Business : Development News

Birmingham's business development officials have been studying shoppers and retail trends for many months now, trying to figure out how to improve on downtown Birmingham as a shopping and free-time destination.

One question asked: When do you want to shop? The answer: evenings, after work or school.

That's when many downtown shops are closed. So in the interest of finding out if nighttime shopping will actually generate traffic, about 45 downtown stores will stay open until 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, says John Heiney, director of Birmingham's Principal Shopping District.

The response will show if a mostly daytime downtown -- other than restaurants and movies -- will fly.

First Thursdays will run through September during the summer months, when strolling store to store at night is more likely. There will be a theme each month along with sales and special events and activities in stores and around downtown to promote First Thursdays.

Birmingham's Principal Shopping District, which is made up of downtown businesses and employs a retail consultant to keep downtown thriving, is hosting the event and "wants to get shoppers thinking about shopping in the evening," Heiney says.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: John Heiney, director, Birmingham Principal Shopping District

Construction started this week on a project to turn a beat up, outdated main street in downtown Farmington into a boulevard streetscape of greenery, decorative lighting and stamped walkways.

The $1.1-million Grove Street Reconstruction Project will also add parking to downtown and make over a tired strip retail center as well as connect it to a major pedestrian crosswalk that will lead to another shopping center.

Water mains will also be replaced and a plaza space with seating will be part of the new downtown layout.

The goal of city officials and the Downtown Development Authority is to make downtown more attractive, walkable, and busy as well as match it to a streetscape already redone. The plans call for turning a swath of pavement into a boulevard separated by a center island with angled parking along parts of it.

Mayor Tom Buck says the project is as much about attracting families to downtown as it is attracting small businesses and boosting the local economy.

The project will completely remove and replace Grove Street from Grand River to Main Street. The work was delayed in 2009 due to the costs. It is expected to be completed in two phases over a 10-week period and ready to use sometime in July.

Writer: Kim North  Shine
Source: Annette Knowles, executive director, Farmington Downtown Development Authority

Oakland County is trying to make starting a business or taking it to the next level easier for entrepreneurs by offering free, walk-in business counseling.

The One Stop Shop Business Center at the Oakland County Executive Office building, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, in Waterford will open May 9 and offer regular walk-in hours after that. The hours for May 9 are 9:30-noon and 1:30-4:30. The business center is on the first floor of Building 41W.

“We usually operate on an appointment-only basis but many entrepreneurs walk into our One Stop Shop with questions on how to get started with their business idea,” says Greg Doyle, supervisor of the One Stop Shop Business Center. “By designating special walk-in days, we hope to reach more entrepreneurs and help them understand their next steps as well as present the resources we can make available to them. Our aim is to get them started quickly in a way that makes the most sense to their unique situation.”

Counselors at the business center can answer specific questions, suggest planning tools and give direction on where to go to solve problems or achieve goals. All sessions are confidential. The counselors have expertise in business development, community planning, financing and market research.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Greg Doyle, supervisor, One Stop Shop Business Center

The Bozeman Watch Company's speciality, limited edition watches and accessories will soon fill a downtown Birmingham store, importing a Michigan native's high-end goods from the Montana and Wyoming showrooms where they're now sold.

Its handmade time pieces are known for their rugged styling -- the B1 Hellcat, Smokejumper GMT and Sidewinder are a few styles that convey manly man adventure. The company is also known for its hand-tooled leather luggage and handbags.

Christopher Wardle, a former Michigan resident started the company in Montana and is expanding from three stores in Bozeman and Whitefish, Montana and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The Birmingham store opens May 1 on Pierce Street in the spot formerly occupied by Stacy Leuliette home accessories, says Ed Nakfoor, spokesman for the Birmingham Principal Shopping District.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Ed Nakfoor, spokesman, Birmingham Principal Shopping District

Automotive supplier Faurecia will build its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, combining some of its Oakland County offices into the new location at the Oakland Technology Park.

The 278,000-square-foot, three story building near I-75 and University Drive will bring two Auburn Hills offices and a Troy technical center into one spot, employing about as many as 700 employees once it opens in early 2014.

Another Auburn Hills office will remain open with more than 300 employees.

Faurecia, which supplies automotive seating, emission control technology, interior systems and automotive exteriors, will be neighbors to other auto-related companies that are not only surviving but thriving the auto industry lull. Faurecia employs 94,000 people in 34 countries.

