Development News

Dearborn explores waste-to-energy plant feasibility

metromode Thursday, May 13, 2010

The city of Dearborn is soliciting proposals to explore the feasibility of a waste-to-energy plant.

The project is part of the city's efforts to become more environmentally friendly. Other recent initiatives are moving toward single-stream recycling and considering LED streetlights. Local officials see the waste-to-energy plant as another feather in the city's tree-hugging hat.

"Do we have enough waste to create enough energy to support the industrial facilities in the city?" says David Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn.

The waste-to-energy plant isn't your normal dirty Detroit-style incinerator. Dearborn is looking at gasification plans that don't actually burn the refuse. The city is also looking at an anerobic digestor for its sludge waste.

The proposals are due by May 24 (more information here) and a decision on the feasibility of this idea is expected to be made before the end of the year.

Source: David Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ford House takes control of Ford Estate

metromode Thursday, May 06, 2010

The future of the Henry Ford Estate in Dearborn is secured now that the University of Michigan-Dearborn has worked out an agreement to transfer control of the historic structure in Dearborn to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

Ownership will transfer over the next 15 months, until July of next year. In the meantime a group of advisors, including historic restoration architectural firm Chambers, Murphy, Burge, will confer on the best strategy for preserving the historic site.

"All of the plans will be coming together over the next year, including the plans for the capital campaign to pay for it," says Ann Fitzpatrick, vice president of communications for the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

The estate will close in July of 2011 to allow for restoration work on its buildings and grounds to begin. It will reopen in phases to celebrate milestones in Ford Family history: Henry Ford's 150th birthday in 2013, the Ford Estate's 100th anniversary in 2015, and Clara Ford's 150th birthday in 2017.

"It's a great resource now," says Ken Kettenbeil, director of communications for the University of Michigan-Dearborn. "It will be an even better resource when it reopens in 2013."

Source: Ann Fitzpatrick, vice president of communications for the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, and Ken Kettenbeil, director of communications for the University of Michigan-Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

East Dearborn downtown makes plans for arts district

metromode Thursday, April 29, 2010

The East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority is taking steps to set up an arts district in the city's eastern center.

Downtown leaders see the creation of an arts district as an important tool to both help encourage economic development and to raise the quality of life in the city's eastern downtown, which centers around the Michigan Avenue and Schaeffer Road intersection.

"We have so many vacancies downtown," says Melissa Kania, who is spear heading the project for the East Dearborn DDA. "Why not create pop-up galleries? If this building is empty, why not lease it to this artist for a short time and create a gallery?"

That could create more foot traffic for local retail businesses. Local leaders also think it will attract new economy-based entrepreneurs and businesses because the young people behind them often run in the same circles with artists.

The DDA is currently working with Artspace to see if it can create some inexpensive space for artists and other creatively inclined people. One possibility is the former Kroger building, which could serve as a central location for local creatives.

"This is all very conceptual right now," Kania says.

That doesn't mean a good bit of work hasn't gone into it. The DDA recently revealed three sculptures in its downtown to help kick off the effort. The sculptures come from a recent offering of eight pieces from the Midwest Sculpture Initiative. The other five are in Dearborn's western downtown.

Source: Melissa Kania, administrative assistant with the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke

Dearborn switches to single stream recycling

metromode Thursday, April 29, 2010

Dearborn will jump into the next level of recycling when the city switches its pick-up system to single-stream.

The City Council approved the switch, which will allow residents to put all of their recycling into one container. It will also allow for more materials to be recycled. City officials expect the current recycling rate of 20-30 percent of waste to double.

"It would be great to see it double," says Dave Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn. "We did a pilot test area and it doubled."

The city is going from collecting just No. 1-2 plastics to No. 1-7, including the rarely recycled No. 3. It plans to begin disbursing the new recycling containers this week and move forward with the switch in July.

Among the incentives for going single stream are making it easier for residents to use, meaning more is recycled, expansion of the recycling list, and reduced logistical costs.

Among the other cities that use single-stream recycling are Austin, Texas and Baltimore. Ann Arbor made the switch earlier this year.

Source: Dave Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Water Disclosure Project saves Ford water, money

metromode Thursday, April 15, 2010

Ford is sticking yet another sustainability feather in its driving hat by becoming the first automaker to join the Water Disclosure Project.

