As part of the Detroit Free Press series exploring Michigan communities, this week we turn to Hazel Park to examine what makes this small metropolitan city stand out.
appeal: Hazel Park, a community in southeastern Oakland County bordering Wayne and Macomb counties, is currently in the midst of significant reinvestment and revitalization. The city, long known for its modest housing stock and tight-knit communities, is attracting renewed interest from developers and homebuyers attracted by its affordability, location and growing sense of momentum.
Dec. 1, 2025 The Hazel Park community sign is located at the corner of East 9 Mile Road and John R. Road at City Hall and Hazel Park District Library, where people often ride.
The John R. Road corridor between 8 Mile and 10 Mile is getting major improvements, including new landscaping, upgraded sidewalks and lighting. Main Street Hazelnut Park is part of the Main Streets America initiative, aligned with Oakland County’s Main Street, and is helping to enhance the corridor’s economic vitality and eclectic character. Pole banners along the northern section of John R highlight the changing character of the corridor.
Public and private grants also aid growth. Oakland County allocated $300,000 for recreation center renovations and $400,000 for Green Acres Park improvements. The recreation center is being modernized and the city will soon have a satellite office of Oakland County Parks and Recreation.
Green Acres Park as community center December 1, 2025 Festivals and parties held behind the community center in Hazel Park, Michigan.
Residential redevelopment, especially infill housing, is transforming neighborhoods as dilapidated homes are replaced with new construction that integrates modern design with existing neighborhoods. Bloomfield Hills-based Robertson Homes, which recently completed a 54-unit apartment project, has partnered with Singer to propose a roughly 101-unit project along the Interstate 75 service lanes south of 10 Mile, according to City Manager Edward Klobucher.
“We are in preliminary discussions about a proposal to redevelop a vacant site on the southeast corner of John R and Woodward Heights,” he added.
Hazel Park’s economic base has also diversified. Built on the 120-acre Hazelnut Park Raceway, the Tri-County Commerce Center is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and is now a major industrial anchor.
Park 54, a Robertson Homes community, is a new condominium building on Woodward Heights Boulevard. December 1, 2025 east of John R. Road, Hazel Park, Michigan.
“We are a Promise Zone community that guarantees a two-year college scholarship to resident students who graduate from Hazel Park schools,” Klobuchar said, noting that the city remains “a safe, affordable, centrally located, full-service city with a true sense of community that welcomes everyone.”
fact: Hazel Park was incorporated as a city in 1942, covers 2.8 square miles, and has 14,945 residents. The city borders Detroit to the south, is south of Interstate 696, and is bisected by Interstate 75. (U.S. Census)
Hazel Park was reshaped in the 1960s when the expansion of Interstate 75 passed through the community and replaced part of the John R. Road business district.
The city also holds a unique place in Michigan’s retail history. The first Harmony House music store opened in the city in 1947, eventually growing to 38 stores and closing most of them in 2002.
For more information, visit www.hazelpark.org.
Community: Housing in Hazel Park consists of single-story and bungalow-style homes built on small lots before the 1960s. Newer buildings tend to be two-story residences, and the city also offers apartments and apartments. According to Realcomp II, the median home sales price in 2024 will range from $50,000 to $360,000, reflecting the city’s mix of affordability and housing options.
A renovated, 1,184-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath house built in 1951 at 23798 Vance Road in Hazel Park sold in February 2025 for $228,000.
Parks and Recreation: The city has 13 parks with playgrounds, ball fields, pavilions, dirt bike trails, community gardens, dog parks, disc golf courses, sledding hills and walking trails.
Hazel Park Ice Arena was purchased by Black Bear Sports Group in 2023 and includes two ice fields, a gym and concessions facilities that serve the Little Caesars Hockey Club, International Stars Youth Hockey Club and several high school teams.
Community activities: Some annual events include the Memorial Weekend Festival and Carnival, the Hazelnut Park Art Fair in August, and the Hazelnut Park Haunted Art Fair in October.
Taxes: The taxable value of a home in the Hazel Park School District is $50.88 per $1,000. A home worth $92,800 (median price) with a taxable value of $46,400 would pay approximately $2,360.
Shopping and Dining: The main shopping area is along John R Road and 9 Mile Road, with new investment creating a more diverse business mix. “The south end of John R’s has been particularly hot lately with new businesses, new bars and restaurants,” Klobucher said. The city is home to several well-known dining options, including Mabel Gray, Loui’s Pizza, Pi’s Thai, Brayz Hambuger and the recently opened Bar Gabi.
Hazel Park’s new restaurant, Bar Gabi, offers a variety of Romanian dishes.
More: Framebar in Hazelnut Park gets new look, chef couple opens Romanian bistro
Klobucher noted that the city’s coffee scene is also growing, with the addition of four new coffee shops: Hazel Perk, Kazkara, Java Hut and Coffee and Bark.
Industry and employer: Amazon, Capital Sales, Mayville Engineering, EnovaPremier and Hi-lex Controls
Public transportation: SMART, which provides senior van service to residents age 55 and older or those with disabilities.
public security: Hazel Park police reported 16 burglaries, 23 vehicle thefts, four sex crimes, five robberies and zero homicides in 2024.
Community Insights: For many young buyers, Hazel Park’s appeal stems from its affordability and location. Collin Ward, 36, rented in Ferndale and Birmingham before buying a home in Hazel Park a year and a half ago.
Collin Ward, 36, became a homeowner in Hazel Park a year and a half ago.
“I wanted to live in the Woodward Corridor,” he said, noting that Ferndale and Royal Oak were priced out of his budget. “Hazel Park brought me to the area and it’s still affordable,” said Ward, who is seeing more younger residents moving in, including two friends who have purchased homes in the city in the past two years. The combination of value and accessibility is unmatched, he added. With quick access to I-75 and I-696, “I can get anywhere in about 20 minutes.”
Brendel Clark (previously published as Brendel Hightower) writes about real estate and other topics for the Detroit Free Press. Please contact her at bclark@freepress.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.
This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: Hazel Park update: New growth revitalizes Oakland County city