While all the renovation, rebuilding and renewing of Northville is a work in progress, the comprehensive enhancement of Downtown Northville’s Main Street is all about “MAINtaining Main.”

“This is a refresh of our heavily used primary downtown public space, which was built 20 years ago, when Town Square removed a street, some parking spaces and relocated a gazebo,” said Northville Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Kate Knight. “The DDA’s investment at the time has paid dividends, as Downtown Northville hosted more than 485,000 visitors in 2025 in Town Square.”

The Maintaining Main project will improve sidewalks and roadways, refresh public spaces and upgrade streetscape features such as the clock tower and fountain, all while preserving the historic character that makes Downtown Northville special.

These improvements will enhance safety, accessibility and aesthetics while supporting local businesses and long-term economic vitality. The project ensures Main Street will remain welcoming, walkable and resilient for decades to come.

The upgrades will be completed prior to the 2027-2028 construction of the Cady Street Connection, which will link historic downtown with The Downs, from Town Square to Cady Street.

Construction, slated to begin in May 2026 and predicted to take place over nine weeks, will cause minimal disruptions. There will remain ample parking behind shops, and robust detour signage with pedestrian routes maintained throughout construction.

Maintaining Main isn’t the only work being done in the city of Northville. The City is completing the Gateway Overlook on Hutton Street and the Ford Field playground in spring 2026, and constructing public restrooms in Ford Field in fall 2026. Also, Cady Street Connection is planned for late 2027, into 2028.

Maintaining Main includes a complete reconstruction of the fountain, featuring gorgeous container plantings each season; a beautiful fire feature, which will serve as a beacon for residents and visitors year-round; and new lighting and audio-visual technology that will support the level of programming offered during the year.

“We partner with sponsors to host dozens of events annually, with a very full summer at Town Square, including Tunes on Tuesday for littles, dance instruction with Dancing in the ‘Ville on Wednesdays, Jazz Thursdays, and more bands Friday and Saturday,” Knight said. “We can’t control weather or perfect construction timing, so we’re balancing an assertive capital project plan with our beloved summer programs.”

Signature downtown events will continue as planned in 2026. Event layouts and locations may be adjusted to accommodate construction, and updates will be shared in advance to ensure residents and visitors can continue to enjoy downtown programming.

The Maintaining Main project is funded through dedicated infrastructure funding from the Northville Downtown Development Association’s budget. Knight said the project is just under $1 million and will be completed before they begin the Cady Street Connection in late 2027. The DDA won a $686,000 TAP grant for the Cady Street Connection. The DDA and City will fund the balance.

“The Cady Connection will link historic downtown Northville from Town Square to Cady Street, where The Downs is developing as we speak,” Knight said. “Overall, improvements with The Downs development total more than $350 million in investment and this includes two new parks, featuring River Park, with the newly daylighted Rouge River tributary that ran under the racetrack for decades."

Residents and visitors will have new, open access via this greenway into downtown, connecting to the new Northville Farmers Market and into the Hines Park trail system.

“A series of grants has filled the gap connecting Downtown Northville into the region by trail,” she said. “It will be possible to bike from the Joe Louis Greenway on the Detroit Riverfront to Downtown Northville in the next few years. Careful planning has allowed us to maximize public and private partnership to build value for southeast Michigan in our community.”

Project updates, timelines, maps, and announcements will be posted on the Downtown Development Authority website and shared through newsletters and social media channels as needed. Please visit www.downtownnorthville.com.