SOUND OFF

Only one winner

The vast majority of residents are totally against the Downs project. Several meetings have been well attended and the overwhelming majority express opposition to the project in its present form. The uniqueness of the city will be lost. The city is also responsible for major capital expenses.

It’s obvious to me the City Council is not capable of dealing with HunterPasteur Homes and Mr. Seth Herkowitz. There is only one winner and it is not the residents of Northville. Why have a meeting and not consider the input of almost all who attend? I have no idea why the council chooses to support a project that will destroy the city we all chose to live in. Perhaps we chose the wrong council members.

Jack Bianco

In support of progress

I just wanted to express my support for the plans at Northville Downs. The current track is an eyesore and waste of downtown land. The city did proper due diligence with a survey of what the community wanted, kept pushing the developer to incorporate feedback, and now it’s time to take action. I can’t wait to see the Rouge River daylighted and those empty dirt lots turned into a community.

I am also in support of creating a better downtown aesthetic. Now that it has been decided to keep the streets closed, I believe the city (and businesses) can make investments to utilize the outdoor space year round. That was tough (and expensive) to do when permanence was in question.

I trust that our Northville leaders will monitor progress over time and adjust plans accordingly for both these projects. Most of all, I look forward to a new and improved Northville that is representative of both its historical past and bright future.

Coleen Borgia

Not especially attractive

As I bounce my way up North Center Street, weaving to avoid the potholes on the approach to 8 Mile, I ponder to myself, “Is there a better way to spend a few hundred thousand dollars than to construct an archway for Ford Field that looks uncannily like the skeleton of the giant I-94 Uniroyal tire emerging from its tomb?”

There are many ideas in the article “Big Plans, Big Price Tag” (January issue) that are worthwhile and would add to the quality of life in Northville - the daylighting of the Rouge and the parkland around it, and the new location for the farmers’ market, to name a couple, but the proposed archway is not one of them. It is out-of-scale, not especially attractive, and would almost suggest that its intent is to be a monument to the visionaries currently serving in our city government.

John D. Webster

Please submit your letters by emailing Editor Kurt Kuban at kurtkuban@gmail.com. Letters must be 150 words or less. We reserve the right to edit all letters.