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74-572: Ypsilanti ( / ˌ ɪ p s ə ˈ l æ n t i / IP -sə- LAN -tee ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( / ˈ ɪ p s iː / IP -see ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of the 2020 census , the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, and east by Ypsilanti Township . Ypsilanti

148-467: A Greek and a US flag at the base of the landmark Ypsilanti Water Tower . Ypsilanti has played an important role in the automobile industry. From 1920 to 1922, Apex Motors produced the "ACE" car. The quarter mile stretch of land along Michigan Avenue became a hub for car dealerships starting in 1912 when the first car dealership opened, and ending in the 1990s when the last dealership closed. This area has been referred to as "The Amazing Quarter Mile" and

222-536: A Recreation Center in the area. 2012: The city approves a Family Dollar development on the site. The city initiates the creation of a tree nursery on the East side of Water Street. 2013: A group of local activists and artists begin using Water Street as a meeting place, which is known as the Water Street Commons. Members of the Water Street Commons build structures and art installations in 2013 and

296-404: A household in the city was $ 28,610, and the median income for a family was $ 40,793. Males had a median income of $ 30,328 versus $ 26,745 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,692. About 16.9% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over. The Martha Washington Theatre opened in 1915. It

370-411: A low cost of living , and often a pedestrian - or public transit -friendly development pattern. Several development companies now specialize in constructing retirement communities in college towns. In some cases the communities have developed formal relationships with the local institution. The demand for housing from students, faculty, staff, and retirees kept college town home prices stable during

444-544: A new developer. In the same year, the developer left the project citing economic concerns. 2008: In June, the city hires CB Richard Ellis Inc. to help them market the project across the nation. 2010: The city holds a small ceremony on the site of Water Street to celebrate the beginning phase of the final building demolitions. The city council rejects a proposal to build a Burger King on one acre of land at Water Street. 2011: The city begins having conversations with Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation about developing

518-456: A new whip socket, in the same area. In the 1900s the land began to be developed and over the next 100 years it was the site of industries and businesses such as parks, a railroad, a lumber mill, a plastics factory, a heating and cooling business, restaurants and car dealerships. The stretch of land along U.S. Route 12 in Michigan became a hub for car dealerships starting in 1912 when

592-414: A new, united district on July 1, 2013. Charter schools in the city include Arbor Preparatory High School . It also was the setting of a well known and long running High/Scope Perry Preschool Study regarding the effects of early childhood education in children. The study researched the effects of preschool on the later lives of low income children from the area. Global Educational Excellence operates

666-465: A permit to be on the land, but after it expired, the Commons became illegal. The case never went before a judge and city and artist chose to resolve the dispute through a stipulation order with the same requests of the lawsuit. The mayor at the time, Amanda Edmonds, responded to criticism of the suit by blaming media headlines for being misleading. In 2017, city officials went on a trip to China which

740-563: A short distance away on the west side of the river was established in 1825 under the name "Ypsilanti", after Demetrios Ypsilantis , a hero in the Greek War of Independence . Woodruff's Grove changed its name to Ypsilanti in 1829, the year its namesake effectively won the war for Greek Independence at the Battle of Petra , with the two communities eventually merging. A bust of Demetrios Ypsilantis by Greek sculptor Christopher Nastos stands between

814-491: A term with somewhat derogatory connotations. While noise, traffic, and other quality of life issues have not been resolved, some advocates of New Urbanism have led the development of neighborhoods in college towns by specifically capitalizing on their proximity to university life. For instance, some universities have developed properties to allow faculty and staff members to walk to work, reducing demand for limited on-campus parking; Duke University 's Trinity Heights development

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888-436: A trip paid for by the developer, the city council initiates an investigation into the legality of the trip. After the controversy, the project did not proceed. 2020 : A developer called Kaufman Jacobs proposes a mixed-use project. 2023: Two developers, J29:7 and Renovare, present mixed use developments to the projects. The city puts the proposals on hold when environmental consultants find that contamination from PCBs

962-579: A university expands its facilities, the potential loss of property tax revenue is thus a concern, in addition to local desire to preserve open space or historic neighborhoods. As a result, local people may resent the university and its students. The students, in turn, may criticize the local residents' taking jobs at the university provided by student tuition and fees, and accepting the tax revenues (e.g. local sales tax, property tax on rented properties) that students generate, but resenting students' lifestyles. Some students refer to other inhabitants as "townies",

