Mt. Clemens is Macomb County's entertainment mecca, it has a great network of parks and is walkable. And this is why it is becoming, amongst east-siders in particular, an up-and-coming place to move.
What kind of house are you looking for?
The city's community development director, Denise Pike, says the affordable historic housing stock is a draw. "It's an older community. The majority of the housing stock was built before 1950 and there are homes that date back to 1800." And, because many are selling in the low $100,000s, she says, "These homes are really designed for people looking for character and price."
Housing types vary, ranging from small bungalows to homes much larger in scale. Pike also points out that there are plenty of rental options for those not quite ready to take the plunge into homeownership. "Wherever you are in life, Mt. Clemens has housing opportunities to fit your needs."
What if loft or townhouse living is more your style? Just south of downtown along the Clinton River is the city's burgeoning loft district, which is where Ted Schollenberger of Mineral Springs Development started a trend when he built 13 townhouses there back in 2000.
In 2005, he converted a nearby VFW hall into the 13-unit
River Lofts I, which sold out in five months. He was floored at the response and saw an underserved market of 20-somethings and empty nesters hungry for downtown Mt. Clemens living.
Buoyed by the interest, Mineral Springs is currently building River Lofts II, a 24-unit new construction loft building; as of early 2007, 14 of the units, priced from $150-300,000, had sold.
All three of these developments, sited in close proximity to one another and the Clinton River, will soon be joined by River Lofts Phases III and IV for a total of 100 new units of housing in one block alone.
Schollenberger also plans to add another 62 units of housing built above ground floor retail right downtown, further adding to the city's housing options.
Parks and recA major boon to the Mt. Clemenite is walkability. It is a compact city of only 4.2 square miles, meaning that nearly every neighborhood is within walking distance to downtown. Pike says, "We have traditional neighborhood design with very walkable sidewalks in every community. We're not auto-oriented, which is unique in today's world."
Every neighborhood has its own park, ranging from pocket parks with simple playground equipment to the fully-loaded
Memorial Park, replete with dog park, sledding hill, ice arena and fitness center.
Another larger park,
Shadyside, is located on the southern edge of town along the Clinton River. There is a fishing pier and a boat launch along with a picnic pavilion, playground equipment and a ball diamond.
Joggers and cyclists will find plenty of options.
MacArthur Park, near the
YMCA just east of downtown, has a jogging trail. An soon, the Art Park being developed in front of the
Anton Art Center will serve as the trailhead for a bike path that will connect downtown to Shadyside Park and in turn, to Metro Parkway.
Where will you walk?
The best part about living in Mt. Clemens is that you get to walk to destinations that everyone else has to drive to. The classic Mt. Clemens restaurant is
Bath City Bistro, where steak and feather bowling are the specialties.
There's good Italian at
Colombo Italia and
Luigi's Downtown, and pub grub abounds at
McSorley's,
John Barleycorn's and
Your Mother's. Other night spots include
Hayloft Liquor Stand and
Full Kilt.
Sub Zero is a hot downtown martini bar and
Orlean's is the place to meet for a game or two of pool. And the
Emerald Theatre is a full-on entertainment complex with theater, nightclub and bar all under one roof.
There's more than just food and drinks to Mt. Clemens. The Anton Art Center is one of the city's cultural anchors and has gallery openings and classes, and there is a
farmer's market just east of the YMCA that is open weekly between May and November.
There's enough events to keep anyone's social calendar full. There is a German Christmas festival, several girls' nights out, a February ice show, chili cook-off and pub crawl, Fourth of July fireworks, a classic car cruise, the Bath City Festival and a summertime concert series right on the river.
What it all comes down to is that Mt. Clemens is small enough to walk everywhere, but large and vibrant enough to satisfy those looking for an urban experience. Pike sums up Mt. Clemens' appeal: "It's an older community, with that sense of place that everyone seems to be looking for."
Photos:
River LoftsHome in South Wilson neighborhoodClinton River ParkBath City BistroPhotographs Copyright Dave Krieger