Development News

Birmingham upgrades downtown parking garages

metromode Thursday, October 07, 2010

Downtown Birmingham's Pierce Street parking garage will soon have a smoother ride up to your car, and be better lit while doing so.

The city plans to install LED lights in the structure's 227 fixtures, replacing old high-pressure sodium bulbs, for a cost of $350,000; $125,000 of that will be federal stimulus money.

Brendan Cousino, assistant city engineer for Birmingham, says he received the final design last week for review, but expects the contract to go out for bid within the next three weeks or so. "The lighting is roughly 25 years old. It's outdated, and we're repairing lights on a regular basis."

He says replacing lights will not only improve the garage's energy savings, but the quality of light in the garage as well. LED lights use a fraction of the electricity of normal bulbs, and they also last several years longer than normal street lights. The city of Birmingham expects to save $18,000 in electricity annually, plus thousands more dollars in maintenance costs.

Also in the Pierce Street parking structure, plans are to replace the elevators this coming summer, first with the elevator at the Brown Street entrance, scheduled to close Oct. 25, and then on the Pierce Street side, scheduled to close in January. The project will run just under $410,000; the elevators currently in place are original to the early 1960s building.

"It's just time," Cousino says. "They've reached the end of their service life."

In another parking structure, the North Old Woodward parking deck, resealing the exterior has been completed, and very smoothly, too, Cousino says, coming in on time and budget. The city added some other work to that job, at the Chester Street parking structure, including replacing some stairs and decking worn down by regular use, for an additional $77,000 or thereabouts to the original $499,000.

And although parking structure maintenance may seem low on the priority list, the interior of a structure is one of the first things a visitor to Birmingham sees, after all. "We hope to maintain a high level of customer service here," Cousino says. "Overall, our goal is to extend the life of these structures as much as possible, and replace as much equipment as possible before it fails."

Source: Brendan Cousino, assistant city engineer for Birmingham
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Wayne County wins economic development award for Aerotropolis

Metromode Thursday, September 30, 2010

Wayne County's Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) is flying high after it received an Excellence in Economic Development Award Tuesday in recognition of the Detroit Region Aerotropolis.

At the International Economic Development Council annual conference in Columbus, Ohio, earlier this week, the Aerotropolis was recognized in the category of Regionalism and Cross-Border Promotion, for communities with a population greater than 500,000. It also received an Honorable Mention in the category Multi-Year Economic Development.

The Detroit Region Aerotropolis Initiative includes four cities, three townships, two counties, Wayne County's Airport Authority, and private partners. The idea is for everyone to work together as a unified regional alliance to promote the region. In the past few years, almost 6,000 jobs and $1 billion in investment have been created by projects looking to be in the Aerotropolis.

The Excellence in Economic Awards program annually recognizes the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities. The IEDC is dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions.

Source: Wayne County
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Work wraps on Inkster's Human Services building

Metromode Thursday, September 23, 2010

A local developer hopes his project not only puts a new face on Inkster's portion of Michigan Avenue, but also brings about a resurgence.

Boji Group president Ron Boji is wrapping up work on the first phase of the Michigan Avenue development, a Department of Human Services Wayne County office building he began constructing two years ago. That will be ready for occupancy Oct. 1, and workers will physically be in the building by Dec. 1.

Two other portions of the project are set to begin in the next few weeks -- a new YWCA building and retail center, which will include a Secretary of State office and a restaurant. A house and laundromat have been demolished to make way for the construction, which should start in about three weeks with a planned wrap-up by May, Boji says.

Then, with the construction of the new YWCA, the old building will be retrofitted for a justice center, with an Inkster police station and 22nd District Court. He expects the retrofit to start next June and be ready by February 2012.

Boji credits the success of the project so far to the collaboration between the county, city, state, and his company: "It was a team effort," he says. "It was a concerted effort among everybody to make it happen."

The location of the project, at Michigan Avenue and John Daly Street, had previously been an abandoned automotive dealership. All four parts include 100,000 square feet of office and retail space, and the whole price tag comes to about $25 million. Its brownfield designation earned it $1.2 million in Michigan Business Tax credits. The county also awarded $850,000 in neighborhood stabilization funding from the county. The YWCA property was also awarded $750,000 in neighborhood stabilization funding. Another $8.5 million came from Recovery Zone bonds.

Boji says that as a developer, sure, he's excited about building and making a few bucks to do it, "but this is different. We're actually putting a face on Michigan Avenue for the next 50-plus years. We're reshaping how it will look."

