Downtown Plymouth gets new biz incubator space
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
One downtown Plymouth office landlord is
getting a little creative when it comes to filling empty space.
Trowbridge Realty has created a business incubator of sorts at 705 S
Main for promising, out-of-the-box start-ups.
"We needed something clever to market the building," says Ryan Richmond, vice president of Trowbridge Realty.
The
building was originally built in 1999-2000 and features 30,000 square
feet of Class A office space and a ground floor built for a realty
firm. Well, that real-estate company bit the dust when the housing
market crashed and 705 S Main was left with a lot of empty space.
Now
prospective tenants can rent spaces as little as 120 square feet in
size. The first few months are free as long as tenants have more than
your average business idea. That means more new economy start-ups and
fewer run-of-the-mill old economy firms.
"We're looking for
newer ventures," Richmond says. "Some who can define some long-term
growth. Someone with an out-of-the-box idea."
So far 6,000
square feet has been designated for the incubator, with 10 businesses
already signed up. More could be allocated if the demand grows. For
information, send an email to rrichmond@trowbridgerealty.com.
Source: Ryan Richmond, vice president of Trowbridge Realty
Writer: Jon Zemke
Developer pushes for Mellus; Lincoln Park DDA says 'No'
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
The future of the Mellus Building and two
adjoining properties in downtown Lincoln Park is still up in the air
after the city's Downtown Development Authority turned down an offer
from a developer to renovate them and bring jobs to the Downriver
suburb.
"Unless he comes up with a new offer quickly, it doesn't
look good for the Mellus and Pollak buildings," says Leslie
Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance.
An
owner of a Detroit-based home care business has submitted an offer for
the Mellus building and the adjacent Pollak and Dorsey buildings on
Fort Street. All three buildings are vacant and in disrepair. The
developer has stepped forward with an architect and a plan to transform
the three buildings into office space for 20-30 employees.
He
offered to pay $10,000 for each building, claiming he would have to
invest more than $80,000 to make them suitable as office space for his
business. The DDA paid $175,000 for the Dorsey building at the height
of the real-estate bubble in 2005 and another $100,000 for the Mellus
and Pollak buildings. It plans to spend another $30,000 to demolish the
Mellus and Pollak buildings.
The DDA turned down the offer
because it was too low. Some DDA board members said they would rather
see retail businesses on the long-vacant block and questioned why the
developer would want to move into Lincoln Park in the first place.
"Our DDA has been very unfriendly toward them," Lynch-Wilson says.
The
Mellus was built in the 1940s and is on the National Register of
Historic Places. It is an intrinsic part of the downriver suburb's
history, having served as the home of Lincoln Park's local newspaper
for decades. Local preservationists think saving the Mellus and the
adjacent Pollak (named after Pollak Jewelers) building are important
steps toward preserving downtown Lincoln Park's heritage.
The
building on Fort Street still has its original porcelain-enameled
Moderne commercial exterior, while the Pollak retains its terrazzo
entrance sidewalk.
Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke
Pontiac sells Silverdome to Canadian developers
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
One of the major millstones has been removed from the city of Pontiac's neck now that the Pontiac Silverdome has been sold.
The
sale frees the city, which is in receivership, of $1.5 million in
annual maintenance costs for the former NFL stadium. The city has been
trying to broker a sale of the stadium and surrounding property at the
corner of I-75 and M-59 ever since the Detroit Lions left it in 2002.
That led to the recent no-reserve bid auction hosted by Williams & Williams.
A family owned real-estate company based in Toronto came in with the
highest bid of $583,000. The Silverdome was built for $55.7 million in
taxpayer money in 1975.
"We recognized the problem and made the
tough decision to base the sale on reality rather than dreams of higher
sale prices and procrastination," Fred Leeb, the Emergency Financial
Manager for the city of Pontiac said in a press release.
