GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT, and wait, and wait . . .

Blogs are supposed to be short, and this one will never do the topic justice, but the story of Forester Square, minus its many development trials and tribulations, is a tremendous success story worth sharing. 

Back around 2000, Biltmore Properties completed the purchase of more than 40 homes (an entire neighborhood) just north of Auburn Road on the west side of Adams Road.  It was designed to be the most densely populated development in the city.  By 2001, model homes were being built.  The first construction to be completed included condominiums and single-family homes.  Just a few short years later, the economy began to stall as did the development, and Forester Square came to a screeching halt and the development went bankrupt.  There sat a less than half-built development with new homes spread out across the property, with puddles of water and weeds throughout, not to mention an unfinished road.  After the crash of the economy in late 2008, it became apparent that it would be a very long time before this development might ever get started again.  In came the city to turn things around. 

I can assure you that government is not the answer to every problem, but the City of Auburn Hills, with financial wherewithal, determined that getting the remaining land in the hands of the city to spur future development was likely the answer to this problem. So, the city acquired all the remaining undeveloped land.  Fast forward a couple more years to 2011.  The economy begins to stabilize, and the housing market shows early signs of coming out of its terrible slump.  The city enters into purchase agreements to sell 48 single-family lots it acquired, and construction begins once again in Forester Square.  Along the way, other acreage parcels of land owned by the city are sold.  The two biggest influencers in the resurgence of Forester Square are Mike Mattera, a home builder from Macomb County, and Moceri Companies, headquartered in Auburn Hills and known for their extraordinary developments throughout Michigan and beyond.  A change in the products that would be constructed ensues, and parcel by parcel, Mattera and Moceri begin the work of making Forester Square the comprehensive and cohesive neighborhood it was meant to be. 

During its completion over the past dozen years or so, Parkways Boulevard was added, as well as a city park.  On-street parking was integrated to give the development more of an urban feel.  Single family homes, stacked condominiums, and traditional townhouses were all added to provide a variety of housing styles for everyone.  Some of the condos and townhomes are owner-occupied, some are leased. 

I was prompted to write this blog today because yesterday, May 22, 2024, I attended the ribbon cutting of Moceri Companies’ beautiful townhouses and apartments that are under construction.  This is the Final Phase of the overall Forester Square development area and is part of what is called, The Parkways.  Once these are done, the quarter-of-a-century build-out of Forester Square will be complete, and this beautiful neighborhood will finally be the development we all hoped it would be. 

Thank you to Mike Mattera and to Moceri Companies for partnering with the city to bring this development to fruition.  Forester Square boasts a number of its own amenities including swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, and clubhouse.  But perhaps it is its location, as well as The Parkways, that is the thing to brag about most.  They are adjacent to River Woods Park, along the Clinton River Trail, and are walking/biking distance to downtown Auburn Hills; and within ½ mile to numerous shopping conveniences such as Meijer, Walmart, Tractor Supply, and many other retailers, services, and restaurants.  I look today at Forester Square and The Parkways and I’m very proud of the city’s intervention and the commitment by Mattera and Moceri.  Our City Council back in 2011, as well as those that followed, in conjunction with our staff, the Forester Square neighborhood that was already in existence, and the developers/builders who completed the neighborhood, were all aligned and keenly focused on the eventual completion and success of what has become Forester Square and The Parkways.  This didn’t just happen by accident.  We actively guided the neighborhood to completion after it faltered, and I have no doubt that those that call Forester Square and The Parkways home today, are proud to live there.

Thomas A. Tanghe, City Manager