Welcome to Oak Park!
Whether you are a lifelong resident, a local business owner or a visitor just discovering our community, this site is your guide to the ongoing evolution of our commercial districts.
We are the Oak Park Corridor Improvement Authority, established by the Oak Park City Council in 2015, to ensure our storefronts, sidewalks and key infrastructure remain robust and vibrant.
What we do
- Utilize Tax Increment Financing to capture a small portion of the taxes generated within our district and reinvest them back into the community
- Fund infrastructure overhauls like the 11 Mile Water Tower project
- Offer façade grants to small businesses
- Host major local events including our Family Fun Fest, Cruise & Groove and Oaktoberfest.
Where we do it
Our work spans a five-mile district along the 9 Mile, 11 Mile and Coolidge corridors, supporting more than 260 local businesses and turning underutilized areas into dynamic community hubs.
Download our corridor-improvement-authority-district-map.pdf
Ten years of steady momentum is delivering tangible results:
- Commercial vacancies have dropped
- New storefronts are steadily opening
- A diverse group of entrepreneurs is continually drawn to our rising visibility and affordability
The Oak Park Corridor Improvement Authority is already planning the next wave of grant-funded streetscape upgrades, intersection improvements, and business-boosting initiatives to keep our city growing and thriving.
To ensure our growth follows proven, community-focused strategies, we proudly maintain active partnerships as an affiliate member of Main Street America and Main Street Oakland County.
Our goal is to make Oak Park one of metro Detroit’s most sustainable and exciting neighborhood commercial districts—a place where residents feel at home and businesses have the foundational support they need to build their futures
Our mission
Through strategic initiatives, the Oak Park Corridor Improvement Authority fuels the growth and development of local businesses in our commercial corridors, strengthens connections within the diverse community, and contributes to the city’s beautification and vitality.
Our vision
The City of Oak Park will lead the region as the most dynamic city in Metropolitan Detroit, serving as a destination as a vibrant, cutting-edge community. It will remain a special place where families choose to raise their children, and where all feel welcome. The business community will serve the needs of Oak Park residents, who are loyal to the unique stores and services available locally, providing a strong local economy.
The Oak Park Corridor Improvement Authority, using its Urban Main Street program, promotes the revitalization of our neighborhood commercial districts and corridors.
Our objective is to create attractive commercial areas that house a broad business mix, pedestrian-friendly streetscape, appealing architecture and mixed-use developments.
The Oak Park Corridor Improvement Authority is also responsible for creating a positive image of the business district to attract customers and investors and rekindle community pride.
The City of Oak Park will lead the region as the most dynamic city in Metropolitan Detroit, serving as a cutting-edge community.