City of Dexter: DDA Open House 4/9/25

City of Dexter Downtown Development Authority to Host a Community Open House

The City of Dexter Downtown Development Authority (DDA) will host a Community Open House on April 9, 2025, as part of its Strategic Plan Update.

“The Dexter DDA recognizes that Dexter is a growing and desirable community, and that managing the District, especially the downtown is a balancing act, which requires sound fiscal management, careful planning, and diligent management and maintenance of its assets. It’s with that understanding that the Board initiated an update to its Downtown Development Strategic Plan in late 2023,” explained DDA Chairman, Doug Finn.  “This update will create a clear, documented and shared vision, or “game plan,” for the District, including the downtown that sets the stage for funding strategies, capital improvement programming, new development, attraction of new and retention of existing businesses, and marketing and promotion of the Downtown and DDA District. An integral part of the Strategic Planning process will be determining a Community Vision for Downtown.”

For the last 30+ years, the shared vision for the future of the downtown was to see existing industrial uses relocated to the Dexter Business and Research Park, and for those industrial sites to be redeveloped for mixed-uses, with higher density residential options to address unmet needs for a variety of residents at a variety of life stages and at a variety of price points, along with public access to waterfront/river, the preservation of the town’s historic character, and continued streetscape improvements to create a vibrant, diverse downtown district.

The Community Open House will be held at the Dexter District Library, located at 3255 Alpine Street from 6-8 pm on April 9, 2025.  Several information/communication stations will be set up for residents and businesses owners to learn more about the Dexter DDA, the Strategic Planning Process, key results from market studies and analyze, mobility, parking, future projects, and redevelopment opportunities within the District.  During the Open House attendees will also have the opportunity to provide feedback on two key questions:

• What makes you proud of or what do you like about Dexter?
• How do you want Dexter to look in 20 years?

For additional information, please contact the Office of Community Development 734-580-2233. 

About the Dexter DDA

The Dexter Downtown Development Authority and downtown district were created on March 11, 1986 to act in the best interests of the city to halt property value deterioration, increase property tax valuation where possible in the business district of the city, eliminate the causes of that deterioration and to provide economic growth pursuant to Act 197.

Contact the Office of Community Development at 734-580-2233, for more information.