History
Planners adapted the Town Center location to avoid protected wetland areas. The original route for the I-696 freeway placed it along 101⁄2 Mile Road southeast of 11 Mile and Greenfield Roads. Recognizing the value of a large office complex and its tax revenue, city planners built a new city hall complex near 101⁄2 Mile Road on the east side of Evergreen.
Highway planners re-routed the freeway to run along 11 Mile Road. This delayed construction, but freed up the land to build the first phase, then called the Prudential Town Center (Prudential Life Insurance Company played a major role) with the first skyscraper, 3000 Town Center completed in 1975. A six-lane freeway ramp nearby remained half-completed for about 10 years in order to modify the route to accommodate the massive Town Center project. Additional towers were constructed in 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987, and 1989.
Read more about this topic: Southfield Town Center
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