Hartland in Hindsight #19: Significant Private Investments

As one of the most highly trafficked and visible areas of Hartland Township, the past decade’s development of the M-59 corridor provides a striking illustration of the Township’s focus on smart, strategic growth. 

It’s not just that the intersection of US-23 and M-59 suddenly became a hub of bustling commerce, landing major big-box retailers; it started with drastic changes being made to the M-59 highway itself, with the highway converted into a boulevard back in 2008. 

"Early in the planning process for development of the M-59 commercial area it was identified the necessity to move Hartland Road as far east of the US-23/M-59 interchange as possible.  Moving Hartland Road would provide for the safest road network and movement of traffic," Planning Commission Chairperson Larry Fox explains. "The improvements on M-59, Hartland Road and Clark Road were paid for by the developers of the Hartland Towne Square and Hartland Marketplace developments."

From there retail developments blossomed, with the 650,000-square-foot Hartland Towne Square mall—including Meijer—opening to the north of M-59 in 2009, and the 325,000-square-foot Hartland Market Place south of M-59. 

While the recession did impede development for a period of time, the Emagine theater opened its 10-screen, 55,000-square foot theater in Hartland in 2018. 

“Throughout this growth and rebounding development, Township officials made every effort to stay to Hartland residents’ vision of a community,” says Board Supervisor Bill Fountain. “This vision provides rural, outdoor living, but also access to diverse retail options and cultural opportunities. “