Yes, Auburn Hills Has a Downtown. Here’s How Thoughtful Planning Made That Happen.
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 18, 2024)
Auburn Hills, MI – The story of Downtown Auburn Hills is ultimately one of planning, persistence, patience, and relationships. With these values, city leaders have been able to take a once overlooked area along the Clinton River and turn it into a city center supported with flourishing housing options, new construction, and businesses that are a natural fit for this blossoming space.
The story of this transformation was told on Nov 19 to guests of the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce, who gathered for a luncheon at Fountain Circle Apartments.
Stephanie Carroll, Economic Development Manager for the City of Auburn Hills, shared the history, evolution, and what’s next for the Downtown.
The area of Squirrel Road and Auburn has been a place for people and production since the days of Native Americans who treasured the winding waterway once known at the Nottawassippi, a Native American word meaning “like a rattlesnake.”
In the early 1800s European settlers began building along what is now called The Clinton River, named in 1824 after New York’s Governor DeWitt Clinton. Pontiac grew to be a large city, while just downriver the town of Auburn grew as well. North of Pontiac and the town of Auburn was Pontiac Township. In the 1820s mills were built along the river and the town grew around them. The area where Downtown Auburn Hills now sits had several names over the years starting with the town of Auburn in 1821, named after Auburn New York. In 1880 the town was renamed Amy, and in 1919 it was renamed Auburn Heights. In 1983 Auburn Heights and Pontiac Township combined to form the city of Auburn Hills.
Through those years, the area of Squirrel Road and Auburn Road, near the river, grew to a manufacturing area, including businesses tied to automotive production. As industrial uses grew, so did stress on the river and local environment, and in time as businesses closed, they left behind empty buildings and environmentally challenged land.
THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD
After becoming a city in 1983, officials set about determining their vision for reviving the area around the river. In 1985 they created a TIF district. TIF stands for Tax Increment Financing. It means that within the geographic boundaries of a TIF district, taxes taxes on future real estate value increases are set aside to pay for investing in the improvement of that area. This system does not create new taxes, it simply “captures” tax increases that would otherwise go to other taxing bodies such as the county and local school district. TIF ensures that municipalities have money to invest in infrastructure improvements and services to encourage development, though the money only flows in sync with the improvements made that increase values, so growth tends to happen at slow and steady rate.
In 1998 and ’99, city leaders went through a strategic planning process. They knew they had to work on changing zoning to help attract housing and diverse businesses to the area, which was previously zoned industrial. They also had to find ways to have contaminated sites brought up to environmental standards. In some cases they purchased properties to rehabilitate before selling, and in others they worked with developers using Brownfield incentives to help offset remediation costs for developers.
They also wanted to set the stage for a welcoming downtown by spending $11 million on roadway improvements and streetscaping, which was completed in Spring 2002. This included sidewalks, brickwork, and lighting to make it a more walkable area. They cleaned up Riverside Park, gradually adding in features like The Knight Amphitheater which hosts concerts and other events. They also purchased the right of way land where a railroad used to be, turning it into a trail for walking, running, and bicycling. The Clinton River Trail connects across five communities.
PLANNING AHEAD
With the framework of the Downtown area taking shape, Auburn Hills was ready to start filling in the details. In 2009 they contacted with Hyatt Palma consultants to create a strategic plan. Residents and businesses took part in the conversations and surveys. “It took time to really understand who we are and who we want to be,” Carroll said. “This was the start of something special for us.” One of the very first recommendations was to call the area Downtown Auburn Hills, rather than the Village Center.
By studying downtown development throughout Michigan, and even the Main Street Oakland County programs and efforts locally, they had a sense of what’s needed for success. They used Hyatt Palma’s recommendations as a planning tool and guide to determine where to focus efforts going forward.
“We decided to put a priority on building residential to get people into the core area. Through thoughtful planning and zoning we were able to work with developers to build various types of housing that would benefit current and future businesses,” she said.
By focusing on housing, including mixed-use buildings with housing on the upper floors and ground-level retail, Auburn Hills has built up a community of mainly young professionals who value the convenience and amenities of apartment living, and who enjoy access to the trails and nature that Downtown Auburn Hills has to offer.
HOUSING
Fountain Circle, the apartment complex that hosted the presentation, is a $20 million project built on a 16.4 acre site that used to house a steel plant. Residents in over 250 apartments of varying sizes enjoy amenities like a clubhouse, fitness center, dog wash, package center, heated pool, grilling stations, and EV charging.
Across the street, a million dollar cleanup paved the way for The Jordan, which has which offers 1-2 bedroom apartments above ground level retail. Apartments have Juliet balconies, walk-in closets, quartz countertops, in unit washers and dryers, plus a resident lounge and pet wash room.
The Brunswick building used to house a bowling alley. Now it’s a four story 30,000 square foot building that not only has apartments, but is also home of financial service firm Raymond James’ Auburn Hills office. There’s also a co-working space where people can buy memberships and enjoy an office environment and amenities like high speed wireless and meeting rooms.
Parkways is another sizeable project that has been happening in phases. The City acquired the property due to back taxes, and sought out a developer to work with, adding a variety of housing options in the community. As part of this project, a new street was added – Parkways Blvd, making it easy for residents to drive or walk to the downtown area.
And while all this growth is happening, the city continues to value green space, both in the site plans and in public spaces. In one unique instance, they even purchased an existing duplex in order to remove it for a more scenic view for visitors.
BUSINESS
Businesses have noticed the growing neighborhood, and started moving in. “We love cutting ribbons,” Carroll said of all the grand openings she and her team have attended. Michigan by the Bottle set the stage for outdoor seating in Downtown Auburn Hills. “I get so excited every time I see people sitting on our sidewalks enjoying wine. It’s such a change from how it was before,” Carroll said. “Creating a space like this is exciting. You want to see people out enjoying the downtown.”
The most requested business in surveys was a Mexican restaurant, a dream which finally came true earlier this year with the addition of Cantina El Dorado.
WHATS NEXT
The Webster Apartments are nearing completion, as is the creation of a public square where people can attend events or simply enjoy outside seating in the midst of this growing community. Alo’s Sports Bar is opening soon and will feature both inside and patio season.
While the area is blossoming quickly, there are still opportunities for residents and businesses to be part of Downtown Auburn Hills.
Learn more at https://insideauburnhills.com
