Retail Center Coming to Corner of Auburn, Rochester Roads

The subhead on an earlier version of this story indicated the development was slated for the southeast corner of Rochester and Auburn. This was a typographical error and the intention was to indicate it was on the southwest corner. We apologize for any confusion.

The corner of Auburn and Rochester roads will undergo a significant makeover, with a restaurant and retail developments planned for the corner.

The site currently houses a gas station and buildings from the former auto dealership Meadowbrook Dodge. Architect Mark Drane of Rogvoy Architects said the plan is to level those buildings to create a new streetscape, with the new buildings situated close to the street.

The Rochester Hills City Council approved a conditional land use for the development at its June 10 meeting.

Property owner Doraid Markus of Rochester Auburn Associates LLC said he has more demand for the development than he has space. 

The site will draw “high-end national retailers that… want to do business in the city,” Markus said.

Markus said he has plans for a coffee shop and a McDonald’s for the development, which will offer two drive-thru entrances. He also said sandwich and sub shops and other food outlets have expressed interest and the developers have been in confidential talks with several national brands.

Markus said the retail center will be “pedestrian-friendly,” and Drane said the center will eliminate four of the corner’s seven current curb cuts make entrance and exit traffic more manageable on the roads.

Rochester Hills City Council member Adam Kochenderfer said the Auburn and Rochester intersection is among the busiest in the city, but commended the developers for minimizing traffic concerns.

“It’s in desperate need of redevelopment,” he said. “But it has to be done in a way that minimizes traffic concerns and it looks like you’ve done that.”

View the site plans, attached above in PDF format.