Mayor Dennis Wright and a furry friend preside over the groundbreaking of Livonia’s new Bicentennial Dog Park
As I continue my journey around the region, I see first-hand the many exciting happenings that continue to make Southeast Michigan a great place to live, work, and play.
I recently attended the State of the City address in the City of Livonia -a great community in Wayne County and a valued member of SEMCOG. At this event, Mayor Dennis Wright discussed the impressive economic growth and community services that make Livonia thrive.
Over 500 people attended Livonia’s 2018 State of the City Address on March 15, 2018, at Burton Manor. Mayor Wright’s speech was both informative and sprinkled with a great deal of humor – there were frequent chuckles from the audience. Here are some of the highlights.
“Families First”
Livonia’s commitment to this slogan is evidenced by recent rankings as the #2 Hottest Real Estate Market for Millennials and one of the Top 100 Cities to Raise a Family.
The city is experiencing an increase in new neighborhoods and home construction. Residential home values continue to climb for the sixth consecutive year, with housing up nine percent over the last year. Additionally, tax rates continue to remain the lowest of any community in Wayne County. Residents feel assured that their Department of Public Works gets the water to fire hydrants, police dispatchers are efficient, and that their fire department’s Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating makes it one of the top four fire departments in the State of Michigan.
Business is good
Livonia was also recently rated as one of the Top 100 Cities to Start a Business. The city proudly boasts an unemployment rate of 2.2 percent and a 97 percent commercial building occupancy rate. Ford Motor Company is the still the primary employer in the city; new on the scene are the Amazon Fulfillment Center, the Republic National Distributing Building, and industrial buildings by Ashley Capital that will open soon. In addition, a new L.A. Fitness has been built on an old Farmer Jack site, an Aldi grocery store has been constructed on an old Chi-Chi’s restaurant property, and new hotels and restaurants add to the city’s commercial landscape.
Mayor Wright at a recent ribbon cutting in Livonia
Places to play, too
Residents of all ages can enjoy 60 parks that cover 1,400 acres of land. Recent improvements include a new universally accessible playground at Rotary Park, the Bicentennial Dog Park, and the new Botsford Swimming Pool. The “Healthy Livonia” initiative, a formal collaboration between St. Mary Mercy Livonia and civic partners including the city, school system, parks and recreation department, and Livonia Chamber of Commerce, strives to increase wellness through various health programs.
Livonia’s Rotary Park
Looking ahead
I enjoyed learning about the great things happening in Livonia – a city that should be proud of its achievements. Looking to the future, Livonia officials and staff will tackle the important challenges of continued road improvements, updating its Master Plan, and possibly renovating Livonia City Hall to make it more energy-efficient. All of these efforts will continue to make the City of Livonia a prized asset in the region.
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