An artist’s rendering of the 150-156 N. Center Street project at the southeast corner of the N. Center and Dunlap.
There is a plan in place for the historic building at 341 E. Main Street.
Development Keeps Rolling Despite pandemic, city and township approving plenty of projects By Lonnie Huhman
T
here’s no lack of new and planned development in the Northville community. Here’s a breakdown of some of the projects already taking place or planned in the coming months in both the city and township. Starting in the township, there are some new commercial development and plans for residential. Northville Township Planner Jennifer Frey highlighted some of the projects the community might be interested in: • Chick-Fil-A (Haggerty, south of 8 Mile – in front of Kohls) – Construction is supposed to begin this summer. • Premier Academy – 40724 7 Mile (7 Mile at Fry) • New office building – next to Premier Academy (7 Mile at Smock) • First Watch – 15311 Beck Road (5 Mile & Beck @ Village at Northville) • Hotel 2 Suites – 47450 5 Mile (5 Mile & Beck @ Village at Northville)
20 The ‘Ville
• New office building – 41200 5 Mile (east of Winchester) • Willow Pines – 130 Senior Independent Living (on Ward Church property, north of the church) • Ball fields at Ward Church – Two new fields that will be available for public use • Dekah Lash - 15424 Sheldon (northeast corner of 5 Mile and Sheldon) “We are steady,” said Frey. Other township projects in the review/approval process are: • Northville Glades – Haggerty, north of 5 Mile (between Church & Woodside Villager) 48 Townhomes • Westridge – northwest corner of 6 Mile and Ridge – 5 unit detached condominiums • Multi-tenant Industrial building (expansion of an existing building – Metro Auto Leasing) – 50595 6 Mile (east of Napier) In the City of Northville, two of the bigger developments are proposed to be constructed on
North Center and East Main Street. At the southeast corner of the N. Center and Dunlap intersection is a proposed development called the 150-156 N. Center Street project, which is now going through the city’s review/approval process. According to the city, the applicant is proposing to demolish the existing one-story building at 156 N. Center Street, as well as an addition on the rear of the adjacent building to the south of Tuscan Café (150 N. Center Street). “They are proposing to construct a new three-story building at the corner, and build a three-story addition onto the rear of the Tuscan Café building. They are also proposing to build a third floor on top of the existing Tuscan Café building,” city planning consultant, Carlisle Wortman Associates, said in their report. “Both addresses will have interior access to one another. The new building will be
occupied by a restaurant on the first floor, and four residential units on the upper floors. The Tuscan Café building will continue to be occupied by the restaurant on the first floor, and have three residential units on the upper floors.” The project at 341 E. Main Street, at the northwest corner of E. Cady Street and Griswold Street, had its final site plan approved at the Planning Commission’s June 16 meeting. Guidobono, a Northvillebased developer, had petitioned to demolish the 2,400-squarefoot building, but will now restore and re-purpose the existing historic structure, which dates back to the 1800s. The developer’s next step is to prepare plans and submit for a building permit, city planning consultant Sally Elmiger said. Guidobono is proposing to shift an existing historic structure to the east and south, and re-use the vacant building as an office. This proposal is considered a “change in use.” “The existing parking lot will be slightly expanded to accommodate parking for the new use, and the existing paver driveway will be replaced with a new driveway,” the planning consultant report said. “The building shift and the slightly
