Politics & Government
Readers Weigh In On Five Mile Property Plans
A splash pad, a technology park, retail ... what do you think should go at the site of the former prison in Northville Township?
The site of the old Robert Scott Correctional Facility, which was leveled to the ground this summer, holds significant development potential for Northville Township.
The 54-acre property sits empty on the corner of Five Mile and Beck roads and can open up the potential for future development in the area, Township Supervisor Robert Nix said at a meeting last week. Township officials and members of the planning commission agreed that residential development is not ideal for the property. Otherwise, all ideas are on the table.
Patch readers chimed in with their ideas on what to do with the property.
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"A splash pad is a perfect idea. As a mom of 4 I would be there all the time," said reader Rachael in a comment.
She said she would rather contribute to her community than visit cities like Romulus, which she said has an indoor and outdoor water park.
However, Patch reader Boiling said a community center is already slated for the township's property on Seven Mile Road.
"The Northville community already has one of the highest averages of Park Land acreage per capita in the area and as far as a return for the taxpayer we would only see money going out with no benefits to our public services or schools," he wrote in a comment.
Other readers said the area should be developed for retail. Boiling disagreed and wrote that retail development wouldn't work on the property because the area's already congested traffic.
Another idea brought up at the township's meeting last week was to develop the property as a technology park to mimic the nearby area east of Beck Road.
However, Patch reader Mark Anderson said that kind of development would bring as much traffic as retail, which roads are not equipped to handle.
"I stick by the splash pad/extension of community park idea. We have a huge tech park that isn't full and plenty of other retail options in the area," he wrote.
Read all of the readers' comments.
What would you like to see included in the plans for the Five Mile Road property? Tell us in the comments.
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She said she would rather contribute to her community than visit cities like Romulus, which she said has an indoor and outdoor water park.
However, Patch reader Boiling said a community center is already slated for the township's property on Seven Mile Road.
"The Northville community already has one of the highest averages of Park Land acreage per capita in the area and as far as a return for the taxpayer we would only see money going out with no benefits to our public services or schools," he wrote in a comment.
Other readers said the area should be developed for retail. Boiling disagreed and wrote that retail development wouldn't work on the property because the area's already congested traffic.
Another idea brought up at the township's meeting last week was to develop the property as a technology park to mimic the nearby area east of Beck Road.
However, Patch reader Mark Anderson said that kind of development would bring as much traffic as retail, which roads are not equipped to handle.
"I stick by the splash pad/extension of community park idea. We have a huge tech park that isn't full and plenty of other retail options in the area," he wrote.
Read all of the readers' comments.
What would you like to see included in the plans for the Five Mile Road property? Tell us in the comments.
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