Grosse Pointe, Michigan

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Grosse Pointe is a very wealthy suburban city bordering Detroit in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,670 at the 2000 census. It is bordered on the west by Grosse Pointe Park, on the north by Detroit, on the east by Grosse Pointe Farms, and on the south by Lake St Clair. Downtown Detroit is about 8 miles (13 km) west of Grosse Pointe, accessed by Jefferson Avenue, or several other cross-streets. Grosse Pointe is one of five similarly named municipalities in northeastern Wayne County, and is often called "the City," or Grosse Pointe City.

Together with the Park and the Farms, the City is part of the older, southern Pointes, which have a greater overall population density than the northern Pointes (Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores). These areas became heavily populated 1910-1930 as one of Detroit's first commuter suburbs; in the previous century Grosse Pointe was home to cottages, resorts, farms, and widely-spaced lakefront mansions. Grosse Pointe ("the City"), Grosse Pointe Farms, and Grosse Pointe Park make up the Grosse Pointe South High School district. Downtown Grosse Pointe, along Kercheval Avenue from Neff to Cadieux, nicknamed "The Village," is considered by many to be the central downtown for all five of the Grosse Pointes, although each of them (except Grosse Pointe Shores) has several blocks of retail.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.3 square miles (5.9 km²). 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is water (part of Lake St. Clair). The total area is 53.07% water.

Grosse Pointe has a street layout that is basically a grid inside of its Cadieux, Mack, and Fisher Rd. boundaries. Inside of this small rectangle, most blocks have single-family homes built between 1910 and 1950, on parcels 50 feet (15 m) wide on average. Some streets have homes with large backyards, such as Washington and Lakeland, while other blocks are more compact. Home sizes and styles vary widely, from 1,500 to 12,000 square feet (1,100 m²), but slightly under 3,000 square feet (300 m²) on average. Most of the largest homes are found within a few blocks of the lakefront, and there are several blocks of mansions south of Kercheval. Grosse Pointe has retail and low-rise office buildings along Kercheval Avenue in the Village district, on Fisher Road near Grosse Pointe South High School, and along Mack Avenue bordering Detroit. Some blocks, generally just south of the Village, have townhouses and apartments, some old, some slightly newer. These can be seen along St. Paul, Maumee, and Jefferson Avenues, mostly west of Rivard Blvd., and between Notre Dame and Cadieux south of the Village.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 5,670 people, 2,388 households, and 1,559 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,297.9 per square mile (2,046.0/km²). There were 2,504 housing units at an average density of 2,339.7/sq mi (903.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.18% White, 0.79% African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population. The largest reported religious affiliation was Roman Catholic.

There were 2,388 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $81,111, and the median income for a family was $101,889. Males had a median income of $79,637 versus $44,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $53,942. About 2.2% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Downtown Development

Several major investments in downtown Grosse Pointe, also known as "The Village," will increase density, add residents to what was once a shopping-only district, and represent a slight change in direction for the city. The Village is generally seen as the heart of all five of the Grosse Pointe municipalities. While the five Grosse Pointes have been stable (mostly thanks to a unique market of upscale housing) over recent decades while some other inner-ring Detroit suburbs have struggled, this downtown reinvestment suggests that the Grosse Pointe will hedge itself against any possible malaise by becoming a more novel and distinctive place: a city with a large selection of housing for families, and a downtown with diverse residents and vitality to attract outsiders.

After months of receiving citizen input regarding three possible plans from three different developers for two lots (on either side of St. Clair Ave.) currently used for municipal parking directly north of the current row of retail, the City decided to grant Morningside Equities Group of Ann Arbor the right to develop mid-rise buildings on both lots, creating an all-new street wall along St. Clair, and expanding the size of the Village with ground-floor retail and upper-floor condominiums. East of St. Clair a five-story neo-tudor brick residential building with ground-floor retail space will rise. West of St. Clair a three-story structure with retail and a parking deck will be built.

Meanwhile, south of Kercheval along St. Clair Ave., another new residential or mixed-use development is in the works. "The Sterling," a senior-geared condominium building, was planned, but the deal recently fell through, with the developer citing the poor regional housing market. Another development proposal is expected soon.

Also, work is nearing completion in the redevelopment of the Jacobson's building along Kercheval, west of St. Clair. Upper floor office space will accompany a slate of new retailers, including a Trader Joe's grocer which will occupy a new, specialized space in the renovated building.

Building upwards, and on top of former surface-lot space, in downtown Grosse Pointe is a rare chance for the city to increase its population and density without changing the landscape of any of the neighborhoods. The parking lots that will be built upon represent some of the only land that has not been built upon in this mature, mostly built-out city. Beyond this, the city wishes to turn the Village district back into the vital shopping destination it was when Jacobson's was still in operation.

[edit] See also

• Grosse Pointe Yacht Club
• Lake Saint Clair (North America)
• Grosse Pointe Blank

[edit] External links

• City of Grosse Pointe
• Grosse Pointe Historical Society
• Grosse Pointe Public School System
• Grosse Pointe Public Library
• Grosse Pointe News - weekly newspaper
• Grosse Pointe War Memorial (Russell Alger Mansion)
• [1] - Detroit Free Press new article on downtown redevelopment.

Coordinates: 42°23′10″N, 82°54′43″W

lmo:Grosse Pointe, Michigan nl:Grosse Pointe pt:Grosse Pointe vo:Grosse Pointe