A spin-off of the Carbon Disclosure Project, the idea is to manage the shrinking water supply by setting up a clearing house for the world's largest firms to gather information on water usage, management, and risks.

The Carbon Disclosure Project does the same thing with greenhouse gas emissions. Ford is a member of that effort and has cut its energy use and CO2 emissions by 34 and 44 percent, respectively. Ford's new goal is to reduce new-vehicle greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and Europe 30 percent by 2020.

"Reducing water use means that plants use less energy pumping and treating water, which would reduce carbon footprint," Susan Rokosz, senior environmental engineer for Ford, said in a prepared statement. "Ford is also pursuing new technologies in which reductions in water use go hand-in-hand with reductions in energy use, such as Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL). MQL lubricates cutting tools with a fine spray of oil. Conventional wet machining, by contrast, requires pumping millions of gallons of a mixture of metal-working fluids and water to cool and lubricate the cutting tools."

The Dearborn-based automaker has also been hard at work on water conservation. Between 2000 and 2008, Ford reduced its global H2O usage by 56 percent, or 9.5 billion gallons. It accomplished this by tracking and minimizing consumption during plant downtimes, optimizing cooling tower operations, and investing in advanced technologies.

Source: Susan Rokosz, senior environmental engineer for Ford
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ford shrinks carbon footprint, saves $16M to date

Metromode Thursday, March 25, 2010

Ford is pushing green building forward by lowering the energy consumption of its computer systems.

The Dearborn-based automaker has implemented the PC Power Management program, which centrally manages the settings on Windows laptops and desktop computers. An estimated 60 percent of employees don't power down their computers when they leave at night, so the program does it for them. It is also expected to increase worker efficiency by running software updates during off-peak hours.

Ford is implementing the system in its North American offices this year and its world-wide offices in 2011. The move is expected to save the company $1.2 million annually in power costs alone, equivalent to reducing its carbon footprint by an estimated 16,000 to 25,000 metric tons annually.

This initiative is part of Ford's ongoing process of making its buildings, both office and manufacturing, more energy efficient. That policy has allowed it to earn the EPA's ENERGY STAR Award for five straight years. The company has accomplished this with simple solutions, such as switching to CFL bulbs and installing electronic thermostats.

Ford has reduced its energy consumption by 5 percent, saving $16
million, since 2008. Energy use has fallen by 35 percent since 2000.

Source: Ford
Writer: Jon Zemke

Dearborn evaluates sustainability program options

metromode Thursday, March 11, 2010

The city of Dearborn is looking at taking on a number of green initiatives ranging from enhanced recycling to LED streetlights and has six figures worth of federal grant money to get it started.

The city received a $250,000 federal grant (thank you federal stimulus package) last year to determine the feasibility for a number of green initiatives. Those options include possibly establishing a waste-to-energy plant in the city, going to single-stream recycling, and installing LED streetlights.

Only a small part of that $250,000 grant has been used. That grant is also the first part of a $970,800 grant to help implement some of these green initiatives and create a sustainability position in the city.

The waste-to-energy plant isn't your normal dirty Detroit-style incinerator. Dearborn is looking at a gasification plans that doesn't actually burn the refuse. The city is also looking at an anerobic digestor for its sludge waste.

Installing 300-350 LED streetlights in its neighborhoods is another option. LED streetlights, which use a fraction of the electricity and last longer than incandescent light bulbs, are the green cause de jour. Ann Arbor has grabbed numerous headlines with its efforts to install these lights throughout its downtown. Pontiac has also installed LEDs, and a number of other cities such as Ferndale, Wyandotte, and Detroit have toyed with the idea.

Dearborn is also planning to switch to single-stream recycling. That is where recyclers put all of their recycling into one container (no more sorting) and the city sorts it at the recycling plant.

"The money could be used to buy the recycling cars," says David Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn.

Source: David Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ford aims to make dealerships greener

metromode Thursday, February 18, 2010

Ford is making sustainability more than about the automobiles it produces. It's also about where it sells them.

The Dearborn-based automaker has launched its Go Green Dealership Sustainability Program. The idea is to work with dealerships to implement energy efficient technologies and upgrades to save them money, improve their image, and shrink their carbon footprint.