Source: Ron Boji, president of The Boji Group
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Northville streetscape project casts new light on downtown

Metromode Thursday, September 16, 2010

Downtown Northville's streetscape project is on track to finish the first portion by this fall, and will pick up again in the spring.

As of last week, the sidewalk on the south side of Mary Alexander Court had been replaced, with the sidewalk on the north side of the street underway now. The street is also set to get a coat of asphalt this week.

Lori Ward, Northville's Downtown Development Authority Director, says the goal is to be out of Mary Alexander Court by the city's Victorian Festival this Friday. Things seem to be on track. Work is expected to continue for another month before the weather turns.

Northville was one of three communities to receive Michigan Department of Transportation grants, which provide for investments in trail and streetscape projects, to help fund the construction. The $1.3 million price tag is split between $685,880 in federal funds, and a matching amount from the city.

The city has been keeping residents informed of the progress at the DDA's website, where weekly updates are posted.

The current work doesn't impact much of the downtown, but people are starting to notice the changes, Ward says. "I think it's nice they're starting to see the changes installed, and know that the rest of it's coming," she says.

The area being improved includes Main Street between Wing and Hutton streets, and Center Street between Cady and Dunlap streets. Improvements include sidewalks, street lighting, benches, trash receptacles, and street trees and landscaping, consistent with the work the city has previously done on its Town Square project.

The facelift will replace a 32-year-old streetscape, of which many of the amenities are outdated and deteriorating, says the DDA's website.

Source: Lori Ward, director, Northville Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Watson Engineering expands Taylor facilities

Metromode Thursday, September 16, 2010

Local companies are among those receiving Michigan Economic Development Corp funding through the Michigan Economic Growth Authority board, allowing them to expand and relocate so they can stay in Michigan.

Among the recipients are a brownfield project in Taylor, for which $221,220 will support the demolition of two vacant commercial structures to make way for a 40,000 square-foot industrial facility to expand operations of Watson Engineering. That project will also include environmental remediation, a new parking lot, storm water management, and landscaping.

Michigan brownfield programs provide incentives to invest in property that has been used for industrial, commercial, or residential purposes and to keep that property in productive use or return it to productive use. Brownfield incentives can be used for functionally obsolete, blighted, or contaminated property.

Source: Michigan Economic Development Corp
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Royal Oak develops non-motorized transit plan

Metromode Thursday, September 16, 2010

Royal Oak residents want to hear from you about how you think it could be easier to bike around the city.

An open house is planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road. Bicycle boulevards, road diets, and bike lanes are all up for discussion. Specifically, the planners want to know where people bike and walk, where they wish they could bike and walk, and what can be done to improve the transit experience in the city.

Todd Scott, a Royal Oak resident and bike activist who says he's been pushing for a non-motorized plan for some time, says he hopes the end product of the meeting is to have a plan that guides the city on what residents want as far as making roads bike-friendly and walkable.

"How do we encourage people to bike more?" he says. "We don't want to build bike lanes and not have them filled with cyclists. This will be a plan to get that done."

Scott says he often hears from people who know about cycling paths in Metro Parks, for example, but don't want to load up the car just to go for a bike ride. "They want to see more in the urban areas," he says. "It's pretty exciting. There's lot of opportunity and potential in Royal Oak."

The Active Transportation Alliance is working with the city of Royal Oak to help develop the non-motorized plan; contact Marissa Dolin at marissa@activetrans.org or (312) 427-3325, ext. 292 for more information.

Source: Todd Scott, Royal Oak resident and cyclist
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Detroit Zoo water tower renovation complete

metromode Thursday, September 09, 2010

The landmark Detroit Zoo water tower got a facelift just in time for fall.

The colorful tower, at Woodward Avenue and 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak, had the existing graphic steamed off. The tower was then power washed and scraped, and then given a new design. The design hews to the original theme of animals and humans walking across a plain at dusk, but this time the elephant was replaced with a rhino. (Detroit's elephants have since retired to a sanctuary.) The $200,000 makeover was finished Aug. 24.

"The water tower -- one of the most visible landmarks in the region -- was in desperate need of work, both structurally and aesthetically, for some time," Patricia Mills Janeway, the zoo's communication director, writes in an e-mail. It had been 12 years since the tower was last wrapped.

The work took a little longer than expected due to inclement weather, but the end result was worth it: "We are very happy with the way it turned out," she adds. "Many of our visitors, members, donors and neighbors have told us that they are happy we kept the 'critter parade' design."

The tower no longer stores water; its only purpose is a giant billboard. Janeway estimates the advertising value of the tower at more than $100,000.

