaybird]

I saw that movie, too, I couldn't believe it. But I think a lot of us know what tough times Flint went through. The GM factory was literally maybe Flint's only real sign of economic development and its now gone. Goes to show you, your city should not rely on one single economic thing like auto parts plants or stuff like that, because things like that could happen. They also showed Sarnia, Ontario, Detroit, and Windsor, Ontario in that movie, too which was pretty cool. NEW HOTEL went belly up and AMUSEMENT PARK? My goodness.

[Bikes]

I was watching Micheal Moore`s movie (Roger and Me) about GM plant closings in Flint, Michigan in the late 80-ies. He was filming when GM announced 30 000 lay-offs in Michigan, most of them in the older Flint plant, and he continued on to witness firsthand the effects of this decision on his home city. The city was in aweful state: some hoods looked bombed out, crime was rampant, people could not pay the rent, many were moving to the Southeast and California. New hotel went belly up, so did the amusement park. No future.

How does the city look now? After 15 years, has it been able to rebound and stop the hemorrage? Anyone got pics of Flint?

In my opinion it looks horrible... But make your decision, found some photos here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=141658
http://discoverflint.com/Photos.html

[Babbage08]

Construction on Rowe Inc. Building (3 buildings that are being combined into space for a 150 person engineering firm. The middle building collapsed during the construction about a month ago)

^^ anyone find this funny??? I have my doubts about an engineering firm if they can't build their own headquarters. That was from the Flint link.

[Hayward]

Downtown is doing fine, if not very well with many new businesses opening. Fortunately most neighborhoods haven't reached the point of "devastation."

I've posted Flint photo tours before here, maybe I'll post another.

[He Named Thor]

http://discoverflint.com/Photos.html

Wait, is that website supposed to be encouraging me to visit? The photos make it look like a dump (I suppose it could very well be one...)!

Come visit wonderful Flint, MI! You'll love our trash filled parks and borded up abandoned homes!

[hudkina]

I think that site is just an unofficial "fansite" if you will.

This is the official tourism website:

http://www.visitflint.org/index.html