Canton Housing Market: Signs of Life?

The collapse of the housing market led to many developers pulling out of Michigan's market, according to Canton Township community planner Jeff Goulet.

"Most just contracted and retooled, since the banks would not extend credit to do new development or build condos," he wrote in an e-mail. "One example is Links of Fellows Creek at Lotz and Palmer.  Robertson Brothers was the developer and builder but has been unable to complete the last phase since their bank will not extend credit, so part of the common areas and the last phase of building is still sitting there."

Jim Clarke, Robertson Brothers' president, said his company almost lost the Fellows Creek land over back taxes. He said he's working with township officials to avoid that, and said he hopes to resume building there some day, "but we can't build if we don't feel it's economically viable."

Clarke received approval for design changes on another site, Villas at Maple Creek, from Canton's planning commission this week.

Other stalled projects include Hamptons Condos on Cherry Hill by Warrenville, IL-based developer Neumann Homes, which reverted to SR Jacobson when Neumann left the state, Goulet said.

Another development of single-family and condo units,  the Hamlet, is a stalled Pulte Homes project. Pulte plans to restart building single family homes there, Goulet said.

"Many holders of condo property are now trying to remake projects by changing the product line to detached condos to get the projects moving again," Goulet said.

Canton Township does have some building under way, he said, predicting a very slow revival of the housing market.

Goulet said the most active building is happening in Cherry Hill Village:

• Livonia Builders and Breault Homes just completed development of 32 new lots which are under construction. They have site plans going to the (township board) Tuesday for another 90 lots to complete the phase of Cherry Hill located south of Cherry Hill Road between Denton and Ridge. "They bought most of the remaining lots in what was called Phase 3 over the past two to three years and are completing construction of homes on those lots," Goulet said.
• - Livonia Builders is also working on resurrecting some projects, starting next year, he said.
• - Building continues in Cranford Park on Cherry Hill near Rustic Ridge and Saltz roads.
• - Singh Development/Singh Construction is trying to get home construction started again in Westchester Village at Ridge and Warren roads.

Clarke said the market crash that stopped building has had another effect.

"We all look like deadbeats," he said. "But most developers are not. We really do care."