WIXOM, Mich. (WXYZ) — The city of Wixom is in the process of expanding its downtown social district. The Downtown Development Authority said it expects to break ground on the West End Commons project in about one year.
Across the street from the site sits Drafting Table Brewing Company. Monday afternoon, Brendan Estes was visiting the brewery with friends.
The lifelong Wixom resident was pleased to learn the quarter acre of undeveloped green space, which he’s passed hundreds of times, will soon be another place they can go to hang out.
“I was really happy to hear about it because I love the Thursday Nights in the Park down the street, and I think having another area to make this entire downtown area a bit more walkable would be great," Estes told 7 News Detroit.
So, what’s included in the project?
Laura Cloutier, executive director of the Wixom Downtown Development Authority, said the $1.2 million project is three years in the making and has made it through the planning stage.
“We have a dedicated entertainment stage that is fully covered. So if a band is playing there, they won’t get wet in the elements," she said. "We have three seating plazas... the biggest seating plaza nearest to the stage will have a fire place feature."
She said there will also be a permanent public bathroom.
Aaron Rzeznik told 7 News Detroit, “We’re very excited about it.”
Rzeznik is the owner of Drafting Table Brewing Company. The business is celebrating nine years in business this week. Having seen various changes along Pontiac Trail in that time, Rzeznik said the development is another positive in an economy that demands flexibility from small businesses.
“It’ll bring out people from the area that potentially have not heard of us and us being right across the street, ya know, it’s just more exposure," he told 7 News Detroit.
Wixom Assistant City Manager Drew Benson said it’s part of Wixom’s 30-year vision.
“We’ve had a lot of really nice development. A lot of private development and now, we’re kind of catching up with these kind of pocket parks, smaller gathering spaces we think will really incentivize the private entity to help us finish the vision for downtown," he explained.
Benson said that includes more retail and commercial space.
Cloutier said the next step for the project is for the city to issue an RFP, or request for proposals, which is when the bidding process is opened to contractors who are interested in taking on the project.
