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Getting Michigan cities redevelopment ready

Thursday, March 14, 2013
Just over 35 cities and townships in Michigan are joining a new state program that teaches them how to prepare their communities for redevelopment and attract the kind of development they want.

Of the cities accepted into the first round of training and certification in the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Redevelopment Ready Communities program, eight are in metro Detroit. Ann Arbor is also on the list.

It, along with Lathrup Village and Novi, will receive a formal Redevelopment Ready Communities evaluation that could lead to certification as a Redevelopment Ready Community. This means they either have outlined or have plans to outline their redevelopment strategies and draw development to fit their community. This designation could also make them eligible for redevelopment grants.

Dearborn, Clawson, Farmington Hills, Hamtramck, Wixom, and White Lake Township will receive best practice training and assistance and could move onto the certification process later.

They all will learn how to creatively re-use space, support and attract economic innovation, and devise devise plans that bring in redevelopment investment and in turn rebuild thriving communities for employees, residents and recreation.

The program was originally launched by the Michigan Suburbs Alliance in 2003, and its success led to the state program.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Kathy Fagan, spokesperson, Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Growing ridership on Amtrak may translate to a train-ready region

Thursday, January 31, 2013
State transportation officials see record Amtrak ridership in Michigan as a sign that the public is more aware of train service and seeing the future of commuter train travel in a more positive light.

In 2012, 792,769 passengers boarded Michigan's three Amtrak routes -- the Wolverine between Pontiac and Detroit/Chicago), the Blue Water between Port Huron and East Lansing/Chicago), and the Pere Marquette between Grand Rapids and Chicago. In 2011, that number was 780,655.

The record ridership also led to record revenue of $27.8 million in 2012, a year that had Amtrak adding extra trains to supplement the regular service.

It comes as plans to bring light rail in to Woodward Avenue downtown Detroit move toward implementation and a move to bring a regional commuter train system to metro Detroit and to Michigan and nearby states moves from a limp to a steady walk. Both are aided by federal funds from a program that endorses mass transit development as an economic stimulant. But with Michigan being a stronghold for auto travel, it's been a tough sell in some parts.

At the same time, Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation have been updating trains and making changes to allow for faster travel speeds and fewer route interruptions that will in turn make train travel more appealing.


Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Janet Foran, spokesperson, Michigan Department of Transportation

New rail cars are tested for two proposed commuter rail lines

Thursday, November 15, 2012
As efforts to improve passenger rail service between Pontiac and Jackson and Washtenaw and Livingston counties plugs along refurbished commuter rail cars are being tested on Amtrak lines.

Six bi-level, stainless steel cars, refurbished at a cost of $310,000 each by Owosso-based Great Lakes Central Railroad, came from Illinois and will eventually be used on the proposed Detroit-to-Ann Arbor line that is being planned by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and on the WALLY line between Livingston and Washtenaw counties, a project of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority.

The refurbished cars were previously used by METRA, the northeast Illinois community rail system. They were paid for with federal and state grant from Departments of Transportation that are pushing commuter rail improvements as economic and community development.

Funding for the proposed commuter rail services is not yet lined up, but the testing is a step in the process to obtain funding.

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Janet Foran, Communications, Michigan Department of Transportation

Changes to Pontiac-Detroit-Chicago rail line topic of state DOT meetings

Thursday, September 13, 2012
As plans to improve a 304-mile stretch of passenger rail line that runs through Michigan, Illinois and Indiana move forward, the public is invited to participate in the process that determines what the local impact will be.

For metro Detroiters, the Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Passenger Rail Corridor could offer connections to places that improve economic situations or quality of life, but it could also affect neighborhoods.

A series of meetings will be held this month and hosted by the three states' Departments of Transportation. The meetings will explain more about the proposal to make changes to the line and also take comments from the public. They will also offer possible route alternatives and identify potential issues that should be considered in the planning. They are required as part of the plan formation and environmental impact assessment to be done before construction can begin.