Source: Patricia Mills Janeway, communications director for the Detroit Zoo
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Metro Detroit rail projects begin to take form

metromode Thursday, September 09, 2010

After receiving feedback from the community, the Woodward Light Rail project will hopefully be taking another step forward in the next few months in regards to its design.

With several plans suggested, Transportation Riders United (TRU) is advocating that the train run in the left lane of the road whenever possible, instead of sharing the right lane and running the risk of being delayed behind parked cars, buses, and other traffic impediments, says TRU Director Megan Owens.

One of the major details of the plan that still has to be worked out: Where the track should be laid on Woodward? According to TRU's research, a quicker and more reliable system comes from track in the center lane.

"A challenge is finding a balance between being a downtown circulator, and also wanting to have the beginning of real rapid transit," Owens says. "If you're going more than a mile or two, you want it to be quick enough to be convenient for you."

The public comment period ends Monday; visit TRU's website for more information. Owens says it will probably take a few months to compile the information and then proceed.

"We're not quite breaking ground yet, but this is a critical step forward," she says of the light rail.

Other upcoming meetings address Michigan's rail transit from a broader sense. The Michigan Department of Transportation is developing a Michigan State Rail Plan to build a long-term vision for both passenger and freight rail transportation throughout the state; a public meeting is set for 4-7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Michigan State University's Detroit Center, 3408 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Michigan by Rail is also hosting a public forum Wednesday at Fairlane Center South, at U-M Dearborn, from 6-8 p.m., to discuss present and possible future rail systems.

Amtrak exists for passenger service, plus there are freight tracks, but not really a plan for using that resource throughout the state, Owens says. Wednesday's meeting will discuss some of the places in Michigan people would like to be able to visit by train and how that could best be done. One example is a way to get up north on the weekend without sitting in traffic on I-75.

High-speed regional trains, commuter trains, light rail, and buses all play a part in mass transit. "It really all fits into the similar idea of giving people in Michigan, and in Detroit, choices as to how to get around," she says. "We can't do everything all at once, but it is important to continue to support and advance all these different transportation options."

Plus, the benefits go beyond easy transit: jobs, revitalization of urban areas, decrease in air pollution, and less dependence on foreign oil. "It's costly and complicated to get all the pieces done, but to have the future we want for our city, we really need all these options," Owens says.

Source: Megan Owens, director of Transportation Riders United
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Ferndale library nearly doubles in size, offers green features

Metromode Thursday, September 02, 2010

The Ferndale Public Library opened up its doors after a renovation last month, offering green features, a bigger collection, and plenty of space to spread out and be comfortable.

Library director Doug Raber says that one of the construction outcomes he'd hoped for is already happening: It's becoming a destination. He says he recently saw someone in the library reading her own book -- which is great, because it means she was visiting just to use the building.

"We have people that come to the library, are spending time here reading and working on laptops -- definitely more so than before we renovated," he says.

Compared to last August, circulation is already up 40 percent, and there have been quite a few applications for new library cards, according to Raber.

The entire building has Wi-Fi and the new children's room offers space to spread out and read. Also, a new meeting room facility is available for community groups.

The library, on Nine Mile Road on the eastern edge of downtown, nearly doubled in size, to 21,000 square feet. The addition, paid for by a one-mill tax increase last year, provided space to increase staff and the funds to double its purchasing budget for books and other media.

Patrons appreciate most the overall comfort of the building. "It's a very comfortable place to be," Raber says. "People like it. They like the fact that there are places to go and sit down, there are places to study. They've been commenting on how much they like the place, more than anything else."

Patrons were formerly crammed into tight quarters, with the children's section very close to the adults and vice-versa. "Now people can spread out and be more comfortable," he says.

The library is going for silver LEED certification for its environmentally friendly features, including a geothermal heating system, a gray water recycling system, and a partial green roof. There are a few odds and ends that still need to be taken care of -- furniture and new book display shelving -- but nothing that affects its overall function.

Source: Doug Raber, director, Ferndale Public Library
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Pontiac, Detroit to make mini-parks out of parking spots

Metromode Thursday, September 02, 2010

Parking spot enjoyment has taken off in Grand Rapids and other big cities across the nation and world, and now Sean Mann wants to get people loving parking in southeast Michigan.

Parking should be appreciated not just because you grab the space right in front of the coffee shop, either. Park(ing) Day encourages people to make a mini-park out of a metered spot for one day -- Sept. 17 this year -- to celebrate public spaces with friends.

Sean Mann, founder and program coordinator of Let's Save Michigan, a project of the Michigan Municipal League, says a few communities in southeast Michigan, including Pontiac, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti, and also in Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City, will likely be participating in this quirky day of awareness. There's still plenty of time to sign up, and parking spots don't need an elaborate makeover. A couple of lawn chairs and a potted plant will do.

