Developer goes against the grain with 27 acres of Canton property
A developer donated 27 acres of property to Canton Township.
Twenty-seven acres of lush green space just north of Michigan Ave. near a dead-end section of Morton Taylor Road in Canton will remain undeveloped in perpetuity thanks to a noble gesture by a Commerce Township-based property developer.
Following months of discussion, Marketplace of America III, LLC officially donated the sprawling property to Canton Township during Tuesday night’s Board of Trustees meeting, so that the land can “be preserved as wetlands, woodlands, open space and/or parkland for the benefit of Canton residents.”
“A lot of times developers will come into a township and take as much as they can get,” said Anthony Noble, a land acquisition specialist for Marketplace. “Marketplace has owned the property for over 18 years and we understand what a beautiful piece of property it is. The Rouge River runs through it, there are trail heads and a lot of wildlife.
“After our partners discussed this with Canton Township leadership, we thought it was a great opportunity to show our support to Canton and its residents to donate the property.”
Valuable property
The property was recently appraised at a value of $1.6 million.
The donation goes a long way toward the township’s initiative to preserve as much green space as possible, trustees said.
“What an incredible gesture,” said Trustee Kate Borninski. “Green space is so important for our health. This is amazing.”
The 27 acres are located just north of property along Michigan Avenue that will soon be the site of a 240-unit apartment complex, which will be built on both sides of Morton Taylor.
Beauty over building
“We had the opportunity to build homes on the (27 acres), but when you walk back there and see the beauty of the woods and the trails … it would be a shame to destroy all that.”
Noble, a former law enforcement professional and current clerk for White Lake Township, said his experience on his community’s planning commission opened his eyes to residents’ wishes against eliminating green space.
“Canton Township is a beautiful community and we want to do what we can to strengthen our partnership with its residents,” he said.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
