Since its creation, the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority has made great strides in establishing a safe, connected, and walkable downtown business district.

Key improvements have included LED streetlights, extended sidewalks, attractive landscaping with inviting benches; the reconfiguration of the Belleville/Ecorse Roads intersection; Quirk Park Splash Pad and Playground refresh and the pedestrian bridge over I-94 to connect the north and south sides of the DDA business district.

The DDA’s new headquarters, the Placemaking Facility, is located in the center of the business district along Belleville Road. The Placemaking Facility serves as a social and economic hub, hosting small business workshops, board meetings, training and networking events. Also housed on the property, Harris Park includes a walking path, benches, picnic tables, pergola, Wi-Fi, device charging stations, pavilion and a public reader board to keep the community informed of activities taking place within Van Buren Township.