With graduates fleeing the state, oftentimes what they're looking for is a better quality of life above jobs -- and that includes public places. "It's a fun way to highlight bringing people together to show they can create those places," Mann mentions. "Our whole campaign is about moving Michigan forward."

The end-of-summer event also allows for one last (hopefully) warm-weather celebration before the mitten state gets cold and dark.

Click here to learn more or to sign up.

Source: Sean Mann, Let's Save Michigan, founder and program coordinator
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Choice Neighborhoods program offers $65 million for neighborhood revitalization

Metromode Thursday, September 02, 2010

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will give neighborhoods a boost through a special $65 million initiative.

Choice Neighborhoods has 15 planning grants worth $3 million in total, and 19 implementation grants totaling $62 million. Governments and nonprofits are eligible, and so are for-profit developers who apply jointly with a public entity.

The idea of the Choice Neighborhoods initiative is to transform distressed neighborhoods and public and assisted projects into viable and sustainable mixed-income communities by linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, transportation, and access to jobs, according to the website. Early childhood education is also a priority.

Nancy Finegood, executive director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, sees the value in city-nonprofit partnerships. "It would be a wonderful opportunity for any kind of neighborhood project to revitalize the neighborhood and do some restoration of both homes and commercial properties," she says.

Click here to learn more. The deadline is Oct. 26.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Nancy Finegood, executive director, Michigan Historic Preservation Network
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Inkster, Ypsilanti, Detroit, I-275 trail score pedestrian grants

Metromode Thursday, August 26, 2010

It's all about the infrastructure. Not only will Inkster build a streetscape project and Detroit a walk/bike path, but because of state and federal grant money, portions of the I-275 Metro Trail will be also be reconstructed. Ypsi even got a slice of the community improvement pie.

The Michigan Department of Transportation announced the federal Transportation Enhancement grants Tuesday, for which Inkster will receive almost $600,000 in state and federal funding for a planned streetscape project. The intersection of Michigan Avenue (US-12) and Inkster Road will be improved about a block in all four directions, with decorative brick pillars, fencing, benches, decorate stamped concrete, and landscaping.

Kimberly Faison, special projects manager for the city of Inkster, says the project will help to define the city�s downtown, at that intersection, with an emphasis on trees, shrubs and perennials. And with traffic whizzing by on Michigan Avenue, "Sometimes our downtown gets missed, especially with the speed," she says. "Our residents have a lot of pride in the community."

The city has also acquired three easements in that area, which will be made into a green space, which will include seating areas.

Improvements done last year, including ramps and cross lights at pedestrian intersections, make the area more walkable, she says, while the streetscape is also expected to help calm traffic. Bus shelters are also a part of the expanded project, and the city hopes to receive future funding for a greenways project down the line.

Faison says Inkster's residents know the city has businesses worth visiting and space worthy of being rehabilitated and reoccupied, and this will help put them on the map. "The project really is exciting for us," she says. "We see this as a shot in the arm."

Elsewhere in the metro area, Detroit will get funding for a nearly 1-mile portion of the Connor Creek Greenway, to include a bike/walk path, seating areas and trees. Eighty percent of the $358,376 will be covered by federal funds, with the rest made up by a match from the city.

Portions of the I-275 Metro Trail, in Canton Township, Van Buren Township, and Romulus, will also be rehabilitated, including the addition of a boardwalk over wetlands and signage. That project is nearly $4 million, covered by federal and state funding.

Finally, Ypsilanti also received a grant for streetscape projects.

Statewide, a total of $10 million was awarded to 11 counties for non-motorized trail improvements, roadway streetscape, parks and water quality.

Source: Kimberly Faison, special projects manager, city of Inkster; Michigan Department of Transportation
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Emagine Entertainment breaks ground on downtown Royal Oak cineplex

Metromode Thursday, August 19, 2010

Shovels went into the ground Tuesday for Royal Oak's new movie theater, shortly after Emagine Entertainment closed on the land.

"Everything's on track and we're ready to go," says Paul Glantz, Emagine's founder and chairman. "This baby's been gestating for a long time. It's time for it to be born."

The $14 million entertainment center will offer more than a first-run theater: Food, liquor, and bowling are also in the plans. It's expected to create 100 full-time jobs in the kitchen, at the ticket counter, and in the food-service area.

