Saline Township is looking into developing publicly owned, underused downtown properties.
A recent study found that, on average, just 63% of the parking lots in downtown Saline are being utilized. The city is now exploring converting one of the parking lots it owns into a public downtown space.
“It’s where all the businesses are, it’s where the people are. And there’s a lot of power in building community based on central location. And, generally speaking, placemaking gives people a place to belong; people like places that they can go, you know, that feel at home to them."
That’s Ben Harrington, the Community Development Director of Saline. He says a city-led downtown development would provide a place that doesn’t require residents to spend money.
Harrington says there will be focus groups to gather further input from residents, but any development decisions will ultimately be up to the Saline City Council.
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