From its railroad and manufacturing past, Ypsilanti cultivates a promising future
A view of the commercial district in Ypsilanti's historic Depot Town.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Mayor Paul Schreiber likes to say that Ypsilanti is a city in transition from its past as a blue-collar town to its future as a cultural alternative to Ann Arbor. Across Depot Town, through the Michigan Avenue downtown corridor and in the charming neighborhoods surrounding the entertainment districts, change is evident in the new businesses breathing fresh life into the city and a rapidly developing pride.
At the city’s north end, the Corner Brewery has emerged as a community focal point, hosting the twice-a-year Shadow Art Fair and serving as gathering spot for the city’s diverse population and various Ypsilanti-based groups.
Nearby is Frog Island Park, one of two large, centrally located recreation areas. The other, Riverside Park sees throngs of people from across the region each summer attending its many festivals, including the Michigan Roots Jamboree, Heritage Festival, Elvis Fest and Michigan Brewers Festival.
Next to the parks, historic Depot Town sprung up in the mid-1800s as one of the busiest stops on a new rail line linking Detroit and Chicago. The wood structures built around the commerce center still stand and look like new, and members of a large community of preservationists continue to ensure the buildings will live and thrive.
The Freighthouse, which was the building from which Ypsilanti-made goods once departed to destinations throughout the world, was long utilized as a gathering spot, venue, coffee shop and dance hall throughout the latter half of the last century. It fell into disrepair and closed in 2004, but a group of dedicated residents formed the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse and the 100-year-old structure is undergoing a restoration.
Overlooking Depot Town from a hill just across River Street is the historic East Side Neighborhood, featuring colorful, wood-framed homes, many of which are designated historic structures. The Normal Park Neighborhood on the city’s west side boasts the same type of structures and a strong community spirit.
Live acts of all variety perform on the stages of downtown Ypsilanti’s many venues, from smaller local bands at the Dreamland Theater to larger national headliners at the newly opened Savoy. Among the dining options are the new J. Neil’s Mongolian Grille and plenty of old favorites, like Haab’s or Dalat.
Add to all this, the 22,000 students attending Eastern Michigan University, and you have one of the most culturally and socioeconomically diverse communities in the region. The university, founded in 1849, has grown from its humble beginnings as a teachers' college to now occupy more than 800 acres offer undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in more than 200 majors, minors and concentrations.
Comments
alex crosby
Wed, Jul 13, 2011 : 9:49 p.m.
Ypsilanti's crime stats are a huge hype with some fairly understandable historical reasons for it. Can it be that our middle to upper class segregated society is uncomfortable in a socially and racially culturally diverse town?, Get with it. Ypsi is hip and current and reviving. It's the home to a wide range of people living in an open minded and creative way. Many people comment that it's more like the "old" Ann Arbor when social change was exploding. Has Ann Arbor become too gentrified, too squeaky clean hip?
Peter A Webb
Fri, Aug 27, 2010 : 10:01 a.m.
@amazonwarrior I would let my own child walk Michigan Ave during daylight. It is not a dangerous place. Everything else you say could be completely true, but how could I believe it after your opening paragraph.
Cathy
Mon, Jul 26, 2010 : 7:50 a.m.
Ypsi does rock. It has always been the alternative for those priced out of Ann Arbor, but in the past few years it has begun to offer almost the same "feel" as A2. Yes, you need a car, for the most part, to live in Ypsi, although the bus service is better than you'd think. But the flip side of needing a car is that it is not the traffic and parking hellhole that is A2. I can go to the Ypsi Food Coop and find a place to park. Not so with the People's Food Coop. There is an upscale grocery store in Ypsi, too, the Kroger on Whittaker. I DO feel safe walking on Michigan Ave downtown, even alone. I am very happy I chose Ypsi as my home.
Jason
Fri, Jun 18, 2010 : 4:38 p.m.
Ypsilanti is quite safe - almost faultlessly safe. Most people who blog about problems with Ypsilanti are business owners in adjoining towns - who really don't want Ypsilanti to realize their potential. After all, you cannot eat at BOTH the Mongolian Grille in Ypsilanti AND one of the Main Street Venture chains in Ann Arbor - somebody always loses out. In many respects, Ypsilanti is a good deal - actually safer than Downtown Ann Arbor (with the recent rash of break-ins down there) - a good deal for both the business owners and the patrons. Keep it up Ypsilanti!
Christine
Tue, May 18, 2010 : 10:37 p.m.
Wow, being afraid to walk down Michigan Ave is quite an extreme. I find that odd. I recently relocated to Ypsi from Chicago and brought my work from home job and buy local mentality with me. Ypsi rocks. I agree this town is on the verge of turning the corner. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be here. Ypsi is definitely turning into a cultural alternative to A2. I went to the downtown farmer's market for the first time today. I was impressed at the market with it being so early in the season. We do need a fancy schmancy grocery store here though. Ypsi food co-op is good but doesn't have everything I need. Also they really ought to think more seriously about how well Chinatown could really do here. A walkable shopping and restaurant district in Chinatown would bring lots of revenue. Seems to me it's currently fairly car-oriented. Not good. Oh and bring on some more live music venues babies. I'm all over it!
amazonwarrior
Wed, May 5, 2010 : 8:27 a.m.
Cultural alternative to Ann Arbor??? Say what?? There are a number of shops I would like to visit on Michigan Avenue, but I don't feel SAFE going down there by myself, even in broad daylight. As for the Normal Park Neighborhood, which USE TO BE a nice place to live, it has become nothing more than an area of mostly illegal and some legal rental properties. We have been over-run by college students, with too many people living in a house because they let their friends move in without the absentee owner or "property manager's" (yeah, right) knowledge. The properties look like dumps in a very short period of time, and our once quiet neighborhood no longer exists, with rental property being approved by the building department, where there isn't suppose to BE any because of the supposed zoning ordinances, which have apparently been lost or forgotten. Somebody is seriously confused. Ypsilanti is going to hell in a handbasket. Just look at the Water Street Project. The Mayor and City Council are NOT business friendly!