Trustees Approve Market Study for Canton Corridors
An engineering and planning firm will conduct a market study on Canton's three corridors - Ford Road, Michigan Avenue and Cherry Hill Village.
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The Canton Township Board of Trustees approved a contract at its meeting Tuesday night with planning firm OHM Advisors to do a market study in Canton for $54,500.
"We haven't had a good market study in Canton ever I think," said Canton Township Treasurer Melissa McLaughlin.
Kristen Thomas, Canton Township's economic development and marketing analyst, said the plan started with a look only at Ford Road and was later expanded to include Michigan Avenue and Cherry Hill Village.
"There's a lot of opportunity for development in the township, not just on Ford Road," she said.
She said they plan to take the results of the study to the annual International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) convention in Las Vegas in May.
"This study will show developers what our market can support," Thomas said.
The convention has more than 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors and is the largest industry convention, according to the ICSC website. Attendees meet with retailers and developers to discuss new or existing leases and businesses. Trustee Pat Williams said the interest for IKEA in Canton came from an ICSC convention.
"The development scenario of Ford Road is exceptionally different from Michigan Avenue and Cherry Hill Village," McLaughlin said.
Ford Road may not be the best place for boutiques, but that's where Cherry Hill Village becomes an option, she said. Thomas agreed and said Cherry Hill Village has the potential to be a great walkable area.
Aysha Jamali
10:58 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
What kinds of businesses do you think would do well in Canton?
Jane Doe
11:12 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
"Thomas agreed and said Cherry Hill Village has the potential to be a great walkable area."
No kidding! In 2001, Cherry Hill Village was MARKETED as a "great walkable area." Any chance Canton township wants to actually help develop ANYTHING in that area?! Starting with, but not limited to, a restaurant?
Jeff
2:10 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The previous Cherry Martini is undergoing a change of tenancy and will reopen as a bar AND restaurant.. They curremtly have plans uder review for a kitchen. We hope the market supports this endeavor.
Jane Doe
2:55 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Jeff, I hope what you're saying is true. However, the Cherry Martini has been "reopening" as a new bar/restaurant since the summer of 2010. We've heard a million stories about why nothing has changed there in the meantime...
Speaking of martini bars...can we actually get something there that doesn't just attract 25 year olds? Its not really the demographic of western Canton...
Wendy
4:47 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Excited to hear this news about Cherry Hill Village! That's the main reason we built there in the first place! As for Ford Road, I think it would be AWESOME if a Whole Foods took over the ABC Warehouse next to IKEA now that ABC is moving down the street. That would make Canton perfect!
CHV Resident Evil
8:11 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Rumor has it IKEA is expanding into ABC Warehouse. I don't know if they are using the building as is or tearing it down and adding to their existing building.
Kathleen
6:24 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
It would be so awesome to have whole foods or trader joes come to the large area of vaca
nt land at Denton & cherry hill, or something like that to drive more traffic into the village area.
Mary Williamson
8:35 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
How about Whole Foods in the old Farmer Jack store at Canton Center and Cherry Hill?
jones
9:14 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
That location is being set up as we speak as a Bush's
jones
9:15 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
I would love to see a Costco on this side of town. I too would love a Trader Joes or a Whole foods.
slim
10:23 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Cherry Hill Village is in the middle of nowhere and has bad freeway access. It's not an ideal place to open a retail store. Melissa McLaughlin wants to 'study' it because she lives there.
CHV Resident Evil
8:13 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Maybe. It could also be that the CHV residents have continually put pressure on Canton to develop the area. It sounds like Canton is listening to its residents.
Tom
1:40 pm on Saturday, January 12, 2013
I think that the Cherry Hill Village area should have more luxury retailers, art galleries, and more green spaces with walking trails. Our demographics should be able to support those things. Also, I wish Canton would look into a Mall similar to the Somerset Collection since the western suburbs really need a mall! We could try to get new retailers like Versace and Bloomingdales.
John Doe
7:19 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
We moved to cherry Hill two years ago. All I can say is this town is sad. There is nothing to do. All the stores are closed or look closed and will always stay that way. They have been promising improvements for years but....... I'm glad I paid 240,000 dollars to live in a cookie cutter ghost town. Canton should be ashamed and residents of this area should be pissed. Your not just paying for the house. We were scamed into believing this place was special. Lol
Paul Schulz
12:26 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Canton could donate a million dollars to investors to start businesses there, and they wouldn't take it. A market study is a waste of money. Anyone looking to invest there, doesn't need a study of any kind. The Cherry Hill Village area is dead, and overpriced. There is no draw to even a bar, and if one bar cant survive that also tell s you something.The quaintness isan't there. There is no wealth surrounding that area to sustain a Versace, or Bloomingdales. That is almost ridiculous... You cannot design a town, in a town, Canton is already over developed. And the Cherry hill village is just that. Most of those who reside there purchase most of the products and goods they use or consume from the major groceries, and retailers already available throughout Canton and the CHV surrounding area. There is no traffic count. Why would anyone invest there? CHV is pretty cool, as far as an idea on paper. Ghost town is right! using common sense, ask yourself why. If you had enough cash to open a restaurant or retail shop, would you risk your investment there? And how would it survive, especially in the depression like economy we are currently in. To all those wanting to live in a small, quaint community, pack it ip and move to Plymouth, for $250,000 you get a lot of house, in a vibrant community.
CHV Resident Evil
11:32 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
CHV is not supposed to be a town within a town. It was supposed to be Canton's downtown which it currently doesn't have. So, it does have potential.
CM
9:20 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
This has been discussed before. Art galleries and elite small stores will not get traffic in. It doesn't seem like you need a market study to figure this out. You won't get a huge mall in that location. You need something MANY people would use, but is not already found on Ford rd...such as a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Papa Joe's, etc. Then you need one or two good restaurants that are family friendly for people when they come for those "walking trails", Farmer's Market, or doctor's appointments at the medical building. Or even when attending events at Cherry Hill Village. Real restaurants..not tiny bars with cramped seating. Also, maybe a bookstore, since there are none in the area. That would be a great start.
CHV Resident Evil
11:30 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
I think people need to let go of their misconceptions that CHV will become an instant success. It will have to develop on it's own as the area develops and housing is increased with the new phases. There are 2 main reasons I think Canton is not helping it progress any faster. 1. It's that it's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is positioned on Ford Rd. They can legally only have one DDA area. So, Canton's primary goal is to further develop Ford Rd. which at this point doesn't need the help. If they had positioned it on CHV, then extra money could have been spent developing it. Reason 2: It wasn't properly designed to be a high traffic area. There is very little parking. I've had friends tell me they couldn't find a place to park and went back to Ford Rd. I've heard a Canton official state she didn't want parking lots because it took away from the charm of the area. What an idiot.