Ford is partnering with the Rocky Mountain Institute, an organization recognized as a leader in energy-efficiency solutions, to help develop the pilot program. The program will make recommendations to dealerships and help with their implementation.

"Right now we have three dealers who are helping with the pilot program," says Steve Kinkade, a spokesman for Ford, adding those dealerships are in Nevada, Florida and New York.

The first step is undertaking a comprehensive energy assessment from sustainability experts at Ford. This will provide ideas to improve energy efficiency and to make the businesses more sustainable. Ford then assists the dealerships at implementing these changes.

These improvements can range from installing LED lights to utilizing highly-efficient heating and cooling systems to adding insulation. One of the participating dealerships has developed a system where rainwater is incorporated into its car wash. The hope is that these long-term decisions will prove fruitful for both Ford and its dealerships for years to come.

Source: Steve Kinkade, spokesman for Ford
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakwood Hospital puts laptops in waiting rooms

metromode Thursday, February 11, 2010

The quality of a building doesn't always revolve around its design. Sometimes it's about the amenities inside.

That's an idea that Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center is pushing with its new InTouch program. The health-care provider is providing free laptops to people in its Dearborn waiting rooms. The idea was implemented after a number of patients, their families, and staff requested it.

"People need to surf the web and do work when they are spending time in the waiting room," says Ioan Duca, director of service excellence and corporate volunteer service at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center.

The computers are PCs but can also facilitate programs for Macs. Oakwood plans to expand the program to its other hospitals by the end of the year, including Oakwood Annapolis Hospital in Wayne, Oakwood Southshore Medical Center in Trenton, and Oakwood Heritage Hospital in Taylor.

Source: Ioan Duca, director of service excellence and corporate volunteer service at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center
Writer: Jon Zemke

Dearborn, Birmingham stations win federal funds

metromode Thursday, February 04, 2010

Dearborn and Birmingham are the big winners when it comes to acquiring federal funds for mass transit projects.

The two Metro Detroit suburbs and Battle Creek will split $40 million in federal stimulus funds to build or improve their train stations along the Detroit-Chicago railroad line, commonly known as the Wolverine Line. How that money will be split has not been determined yet.

"We're hopeful we'll get the full amount," says Barry Murrary, economic and community development director for the city of Dearborn.

Dearborn is planning to invest $28 million to move its Amtrak station closer to a new building near The Henry Ford. That facility would facilitate both trains, buses, cars, bicyclists and pedestrians. It is also seen as a key stop in the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.

Birmingham also has similar designs for a new multi-modal transit station. That $7 million project would build a station that can also facilitate train, bus, car, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. It is planned to go up in Birmingham's Rail District, an area that borders Troy and would serve as a stop on the planned northern expansion of the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line into Oakland County.

Source: Barry Murrary, economic and community development director for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ground breaks for Dearborn Town Center development

metromode Thursday, December 17, 2009

--This article originally appeared on April 30, 2009

A big development project is starting to come down the final stretch of long road, now that ground has broken for the Dearborn Town Center.

City officials have been working on this development at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Schaefer Road since the economy was roaring and everyone's house was worth more than their mortgage. Construction workers are expected to begin work on the 162,000-square-foot, mixed-use building next week and finish up by the end of 2010.

"We are very excited, especially with everything that has gone on with the credit markets and banks," says Barry Murrary, economic and community development director for the city of Dearborn.

The Dearborn Town Center will mainly serve as the home for Oakwood Healthcare System and Midwest Health Services. That will maintain the 300 jobs they have in Dearborn's east downtown and add another 200 positions. Those people will occupy 154,000 square feet of office space in the 3-story building. There will also be 8,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

A 530-car public parking garage will also be constructed behind the building. Redico, the developer, is also looking at building 22,000 square feet of retail space in front of the Schafer side of the garage if it can get it leased before construction is done. Plans for senior housing behind the parking garage are still being considered for a future phase of the project.

"We'd like to see more of this mixed-use, walkable development in downtown," Murrary says.

The Dearborn Town Center replaces the old Montgomery Ward department store that was recently demolished. Montgomery Ward opened the store in 1937, expanding it into 93,000 square feet. It went belly-up in 2001 and has been vacant ever since.

