In the classic film “Field of Dreams,” a mysterious voice whispers to Kevin Costner’s character, “If you build it, they will come,” prompting him to construct a baseball diamond in his cornfield. Against all logic and financial sense, he plows under his crops, builds the field, and waits for magic to happen. Eventually, the ghosts of baseball legends emerge from the cornfield to play ball.

Livonia’s $150 million “downtown” plan seems to be following a similar script—minus the ghosts, the baseball, and, unfortunately, any actual guarantee of success.

Phase 3 Now, Downtown… Eventually?

The city is asking taxpayers to commit $150 million to Phase 3 of their “LivoniaBuilt” plan (formerly marketed as “downtown development” until backlash prompted the rebrand). This phase will fund new municipal buildings: police stations, fire stations, and a library. But the actual downtown elements—the retail, restaurants, and residential developments that would create a vibrant community center—are relegated to a mysterious Phase 4, scheduled for 2029 and supposedly funded entirely by private developers.

The city’s approach can be summed up as: “If we build new municipal buildings, private developers will come.”

But what if they don’t?

The Development We Already Get

Livonia residents need only look around to see what type of development naturally gravitates to our city when left to market forces:

• Yet another chicken restaurant offering the same deep-fried menu as the nine others within a three-mile radius
• Another car wash to join the dozen already dotting our main thoroughfares
• More strip malls with the same predictable mix of chain stores

Is this the vibrant downtown we’re hoping for when the city completes Phase 3? Is this what will magically appear in Phase 4?

“Build It and They Will Come” Is Not a Planning Strategy

The reality is that cities don’t create vibrant downtowns by simply clearing land and hoping for the best. Successful downtown developments require:

• Detailed master planning with specific zoning requirements
• Economic incentives carefully designed to attract the right mix of businesses
• Public-private partnerships established before breaking ground
• Market studies confirming demand for specific types of development

Yet the city’s current plan offers precious little detail about what specific steps they’ll take to ensure that Phase 4 delivers the promised downtown environment rather than just more of the same development we already have.

Questions the City Can’t Answer

If you ask city officials about Phase 4, you’ll likely hear vague assurances without specific commitments:

• What specific developers have expressed interest in the Phase 4 project?
• What legally binding agreements are in place to ensure the right kind of development?
• What zoning restrictions will prevent more fast-food restaurants and car washes?
• What market studies have been conducted to prove demand for downtown-style development?
• What contingency plans exist if private developers don’t materialize as hoped?

The Reality Behind the Field of Dreams

The “Field of Dreams” was a fantasy, a piece of Hollywood magic. In the real world, cities that successfully develop vibrant downtowns do so through careful planning, not wishful thinking.

Consider communities like Plymouth, Northville, and Birmingham. Their downtown districts didn’t emerge because municipal buildings were demolished; they developed through decades of careful planning, strategic investment, and intentional development.

The Bottom Line

Livonia residents are being asked to commit $150 million based on a promise—a dream that “if we build it, they will come.” But without concrete plans, binding commitments, and specific guarantees, Phase 4 may deliver nothing more than what the market already provides: more chicken restaurants, more car washes, and more strip malls.

Before voting for this millage, residents should demand specific, detailed plans for how Phase 4 will be executed. Otherwise, we may find ourselves with new municipal buildings but the same old development patterns, wondering why the ghosts of vibrant downtowns never emerged from our cornfield.

This is the fourth in a series examining Livonia’s proposed “downtown” millage. Visit FakeDowntown.com for previous articles examining what constitutes a real downtown, how the city is packaging municipal building projects under a misleading label, and the hidden costs of the proposed bond.