In recent years, Plymouth Road in Livonia had become something of an automotive hub in the city: new car lots line the busy thoroughfare, along with mechanic shops, an engine plant and fueling stations.

It could soon be hit with a "quadruple threat," Mayor Jack Kirksey said.

That is, the closure of the Livonia Chrysler-Jeep this summer. Follow that next year with the possible closure of two more dealerships -- Tennyson Chevrolet and John Rogin Buick -- and then the planned shutdown of GM's powertrain plant.

All together, they could leave a patchwork of empty lots, all within a walking distance.

"The whole look of a vacant area has a devastating impact," Kirksey said. "You start thinking, 'What's happening in this city?' "

Livonia is one example of a community in Metro Detroit fearing the blight that dealership closures can leave behind. With the spate of dealership closures this summer, communities worry that vast lots are quickly becoming eyesores along major roadways, marring the commercial landscape and possibly endangering a community's reputation.

"The general pattern in this region is for properties like that ... (to) tend to be left undeveloped," said Margaret Dewar, professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan. "All this is part of a regional economic problem."

In Livonia, the potential loss of the three dealerships, city officials fear, could drive away potential businesses that it has sought to lure.

The city has already invested at least $8 million of its commercial tax dollars to enhance street curbs and sidewalks, update street lights, post new street signs at intersections and install underground sprinkler systems for lawn patches to make it an attractive spot to do business.

But since Tennyson Chevrolet and John Rogin Buick received wind-down agreements from General Motors Corp., city officials have had an uphill battle to stem off future blight. They've already kicked into action, appealing to lawmakers and even the auto company itself to keep the businesses open.

"We want to make sure these vacant properties find a new life and a new future," Kirksey said.

Colonial Dodge in Eastpointe closed its doors in June.

Two empty buildings now straddle Gratiot, at Stephens. No cars. No people.

"The vacant property is a far cry from the bustling business we came to expect at that corner," said Mayor Suzanne Pixley.

The departure of the business took with it a slice of the neighborhood, she said: familiar faces at local restaurants, at the coffee shops.

"Our city hurts without them. The vacant property is a far cry from the bustling business we came to expect at that corner," Pixley said. Realtor Ken Pettine said the vacant dealership lots don't make things any easier for the nearby homeowners trying to sell. The owner of Suburban Realty in Eastpointe said he recommends people wait out the market if they can, even though it hurts his business.

"I can't sell it. (The empty lots) don't help property values," he said. "But it's the market we have at this time."

Dealerships that have managed to stay open, including some in nearby Rochester Hills, either by selling used vehicles or fixing cars, partly help solve the problem. But they don't recoup the job losses from closing new car lots nor fill the same number of buildings. And they don't bring in the revenues that enabled dealerships to be major financial sponsors in their community.

"You sort of lose it on both ends when the dealerships take a significant hit," Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett said.

Barnett said he breathed a sigh of relief when the owner of Meadowbrook Dodge decided to transform into a used car lot instead of closing shop for good.

There are at least eight dealerships in the northern Oakland community of about 70,000 residents. They often support or co-sponsor city events such as fireworks, he said.

"They're really invested in the community. That's as big as the taxes they produce," Barnett said.

In Redford Township, the name "Bruce Campbell Dodge" was once seen easily around town, far away from the lot on Telegraph -- at golf outings, fund raisers, little league games -- at events the dealership helped sponsor. Holiday drives organized by the business collected more than $100,000 for needy families.

Now, too, used cars are sold on the lot, and mechanics work out of a service shop. Business is brisk, but operations have been visibly downsized. Just one of the lot's two showrooms is now being used, with 60 percent fewer employees than before.

"Not being a new car franchise, the revenues -- they are less," said Bruce Campbell, who had run the business for 25 years. "We still want to be active in the community," Campbell said. "I know I can't do what I did in the past," he said. "I feel bad about that."

Adding to that, the other showroom now awaits a renter, maybe a buyer. For now, it sits empty -- the lights off.