Also operating from the Oakland Technology is US Farathane’s world headquarters. It makes plastic injection molding, and Henniges Automotive, a supplier of anti-vibration systems, will operate a world headquarters and research and design center.

“Auburn Hills is thrilled to add Faurecia’s North American headquarters to our roster of leading national and international manufacturers headquartered here,” says City Manger Pete Auger. “Companies like Faurecia, Henniges and USFarathane are terrific corporate citizens and bring tremendous value to Auburn Hills, solidifying our reputation as the premier global manufacturing address in the Midwest.”

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Stephanie Carroll, Pete Auger, city of Auburn Hills

Midland-based Northwood University has renovated a Troy office building into a new campus that will be a hub for metro Detroit. The renovations provided more space, updated technology and programs and planned-for opportunities for business collaborations with students.

Dr. Matthew Bennett, director of admissions for Nothwood University's adult degree program, says enrollment and interest in the Troy and other southeast Michigan campuses and their business programs have steadily increased and the new, updated campus is a response to that.

It is located at 1500 West Big Beaver Road, just down the road from the old campus.

Classes, meeting areas and event space fill 8,000 square feet on the first floor of an office building where the Rehmann Group operates on the second floor.

"There's an openness here, and more opportunities for engagement with students," he says. "It's as high-tech a facility as you can imagine."

The Troy campus will offer several adult degree programs and be a hub for the DeVos School of Management. It will also serve as a regional admission center and offer advising for traditional students.

"The new Troy campus is a response to market demand for business leadership and to our state's need for business leadership," he says. "Northwood's mission is to develop the future leaders of a global free enterprise society. The goal is to be very entrepreneurial, very capitalistic, but student centered."

Classes officially began in mid-January. A grand opening and ribbon cutting is planned for March 21.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Matthew Bennett, spokesperson, Northwood University

Going to Wall Street each day is out of the question for finance students at Walsh College -- or any college for that matter -- so Walsh has built a miniature version of the stock exchange right on its Troy campus.

The 1,400-square-foot, glass-walled finance lab comes with a dozen Bloomberg terminals, several large, flat-screened TVs tuned to financial reports, and an LED ticker that runs along the top of the wall, giving real-time readings of financial reports and financial news.

Inside, students have a number of ways to learn the principle of market structure, including software that drives the marketplace. The lab goes hand in hand with courses in investment, portfolios, financial markets, international finance, financial management and economics. It will also be used for public events such as financial planning seminars and private investment programs.

"Walsh College’s interactive finance lab will change the way we teach financial courses,” Walsh College Professor Linda Wiechowski, chair of the finance and economics department, says in a statement about the last week's lab opening. “Our new lab will provide students with the knowledge and tools they need to fine-tune their skills and increase their marketability.”

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Lindsay Karpinskas, Airfoil public relations

A national educational architectural firm is expanding its space, its menu, and staff in response to growing demand for the metro Detroit office.

SHW Group broke ground Sept. 4 on a 13,480-square-foot addition to its Berkley office at 2338 Coolidge, nearly doubling the size of the building to 28,680 square feet.

The company, which has offices in Austin, Dallas, Baltimore, Charlottsville, Houston, San Antonio and Washington, D.C., opened in Berkley in 2003 and has doubled its personnel since then, including 16 more jobs in the last six months, says Maggie Turner, a spokesperson.

The job creation has come from high demand from educational institutions and also from new areas the company ventured into: mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering. As the business has grown, so has staff, including a laid-off automotive engineer who's found a new career.

“In a little less than 10 years, we have experienced great growth, making us the second-largest employer in Berkley,” SHW Group CEO Marjorie Simmons says. “This addition will allow us to continue to provide our clients with the same quality of service and specialized expertise they have come to expect from SHW Group.”

SHW's new office, which is expected to be completed in February, will be built with conservation and environmental protection in mind and according to a plan that meets the standards for silver LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Source: Maggie Turner, Sunwest Communications, spokesperson for SHW Group
Writer: Kim North Shine

The concept of combining soup and entrepreneurial pitches as a way to raise money for business start-ups is coming to Lincoln Park.

The Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance is hosting Lincoln Park SOUP, its own version of successful SOUP projects in Detroit, including the Corktown SOUP at Spaulding Court.

