Joys in the hood

Summertime — and the warm neighborhoods open up like begonias in the sun. Our mental muscles relax, letting us ponder things that a long, cold winter kept dormant. We start seeing kids playing games in the street, generations sitting on stoops and porches, working in their gardens, eating alfresco and cruising. Each special corner of this huge town has its own personality, its own way of doing things. So we went out to visit a cross-section of them — just for the feel of it.

Little Bengal
Hamtramck enclave's diversity is a sign of an openess that just feels right.

Streets of new Mexico
Mexican immigrants live their own American Dreams in Detroit.

'The first step is here'
Madison Heights provides economic stepping-stone for Asian immigrants.

A walk in the park
Prime historical acreage provides recreation on Detroit's riverfront.

Corktown afloat
What Detroit’s oldest neighborhood lacks in shopping, it makes up for in festivals and community activities.

This old house savior
Real estate developer’s passion for preservation spurs the recent regeneration of the Cass Corridor.

Rays of hope in Delray
This industrial neighborhood in Detroit has fiercely loyal residents and an active, diverse feeling of community.

Neighborhood museum
Detroit's Boston-Edison district remains an oasis in a city far too often concrete and gray.

Candid camaraderie
In Detroit's West Village, residents take pride in their prospering, eclectic neighborhood.

Pilgrimage to Dearborn
Urban mecca gives a sense of community to those looking for their heritage.

Happy trailers to you
Harrison Township has lakeside living just about anyone can afford.