West Side Industrial
Neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan
Wayne County 48226 48216
48233
A- Neighborhood Grade
8 Neighborhood Score
$194,293
Average Value
$120
Average Price per Sq Ft
Detroit’s Forgotten Frontier in Wayne County’s 48201 ZIP Code
The stretch of land west of downtown Detroit known as West Side Industrial rarely makes the glossy brochures, but that isn’t to say it’s not worth talking about.
Bordered by I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, and the old Michigan Central tracks to the south and west, this gritty neighborhood, located within the 48216 ZIP code, stands as a grim manufacturing center turned ghost town with paved lots, salvaged warehouses, and an eerie stillness waiting to be revived.
Industrial Bones, Developmental Whispers
West Side Industrial is not a residential area in the conventional sense. You won’t see blocks of bungalows or rows of duplexes here. Instead, you’ll see the bones of old factories, empty commercial plots, and scattered residential units tucked into forgotten corners.
But beware – this is not dead land.
It’s simply… transitional.
Pricing in the West Side Industrial Neighborhood
The median sale price in ZIP code 48216 is around $290,000, driven by burgeoning developments in more sought-after nearby neighborhoods like Corktown and North Corktown.
Yet opportunities remain within West Side Industrial:
Vacant lots and industrial parcels zoned for mixed use are available in the $45,000 to $125,000 range, depending on size and location, with some selective adaptive reuse properties – mostly warehouses turned live/workspaces – having hit the market for $350,000 to $500,000 and getting snapped up by developers and creative entrepreneurs alike.
And while West Side Industrial offers virtually no traditional single-family homes, adjacent 48216 neighborhoods contain historic homes priced from $200,000 to well over $600,000.
In short: West Side Industrial neighborhood is at the tipping point: Too empty to call residential, yet too close to the action to completely disregard.
District 6 Development: From Ruins to Revenue
West Side Industrial’s location is everything.
Situated in District 6, the neighborhood is one squeezed in by momentum:
To the east, towers and residential conversions are getting closer to downtown every year, with a billion-dollar engine of change known as Ford’s “Michigan Central Station” in active redevelopment in Corktown.
To the west, new residential infill in North Corktown pushes buying pressure into the area.
That means West Side Industrial may be empty today – but it won’t be forever. Upgraded infrastructure, developer interest, and city planning documents indicate that the area is next in line for major reinvention.
Shopping, Dining, and the Edges of Comfort
Although West Side Industrial lacks a residential core, plenty of amenities are located just outside its boundary within a commutable distance:
For dining, pick up some BBQ at Slows BBQ on Michigan Avenue just 5 minutes away, or head to Lady of the House and Supergeil in Corktown for classic Detroit cuisine with a local twist.
For shopping, most West Side Industrial residents visit Honey Bee La Colmena, a Mexican American market in Midtown, and a staple in the 48216 ZIP code, or the Whole Foods downtown for a chain store grocery shopping alternative.
Green Space is the Ground Zero for Change
Though green space is sparse inside West Side Industrial, the Joe Louis Greenway, an urban trail project of 27.5 miles, brings plenty of outdoor appeal.
There’s also Roosevelt Park, just South of Corktown, which offers an open lawn, art installations, and direct views of Michigan Central, along with more green corridors and bike paths connecting 48216’s industrial skeleton with the broader Detroit urban fabric – much of which remains on paper for now.
Life in the City – Education and Family Life
While most families would never consider a move to West Side Industrial, school choices within the broader 48216 ZIP code area include:
Maybury Elementary, a K-5th grade school just west of Mexicantown, serving a multicultural student body with bilingual support, Gompers Elementary-Middle School, Marquette Elementary-Middle School, Fisher Magnet Upper Academy, and Western International High School – much-loved for its strong community anchored in various sports and arts programs.
That said, these schools are technically zoned nearby, with the West Side Industrial neighborhood not yet structured for family life – but that’s something that could change as development continues moving eastward within District 6.
Transit and the Urban Grid
West Side Industrial has easy access to major Detroit arteries:
The I-75, M-10, and I-96 all intersect near each other, so you can get in the car and be almost anywhere in the city in under an hour.
DDOT buses service Michigan Avenue and Grand River and connect to the QLine and Amtrak at the New Center station.
District 6 is quietly preparing this neighborhood for urban integration through transportation investments, with expanded bike infrastructure and a pedestrian-friendly design both tied to redevelopment efforts around Michigan Central and the Joe Louis Greenway.
Final Thoughts: This West Side Industrial Area is NOT Empty!
West Side Industrial is a dusty scrap of District 6 that could very easily become Detroit’s next blank canvas.
It’s a frontier for architects, small-scale developers, artists, and entrepreneurs willing to grind down a little and reclaim space.
at a crossroads between the past and future, ruin and reinvention, yet within ZIP code 48216,
No – it won’t tempt you with tree-lined streets or cozy cafes, but for those who see potential in pausing, who build while others wait, West Side Industrial may just be the last great land grab in the city’s core.
Momentum is everything in Detroit, and at a crossroads between the past and future, ruin and reinvention, ZIP code 48216 is beginning to hum.
Agents Specializing in this Area
Schools
No Schools found.
Transit
Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
Bus
Jefferson Ave & 12th St
Bus
Fort St & Rosa Parks Blvd
Bus
Michigan Ave & 14th St
Crime and Safety
| 1 – Low Crime, 10 – High Crime | West Side Industrial | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 7 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 6 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 7 | 4 |
| Robbery | 6 | 4 |
| Burglary | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 4 |
| Larceny | 4 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 6 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
West Side Industrial Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Bagley, Detroit sell after 47 days on the market compared to the national average of 48 days. The average sale price for homes in Bagley, Detroit over the last 12 months is $207,405, up 15% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Home Trends
| Median Home Value | Median Listing Price | Median Sale Price | Average Price per Sq Ft |
| $256,330 | $250,000 | $270,000 | $251 |
| Median Rent | Home Value Change (1-Year) | Homes Sold (Last Month) | |
| $1,679 | -5.4% | 2 |
Neighborhoods Facts
| Number of Homes in Neighborhood | Median Year Built |
| 1,407 | 1937 |
| Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft Below the national average | Median Lot Size Sq Ft |
| 1,483 1,937 | 4,138 |
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
See All Homes
Average Home Value
Property Mix – Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
| Total Population | Median Age | Population Density | Population under 18 On par with the national average |
| 1,407 | 37.6 years | 14 ppl/acre | 6% 23.8% |
| Population over 65 On par with the national average | |||
| 18.5% 19.1% |
Finances
| Median Household Income Significantly below the national average | Average Household Income |
| $50,067 $71,702 | $64,127 |
Education and Workforce
| High School Graduates | College GraduateBelow the national average | Advanced Degrees | % Population in Labor Force Below the national average |
| 11% | 32% 34.1% | 17% | 55.7% 65.1% |
Weather
| Annual Precipitation | Average Winter Low Temperature | Average Summer High Temperature | Annual Snowfall |
| 30” | 20°F | 83°F | 38” |
Area Factors
41
/ 100
50
/ 100
23
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
