(WXYZ) — Everyone loves a comeback story and this time the city of Hazel Park is making headlines. Its transformation, economic growth, and forward-thinking approach are making it more appealing to a lot of people.
Our Andrea Isom went to town to see why Hazel Park is being called a new hot spot!
The city has been through some rough times in the past. But now there is a new vibe, new energy, and new focus — and folks are taking notice.
“It’s a great time to be living in Hazel Park, working in Hazel Park, and having a business in Hazel Park,” says City Manager Edward Klobucher.
It’s been coined The Friendly City and it just got a whole lot friendlier. Everyone involved in making that happen is on Cloud 9.
“Sometimes I pinch myself, that it’s unbelievable. In my job, you plan for things to happen 20 years down the road and you never expect it to happen in front of your face. And so it’s incredibly gratifying from a personal level to see that, but more importantly, it’s amazing to see the perception change,” says Community Development Director Jeff Campbell.
Hazel Park is attracting more young people, more young families, and more entrepreneurs.
“We have outstanding city services. Our crime rate's among the lowest it's ever been in our city’s history right now. So, things are going well.” says Klobucher.
The demand for housing is through the roof and it’s still affordable.
“You’re gonna see new housing construction all over the place. There’s going to be 54 brand-new housing units. And we’ve got the Tri-County Commerce Center that’s going in, that’s an over 100 million dollar project and 3 very large businesses,” says Klobucher.
They hope this expansion will create a viable downtown with nice new housing that marries the old with the new.
“We are a very diverse community. And everyone is welcome here. And I think that’s been a big plus in terms of our growth and our ability to rebound from what was a very serious financial crisis. It’s exciting! It’s exciting to see the changes. And it’s exciting to see the sense of optimism now is this community,” says Klobucher.
What is happening is Hazel Park has not been easy. But it shows it is possible to make big changes that can make a monumental difference in your communities when you have a team of people willing to put in the work.