The
80,000-seat stadium and surrounding 127 acres primarily served as the
home for the Lions until the team left for Ford Field in downtown
Detroit. The Pistons also played a few seasons there. Its field also
sported a Super Bowl and World Cup soccer matches.
Source: Williams & Williams
Writer: Jon Zemke
Lincoln Hills Golf Course undergoes renovations
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
The Lincoln Hills Golf Course is undergoing renovations to its clubhouse in Birmingham.
The golf course is gutting and replacing much of its club house. This includes ripping out and replacing some inner block/brick walls that have suffered significant deterioration.
The
newly renovated building will feature new counters, doors, windows,
roof, decorative fencing along 14 Mile Road, a covered storage area for
carts, landscaping around the building, HVAC system, and updated
restrooms. The parking lot will also be repaved.
The project
began construction last month and will wrap up by March. The golf
course, which is owned and run by the city, is located at 2666 W 14
Mile Road.
Source: City of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke
Downtown Mt. Clemens welcomes new businesses
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
If small business is the lifeblood of any downtown, then Mt. Clemens has some good pressure in its system these days.
The
Macomb County seat just welcomed two new businesses to its vibrant city
center this month. Madea Lounge is a new nightclub looking to take
advantage of the downtown's booming night life and Detroit Burger
Company plans to go after the established restaurant business.
Madea
Lounge is located at 75 Macomb Place next to the Bath City Bistro. The
contemporary lounge is smoke free and does serve some appetizers.
Detroit Burger Company also opened in a former restaurant space at 39 N
Main.
Source: Arthur Mullen, executive director of the Mt. Clemens Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Emagine adds moving seats to Metro Detroit theaters
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
Some viewers at Emagine Entertainment's theaters will be in for a bumpy ride, and that's a good thing.
The
Metro Detroit-based firm is installing new seats in all four of its
theaters (Canton, Novi, Woodhaven and Birch Run) that will move with
the movie to give the viewers a better experience at the cinema. Think
of it as a rollercoaster-style effect for moviegoers.
"It keeps
with our desire to keep at the cutting edge of technology and offering
the best experience possible," says Paul Glantz, president and chairman
of Emagine Entertainment.
About 50 of these seats will be
installed in each theater by Christmas. That will allow some viewers
who pay a small extra charge to use them during the movie.
Source: Paul Glantz, president and chairman of Emagine Entertainment
Writer: Jon Zemke
Detroit Edison upgrades pollution controls at Monroe plant
Source: metromode, 11/19/2009
The Monroe Power Plant is becoming a bit
cleaner these days now that Detroit Edison has installed a new
pollution scrubber in the coal-fired power plant.
This is the
second flue gas desulfurization system installed this year. It reduces
sulfur dioxide emissions by about 97 percent and mercury emissions by
80-90 percent on the plant's No. 3 generating unit. The No 4. unit has
a similar system that went into operation in June. The plant has four
generating units.
Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of Detroit-based DTE Energy,
has also installed other pollution control devices in recent years,
including selective catalytic reduction systems on three of the plant's
generating units to reduce nitrogen oxide output by 90 percent.
The
Monroe facility is the first power plant in Michigan to install both of
these systems. Installation on the remaining generating units is
expected to begin next year. The scrubbers and catalytic reduction
devices are expected to help the plant meet federal and state emission
limits.
Source: DTE Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke
Construction resumes on Upland Green's apt units in Ann Arbor
Source: Concentrate, 11/19/2009
Upland Green is getting ready to open some more apartment living options on the north side of Ann Arbor this winter.
Excerpt:
The
Upland Green project is in much more of a start than a fit these days,
now that work has begun again on the multi-use development on Ann
Arbor's north side.
New investors out of New Jersey have taken
over the project --which has been on-again/off-again since 2004-- with
plans to finish off the residential section by the end of the winter.
Model units should be open by the beginning of the new year, bringing
more life to the Plymouth Road corridor, adjacent to the University of
Michigan's North Campus.
Read the rest of the story here.