Did you know there is a downtown Auburn Hills? I am going to guess probably not, unless you live in or near the northern suburb.
Believe it. There is a small city center in Auburn Hills, a place known for housing corporate campuses and one of the most suburban sports venues in the world. That city center is where its municipal offices will be expanded through the purchase of a live-work development at 3395 Auburn Road, east of Squirrel Road.
"It's a great little place," says Stephanie Carroll, community relations and legislative affairs coordinator for the city of Auburn Hills.
The new site is a street level unit of a work/live development and will serve as an operational hub for city personnel during city-sponsored events. The downtown is centered on the intersection of Auburn and Squirrel roads just south of M-59. It's about the size of downtown Clawson and is reminiscent of Novi's downtown because it was built in the 1980s.
Auburn Hills recently received a study from Hyatt-Palma about improving its downtown. One of the recommendations calls for creating a sense of place, which establishing a municipal presence should only aid. The city is trying to get more of the students who attend the five nearby institutions of higher learning to come to downtown Auburn Hills and patronize the businesses and nearby Riverside Park.
"We're trying to collectively gather them and get them to come here," Carroll says.
Source: Stephanie Carroll, community relations and legislative affairs coordinator for the city of Auburn Hills
Writer: Jon Zemke
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.