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The Rise and Fall of Bloomfield Park: A Billion-Dollar New Urbanism Dream Abandoned
The 2008 recession hit many industries hard, and Detroit's real estate market was no exception. Even to this day, the effects of the downturn can still be felt. However, during this tumultuous time, a project was underway that aimed to bring a thriving community of new urbanism to the Detroit suburbs.
Modeled after communities like Seaside and Celebration, Florida, Bloomfield Park was set to be the first project of its kind in Michigan. Envisioned by developer Craig Schubiner, this billion-dollar development was poised to showcase what a walkable, modern community could look like. But instead of setting an example, it was left completely abandoned halfway through construction.
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The Beginnings of Bloomfield Park
The area of the future Bloomfield Park site didn't start growing until the post-war boom of the 1950s. It saw the development of small, single-family residential homes and a drive-in theater. In the 1970s, the primary road it was situated along expanded, and the area as a whole densified.
It wasn't until 1983 that Schubiner began buying up different parcels of land in the area, envisioning a massive, mixed-use development in the Detroit suburbs. The land just outside the city of Pontiac was the perfect spot for his vision.
Bringing New Urbanism to Michigan
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In the 1990s, a new wave of urban design was sweeping through America, known as new urbanism. This concept took elements that made European cities successful, like mixed-use, walkable communities and pleasing architecture, and adapted them for North American communities. Schubiner wanted to expand his development to fit this concept, and he commissioned the leading new urbanism design firm, DPZ, to draft up the plan for Bloomfield Park.
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DPZ's first concepts, completed in 1999, called for upscale living across over 1,600 condos with high-quality amenities. This was paired with over 2.7 million square feet of office space and 470,000 square feet of commercial retail. The new "downtown" area would feature a health club, movie theater, lavish parks, green space, and beautiful architecture, all tied together in a community residents and workers could walk through and enjoy.
Overcoming Obstacles
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When Schubiner took his idea to the public in 2000, seeking approval to get the development started, there were immediate problems. The city of Bloomfield had concerns about the development, from their inability to fight fires in structures over 15 stories (even though the towers would have sprinklers) to the fact that the city wouldn't have enough police to handle the increased traffic and density.
Citizens also echoed objections, saying the project would disturb the character of the area. Additionally, the aesthetic appeal of Bloomfield Park had declined, straying away from the handsome architecture originally drafted by DPZ. There were also concerns about whether the tax revenue the city would collect each year would be sufficient to offset the increase in municipal services.
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Annexation and Scaling Down
Unwilling to wait around for the city of Bloomfield's decision, which could take up to 24 months, Schubiner and his team found a solution. The property was technically in Bloomfield, but it was also on the border of the city of Pontiac. Pontiac, a once-great city known for auto manufacturing, had fallen on hard times and was eager for the tax income a $2 billion development could generate.
In 2001, Pontiac voted to annex the land, and the city of Bloomfield struck a deal to take in some tax income while enforcing an eight-story height restriction. This forced the developers to scale down and rework their project, bringing in a new architecture firm to adapt the development.
Construction Begins, but the Recession Hits
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Finally, in 2004, the project was approved by the city of Pontiac, and construction began. The developers opened a sales center and launched a website, pre-selling units ranging from $350,000 to over $1 million. By 2005, more than $20 million in real estate had already been sold.
However, the 2008 recession hit, and the project's future was put into question. A major funding partner was unable to continue, and the developers were inundated with over 60 lawsuits claiming they owed over $20 million. Construction was paused, and the partially finished structures began to deteriorate.
Foreclosure and Redevelopment
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By 2011, the property was foreclosed upon by Wells Fargo, and the bank took ownership of the site. After a few failed bids, the property was sold to a local developer, REO, in 2014. REO assessed the site and determined that a mixed-use development would not be feasible, opting instead for a smaller, more commercial and low-density residential project.
In 2017, the majority of the existing Bloomfield Park structures were demolished, and a new development, The Village at Bloomfield, began to take shape. This new project, while more modest in scope, serves as a reminder of the ambitious yet ill-fated Bloomfield Park, a failed attempt to bring new urbanism to the Detroit suburbs.