Developer cancels Hawthorne Valley home building plans

The site of the former Hawthorne Valley golf course and restaurant is back on the market following cancellation of plans to construct 41 homes for disabled individuals on the site.
The development, proposed as Hawthorne Oaks, included homes and condominium units which would have all been Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, something the developer, Three Oaks Communities, referred to as a “niche market.”

The development was approved by members of the Westland City Council in early 2018. The homes would have been available for purchase for typical families as well as disabled individuals, according to the original plan.
While a purchase agreement had been signed the developer had entered into pre-sales efforts to create the customizable homes.
The initial $5,000 payment to the city along with two additional extension payments of $10,000 each will be retained by the city.
Officials said the lack of buyer interest may have been a factor in the cancellation of the project. Aubrey Berman, the city chief business development officer, said it is common for these projects to take some time but that ultimately the market is going to determine whether the plan is feasible.
She added that the pre-sales and reservations did not warrant the continuation of the project and that the developer did not feel comfortable moving forward with the project at that level of  buyer interest.
Demolition at the site was estimated at more than $100,000 more than the developer had budgeted, according to officials.
Berman indicated that there was interest in the site from other builders and that while a housing development was a possibility, other projects would be considered for the property.