Flint, Michigan

[Flinttown]

Many would call my whole city a ghetto. Here are some of its finer points...and some not so fine.

Flint1

Flint2

Flint3

Flint4

Flint5

Flint6

Flint7

Flint8

Flint9

Flint10

Flint11

Flint12

Flint13

Flint14

Flint15

Flint16

Flint17

Flint18

Flint19

Flint20

Flint21

Flint22

Flint23

Flint24

Flint25

Flint26

Flint27

[Flinttown]

Sorry guys, I fixed some of those dead links.

[BrasilnSC]

I was up there visiting a friend about 4 years ago, and it's sad to see what the closing of Buick City has done to Flint. The downtown looks nicer than when I saw it, has any revitilization occured downtown? BTW, thanks for the pics.

[Flinttown]

Yes!! I actually work down there and the downtown area is actually starting to look decent. There is a downtown revitalization organization that is renovating pretty sizeable chunks of the downtown.

Hopefully, if all goes well, UMF will be getting housing downtown to give the city a little boost.

Hopefully the fake storefronts are a thing of the past.

One of Flint's biggest problems now is population. It is decreasing at what seems to be a pretty good clip. Genesee County is booming, Flint is not.

[Michi]

Yah, downtown Flint really needs to focus on what UofM can do for the city. I think there is a lot of untapped potential there especially with the instution's geographic location downtown.

The Saginaw Street revitalization has really done wonders, though it is still in early economic development stages. How long has it been now that the city brought back the metal arches over the street? It can't be that many.

Flint, in my mind, should also market itself as a major crossroads in the region and state. It has naturally benefitted from its location, but now it is time to maximize the potential as a major transportation and crossroads hub for commerce and industry.

[wolverine]

Flint really defies people's expectations of its current state. Everybody I take through Flint is stunned at how really great their downtown looks. They expected far worse looking neighborhoods, shattered and boarded up windows everywhere, and no one walking around. Granted, some of this does exist, but Flint has improved to teh extent at which its revitalization has shown more clearly. I'm really happy with the great improvements that have come to Flint despite the past closures of automotive plants. I look forward now to what will become of the Durant Hotel. I wouldn't be surprised if U of M buys and renovates this structure in the future.

[MJLO]

Well wolv, the truth is Flint never really looked that scary, even at it's worse.

[hood]

Well wolv, the truth is Flint never really looked that scary, even at it's worse.

Ever been up on the Northside on Saginaw St?

[wolverine]

I never thought it was scary, but run down in 90's? Hellz yes. When I played football in high school, we had one of our playoffs games held in Atwood Stadium, which was in severe disrepair. Across the river was where the Delphi plant was, and surrounding that was a lot of blight. I wouldn't say that area has improved too much, but on the Northside of the river, there has been a lot of new development happening. So it's definintely a change these days.

[dimebag1980]

Nice photos! I've never been there, but it looks like a pretty decent-sized city and yet it still has brick streets downtown. That's unique for any place that's not a tiny town, IMO.

And in picture 17, one can tell just by looking at that rundown house that at one time, it was most likely a gorgeous structure.

[Flinttown]

Nice photos! I've never been there, but it looks like a pretty decent-sized city and yet it still has brick streets downtown. That's unique for any place that's not a tiny town, IMO.

And in picture 17, one can tell just by looking at that rundown house that at one time, it was most likely a gorgeous structure.

Yes, there are numerous houses like this is Flint. I can only imagine what they might have looked like back in the 1950s.

I never thought it was scary, but run down in 90's? Hellz yes. When I played football in high school, we had one of our playoffs games held in Atwood Stadium, which was in severe disrepair. Across the river was where the Delphi plant was, and surrounding that was a lot of blight. I wouldn't say that area has improved too much, but on the Northside of the river, there has been a lot of new development happening. So it's definintely a change these days.

Picture #19 was taken right by the river no more than 200 yards from Atwood. If you know anything about cars, you will recognize those frames as being from the old Buick Reatta two-door sports car.

[Michi]

And in picture 17, one can tell just by looking at that rundown house that at one time, it was most likely a gorgeous structure.

Well, if you read dated literature (and I don't recall which one(s) specifically), you'll find that Flint was once regarded as one of the nicest, best, and most attractive places to live in the United States. Silly, I know. But it is true. Same with Detroit.

[hudkina]

Exactly. Detroit was the "San Jose" of the 1920's and 30's.

[Michi]

So, you're saying Detroit was gross.

[dtown]

good pics finttown. come and visit the flint forum if you want.

[Flinttown]

good pics finttown. come and visit the flint forum if you want.

There's a Flint forum?

[dtown]

yep

Flint Forum- http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showforum=178

Michigan Forum- http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showforum=52