The rail improvements come as several metro Detroit communities, including Detroit, Pontiac, Troy, Dearborn, and the federal government have invested in new transportation stations that have brought economic benefit to cities around the
country by opening up access to jobs, education and affordable transportation.

According to GreatLakesRail, "the purpose of the program is to improve intercity mobility by providing an improved passenger rail service that would be a competitive transportation alternative to automobile, bus and air service between Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac…The program will provide sufficient information for the FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) to potentially support future decisions to fund and implement a major investment in the passenger rail corridor."

The local meeting will be held Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 pm. at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel, 5801 Southfield Expressway, Detroit.

Comments about the changes can also be shared online at GreatLakesRail.org or by telephone, 877-351-0853.

Source: Janet Foran, communications, Michigan Department of Transportation
Writer: Kim North Shine

Growing Moonlink Studios' opens production space in Southfield, Ann Arbor

Thursday, August 16, 2012
Moonlink Studios, a provider of production and satellite services in Michigan, has opened two new stages in metro Detroit where live shoots can be done and productions can be recorded.

The expansion of the company, which also rents recording and production equipment and staff, opens doors for metro Detroiters who have been learning production and film industry skills - even as cuts to the state's tax incentives have led to uncertainty in the industry.

One of Moonlink's new stages is in Southfield and was the site of ESPN's sports analyst Jalen Rose's basketball analysis during the London Olympics. The other stage is in Ann Arbor  is located at Domino's Farm office Park and has been used by CNN International and CNBC networks already.

The two new stages bring the company's total number of stages to five. The other three, in Warren, Troy and Detroit, can all be used for live shots or recorded productions.

Moonlink, based in Oak Park, was formed when RingSide Creative Integrated Media Studio and Jeff Moon Production Services Inc. went into partnership last year. Read the metromode story here. Through the partnership the companies became the largest single source provider of start-to-finish production and satellite services in Michigan.

Moonlink rents stages, crew and equipment, including cameras and satellite trucks that cover the Midwest and Eastern half of the country.

Source: Amy Weishuhn, spokesperson, Ringside Creative and Moonlink Studios
Writer: Kim North Shine

Streets for all. Designing cities that welcome all forms of transportation

Thursday, December 22, 2011
Streets for everyone. The Michigan Complete Streets initiative gained momentum in 2011 in metro Detroit and around the state as cities enacted changes or made plans to design roads and sidewalks that take pedestrians, cyclists and drivers into account. The Michigan's Complete Streets movement got props for being a role model nationwide. Separately from Complete Streets, cities and various nonprofits worked on the same goal: streets that accommodate all. It's been a process playing out for a few years now so expect to see more bike lanes, new style crosswalks and other changes coming to a town near you.

Michigan is national leaders in street design that serves cars, bikes and pedestrians
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0317micompletestreets0201.aspx

Streetscape grants from Royal Oak's WA3 help unify Woodward Corridor
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/woodwardcorrgrants0194.aspx

Royal Oak's non-motorized transportation plan is out for public feedback
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/1110royaloakwalkride0232.aspx

Walkers, cyclists may like changes coming to Grosse Pointe, Dearborn
http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/0901fedtransgrants0223.aspx

By Kim North Shine

The whos, whats and hows of bus ridership in SE Mich

Thursday, December 08, 2011
A recently completed survey of bus riders on six systems in Southeast Michigan will help transportation planners and system operators learn what's needed to better serve riders.

The last survey, a project of SEMCOG (Southeast Michigan Council of Governments) was completed in 2002 and much has changed since then.

"With all of the economic impacts that have happened recently, it's changed travel patterns, especially with transit," says Tom Bruff, transportation manager for SEMCOG's Plan Policy Development Group.

"By performing this survey we get to better understand what these travel patterns are and use the information to design a system-wide transportation plan."

While the focus was on bus riders, the information gathered could factor into planning for other forms of mass transportation and transportation dollars, especially as plans for light rail, train and similar transportation in Detroit, metro Detroit and Ann Arbor are moving further along.