1036-399: A year or two." Residents and business owners have objected to the project based on the projected and actual costs. As early as 2000 Ypsilanti residents were voicing concern about this project In the process of acquiring the properties, city officials filed lawsuits against property owners with whom they could not reach a purchase agreement. The city and those property owners settled and

1110-713: Is "much more than" than expected. The Water Street Redevelopment Area is part of more than 24,000 contaminated sites in Michigan. Several different contaminants have been found in the soil such as PCBs, Heavy metals , Volatile organic compound , BTEX and PNAs. Businesses associated with the Water Street redevelopment area no longer exist, and as a result cannot be held liable for cleaning up any contamination. Contaminated property that can’t “be tied to polluters because they are no longer in business, bankrupt, unfindable or otherwise able to escape liability” are referred to as “orphaned.” In order to gather granular data about

1184-655: Is a key example. In many cases, developers have built communities where access to the university (even if not directly adjacent) is promoted as an advantage. Student housing is also an important component of college towns. In the United States most state universities have 50 percent or more of their enrolled students living off-campus. This trend, which began in the 1960s, originally meant the conversion of near campus single-family homes to student housing, creating " student ghettos ." Colleges and other developers began building purpose-built off-campus student housing areas in

1258-813: Is a part of the Ann Arbor metropolitan area , the Huron River Valley , the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor combined statistical area , and the Great Lakes megalopolis . The city is also the home of Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Ypsilanti is known mostly for being the home of Eastern Michigan University (formerly the Michigan State Normal College) since the university's founding as Michigan's first normal school (teachers' college) in 1849, its location on

1332-639: Is also the location of the last Hudson automobile dealership. Today, the former dealership is the site of the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Collection . The museum is the home to an original Fabulous Hudson Hornet race car, which inspired the character Doc Hudson in the 2006 Pixar animated film Cars . In the early 1970s, the citizens reduced the penalty for the use and sale of marijuana to $ 5 (the Ypsilanti Marijuana Initiative; see also

1406-558: Is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the North, the Huron River to the West and South, and South and Park Streets to the East. Prior to being U.S. Route 12 in Michigan , the road on the North side used to be named Congress Street. Prior to the 1800s, Native Americans primarily inhabited the land around Ypsilanti and the river. The Potawatomi and Sauk trails passed by what is currently the Water Street area. Native peoples were removed from

1480-562: Is closely related with the university activity and highly supported by the entire university structure, which may include university hospitals and clinics, printing houses, libraries, laboratories, business incubators, student rooms, dining halls, students' unions, student societies, and academic festivities. Moreover, the history of the city is often intertwined with that of the university. Many European university towns have not merely been important places of science and education, but also centres of political, cultural and social influence throughout

1554-597: The Ypsilanti Courier , is published every Thursday by Heritage Media from their Saline, Michigan offices. The only newspaper currently operating in Ypsilanti is Eastern Michigan University 's independent newspaper The Eastern Echo . Local radio stations include: Ypsilanti was also the home to the main editing site of the Linguist List , a major online resource for the field of linguistics . It

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1628-472: The Human Rights Party ). In 1979, Faz Husain was elected to the Ypsilanti city council, the first Muslim and the first native of India to win elected office in Michigan. In the 1990s Ypsilanti became the first city in Michigan to pass a living wage ordinance. On July 23, 2007, Governor Jennifer Granholm announced that Ypsilanti, along with the cities of Caro and Clio , was chosen by

1702-489: The U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.47 square miles (11.58 km), of which 4.29 square miles (11.11 km) is land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km) (4.02%) is water. The Huron River flows through Ypsilanti with Ford Lake on the southern edge of the city. Paint Creek also runs through the city. The Border-to-Border Trail runs through the city. As of the census of 2010, there were 19,435 people, 8,026 households, and 2,880 families residing in

1776-563: The Ypsilanti Press , but that paper closed June 28, 1994, after 90 years in business. Upon closing, the Press sold its masthead, archives and subscriber list to The Ann Arbor News , which then began publishing an Ypsilanti edition. The Ann Arbor News ceased publication on July 23, 2009; it was replaced by a new Internet-based news operation, AnnArbor.com , which also produces print editions on Thursdays and Sundays. A weekly newspaper,