Southfield-based Redico, the developer, originally planned to reuse much of the building in the redevelopment but decided against it after complications were discovered, such as a lack of space between floors and small windows. Redico also planned to move the historic clock from the Montgomery Ward building into the new building. However, the clock fell apart during demolition. Redico is now looking at putting in a replica clock in the Dearborn Town Center.

"It's really is a new chapter in development of downtown," Murrary says.

Source: Barry Murrary, economic and community development director for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Westborn Market completes Dearborn store expansion

metromode Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Westborn Market in downtown Dearborn is now whole, thanks to a recently completed expansion project.

George and Janette Anusbigian founded Westborn Market in 1963. It's still in the neighborhood and now calls 21755 Michigan Ave. home. It expanded to 12,000 square feet in 1983 plus another 8,000 square feet across the street in 2004.

The latest expansion adds 8,000 square feet to the main store. The across-the-street annex is closing now that the lease has run out. From now on, all of the store's functions will be handled under one roof, including a flower shop and deli counter.

"It's definitely added convenience for their customers," says Margaret Blohm, a spokeswoman for Westborn Market.

Westborn Market has stores in Dearborn, Livonia, and Berkley.

Source: Margaret Blohm, a spokeswoman for Westborn Market
Writer: Jon Zemke

Dearborn cuts ribbon on new welcome center

metromode Thursday, October 08, 2009

Dearborn's new welcome center is ready to greet some people now that the ribbon on it has been cut.

The city and Dearborn Chamber of Commerce facilitated the renovation of the Bryant Library earlier this year. It will house the library, chamber of commerce, and the new welcome center at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Mason Street. The price tag - $175,000 � was funded by a state Cool Cities grant.

"With so much going on in Dearborn, this Welcome Center is long overdue," Dearborn Mayor John B. O�Reilly, Jr. said in a statement.

The ground floor of the branch will house the welcome center, community conference room, and chamber of commerce. The library will operate on the second floor.

The newly renovated first floor of the circa-1924 building had been vacant and generally unused for years.

Source: City of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Steel skeleton complete for Dearborn Town Center

metromode Thursday, September 24, 2009

The erector set portion of the Dearborn Town Center project is done, now that the last steel beam was put into place Tuesday.

The next phase is to button up the building by creating its exterior shell before the worst of winter sets in. Construction crews expect to hit that mark within the next four months, at about the same time they will begin putting together the pre-cast parking garage behind the building at Schaefer Road and Michigan Avenue. The whole project is set to be done by December, 2010.

"We're slightly ahead of schedule by 2-3 weeks," says John Barker, executive vice president of Hobbs & Black, which designed the building.

The Dearborn Town Center will feature a 162,000-square-foot mix of office and retail space. The vast majority of that space will be occupied by 500 workers from Oakwood Healthcare System and Midwest Health Services, including 200 new jobs.

A 530-car public parking garage is also being built (construction began this summer) to the rear of the building. Redico, the developer, is also looking at adding 22,000 square feet of retail space in front of the Schaefer side of the garage if it can be leased before construction is done. Plans for senior housing behind the parking garage are still being considered for a future phase of the project.

The Dearborn Town Center replaces the recently demolished Montgomery Ward department store. Montgomery Ward opened the store in 1937, expanding it to 93,000 square feet. It went belly-up in 2001 and has been vacant ever since.

Source: John Barker, executive vice president of Hobbs & Black; Jeff Gielniak, director of architecture and construction for Oakwood Healthcare; and Tom Dillenbeck, project architect of Hobbs & Black
Writer: Jon Zemke

Henry Ford Comm College creates murals for local hospital

metromode Thursday, September 24, 2009

There are seven new murals in Detroit, thanks to Henry Ford Community College.

The Dearborn-based college's Ceramics Club worked with seven current and former students to create the murals in Midtown Detroit's Children's Hospital of Michigan and Lessenger Middle School.

Henry Ford students worked with three classes at Lessenger Middle School to create two murals of three panels each. They are now mounted in the Neurology Clinic at the Children's Hospital of Michigan and in the school's main hallway.

The ceramic murals are called tessellations, a type of pattern design that forms a mosaic pattern by repeating similar shapes.

"It's a system that always fits together, no matter how you put it together in the picture," says Steve Glazer, an art instructor at Henry Ford Community College.

Source: Steve Glazer, an art instructor at Henry Ford Community College
Writer: Jon Zemke

Dearborn : Development News