For $5 per person guests dine on soup, salad and bread while getting the low-down on budding entrepreneurial endeavors.

During mealtime the business plans, which have been approved previously, are detailed in three- to five-minute presentations. At the end of the night guests vote for the most promising proposal. The winner goes home with a portion of the proceeds to be used as project seed money.

"Lincoln Park SOUP is designed to help fund local projects and organizations through microfunding…Detroit SOUP has been lauded for its ability to raise monies and microgrants to support creative projects in Detroit. Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance hopes to do the same," says the alliance's Leslie Lynch-Wilson, who also sits on the city Downtown Development Authority.

The first Lincoln Park SOUP, which is likely to become a monthly event, will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at Ikaros Hall, 1677 Fort St. in Lincoln Park.

SOUP business proposals must be submitted no later than Sept. 16 to lincolnparkpreservation@hotmail.com.

Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Kim North Shine

Birmingham's burgeoning Rail District, a part of the city that's emerged in recent years as both chic and family friendly, will now count a microwbrewery and restaurant among its businesses, that include a popular swim school and various boutiques.

Ground for Griffin Claw Brewing Company, the latest endeavor by the owners of Big Rock Chophouse and The Reserve, was broken July 12 and construction is to be completed by March 2013. When finished there will be a tasting room, restaurant and outdoor garden at 575 S. Eton St.

The new 12,000-squqre-foot facility will be the new home for Big Rock Chophouse's award-winning beer, made by brewmaster Dan Rogers. The beer will be brewed in energy-efficient equipment lined with a ceramic insulating coating similar to what's used on space shuttles.

What's made will be served at Griffin Claw and also distributed as Griffin Claw owners, Norman and Bonnie LePage, capitalize on the public's growing interest and preference for craft products. Griffin Claw Brewing Company is envisioned as a neighborhood spot where bike racks will be plentiful and nearby residents can walk to and from dinner or drinks.

Griffin Claw will be located next to the innovative Robot Garage that has taken Lego and robot building to a whole new level.

Source: Griffin Claw Brewing Co. and City of Birmingham Planning Board
Writer: Kim North Shine

Several 1940s-era buildings located on the property of General Motors Corp in Warren are undergoing renovation and rebuilding that involve 3D modeling and other high-tech apps.

The project is part of a $325-million investment by GM to increase production at the plant that produces transmissions for some of GM's most popular vehicles.

About 500,000 square feet of the massive 2-million-square-foot facility will be renovated. Two administration buildings are being demolished and 14 existing work bays will be rebuilt as will roads and underground utilities.

A new mechanical room and electrical switchgear room will be added, and new concrete surfaces will be placed in production areas.

A new employee entrance, lobby, break area and work prep area are part of the project that is supposed to make GM more efficient, worker-friendly and up-to-date.

Canton-based LaSalle Group Inc. is part of the leadership team on the construction and is working with Giffels IBI Group out of Southfield and teams of subcontractors.

Source: Ryan Philbeck, LaSalle Group Inc.
Writer: Kim North Shine

A Motorola facility in Farmington Hills has been vacant since it closed four years ago. Soon, however,  it will be filled with the sounds of engineers and other employees researching and developing new ways for drivers to interact with automotive sound systems.

The Panasonic Automotive Systems Co. of America will hire 60 full-time employees initially, says Teri Arbenowske, economic development director for the city of Farmington Hills, and as time goes on more will be added.

The Japanese electronics company has leased 90,000 square feet of space, previously used by Motorola, in a corporate park in the 12 Mile and Halstead area. Mercedes Benz and Greenpath are located in the same corporate park. It is renovating the space, where engineers will research and develop human machine interfaces, vehicle sound systems and electronics for electric/hybrid vehicles.

"This will be work with advanced software, testing of vehicle sound systems. The exciting thing about this is the number of jobs and the type of jobs," Arbenowske says.

The state awarded Panasonic a $500,000 Business Development Program incentive to expand its Southeast Michigan operations, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. It says the company is investing $8.16 million to establish the research and development center. The city is has also approved tax abatements for the project.

"They're looking for high tech jobs, skilled engineers," Arbenowske says. "That's what we really need in Michigan, is to bring more engineers in to develop new products…A lot of our grads leave Michigan and we need companies that can keep that talent here."