The survey, conducted in person, asked 18,500 people their views on topics such as destinations, purpose of trips, and transportation methods to starting and ending points, as well as personal attributes. Surveys were taken from riders on Detroit Department of Transportation, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, University of Michigan Transit Service, Detroit People Mover, Blue Water Area Transit and Lake Erie Transit.

"By performing this survey and getting more information on our fixed route system we're able to utilize it for other purposes, such as how it could be applied to  light rail…We need to have the proper information to apply for dollars out there," Bruff says. "We also have to do the survey for compliance with receiving federal funds and also monitoring and improving air quality."

Only preliminary results of the survey, which was taken in 2010 and 2011 and completed in the spring, are available at this point. They are available ln SEMCOG's website and will be updated as new findings are released.

Among the preliminary findings:

* More than 222,000 bus boardings occur on the six systems each day.
* About half of transit usage occurs on 10 percent of the system
* 54 percent of trips were work and university related
* More than a third of riders were between 18-25
* 90 percent of riders did not get any fare subsidy.
*20 percent of riders are unemployed
*46 percent of riders did not have a valid driver’s license and nearly 52% had no access to any vehicle.

The information will be further broken down and analyzed to determine how much has changed since 2002 and to compare the findings to other cities, Bruff says.

"First and foremost it gives us more recent and relevant information that we can use and the transit operators can use to plan for changes in the transit system," Bruff says. "We'll take this information and include it in our travel demand forecast model…We'll put in transportation projects that are being planned…and determine how are those projects improving the system….

Bruff himself is one of metro Detroit's bus riders. "I go from Macomb County to downtown Detroit every day," he says. "I go by choice. There are a lot of riders who need affordable, reliable transportation because it's their only means of transportation, and there are a number of riders who are choice riders."

The goal of the survey is to serve them all.

Source: Tom Bruff, transportation manager for SEMCOG's Plan Policy Development Group
Writer: Kim North Shine

As train and bus ridership grow, $47M is committed to new transit options

Thursday, October 20, 2011
If the numbers paint an accurate picture, development of mass transportation in Michigan is picking up steam.

A series of announcements this week look promising for light rail and other transportation options for Southeast Michigan. Earlier this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $46.7 million in funding for 16 projects across the state, several in Detroit and surrounding suburbs.

Besides about $7 million for the city of Detroit to replace buses and make other improvements, metro Detroit will see $2 million in funding for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, which will study transportation alternatives between 8 Mile and 15 Mile Roads.

Part of that research will focus on connecting to a light rail line to run along Woodward Avenue in Detroit, starting in downtown and ending at 8 Mile. That project got $25 million in federal funding last year and a promise of continued support from LaHood this week, who is also encouraging local officials in southeast Michigan to look at a regional approach to the light rail line.

The latest funding comes as a regional transportation task force headed by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has formed so that counties in Southeast Michigan will look at transportation advancements and opportunities as a united entity, rather than completing projects piecemeal.

And if there is question as to the interest from the public in mass transportation such as trains, record ridership numbers on Amtrak show there is. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, which released the ridership numbers this week, there has been an increase on its three lines for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

Ridership of the the Wolverine line, which runs between Pontiac and Chicago, increased by 4.9 percent from last year for a total of 503,290 riders. The increase might have been larger but for track work and freight slowdowns, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

The Blue Water line from Port Huron to Chicago increased 18.6 percent, up to 187,065 passengers, and the Pere Marquette route between Grand Rapids and Chicago saw a a gain of 4.7 percent, with 106,662 passengers.

In addition, SMART, the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, will receive nearly $5 million to replace unusable buses with hybrid biodiesel/electric models.

Tie in the decision in recent weeks by the state of Michigan to take on the Amtrak corridor between Dearborn and Kalamazoo and upgrade to 100-mph-plus high speed rail, and Michigan's mass transit improvements appear to be picking up steam.

There are two important lessons in all of this," says Megan Owens, director of Transportation Riders United, an advocacy group for mass transit.

"One is there is a huge interest and demand for better transit in our community. Whether you're talking city, suburb, business communities, individuals, politicians, there's a huge interest in having better public transportation," Owens says. "While it's great the feds are supportive, the other side of the story is we are dramatically under-investing in a system."