1850-413: The cost of living above that of the region. It is common for university employees to commute from surrounding areas, finding the cost of living in town too expensive. "Studentification", in which a growing student population move in large numbers to traditionally non-student neighborhoods, may be perceived as a form of invasion or gentrification . It may be due to university enrollment expanding beyond

1924-606: The housing market downturn that began in 2005 . Water Street Redevelopment Area Water Street is a brownfield in Ypsilanti, Michigan which used to be a site of various industries and businesses. In 1999, under the leadership of Cheryl Farmer, the City of Ypsilanti officially embarked on a project to  redevelop the area to improve the general image of Ypsilanti and increase its tax revenue. Unsuccessful negotiations with developers and contamination have prevented

1998-524: The "Ypsitucky Jamboree", a new music festival celebrating bluegrass music to be held in Ypsilanti in September 2009; this resulted in objections from some area residents and some members of the City Council, leading to renaming the event as simply "The Jamboree". College town In Europe , a university town is generally characterised by having an ancient university . The economy of the city

2072-527: The 1970s in more college towns. Beginning around 2000 in the United States, nationwide real estate investment trusts (REIT) and publicly traded corporations began developing student housing complexes. Another notable development since the 1990s is the surge in popularity of retirees relocating to college towns. Retirees are attracted to these locations because of cultural and educational opportunities, college athletic events, good medical facilities (often at teaching hospitals affiliated with medical schools ),

2146-599: The Depot Town area adjacent to Frog Island Park and Riverside Park, which features many specialty shops, bars and grills, and a farmers' market . The Tridge is a three-way wooden footbridge under the Cross Street bridge over the Huron River at 42°14′44″N 83°36′42″W  /  42.24561°N 83.61160°W  / 42.24561; -83.61160 . The Tridge connects Riverside Park, Frog Island Park, and Depot Town . The Ypsilanti Water Tower, adjacent to

2220-634: The Festival of the Honey Bee. Ypsi Pride takes place on the first Friday in June and seeks to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture across the community by hosting a variety of family friendly programming, entertainment, and educational content. Ypsilanti has the second largest contiguous historic district in the state of Michigan, behind only the much larger city of Grand Rapids . The Ypsilanti Historic District includes both downtown Ypsilanti, along Michigan Avenue, and

2294-555: The Global Tech Academy (PreK-5) in nearby Ypsilanti Township. A college town, Ypsilanti is home to Eastern Michigan University , founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School. Today, Eastern Michigan University has 17,500+ undergraduate and more than 4,800 graduate students. As well, Ypsilanti is home to Washtenaw Community College (WCC) sponsored off-site extension center. Ypsilanti is served by daily newspapers from Detroit. Ypsilanti once had its own daily newspaper,

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2368-466: The Huron River to generate hydroelectric power which created Ypsilanti's Ford Lake . Ypsilanti is conveniently located on the intersection of US Highway 23 (North-South) and Interstate 94 (East-West), and is a short 15 to 20 minute drive to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). The city is located 8 miles east of Ann Arbor and is 35 miles west of Downtown Detroit . It is also home to

2442-573: The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to take part in the Blueprints for Michigan's Downtowns program. The award provides for an economic development consultant to assist Ypsilanti in developing a growth and job creation strategy for the downtown area. On June 23, 2020, Mayor Beth Bashert resigned after a controversial comment she made about race during a Zoom meeting. According to

2516-674: The South side of this stretch closed in the 1990s. Prior to the redevelopment project, the area has been home to businesses, residences and parks: 1980: Ypsilanti contractor, Walter E. Duke, purchases an old building on Water Street south of Michigan Ave for $ 5,000 as part of the city's anti-blight program. The city and the contractor agree that the site will be renovated to be an "oil recycling facility" and include "riverside recreational areas." 1983: City of Ypsilanti sues contractor, Walter E. Duke, for breach of contract. They cite failure to pay taxes and to complete agreed upon renovations of

2590-508: The absence of a system for payments in lieu of taxes , the university population will disproportionately burden parts of the local public infrastructure, such as roads or law enforcement. Some analysts argue that students relieve the burden on other parts of the local public infrastructure, such as local primary and secondary schools, by far the most costly line item in most North American city and town budgets, by providing tax revenues through local sales tax and property tax paid by landlords. When

