Van Buren

Located 30 miles from Detroit, Van Buren Township has rural charm combined with the convenience of the suburbs. Founded in 1835, the area has a rich agricultural background evidenced by the smattering of farms still in the vicinity. But it’s not all open land here. Instead, the township is a lovely assortment of residential communities, a shopping and dining area along Belleville Road, and even a small airport at the edge of the neighborhood. Found at the crossroads of Interstates 94 and 275, the area is great for commuters and even has its own public transit that operates on a reservation system and allows seniors and veterans to ride for free with a transit rider card. It’s also only 10 miles to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and is near Belleville Lake, so you won’t have to go far to get away from it all.

Van Buren Township attracts residents with some of the lowest property taxes in Southeast Michigan. Filled with apartments, condos and single-family homes, you’re never far from a grocery store or fast casual and quick service restaurants. A highly desirable area, the township is very walkable with sidewalks through many of the subdivisions. There are still some lots available, and the neighborhood’s homes have nicely maintained grounds and mature trees. Housing prices vary widely with a two-bedroom condo near I-94 listing for $150,000 while a four-bedroom condo lists for $350,000. A ranch-style residence from the 1970s with three bedrooms has sold for $200,000, and a recently completed ranch-style home with three bedrooms can sell for $415,000.

Students in the township attend schools in the Van Buren Public Schools system which is one of the top 10 school districts for athletes in Michigan. One of the pathways children can take from kindergarten through graduation is through Tyler Elementary, McBride Middle and Belleville High, all of which have earned grades of B or higher from Niche. Tyler Elementary encourages parents to be part of their child’s education and has a 90% parent-teacher conference attendance rate. McBride Middle is known for its extracurricular activities like band, yearbook, student council and school plays. Belleville High offers dual enrollment and early college programs where students earn their high school diploma at the same time as an associate degree in partnership with the Wayne County Community College District.

The township is near Belleville Lake, a 1,200-acre waterway perfect for boating and fishing. If you’d prefer to stay even closer to home, Quirk Park is found behind Township Hall and hosts the Candy Loop, a family-friendly trick-or-treating experience, each October. Home to the largest splash pad in Wayne County, the water park is open from Memorial to Labor Day although the rest of the park is open year-round. There are all-access play structures, walking trails and picnic areas with grills. A rentable pavilion accommodates up to 150 people and, while there’s no indoor recreation here, you can still enjoy the outdoors at the checkers and chess tables.

The Willow Run Airport was once home to the world’s largest bomber-building facility. Built in 1941, the airfield is now one of the largest cargo airports in the nation. It’s also home to the Yankee Air Museum, where you can take a ride in a historic plane or learn about aviation history. Affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute, the facility experienced a devastating fire in 2004 when the original WWII-era building and most of the collection was lost. New artifacts were acquired, and the museum re-opened in its current location in 2010.

Another important feature of Van Buren Township is the Ted Scott Campus of the Wayne County Community College District. Occupying 117 acres, the grounds remain primarily wooded while the facility itself is kept state-of-the-art. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the school features multiple computer labs, a multi-purpose room and 100-seat lecture hall.

A world unto itself, Van Buren Township lets residents live, play and learn just minutes from two airports, multiple major roadways and numerous recreation options.

Written By

K.T. Phillips

Photography Contributed By

John Collins

Video By

Jonathan Bradley