The city of Flint is 66 miles from Detroit. It is the seventh largest city in Michigan with a population just under 100,000. Population peaked at about 200,000 people in the 1960 census.
While much of the city has blight and high crime rates, the downtown area is experiencing a good amount of redevelopment largely thanks to the University of Michigan-Flint. Downtown will be the main subject of this thread, with a few shots from Carriage Town and the Cultural Center. General Motors was founded in Carriage Town, though I do not have any photos in this thread of the remaining original structures.
These were taken on a quiet sunday afternoon, so not many people were out.
Buildings along Saginaw Street, the city's main street
Flint's tallest building, the vacant Genesee Towers, was once located where the rubble is to the left. The current tallest is seen here, the Mott Foundation Building
Genesee Towers debris. They are recycling some of the material. I believe I read somewhere that a garden or park will be on this site.
A formerly impossible alley-side shot of the Mott Foundation Building
The Flint Journal Building, currently under renovation. The Flint Journal is still the main newspaper in the city.
First and Saginaw streets. The taller white building was renovated in the last few years into First Street Lofts, and the Land Bank directly to the right was recently constructed
Saginaw Street
Blackstone's and the WadeTrim Building, both new builds on Saginaw
Rowe Building, a new build on Saginaw
WadeTrim Building. This site was formerly several empty structures, including an old theater.
Ferris Furs Building
The building on the corner at right is a recent restoration. The parking lot on the left was once home to Flint's leading department store, Smith-Bridgman's, as well as a large Kresge's and other buildings.
University Pavilion, on the site of Flint's first high rise building
352 S. Saginaw, downtown's last remaining vacant high rise
Downtown's landmark weather ball
A former hotel, Riverfront Center is now dorms for University of Michigan-Flint and a student center for Baker College
The arches over Saginaw Street are another landmark in the city
Flint River. Downtown on the right, Carriage Town on the left
The Durant, a hotel that became abandoned and was renovated into commercial space and lofts in the past few years.
Northbank Center, utilized by the University of Michigan-Flint
An antique store and diner in Carriage Town, a block or two away from The Durant
Across the street, the formerly unused Berridge Hotel has been restored into residential units.
Riverfront Center from the back of Northbank Center
State of Michigan offices. It appeared there was some work going on here.
Dam on the Flint River
William S. White Building at the U of M-Flint
Almost back where we started, the rear corner of the Mott Foundation Building
Left to right, the new Genesys Health building, Thompson and Dexel Buildings [both recently restored], 352 S. Saginaw, Churchill's restaurant and two First Merit Bank buildings
Lastly, the Flint Institute of Arts in the Cultural Center. The Cultural Center, like Detroit's Cultural Center, is home to museums and the city's main library.
Thanks for looking!
Linear Mode