Mayor Barry Brickner shared his excitement over the company's arrival in a statement: "Farmington Hills is thrilled to welcome Panasonic Automotive Systems of America to our City. Panasonic will provide jobs and will create excitement and growth in the business community.”

Source: Teri Arbenowske, economic develop director, city of Farmington Hills
Writer: Kim North Shine

Eddie Farah's soon-to-open Ferndale restaurant, John D Bistro,  will serve up unique cuisine that "appeals to all the senses," convey a Ferndale vibe that Farah's come to know after years of frequenting the city's top spots and do it in an atmosphere that says "cosmopolitan".

The food will be the creation of executive chef, Adis Celic, a grad of Le Cordon Bleu in Los Angeles. The vibe of the space that was formerly the popular Club Bart will be developed by restaurant designer Ron Rea of Ron & Roman Designer Architects in Birmingham. A refurbished stage is above the bar - a nod to the old Club Bart.

John D, taken from the name etched into the building where it's located at 22726 Woodward Ave (south of Nine Mile Road), opens March 10. It takes the place of Club Bart, which closed when the owner decided to retire.

"I want people to look at the food before they bite into it. I want all the senses to be cooking when you're served," says the 34-year-old Farah during a break from the final preps for a friends and media opening.

Earlier, when the paper came off the restaurant windows, he says passersby were taking long looks, trying to get in.

"In Michigan it's like something you've never seen," Farah says, describing it as a meeting of urban decay and modernism." It's like something right out New York or Chicago. It's got a very sexy look."

Besides Farah and Adis, John D has hired three other full-timers and Farah says he expects to hire more.

The menu includes lamb, fish, seafood, wild game influenced by Adis's and Farah's cultural backgrounds and interests. French, Asian, Italian, Bosnian, Mediterranean, among the influences. The restaurant holds up to 95 between its dining room, two lounges where there's eating and drinking and its bar, Farah says.

A Ferndale regular since the early 2000's, Farah brings years worth of personal market research to the table. He's also gotten guidance - rather than cold shoulder competition - from other restaurant and bar owners, he says.

"They really have been very helpful," he says. "It's actually good for all of us if we can bring more people into the city limits."

Source: Eddie Farah, owner, John D Bistro
Writer: Kim North Shine

The businesses and the variety keep coming to Ferndale.

Of late, the downtown with the vacancy rate and activity that's the envy of the region has welcomed a European style coffee shop and cafe and a boutique. An animal clinic is opening today, while a microbrew store may be selling its suds within a few months. The Green Thumb Garden Center on Woodward has doubled its space, and a handful of other shops are updating. Also, a new jewelry store is scheduled to open at the prominent corner of Woodward and E. 9 Mile.

The Euro-style cafe, Torino Espresso Bar, serves much more than a strong cup of coffee. It sells signature cocktails and fresh food, much of it from local farms and a mod interior meant to invite lounging and conversation. Torino Espresso Bar is located below the Lofts on 9, a project from the same developers, at 201 E. 9 Mile.

Not far away is On the Nine, a clothing boutique. And on Woodward, the West Woodward Animal Clinic, will take care of the city's furry residents. The microbrew store, Eight Degrees Plato Beery Company, will be located at 611 W. 9 Mile.

About 15 new businesses have opened just this spring.

"We have new businesses opening all the time," says Chris Hughes, communications and marketing manager at the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority. "It's amazing."

Source: Chris Hughes, communications and marketing manager, Ferndale Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Kim North Shine

A German firm that trains people from around the world how to work on large-scale diesel engines is taking over a 30,000-square-foot building in Canton and bringing at least 700 trainees to town each year.

"This will generate over 2,000 hotel room nights with people coming here to train," says Kristen Thomas, economic development and marketing analyst for Canton. "They'll visit our restaurants, our shops. It's great for Canton."

The Tognum AG facility will open in a vacant building in the Executive Park on Executive Drive near Canton's busy Michigan Avenue and Lilley intersection. The company, formerly known locally as Detroit Diesel, signed a 10-year lease and will use it to teach trainees how to maintain and service diesel engines on ferry boats, military ships and more. Trainees will include members of the US Army, Thomas says.

There will be five full-time employees, she adds.

The facility, which is just over 30,000 square feet, is being renovated and will open in August, Thomas says.  The city granted the company a 50 percent tax abatement on the project.

Source: Kristen Thomas, economic development and marketing analyst for the city of Canton
Writer: Kim North Shine