2664-677: The amount of required remediation of contaminated land . 1999: The city conducts a community charrette to gauge community interest in the project, and decides to move forward with the project. 2000: The City Council includes the Water Street Redevelopment Area as part of the Downtown Development Authority District . 2001: The city selects Biltmore Properties to develop the property. 2003: A group of Ypsilanti residents, who had concerns about various aspects of

2738-527: The area starting in 1816 and continuing until 1830. The first settler occupants on the land of the Water Street Redevelopment area were in the 1800s. Harwood's flouring mill was constructed in 1829 and positioned along the river just south of Congress Street, now known as Michigan Avenue. In the second half of the 19th century, Alva Worden and his brothers John and Chauncey lived in mansions on this land and manufactured their invention,

2812-513: The campus of Eastern Michigan University, holds the unique distinction of being the winner of the Most Phallic Building contest . Other sites of interest include: There are many parks within the city limits of Ypsilanti, including: Ypsilanti Community Schools serve residents of the city, as well as parts of Ypsilanti Township and Superior Township . Ypsilanti Public Schools and Willow Run Community Schools merged to form

2886-574: The campus of Eastern Michigan University. By 1963, Clara Owens established the Ypsilanti Greek Theater in Ypsilanti, Michigan for the performance of Greek theater productions. In 1966 the Ypsilanti Greek Theater opened at the EMU Baseball field. Bert Lahr and Dame Judith Anderson starred in two productions, The Oresteia , a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus and The Birds by playwright Aristophanes. Since 1979,

2960-500: The capacity of on-campus housing, inadequate zoning enforcement, and/or student culture. Neighborhood associations may work to limit conversion of family homes to student rentals, while some local residents may oppose the construction of large on-campus dormitories or expansion of fraternity and sorority houses, forcing a growing enrollment to seek housing in town. In the US, educational institutions are often exempted from local taxes, so in

3034-444: The case of a company town , the large and transient university population may come into conflict with other townspeople. Students may come from outside the area, and perhaps subscribe to a different—sometimes radically different—culture. Most students are young people, whose living habits may be different from older people. Economically, the high spending power of the university and of its students in aggregate may inflate

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3108-717: The centuries. As an example of this, Paris also illustrates the course of educational history with the Sorbonne and the Grande école . Besides a highly educated and largely transient population, a stereotypical college town often has many people in non-traditional lifestyles and subcultures and with a high tolerance for unconventionality in general, and has a very active musical or cultural scene. Many have become centres of technological research and innovative startups . Universities with start-up centers can be large cities like Munich , but also small cities like Trieste . Although

3182-427: The city had no other way to pay the debts. In 2016, the city filed a lawsuit against a local artist who helped organize and build a sculpture park which was part of the Water Street Commons. The lawsuit followed the discovery of more contamination at the site. In the lawsuit, the city requested all the sculptures be taken down and the individual stay off of the city property. The Water Street Commons originally had

3256-621: The city has become known for summer festivals in the part of the city called " Depot Town ", which is adjacent to both Riverside and Frog Island Parks along the banks of the Huron River. Festivals include the annual Ypsilanti Heritage Festival , Michigan ElvisFest , the Orphan Car Festival, the Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival, the former Frog Island Festival, and a Latino festival. Painter Fay Kleinman moved to Ypsilanti in

3330-487: The city paid $ 725,000 to purchase information that was developed by Biltmore in preparation for project construction. Residents of the city became concerned that part of the $ 750,000 paid to the developer would come from the city's general fund, not grants and loans. The city manager had pledged in the beginning of the project that no general fund dollars would be used, but shared with the Ann Arbor News in 2007 that

3404-460: The city purchased all of the properties. Altogether the city paid over $ 7-million for all of the properties, exceeding their initial budget. On November 1, 2005, Ypsilanti resident and developer Bob Doyle delivered a letter to the Mayor and City Council describing in great detail the history of the Water Street project and why he opposed the current plan. In 2005, after breaking ties with Biltmore,

3478-465: The city that contamination was more extensive than previously known, halting Water Street Redevelopment plans. According to the environmental consultants, the contamination in these parcels is considered hazardous waste due to the high parts-per-million (ppm) of PCBs in the top few feet of soil. In an interview with Local 4 WDIV in May 2024, city officials shared that development might be possible "within

3552-407: The city. The population density was 4,488.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,733.0/km). There were 9,271 housing units at an average density of 2,141.1 per square mile (826.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 61.5% White , 29.2% African American , 0.6% Native American , 3.4% Asian , 1.1% from other races , and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 3.9% of

