Summit Shares What’s New at Main Street Orgs Across Oakland County
(Crystal A. Proxmire, March 26, 2025)
Waterford, MI – It’s been 25 years since Oakland County began targeted investment and organizational support for its downtowns and business corridors with the creation of the Main Street Oakland County Program. While people may be able to name downtowns that they know and love, they may not realize the amount of work, and collaboration, that goes in to creating those thriving community spaces.
What started with just three downtown organizations – Rochester, Royal Oak and Walled Lake, has now grown into a network of 29 communities spread across the county. Representatives from the Main Street organizations gathered in Waterford on March 19 for the annual Main Street Oakland County Summit. Here they were able to celebrate successes, share ideas, and talk about challenges.
They also had the chance to review the MSOC Annual Report, sharing in the pride of $1.2 billion in new public and private investment in main streets across Oakland County since 2021. Over 1,400 new businesses have opened, and a net of 8,182 new jobs have been added in participating main streets.
Oakland County Commission Chairperson Dave Woodward was on hand to greet attendees and congratulate the group on 25 years. “I remember when the Main Steet program was created, and to see it grow as a place where ideas are exchanged, opportunities are lifted, and to work without our cultural institutions and our economic team,” he said. “Our limits are only bound by our imagination.”
Woodward added “We want to make sure all of you continue to be successful.”
A good portion of the event was spent sharing ideas and talking about what each local community has been proud of in the past year. With lots of clapping and eager notetaking there were wins of all kinds celebrated by the diverse communities in attendance.
In Southfield, for example, the city is challenged by an abundance of vacant office space after many large companies have restructured or closed, and more people began working remotely during the pandemic and have continued the trend of working from home. The downsizing of corporate offices has also caused other businesses to suffer, including the hospitality industry. One of Southfield’s big wins this year is that one of those vacant hotels will soon be converted into housing and a training space where people who are transitioning out of the foster care system can live temporarily and gain skills for independence.
In Wixom the community continues building a sense of place, and the big success is in a wayfinding signage project for the budding downtown area.
In Downtown Farmington the challenge is making an historic downtown work well for modern needs. Dinan Park has been given a facelift and the Masonic Lodge, built in 1876, is undergoing a restoration. And throughout the Downtown accessibility features are being added so that people can navigate the area whether they do so by foot or by wheels. They’ve also received $80,000 in grants to make improvements at bus stops to improve accessibility and make transit even better for those who use it.
Downtown Holly has big project in the works. After years of planning and fundraising their historic Holly Union Depot is scheduled to be moved from a precarious place too close to the tracks, closer to the community core where it will be restored and able to welcome visitors. In April the historic building will be carefully guided by a team of robots to its new location.
Holly was also a proud recipient of a GM on Main Street Grant that was used for a park cleanup as well as streetscaping and trees throughout the Downtown corridor. Pontiac also received a GM on Main Street Grant for their Saginaw Green Makers Village.
In Highland an exciting project is the creation of a path and boardwalk that will better connect the core Downtown area to surrounding features like trails, neighborhoods, and the famous destination of Colassanti’s Market. Another point of pride is the façade grant program which has helped several businesses make improvements, with Odds & Ends being the most recent success in bringing the shop more in line with its historic features.
Highland is also on the verge of welcoming a new business that some have considered controversial – Sheetz. This convenience store and gas station will be constructed on a property that has long been problematic for the Township. The lot, on the corner of Highland Road and Milford Road has had a run-down vacant building for over 25 years. The property does not have a sewer access and not enough room for a septic field, making it difficult to find an investor. However some creative collaboration with a neighboring property makes the Sheetz development possible, adding a service to the community as well as increased tax revenue. The proposal brought out both supporters and naysayers, but overall is likely to be a success.
Downtown Lake Orion is also in the midst of a large development – the transformation of a former lumber yard into a mixed-use space to include community gathering space. Thus far 91 semi-trucks full of blighted debris has been removed from the site. While doing work on the site, an old railroad line was found which is going to be incorporated into the design of the space, possibly as part of a walkway.
Lake Orion also invests in a façade grant program, and they are working on identifying buildings with second stories that could be better utilized.
Oak Park does not have a traditional downtown, but they have three corridors that they are working on improving. The visible part of this work is in streetscape improvements and the attraction of new businesses. The team in Oak Park also works to help support businesses with educational opportunities, networking, and by finding potential grant opportunities. One big victory was a $25,000 Michigan Economic Development Grant to help Best Friends Early Childhood Center.
Next door in Ferndale, housing has been one of the biggest victories. The community recently celebrated the opening of the Matthew Shepherd House, which has apartment living for LGBTQ+ older adults. And on the horizon is an 80-unit building just off Woodward Avenue called Vester Flats.
In the NE Corner of the county, Ortonville DDA is celebrating their Hometown Heros Banner program with over 60 banners sold in May to honor veterans and deceased military members. They’re also celebrating creative problem-solving. Since the Village does not have sewer or septic capacity, they’re unable to add restaurants or coffee shops. But they are going to begin having Sip and Sit Food Truck days, with bistro tables for visitors beginning in June. Ortonville also recently launched their new website, and has been actively recruiting new volunteers.
In Hazel Park, a recent road diet on N. John R. road has helped to slow traffic and build up the community feel of the corridor.
Beverly Hills is also in the process of determining traffic calming measures.
And in Lyon Township a new ring road is in the works to help reduce traffic in the Downtown so that it can be more pedestrian and event friendly.
These successes and others across the county happen because of the volunteers in each community, and moving forward all of the organizations will continue looking for local business owners and residents for their Design, Organization, Promotion, and Economic Vitality committees.
MSOC will continue providing support such as workshops and trainings, funding, design services, and consultation in areas such as small business support, business attraction and retention, placemaking, marketing, organizational development, fundraising, and historic preservation.
They’re also helping support small businesses with their ShopOCMainStreets.com website, where 98 local businesses have their products available for online purchase.
“We’re here today because we want to know how we can better support you and what you’re doing in your communities,” said Main Street Oakland County Director John Bry. The 25th Anniversary Celebration of MSOC takes place June 12 at The Roxy in Downtown Rochester.
Learn more about MSOC at https://www.oakgov.com/community/community-development/main-street-oakland-county
