I so agree with your sentiments that Northville has such potential far beyond other towns! We need more attention to your ideas to get more people on board. I have been working for a year and a half on drawing well deserved attention to the centerpiece of Northville. Northville Square, the most under utilized and neglected piece of unbelievable real estate in town. People are not aware of the great business opportunities available here and it's time we make that known. Detroit is a prime example considering all of their challenges and look what fresh ideas and determination has done! In Northville we don't have nearly as many challenges and even if we are conservative there is a lot of money here between Downtown, the Township and the fact that the surrounding cities who don't have a downtown area LOVE Northville. I'm on board, how about the rest of you?

Big fan of many of the ideas in here. Another novel idea - have restaurants and stores open on Sundays! I don't get the reason for downtown being a ghost town on purpose on Sundays - I think it's a very old school idea and isn't a good one anymore. Parking will obviously be a need as well - so as much as I hate it, let's find a good spot for a deck (just build up from the current lot south of Main/west of Center?). Also, get residents on board - all the negative talk around the Garage is frustrating - accept that most people that live in Northville want more amenities, rather than having to travel to our neighbors to the south (Plymouth) or north (Novi) to do things on weekends. Last thing - keep things family friendly - there are a lot of events on weekends that are fantastic for bringing kids around

Some of these ideas are on track and should be considered by the city. An example of this being the transition to gas lamps (or solar powered copy cat ones that imitate the look of gas) to embrace the "Victorian" brand the city has pursued. There needs to be a more focused effort on developing this concept rather than chasing dollars. Sure it may sound "Disney-ish" but giving an experience to residents and visitors that makes them want to come back is how you attract and grow new businesses and increase the tax base. Which is probably the greatest point to consider as if the race track does close the city will be losing one of its largest revenue sources. However, other ideas like WiFi are proven money holes, and note this is coming from a downtown resident who would use it...most online access is already conducted through mobile devices and will continue in that direction so there is no need for it. Northville still needs to work on covering the basics before trying to make these large investments. We can't be talking about purchasing charging stations when we can't even keep one parking structure clean from trash, leaking cracks creating puddles everywhere and windows that haven't been washed in who knows how long. Let's get the basics covered, organize some real unique events (not copycats from other cities), and see where that goes for now...

FYI –
There is now a LinkedIn group for Downtown Northville champions - folks like us that care about reviving and bringing new energy here. It allows us to better collaborate/share ideas, discussions and polls associated with downtown.

LinkedIn is a professional networking tool which allows real-time communication on a powerful business platform. As this is Northville most of us use LI and are familiar

– So let’s connect (become a cohesive force) and improve the city.

Below is the group URL:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=4801739

- john

Great Idea's, but missing one important point. The taxes to the commercial properties in the downtown area, for the most part , prevent a business from locating here. Ever wonder why a business is here one day and gone the next? The rent is so high because the commercial property owners have to pass this on just to break even. Without tax incentives or reductions, business owners just go somewhere else. Just look at Plymouth and Novi and compare.

Hate to burst your bubble, but the track is the biggest source of revenue for the city; second is Hillers. Other ideas are good-ish. The thing that blows my mind is that the main square is 100% wasted primo real estate, each of the opposing walls should support two bar/restaurants each. The entire square should be full of eating drinking. Think the grand place in brussels. Have markets most summer days. Planters? Come on. People.

CT, have you stepped inside lately – It should be condemned. That track is on life support… :)

I think we agree in general. The square is 100% wasted primo real estate and someone downtown needs to realize that what they are doing currently is failing. Fresh ideas are needed. “Opposing walls should support two bar/restaurants each. The entire square should be full of eating drinking. Think the grand place in brussels.” BRILLIANT, SOMEONE FROM THE CITY PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

This is what you get when you hire a consultant for city planning projects that is located in another city. The city should have thier own, on-site consultant that has an vested interest in how the city should be developed in the future. As it sits now, the Ann Arbor consultants are archaic. Here is an IDEA. Open up the rouge river that runs under the city and create a riverwalk enviroment. You can have shops and bistro's on each side and entertainment and events years round( think San Antonia,TX). This can truly be a destination area with historic tie-ins. Definitely unique to the area.

The city planners actually listen to the bussiness owners and residents concerns. However, to make real change, some hard choices must be made. The City Manager just happens to be an excellent visionary as well as a few on the planning commision. Get rid of the expensive out of town planning consultant and take back your City. Now, go change it!