"We are so lucky to have incredible federal support. They've highlighted Michigan and Detroit as a special focus, but they can only do so much. We have to step up ourselves."

Owens shares her thoughts while attending a conference in Washington, D.C. this week on transit-oriented development. In other states, she says, tens of thousands of jobs have been created and billions of dollars invested in light rail, public transportation and in communities along the routes, with success achieved only after committing sales tax or other funding sources to their projects.

She also points out that for all the talk of high speed trains and light rail, buses, the backbone of a transportation system, can't be forgotten. The latest federal dollars do go toward improving DDOT and SMART buses, but again, she says, the commitment locally needs to be greater.

"It's absolutely fabulous we're seeing big investment in this area, but we have to not only maintain but improve the core services."

Source: Michigan Department of Transportation and Megan Owens, director of Transportation Riders United.
Writer: Kim North Shine

More biking in Michigan leads to more bike shops

Thursday, August 11, 2011
Michigan's bike ridership is going up at a triple digit rate, and a national bike chain is pedaling after them.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, the percentage of bicycling commuters increased by 126% percent between 2005 and 2009.

Performance Bicycle, a North Carolina-based bike and apparel retailer and service provider, opened two metro Detroit locations last month, one in Novi and one in Bloomfield Hills and a third in Ann Arbor in May.

The company has 100 stores and is adding 11 more locations this year. The Michigan market was appealing because of the growth in biking commuters as well as a system of bike trails that are coming together in metro Detroit and statewide.

Source: Performance Bike
Writer: Kim North Shine

Nearly $200M federal grant accelerates high speed rail in Metro Detroit

Metromode Thursday, May 12, 2011
Metro Detroit and Michigan's high speed rail system moved into the fast lane this week with the announcement of nearly $200 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve lines from Dearborn to Kalamazoo.

The grant goes toward the purchase of tracks, signals and other rail infrastructure that will address congestion points and separate rail and freight trains -- currently the reason train travel is slower than ideal. The changes will allow trains to travel up to 110-mph along certain portions of the line. This will also decrease the travel time between Chicago and Detroit by one hour on what is known as the Amtrak Wolverine line. The 135-mile-long corridor will receive $196.5 million in funding while a separate $2.8 million will pay for a new train and bus station in Ann Arbor to serve Amtrak and other local transit providers.

Michigan will also receive funding to purchase the latest in locomotives and coaches as part of a joint application with Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri. The new cars will be added to Amtrak's Wolverine, Blue Water, and Pere Marquette lines.

The projects are expected to start next year and be completed by 2013 or 2014. Once the new rail network is built, Michigan workers and residents will have greater access to high speed rail than most states. According to the Michigan Municipal League, 69 percent of Michigan residents and 71 percent of employers would be within 15 miles of a station, including Pontiac, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Albion, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.

The announcement comes at a time when ridership on the trains is rising substantially, an illustration that high speed rail is desired by Americans and will be a part of American life across the nation, as Federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said during the accelerated high rail funding announcement in Detroit Monday.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and other transportation advocates say the high speed rail projects will mean jobs and economic development, but critics complain that Michigan is not a high speed rail or mass transit kind of market and the money is a waste.

"Accelerated rail service has the ability to enhance our economy, environment and overall quality of life," Gov. Snyder said in a statement. "An investment of this magnitude can spur economic development in our communities with rail stations, and provide access to a 21st century rail system that will help Michigan citizens compete in a global economy. Reliable, fast train service is attractive to businesses that want to locate or expand near it. This investment in our rail system is critical to Michigan's recovery."

Michigan Municipal League CEO and Executive Director Dan Gilmartin says the funding caps many years of working in unison.

"Here in Michigan, we have been fortunate enough to have strong bi-partisan support for high-speed rail. Our political leaders on both sides of the aisle fully understand how important this money is to creating jobs, increasing affordable transportation options, and jump-starting our economy."