3626-440: The city. The population density was 5,081.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,962.0/km). There were 9,215 housing units at an average density of 2,094.0 per square mile (808.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 61.40% White , 30.58% African American , 0.44% Native American , 3.18% Asian , 0.07% Pacific Islander , 1.32% from other races , and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 2.47% of

3700-579: The concept of a university town has developed since the European Middle Ages, equivalents already existed in earlier times and in non-European cultures. For example, in later Classical times the city of Athens – no longer having any political or military power, but renowned as the greatest center of learning in the Roman Empire – had many of the characteristics of a university town, and is sometimes called such by modern scholars. As in

3774-532: The first Domino's Pizza location, located near EMU's McKenny Student Union in South Campus. Originally a trading post established in 1809 by a French-Canadian fur trader from Montreal , a permanent settlement was established on the east side of the Huron River in 1823 by Major Thomas Woodruff. It was incorporated into the Territory of Michigan as the village Woodruff's Grove . A separate community

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3848-414: The first car dealership opened. This area has been referred to as "The Amazing Quarter Mile" and was eventually added to the Ypsilanti historic district. Various businesses occupied the buildings on U.S. Route 12 in Michigan such as Ypsilanti Savings Bank, Markham's Restaurant, Moorman's Lumber Yard, Serbay Motors, Silkworth's Gas Station and Auto Repair, Sesi Lincoln Mercury. The last car dealership on

3922-418: The following years. On May 1st, a May Day event takes place which includes seed-bombing the land in hopes of growing native flowers. 2014: The construction begins for a Family Dollar store on about one acre of the redevelopment area. The city starts work with Herman and Kittle Properties on an affordable housing project to be built on a portion of the Water Street Redevelopment area. The developer proposes

3996-533: The high cost of remediation and development. The city closes a stretch of the Border to Border Trail, which runs through the Water Street Redevelopment Area along the river's edge, due to newfound contamination and concern for public safety. 2017: International Village Advisory LLC submits a letter of intent to the city proposing a mixed use development, specializing in housing and amenities for Chinese residents and tourists. After city officials travel to China on

4070-399: The historic Detroit-Chicago Road (now US Highway 12 ), its historic Depot Town commercial district, and for its distinctive Ypsilanti Water Tower constructed in 1890. The city is closely associated with Ford Motor Company's Willow Run Bomber Plant which manufactured over 8,000 Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers during World War II . Ford Motor Company is also known for damming

4144-418: The land and begins contamination cleanup. The city announces that the site is more contaminated than they initially expected. The city of Ypsilanti ends the development contract with Biltmore Properties. 2005: The city announces they will pay Biltmore $ 725,000 in return for data and documents created by Biltmore through their due diligence process. 2006: The city selects Joseph Freed and Associates as

4218-399: The land and pursuing its redevelopment. The study endorses the redevelopment project and forecasts increased property tax revenue. 1995: The state of Michigan rolls back a 1990 “polluters pay” law under Governor John Engler . This new legislation loosened polluter liability and impacted how contamination is remediated and where funding for cleanup efforts comes from. The rollback lessened

4292-557: The late 1980s with her husband, pianist Emanuel Levenson . Overlooking Riverside Park is the non-profit Riverside Arts Center. Established in 1994 through the efforts of the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority and several public spirited citizens, the Riverside boasts a 115-seat black box theater , a sizable art gallery and some meeting rooms and offices. In 2006 the adjacent DTE building

4366-487: The list of over 24,000 contaminated sites in Michigan, of which only 3,000 have been remediated in the last three decades. The contamination of the site is similar to other brownfield sites linked to the Automotive industry . Ypsilanti is among other municipalities in the state of Michigan with brownfield sites that remain undeveloped. Water Street is a single 38-acre parcel near Ypsilanti's downtown area. The area

4440-401: The name Riverwalk Commons for the project. 2015: Family Dollar construction completes. A proposed development with Herman and Kittle Property ends because Michigan State Housing Development Authority determines land is unsafe for residential housing due to contamination. 2016: After talks about a Washtenaw County, Michigan Recreation Center at the site, the project fails due to

