Business View Civil & Municipal | Volme 3, Issue 2

73 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 to build the downtown now.” Short term infrastructure updates for the city include street repairs and replacing lead pipes leading into private residences, a mandate from the State of Michigan. Klobucher emphasizes that Hazel Park is always looking for grants which can be used to improve parks and recreation within the city. A recently organized sustainability commission has been set up to help find ways to implement sustainable solutions in the community. EV chargers are one future possibility, but as Campbell explains, “We are not quite there yet. We are also trying to figure out how rideshare will work for the future. We are big future believers, but we are not to that point within the community. I want to make it clear, we’re not a community with tons of dollars but we do amazingly well.” Main Street redevelopment is a focus of future plans in Hazel Park, as Campbell recounts, “Hazel Park is pretty unique. Basically, in the 1960s, what was the traditional downtown was destroyed by urban renewal and the I-75. We have been recreating a downtown, and we’ve become major partners in Main Street Oakland County, which is part of Main Street America.” Improvements to the John R. corridor, which is part of this downtown development, is a priority going forward. Klobucher shares, “We have two underutilized parcels on John R., which we are hoping will be redeveloped to enhance the walkability of that particular section, and really create a downtown area.” Campbell offers his thoughts on what this project can offer to the community: “We want to create a functioning downtown area where people are not only coming to Hazel Park to go to dinner, but they are hanging out afterward, and walking around, and our residents are out as well. Basically, exporting how tight-knit the community is with the rest of the world, as much as we can.” Create a City People Love Gateways Public Art Downtown Wayfinding Parks City Building Experiences CONTACT US FOR A FREE EVALUATION 248.399.4332 | ideationorange.com HAZEL PARK , MI CHIGAN