Downtown’s vibrancy is amplified by events like the weekly summer Concerts in the Park, its annual Block Party, which closes an entire street, and the 10-yearold Derby Day races, which drew 450 participants in 2024. “There’s always something happening downtown,” says Cloutier, highlighting the city’s focus on inclusive programming for residents and visitors alike. “We’re really developing the downtown and making it walkable and really something for the residents to be proud of.” ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STRATEGIC PLANNING Wixom’s economic resurgence is anchored by the successful redevelopment of its former Ford plant, where 1.4 million square feet of light industrial programming, further enhancing walkability and connecting to the Airline Trail. Local businesses form the district’s backbone. Drafting Table Brewing Company exemplifies community synergy, owners Kristen and Aaron Rzeznik intentionally forgo a kitchen to drive traffic to neighboring restaurants. “They really encourage people to come there and drink their beer or wine or cider, but order food from the neighboring restaurant,” notes Laura Cloutier of the Wixom Downtown Development Authority. Volare offers high-end Italian cuisine, while the 83-year-old Wixom Bar remains a cultural fixture as the city’s oldest business. 110 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08
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