4514-740: The nearby Willow Run B-24 Liberator bomber plant from Ford Motor Company , and started to make Kaiser and Frazer model cars in 1947. The last Kaiser car made in Ypsilanti rolled off the assembly line in 1953, when the company merged with Willys–Overland and moved production to Toledo, Ohio . General Motors purchased the Kaiser Frazer plant, and converted it into its Hydramatic Division (now called its Powertrain division), beginning production in November 1953. The GM Powertrain Division ceased production at this facility in 2010. Ypsilanti

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4588-439: The population. There were 8,026 households, of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 19.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 64.1% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

4662-447: The population. 13.6% were of German ancestry, 6.8% Irish, 6.4% English and 5.5% Polish heritage according to Census 2000 . There were 8,551 households, out of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.0% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.5% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who

4736-604: The project from progressing. The city's goal to develop higher density tax generating property stemmed from the passing of the Headlee Amendment and Proposition A which resulted in limitations on property tax increases. Businesses and residents displaced by the proposed development attribute the blight and low taxable value of the area to the city's failure to provide and maintain municipal services and infrastructure. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) includes parcels at Water street in

4810-405: The project, meet with the Mayor and other city officials to communicate their concerns. The city demolishes the first six buildings in May. City officials initiate condemnation lawsuits against the owners of some of the properties after acquisition negotiations fail. 2004: In early January, the city begins the second demolition phase and removes eight buildings. The city completes purchase of

4884-423: The property. The contractor states that he was unable to secure federal or local financing for the $ 350,000 required for the project. 1990: A group called "Ypsilanti 2000" forms to discuss ways to improve the city and improve its image. One idea is to redevelop the Water Street site and tear down the vacant buildings. 1992: The city hires consulting firm Hyett-Palma to investigate the benefits of assembling

4958-539: The site’s contamination, the city commissioned a site assessment of soil and groundwater by parcel from the Traverse Group. In 2016 the city received grant money for further testing which revealed more contamination. City put up a fence around the most toxic areas. The city then fenced-in area is the former site of Commerce Motor Truck Co. and a Dura Corp. manufacturing facility as well as a junk yard. In 2023, environmental consultants - AKT Peerless reported to

5032-434: Was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the city was 25 years. 14.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 35.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 16.6% were from 45 to 64; and 8.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 22,362 people, 8,551 households, and 3,377 families residing in

5106-434: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, 15.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 38.2% was from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 12.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males. The median income for

5180-725: Was eventually added to the Ypsilanti Historic District . This site is part of a collection of parcels known as the Water Street Redevelopment Area . It was in Ypsilanti that Preston Tucker (whose family owned the Ypsilanti Machine Tool Company) designed and built the prototypes for his Tucker '48 . Tucker's story was related in the film Tucker: The Man and His Dream , directed by Francis Ford Coppola . In 1945, Henry J. Kaiser and Joseph W. Frazer bought

5254-507: Was initially operated by Florence W. Signor, who was the only woman theatre operator in Michigan at the time. It was sold to W. S. Butterfield Theatres in 1925. It was converted to an adult theatre in 1971, then to a strip club in 1982. It closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was damaged in a fire three months later. Domino's Pizza was founded in Ypsilanti in 1960 near

5328-485: Was made into a film starring Jane Fonda , focused on the lives of these "Ypsituckians". Recently, the use of the term "Ypsitucky" has come under increased scrutiny due to its historically derogatory connotation. In 2008, the issue was raised after a dinner being held in Ann Arbor to honor Harriette Arnow was described as an "Ypsitucky Supper" in some of the event organizer's media releases. In 2009, planning began for

5402-505: Was mostly staffed by graduate students who attend Eastern Michigan University and runs several database websites and mailing lists. Ypsilanti is often shortened to "Ypsi", particularly in spoken conversation and local/regional usage. Because a large number of residents or their ancestors migrated from Appalachia , certain neighborhoods (particularly on the far east side of the city and into Ypsilanti Township) are sometimes called "Ypsitucky". Harriette Arnow 's book The Dollmaker , which

5476-622: Was renovated with " Cool Cities Initiative " money and is in the process of being incorporated into the center's activities. Since 2013, Ypsilanti has participated in First Fridays , an arts and culture-based monthly event that features a self-guided tour of participating businesses highlighting local artists, and often free samples of food and drink. The same organization that coordinates the Ypsilanti First Friday event series coordinates Ypsi Pride, established in 2017, and

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