Grixdale Farms

Nine miles from downtown Detroit, the Grixdale Farms neighborhood has provided cozy houses and close proximity to Palmer Park for more than a century. Platted as the Grixdale Home Park Subdivision in 1913, the area was once open farmland. The wedge-shaped neighborhood is home to the nation's first full mile of concrete paved road, which is fitting for a town built on the automotive industry. Primarily residential, this historic bedroom community is separated from Palmer Park by Woodward Avenue, one of three significant roadways surrounding the area. Multiple bus stops around the neighborhood can take residents to the nearby University of Detroit Mercy or DMC Sinai Grace Hospital. There are limited businesses, including a meat market, along Seven Mile Road, although locals have to leave the neighborhood to do most of their shopping. Twenty-five miles from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the area is in the beginning stages of revitalization, with the city having made plans to further economic development within the community.

“Just Grixdale might be the way locals know it, but the neighborhood is desirable thanks to nice older homes with a lot of character and rising property values. It’s right by Palmer Park and is an up-and-coming area that’s more affordable than the other side of Woodward Avenue,” says T.J. Brisbois, a Realtor with S&P Realty who has 15 years of experience selling homes. “It’s changing from a renter-dominated area because people are buying homes as owner-occupants. They tend to take great care of the houses, and that’s helping increase home prices over time.” Living in Grixdale Farms offers residents the unique opportunity to invest in homes from the 1920s and ‘30s, many of which occupy double lots. Trees line the roadways beside red brick bungalows and colonials. Houses are set back from the street to allow for small front yards, and while some homes have lovingly kept lawns, others are overgrown. There are uncared-for homes here, some of which are vacant. However, residents stay because of the nearby green spaces, neighborhood farms, and the recent efforts to revitalize the area. Prices range from $150,000 for a three-bedroom traditional brick home to $450,000 for a three-bedroom 1950s craftsman.

Students can attend classes in the Detroit Public Schools Community School District, one of Michigan's top 60 best districts for athletes. Their first educational home might be Greenfield Union Elementary-Middle School. It serves children from kindergarten through eighth grade and has earned a C-minus grade from Niche. Laptops are provided for every student, and there’s a renovated multimedia center, after-school tutoring and a STEM FIRST Robotics program. Pershing High School also has a C-minus on Niche and operates the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program. The nearly century-old facility has an in-house recording studio thanks to a partnership with the JDilla Music Foundation.

One of the biggest perks of living in Grixdale Farms is the proximity to Palmer Park. The 300-acre area is home to the most extensive ancient woodland in the Tri-County area and Oak-Beech Climax Forest, which has oaks up to 350 years old. Another historic landmark here is Senator Thomas Palmer’s original 1885 log cabin, which has become an attraction in its own right. Filled with hiking and biking trails, this urban oasis holds outdoor tai chi and yoga classes and hosts a walking club in the warmer months. Other amenities include a splash park, handball and tennis courts, a disc golf course and the Detroit Golf Club.

While there’s no retail in Grixdale Farms, a small selection of local eateries can be found along the major roads. Grab a hot pastry from Dutch Girl Donuts, have brunch at La Dolce Vita or enjoy the taste of the Middle East at Sullaf Restaurant. The Dakota Inn Rathskeller is the city’s oldest German bar, occupying the same space since 1933. The eatery is even on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites. It began as a tiny, three-stool establishment, but regulars helped build the business into the 145-seat restaurant it is today.

Close to major roadways, green spaces, shopping and downtown, Grixdale Farms lets its historic heart attract residents to its tree-lined streets.

Written By

K.T. Phillips

Photography Contributed By

Augusto Abreu

Video By

Matt Pangman