It took less than a minute to know I wanted to live in the house in which I currently reside with my partner. Touring the house and street, I kept waiting for “the catch” that would bring this seemingly too-good-to-be-true deal back to earth. After inspecting all 2,000 square feet of the historic home, taking a stroll down the walk-only cobblestone street on which it sits, and learning about the community garden for local residents, I was sure there was no way we would be able to afford the rent. To my surprise, the amount the landlord requested was well within our budget. Without hesitation, we enthusiastically agreed to lease the house for the year. This was certainly a step up from our 400 square foot apartment in Grosse Pointe Park.
Back in 1977, when General Motors was headquartered in what is now called the Cadillac Building, the auto manufacturer initiated a series of renovations to update single-family homes located just north of Grand Boulevard. The result was “New Center Commons.” Our house, which was built in 1909, was one of the many residences to receive updating. While these houses went through a process of internal modernization, GM made it a point to preserve the distinct historical features that make these houses so attractive. Our guests from the suburbs are consistently shocked when they tour our home. And when we share how much we pay in rent… jaws hit the ground. “We should move here!” friends exclaim to which we respond, “Yes, yes you should!”
We have spent many a night on the front porch enjoying the peace and quiet of the pedestrian-only cobblestone street while sipping hot tea. It feels like we’ve taken a step back in time. In these moments of zen, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a horse and carriage, or even Model T, roll by. There is a sense of timelessness that exists on Pallister Street. Yet, we are reminded exactly where we are when we relocate to our back porch which is graced by a view of the majestic Fisher building.
This blog post was contributed by Caroline Gersch, Fellow