Novi is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 47,386. In 2007, the city completed a special census which places the current population at 52,231[3]. The city is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) northwest from the center of Detroit. The city is located within the boundaries of the survey township of Novi Township. Presently, the remaining unincorporated township is only a tiny fraction surrounded by the city.
Novi is one of the fastest growing cities in Michigan. The construction of Twelve Oaks Mall in the 1970s made the city a major shopping destination in the Detroit metropolitan area and is often credited with ushering in an era of growth that continues to this day (although, in fact, the community had been growing rapidly since the 1950s). This growth has led to substantial increases in the city's population, as well as commercial and industrial developments in the city.
History
The City of Novi was incorporated in 1969 after the approval of a city charter by Village of Novi voters. The approval of incorporation and the city charter followed several previous attempts at incorporation that were rejected by Novi voters.[4] The city was incorporated along the boundaries of the existing Village of Novi. In the 1970s, the city annexed portions of Novi Township that had been detached from the Village of Novi after the village incorporated in 1958. A lengthy legal battle ensued between the city and the township which ultimately was decided by the Michigan Supreme Court in favor of the city. The legal disputes around the annexation battles were not fully resolved until 1984.[citation needed]
Historic Sites
- Jacob and Rebecca Fuerst Farmstead[5]: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The City of Novi has started demolition of the Fuerst Farmstead[6]. The north barn was destroyed on July 16, 2008. The farm house was demolished in August 2008. The south and east barns were dismantled and removed from the site. None of the original buildings from the Farmstead were preserved on the site.
- Historic Township Hall: Located adjacent to Jacob and Rebecca Fuerst Farmstead.
- Tollgate Farm[7]: 160 acre (650,000 m²) farmstead and educational center
- Colonel Samuel White Homestead[8]: Site includes a Michigan Historical Marker
- Novi Depot[9]: Portion of the original railroad depot constructed in 1871 for the Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railroad (currently CSX railroad).
The name Novi was taken from the township, which was organized in 1832 from Farmington Township. The name was offered by resident Dr. J. C. Emery, at the suggestion of his wife. Residents were reportedly looking for a shorter name than Farmington.[citation needed]
Several popular but historically inaccurate explanations have been given for the origin of the name Novi. One version is that it was named after the 6th tollgate (No. VI) on the Grand River toll road. However, the township was named in 1832 and the toll road was not constructed until the 1850s. A similar claim is made about the township being stop number 6 on the railroad. However, the Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railway (now CSX Transportation) was not constructed through the township until 1870–71, almost 40 years after it was named.[10]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.3 square miles (81.1 km²), of which, 30.5 square miles (78.9 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.2 km²) of it (2.74%) is water. Walled Lake, which lies mainly within Novi, is the largest lake in the city. It also serves as the headwaters of the Middle Branch of the Rouge River. Shawood Lake lies just southwest of Walled Lake. Several smaller lakes within the city were created by gravel pit mining or as stormwater retention areas. Most of the city lies within the Rouge River watershed. Some areas on the north and west side of the City are part of the Huron River watershed.
The city is situated with easy access to several major freeways including I-96, I-696, I-275 and M-5.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 47,386 people, 18,726 households, and 12,321 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,555.2 per square mile (600.5/km²). There were 19,649 housing units at an average density of 644.9/sq mi (249.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.26% White, 1.92% African American, 0.19% Native American, 8.67% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.80% of the population. 16.3% were of German, 10.5% Irish, 10.3% Polish, 9.2% English and 8.1% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 18,726 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $71,918, and the median income for a family was $91,369 (These figures had risen to $78,151 and $101,286 respectively according to a 2007 estimate[11]). Males had a median income of $65,590 versus $38,432 for females. The per capita income for the city was $35,992. About 1.6% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Novi operates under the council-manager system of government with a weak mayor and appointed city manager. The city manager oversees the day-to-day business of running the city, recommends an annual budget and makes policy recommendations to the council. The council consists of the mayor, elected to a two-year term, and six at-large council members elected to four-year terms. The mayor is the presiding officer of the council with the same voting powers as the other council members but otherwise has ceremonial duties. The council is responsible for hiring a city manager who in turn is responsible for staff positions. The council also approves the city budget and sets city policies and ordinances. The current council consists of Mayor David Landry, Mayor Pro-Tempore Bob Gatt and council members Brian Burke, Kathy Crawford, Terry Margolis, Andrew Mutch and David Staudt.[citation needed]
The City Manager is Clay J. Pearson[12]. The Assistant City Manager is Pamela Antil. The city has 286 full-time employees and a total budget of $63.1 million. The Novi Civic Center is located at 45175 W. Ten Mile Road, between Taft and Novi Roads.[citation needed]
The City of Novi features two websites, cityofnovi.org, and investnovi.org.