The 10-screen complex, 73,000 square feet spread over two stories, will be located on the parking lot on 11 Mile Road just east of Main Street, behind the Main Art Theatre. The project will house 1,680 seats and 16 bowling lanes. There will also be a private party area/meeting room on a second-floor mezzanine level over the main entrance.

The Michigan Economic Development Corp. is offering up a $1.25 million brownfield tax credit towards the project.

Plans are for the theater to be up and running by April, to get all the kinks worked out before next summer's blockbuster season starts. "We're hoping to build it very promptly so it can open next spring," he says. "I'm ecstatic we're moving forward."

Source: Paul Glantz, founder and chairman of Emagine Entertainment
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

Dearborn lands climate action plan grant

Metromode Thursday, August 19, 2010

For the city of Dearborn, a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Energy means a plan.

A climate action plan, that is, to take an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions for both the community and the government and then plan for ways to reduce them, says Dearborn's sustainability coordinator, Dave Norwood. The specifics will depend on the city department -- legal will have different ways to be more energy-efficient than, say, the department of public works -- and the city hopes to work with large corporate partners around town, such as Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center, and AAA.

Among the things they'll be measuring include vehicle miles traveled and electricity consumed, Norwood says. "We're looking to save the taxpayers dollars, and be more efficient with taxpayer dollars," he says.

In all, the DNRE is awarding $246,547 in Community Pollution Prevention (P2) Grant funding to five municipalities for projects that focus on climate action planning. Dearborn, Hazel Park, Southgate, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor are all grant recipients, receiving about $50,000 each.

The grant requires municipalities to develop a greenhouse gas inventory and a plan that addresses emissions, climate, and energy challenges. The cities will be required to match the state funds by at least 25 percent.

Norwood says the city would also assess itself on bike-ability and walk-ability and look at the zoning ordinances to see how greenhouse gas emissions are affected through the development of neighborhoods. The city also hopes to form a mayor's environmental commission for information about ideas and trends.

The things that could be coming to Dearborn down the line include geothermal heat, solar panels, and boilers that need to be replaced, depending on what's most needed and has a quick payback. And the city plans to utilize urban gardens and farms that are already in place.

Norwood points out that when he started more than a year ago, he had no budget. "Now we can start doing more, leveraging dollars in a wiser fashion," he says. "This P2 grant is a great opportunity. This is going to be very good for the city."

Source: Dave Norwood, sustainability coordinator, city of Dearborn
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

State Rep. Switalski pushes through Complete Streets law

Metromode Thursday, August 12, 2010

What makes a street complete -- bike lanes, accessible bus stops, pedestrian crossings?

Yes, yes, and yes. Earlier this month, Michigan became the 14th state to adopt Complete Streets legislation, which incorporates sidewalks, bike lanes, special bus lanes, crossing opportunities, and other features that benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and users of public transportation, into road planning.

State Rep. Jon Switalski, D-Warren, one of the bill's sponsors, says another thing to consider is the flow of young people leaving Michigan. What he's seeing more and more is young professionals first moving to a new location -- Chicago, say, or the east coast -- and then looking for a job, instead of the other way around.

"They want to live in sustainable communities, to use different modes of transportation to get to work and places of leisure," he says. "In many places in Michigan, there is only one way to get around, by automobile."

"Transportation policy, when it comes to planning our communities, is a critical piece of transforming Michigan into a place that is desirable for young professionals to live, and a piece of the puzzle to turning our economy around."

Switalski explains that the state will develop a model Complete Streets policy for communities to use as a guide to interpret based on their own situations. In the past, the Michigan Department of Transportation hasn't been required to take the communities' desires into consideration; if the community has adopted a Complete Streets policy, they have to work together.

Somewhere, there's a compromise -- there can't be an industrial corridor next to bike trails, but a downtown doesn't have to have a six-lane highway, either. "What this is really doing is putting [forward] a new way of thinking about transportation policy," he says. "This is not a mandate, but a completely different way of looking at possibilities to move people and goods around the state."

Also, cities and townships will be encouraged to look at Complete Streets when updating their master plans.

Cyclists were among the supporters of the bill, as were senior advocates and healthy lifestyle groups. In Switalski's community of Warren, there are many senior citizens that may not have someone to take them to the pharmacy or grocery store.

"A lot of senior citizens feel trapped in their homes," he says. "They don't have options. It's not safe for them to walk across Van Dyke."

Plus, in many new developments, there are no sidewalks or walking paths, which makes it hard for students to even walk to school anymore. "Kids get dropped off or get a bus, but there is no other way," he says. "I believe many, many people will benefit from this [legislation]."

Source: State Rep. Jon Switalski
Writer: Kristin Lukowski

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