Hantz Farm, Proposed $3 Million Commercial Urban Agriculture Venture Moves Closer To Land Deal WIth City Of Detroit

The city of Detroit is moving towards a land deal with Hantz Farms, an urban agriculture venture with big plans and lots of critics with in the urban farming movement. (Flickr: MattBerggren)

submitted by Theresa Bernardo

huffingtonpost.com - July 7, 2012

Detroit's urban farmers have been waving their pitchforks indignantly over it for years, but a controversial agriculture deal between the city of Detroit and a wealthy investor looks like it may finally be heading to market.

The Detroit Free Press reports that mayor Dave Bing's group executive for planning and facilities, Karla Henderson, is close to finalizing a sale that would allow the Southfield-based financier John Hantz to transform 175 acres of vacant east side lots into a commercial lumber farm.

The mayor hopes to close on the transaction -- estimated to be in the realm of $600,000 -- with his business, Hantz Farms, when city council gets back from its summer recess, according to the Free Press.

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