Van Steuban

What strikes you first is that this is a part of Detroit that happens to be much closer to the suburbs than to the city itself. For some that may be a negative but for those that want a quiet part of town that offers plenty of amenities, this is actually a great draw.

There are definitely some parts of this neighborhood that could use some work. Though the majority of the area as a whole is in good shape and is obviously taken care of, there are a few exceptions. Since it is still within Detroit city limits you will find pockets that have abandoned homes and which are in need of help. Once you get past that though you find some truly great living that offers the benefits of city and suburb living.

The cost of living is great here and that brings people in. It can offer a nice part of town to raise a family as you are close to schools and to plenty of great restaurants and shops. You can easily get to whatever you need as you have access to several major roads, all of which offer plenty of amenities individually.

Though there can be some traffic to contend with, it's not like the type you would experience in the city. You have some good houses to choose from, great accessibility, plenty of amenities, and you will pay a lot less than in the adjacent suburbs. This is therefore an area that appeals to many, particularly if you are looking for a longer term investment. The pockets that need a bit of help need some attention, but beyond that it's a pretty nice spot to live.

If you have no desire to live in the heart of Detroit but financially just can’t afford the surrounding suburbs, Van Steuban is a tiny neighborhood that may be of interest to you. Don’t get too excited, because you will still find boarded up houses, overgrown lawns and piles of litter, but you will also find residents there that do care.

The houses are rather charming, and quite honestly, if a few dozen people invested in buying the empty homes and manicured the landscaping, this could have the potential to be a neighborhood with impressive resale value.

Van Steuban is a lot closer to the suburbs than it is to downtown, so it’s quiet, there is less traffic and a lot less crime. It might not even be a bad place to raise a family, especially if you have neighbors who also have children.

Commuting is easy because I-94 is right around the corner and you can catch the bus on Gratiot and 8 mile. You will find that there are plenty of shops, restaurants and bars within minutes of your home, including Zorba’s and Alinosi Ice Cream, rumored to have the best around. There are even a couple small playgrounds in the neighborhood for kids to enjoy.

Sandwiched between McNchols and Seven Mile Road, the Van Steuban neighborhood in Detroit is one of the large neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. It is a 10-15 minute drive to the bustle of the downtown area, but is close enough to the large suburb Warren to provide plenty of activity for anyone interested. Not far from Outer Drive, Van Dyke and Gratiot, Van Steuban is a frequent pass-through for anyone traveling in and out of the city from the North, and can be a good stopping point for someone not looking to leave the city.

The Van Steuban neighborhood has a plethora of large and small dining options, and is not nearly as packed or dirty as some of the lower scale neighborhoods downtown. Middle-class in terms of Detroit areas, Van Steuban residents can reach Grosse Point, East Pointe or Steling Heights in under 25 minutes.

Alinosi is among the popular places for food or snacks in the neighborhood, as is Zorba’s Fina Foods – and there are ample opportunities for shopping, catching a bus or finding some nightlife along Gratiot and Seven Mile. Just a mile removed from the 8 Mile of Eminem’s fame, it is true outer Detroit as it was meant to be experienced.

My second cousin lived on the east side for a while, and knew people who lived in this neighborhood. When I was visiting him, I would drive him over to his friend’s house on Arnott. We would just hang out in his basement and shoot the breeze sometimes.

Most of the neighborhood looked clean, like the residents cared about their property values. There was a mix of one-story and two-story homes, with only the occasional boarded house or vacant lot. He got a ong with his neighbors pretty well, and there wasn't a bunch of evil stares when you drove through here.

There are a few nice schools in this neighborhood that would be of interest to families. One of them is the Brenda Scott School for the Arts, which I had heard of even before I came to this neighborhood.

It gets a bit noisier and rowdy the closer you get to 7 mile, but the inner streets are not too bad as far as riff-raff. There are ample buses stops and retail stores and shops along both McNichols and Seven Mile. However, if you are not a local and very familiar with what's going on, stay away from these areas after dark.