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Greenfield Road gets a tune-up along Southfield and Oak Park
One of Metro Detroit's main arterial roadways connecting some of its busiest communities between Wayne and Oakland counties is currently undergoing quite the makeover. When it's complete, it will deliver drivers to what will one day be the Northland City Centre.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Both Oak Park and Southfield rejoiced as the busy roadway dividing the two communities got a makeover, with community leaders celebrating the project on Wednesday.
The beautification of Greenfield is the beginning of a much larger urban improvement plan for the area that touches some of the busiest spots in Southeast Michigan.
Big picture view:
A tired stretch of Greenfield Road that serves passage between Wayne and Oakland counties is getting a makeover as community leaders in Oak Park and Southfield ready the area to become the newest hot spot in Metro Detroit.
A ribbon-cutting hosted by mayors of both cities and economic developers on Wednesday unveiled a newly spruced gateway monument welcoming drivers coming from Detroit, decorative banners draped along streetlights, and eventually a public art installation under the Eight Mile bridge.
Also part of the ceremony was the newly restored Forest Winter Drive, which was completed last year. It required a full reconstruction between Nine Mile and Greenfield Road, traversing around the plaza.
Often lacking near busy roads, a new pedestrian crossing was also added at Foster Winter Drive, giving the area some better walkability.
"Fifty years ago, this was one of the hottest places in metro Detroit—the intersection of Eight Mile and Greenfield," Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver said. "We’re seeing a huge renewal."
Dig deeper:
Approximately 33,000 drivers use Greenfield every day.
Chauffeuring that many drivers a day can beat up a road, requiring continual investment to allow seamless travel between the two counties. Both public and private funding from sources like the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and all three cities nearby helped pay for the improvements.
It's part of a larger plan setting the stage for the blockbuster project at the former Northland Mall.
What will eventually be a mix of apartments, offices, and retail stores at the new Northland City Center, it's currently a large vacant lot featuring only the bones of what will one day be a giant complex.
"It’s a great story to tell. So those of you who are here today, let's tell our story. We should be very proud," said Frederick Zorn, Southfield city administrator.
The goal is for stores to start opening up as soon as next year.
Costco to build a very different kind of store at site of Northland Mall
The new location for Costco will differ from their standard consumer retail locations. Products will be offered in greater quantities and won’t include the bakery and pharmacy that are in current Michigan stores, Friedman Real Estate said.
The Source: A Wednesday press conference with city leaders and economic developers was used while reporting this story.