Good news for Northville residents and environmental enthusiasts! The Northville Downs development project has received key approval, signalling a significant step forward in the restoration of the Middle Rouge River.
The Michigan Strategic Fund, a component of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., approved the transfer of public areas at the emerging mixed-use development to the Wayne County Land Bank. This decision comes within the larger framework of a $350-million development project slated for completion by 2028.
The plan involves the redevelopment of the former Northville Downs horseracing track, a 48-acre site, and an adjacent brownfield into nearly 500 residential units which include homes, condominiums, and apartments.
But that’s not all. The proposal also incorporates retail spaces with up to three restaurants and 15 acres of public parks and green spaces, set to enhance the urban aesthetics and recreational value of Northville.
Yet, the most fascinating aspect of the initiative is undoubtedly the renovation of the Middle Rouge River. Key players, namely the City of Northville Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Hunter Pasteur Northville, plan to remove an over-century-old tunnel running beneath the former racetrack (a technique known as ‘daylighting’) to create an open, thriving river and a riverside park adjacent.
The tunnel, which stretches more than 400 yards, presently carries a segment of the Middle Rouge River. The restoration project aims to bring the river closer to its natural state while purifying the contaminated land on which the racetrack once stood. This not only revitalizes the land but also contributes to an enriched recreational area for the public to enjoy.
A stumbling block was the fact that Northville city, as a non-Qualified Local Governmental Unit, was unfit to bear the cost of infrastructure adjustments. This is where the Wayne County Land Bank comes in. According to Act 381, the properties suitable for infrastructure developments must either be owned or controlled by a Land Bank Authority. Therefore, to allow the utilization of state tax capture for compensating the developer for public infrastructure upgrade costs, the strategic fund approved the transfer of properties into the land bank’s control.
These moves collectively form part of a comprehensive strategy to revitalize Northville and offer its community the multi-faceted benefits of urban redevelopment. With project aims to transform a polluted brownfield site and an “impactful” public park, it promises ecological and recreational advantages that extend well beyond the immediate vicinity.
Joint venture partners include Neumann Smith Architecture, Elkus Manfredi Architects, Presley Architecture, Grissim Metz, Riese Associates, M Architects, and Sieber Keast.
Founded in 1999, Hunter Pasteur, the parent company for Hunter Pasteur Northville, is one of southeast Michigan’s major homebuilders and a major developer of residential properties – building and developing over 1,500 units across metro Detroit over the past two decades.
For more details about the Northville Downs project, visit https://northvilledowns.info/.