The first city charter was adopted by the voters in 1969. The last major charter revision was in 1977.[citation needed]
Sister Cities
Schools
Public Education
Novi includes all or part of four public school districts including Novi Community Schools, Northville Public Schools, South Lyon Community Schools and Walled Lake Consolidated School District.
Private Education
Detroit Catholic Central High School is a private, Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school located on Wixom Road.
Franklin Road Christian School is a K-12, coeducational, college-preparatory school with a nondenominational Christian philosophy located on Thirteen Mile Road.
Higher Education
One of Walsh College's three campuses is located on Meadowbrook Road. Walsh College focuses on accounting, business, and finance education.
The Art Institute of Michigan is located on Cabot Drive.
Parks and natural areas
Most of the farmland and open spaces present in the mid-20th Century have been developed. The exceptions include the Tollgate Farm located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Twelve Mile and Meadowbrook Roads. This farmstead is owned by the Americana Foundation and is currently leased and operated by Michigan State University as an agricultural extension.
Lakeshore Park is another prominent natural area. The park is located between Walled Lake and Twelve Mile Road, west of Novi Road. While portions of the park were turned over to a developer to settle a lawsuit, it remains one of the largest municipal parks in southeast Michigan. In 2004, the City of Novi negotiated for the donation of several parcels of parkland on the west side of the city. These properties, along with several adjoining parcels owned by the city preserve 253 acres (1.02 km2) of environmentally sensitive areas in the Huron River watershed. In 2005, the City of Novi was awarded a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) grant to acquire 51 acres (21 ha) of environmentally sensitive property in southeast Novi within the Rouge River watershed. In 2007, the City was awarded a second MNRTF grant to acquire 16 acres (65,000 m2) of natural area in southwest Novi within the headwaters of the Huron River watershed.
Ella Mae Power Park, located behind the Novi Civic Center, plays host to softball and baseball games and tournaments. A new play structure was installed in 2003.
On May 5, 2009, a proposal to build the Novi Signature Park at Eleven Mile and Beck Roads was voted on by Novi residents and the proposal was rejected. The proposal called for an estimated $50/year for a home worth $200,000 or $75/year for a home worth $300,000 levy.
Economy
Novi has a local economy that includes businesses of all sizes from international corporations with local and regional offices in Novi to owner-operated businesses serving the local area. While Novi is recognized for its large concentration of retail businesses clustered at the Novi Road and I-96 interchange, there are several large retail centers in the city as well as many individual retail businesses. Novi has a number of car dealerships along Haggerty Road and Grand River Avenue. The city's industrial and office parks are home to companies in areas like high tech research and development, health care, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and domestic and foreign automotive-related suppliers. Energy-related companies are one of the fastest growing sectors in the city. These companies include the headquarters for ITC Transmissions, Novi Energy, Global Wind Systems, a wind turbine manufacturer and Patrick Energy Services.[citation needed]
The business community in Novi is represented by the Novi Chamber of Commerce.
Kroger operates its Michigan regional offices at 40399 Grand River Avenue in Novi.[14]
Health Care
Novi is home to some of the region's largest health care systems. St. John's Health opened the Providence Park Hospital in September 2008. The hospital is part of a 200-acre (0.81 km2) health care campus.
Henry Ford Health Systems largest facility in Oakland County is located in the Columbus Corporate Office Centre. Services at the location include adolescent and adult outpatient psychiatry; occupational and physical therapy; athletic medicine; gastroenterology; and pediatric services.
Botsford has two speciality facilities in Novi. Trinity Health, the fourth-largest Catholic health system in the United States, is headquartered in Novi.
References
Wings Turn Novi into 'Little Sweden' Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
External links
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Coordinates: 42°28′50″N 83°28′32″W / 42.48056°N 83.47556°W / 42.48056; -83.47556
