Posted by – Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development

It’s good to be busy.  It’s good to grow.

Developers view the City of Auburn Hills as a strong real estate market and stable community, which has fueled an estimated $87 million in new private investment so far this year.  This expansion is helping the City shore up its tax base that had eroded by 37% during the economic downturn.

Here’s a recap of the new projects approved by the City Council in the first half of Y2016:

1. Auburn Hills Marketplace – 12,206 sq. ft. retail shopping center that will be anchored by a Starbucks coffee shop
2. Villa Montclair Condominiums – 55+ active adult community that will include 88 detached single-family homes
3. Northern Sign Company – 18,585 sq. ft. building for a sign manufacturing company
4. Staybridge Suites Hotel and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hotel – two, four-story hotels totaling 182 rooms
5. Former GKN Building – transformation of the vacant 128,000 sq. ft. building into updated space for multiple business tenants
6. Aqua Tots Swim School – conversion of an existing Applebee’s restaurant into a swim school
7. Kia Dealership – 25,749 sq. ft. automobile dealership with associated 350+ vehicle inventory storage area
8. Dana Corporation – 46,400 sq. ft. addition onto the Tier 1 auto supplier’s existing facility
9. Panda Express – 2,593 sq. ft. restaurant with a drive-thru facility and outside seating area
10. Auburn Crossing Shopping Center – renovation of the existing retail center and addition of a new retail building
11. Five Points of Auburn Hills – 178 luxury apartment residences in six, three-story buildings

The above only tells part of the story.  Auburn Hills has issued 1,275 building-related permits over the past six months that range in complexity from home decks to massive industrial buildings.  We don’t expect the pace to slow down anytime soon.

As we emerge from the shadows of the Great Recession, it’s wonderful to see our dynamic City grow and become economically stronger.