The demolition of Northville Downs, where the last harness horse races took place in February, which is expected to continue until July, has begun, reports developer Hunter Pasteur.
The now-defunct Northville Downs, the last horse racing track in Michigan, is being reconstructed as part of a $300 million project that includes 443 new residential units, public park areas, and commercial spaces.
Last week, the project received a $1 million grant for the redevelopment of abandoned lands from the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. According to an EGLE press release, the city’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority applied for the grant to finance investigations, removal, and disposal of contaminated soil.
The project, which will replace Northville Downs, will include three parks: Central Park covering 1.5 acres, Gateway Park covering 1.25 acres, and River Park spanning 10.44 acres, which will be connected to Hines Park Trailhead and transferred to the city upon completion. The project entails "daylighting" a 0.25-mile section of the River Rouge that had been filled in since the 1960s.
"Contaminated soil will be excavated, and the new river channel will be routed through this area. Former tracks, barns, parking lots, and culverts will be demolished," - states the EGLE press release.
"Creating a park will enable the development of a connected riverwalk stretching from Ford Field to the Hines Park trail system," - said Herkovic. "EGLE’s commitment to the river park is a great example of how government agencies can support private development for the benefit of the community, region, and state of Michigan."
According to Herkovic, earthworks and infrastructure improvements on Cady Street will commence by the end of May, after which buildings will be demolished and remediation will take place. Vertical construction on the northern and southern parts of the site is expected to begin this fall, with completion scheduled for 2026.
One local nonprofit organization, Let's Open Northville, expressed concern about dust spreading from the demolition site. Joseph Corriveau, a lawyer with an office on Main Street, said that dust from recent work had reached his office.
"The dust situation has been ignored by the developer and left uncontrolled by the City of Northville," - Corriveau stated. "Despite numerous complaints and appeals to the mayor and council, Northville City Council turns a blind eye to this health hazard, which could have horrific consequences."
Corriveau is one of the founders of Let's Open Northville, established to reopen main and central streets to vehicular traffic after they were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the organization has expanded its activities, advocating for transparency in all aspects of city government, including local participation in the development of the Downs area.
Earlier this week, the city temporarily halted construction to install a backflow preventer on the fire hydrant used for watering the site, which is one of many strategies employed to reduce dust. Hunter Pasteur is also using two water trucks, auxiliary hoses, monitoring personnel, and an on-site air monitoring system to control dust. The developer asserts that all land development and construction activities comply with city, county, and state permits.
"Daily inspections by a third party are conducted on-site by the city, in addition to soil erosion inspections. No violations or fines related to dust control have been issued," - the company reported. "In addition to dust control, our development team and subcontractor partners have implemented strategies to combat pests, control noise, manage traffic, monitor environmental impact, and ensure safety and aesthetics on the site."
