Third new light industry building to be largest in the city
Construction is underway on a new light industrial-warehouse building that will be the largest in Hazel Park when completed next year.
The 910,000- square-foot building is the third — and largest — such structure to be developed by Ashley Capital on former Hazel Park Raceway property near 10Mile and Dequindre roads.
“They are not worried about finding tenants because of the location,” said City Manager Ed Klobucher. “Though the raceway had to close, we ended up with a good development that will maintain our tax base and create job opportunities for the people of Hazel Park and the bordering metro Detroit region.”
The first building Ashley Capital developed opened in 2017. At 575,000 square feet it was then the largest in town.
Last year, the commercial developer completed a second building that is about 630,000 square feet.
Except for a small section of the first structure, both buildings are filled with commercial tenants, said Jeff Campbell, the city’s director of planning and economic development.
Among the first buildings tenants are an Amazon distribution center, Bridgewater Interiors, Akasol, a German battery maker, and LG Chemical. Klobucher noted that LG Chemical is the owner of the former LG Electronics at the location. In July it was reported that LG Electronics was selling its location and assets.
“They are keeping all the employees and likely adding quite a few,” Campbell said. “It is an expansion, not a contraction, of the business. They still make electric batteries for the Chevy Bolt.”
The second building is home to Enova Premier, a Chrylser company supplier, and automotive parts suppliers Dakota and Hi-Lex.
So far there are a total of 2,800 employees at the first two buildings. Campbell said there is no estimate yet onhow many workers will fill the third building on which construction started last week. It is expected to open next year.
Ashley Capital has been a good corporate citizen in Hazel Park, city officials said.
“They are repainting our DPW building,” Klobucher said. “They are also expected to develop a gateway sign to the city at 10mile and Dequindre.”
The company is set to improve a section of Dequindre Road, adding landscaping and improving light signals at 10 Mile Road.
Klobucher, a life-long Hazel Park, admits he misses the old Hazel Park harness raceway, which was a major draw throughout the region before the decline of horse racing.
In one room at City Hall there is now a conference table made from the barn wood of the former raceway horse stables.
“I saw the same wood used on the walls at the new Woodward Corners Market, the Meier (store) in Royal Oak,” Campbell said.
But he noted that Ashley Capital has repurposed the land and cleaned up the former polluted trash dump that was part of the raceway land.
“It’s all happened quickly and it’s great to see,” he said.