Source: Sara Wurfel, spokesperson for Gov. Rick Snyder; Dan Gilmartin, executive director, Michigan Municipal League
Writer: Kim North Shine

Propane-powered vehicles deliver for Wright & Fillippis

metromode Thursday, April 28, 2011
Goods delivered by Rochester-Hills-based healthcare supplies provider Wright & Fillippis are getting to their destinations on propane power as the company converts 25 percent of its fleet to this clean form of fuel.

That means 12 of Wright & Fillippis' trucks and vans will run on propane as they deliver goods in Michigan. About half the vehicles have already been converted and are on the road and a propane station is up and operating at the company's headquarters.

"They're hoping to convert the entire fleet eventually," says Matt Sandstrom, mobility division manager for the Clean Energy Coalition, an Ann Arbor-based non-profit that steers companies through the process of converting to alternative fuels, whether for transportation or building.

The Wright & Fillippis fleet conversion came out of a partnership with the coalition through a $15 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

Wright & Fillippis and the Clean Energy Coalition worked with Roush CleanTech, a Plymouth Township company that designs and manufactures liquid propane autogas fuel systems for a variety of light and medium Ford vehicles. The technology, which reduces vehicle operating costs and vehicle emissions, is available to consumers through authorized Ford dealerships.

The Wright & Fillippis project is one of several clean-fuel conversions being directed by the coalition through a $40 million agreement with the Department of Energy, says Sandstrom.

Of all the clean fuel projects, about a third are propane, he says. The others are compressed natural gas, electric, and hydraulic hybrid, he says. The type of fuel used depends on the type of fleet and uses of the vehicles, and the coalition guides companies through the learning process to select what's best for them.

Companies working with the Clean Energy Coalition include Frito-Lay, which is converting 90 of its vehicles, about half of its Michigan fleet, to propane, and U-haul, which is converting 30 vehicles.

"It should be very clear that this is not R&D. This is a deployment of these technologies… They've already been true and tried," Sandstrom says.

For Wright & Fillippis, propane autogas will result in the use of 48,000 fewer gallons of gasoline, the elimination of 931,200 pounds of carbon dioxide released, and a savings of $3,000 per converted vehicle, or $36,000 total thus far.

Source: Matt Sandstrom, mobility division manager, Clean Energy Coalition
Writer: Kim North Shine

Michigan is national leader in street design that serves cars, bikes and pedestrians

Metromode Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Michigan Complete Streets Coalition is cruising down a path of success as it spreads its campaign of "Building roadways that move people not just automobiles" around the state.

Not only did the organization win Campaign of the Year from the Alliance for Biking and Walking at a national summit last week, each week more and more municipalities are signing on to the Complete Streets approach, which means road construction and improvements will take into account non-motorized uses.

A total of 32 Michigan communities have passed ordinances or resolutions in support of Michigan Complete Streets. That's the most in the nation, says John Lindenmayer, co-chair of the Michigan Complete Streets Coalition. The coalition is made up of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, the Michigan Environmental Council and AARP.

Earlier this month Allen Park became the fourth Wayne County community to pass a resolution. Ann Arbor also signed on last week and Detroit, Ferndale and Royal Oak are among cities working to include all forms of transportation in their road planning.

"There's been an incredible amount of momentum in this last year," says
Lindenmayer, "and it's picked up since August when legislation was adopted
that makes communities with Complete Streets policies more eligible for
non-motorized funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation."

Lindenmayer believes an approach like this not only keeps people safer but makes places more livable. And, he believes communities that make themselves more accessible to walkers and bicyclists will be more attractive and successful.

"You look at all the young talent that's leaving Michigan. They're going to communities where they can walk, ride their bikes, that are more livable," he says. "We're really moving in the right direction -- especially to be known as the auto state, to be leading in this, really says a lot."

Source: John Lindenmayer, co-chair Michigan Complete Streets Coalition
Writer: Kim North Shine

Case for Detroit light rail grows with $25M federal grant, 23% growth in Amtrak ridership

metromode Thursday, February 03, 2011

A system of regional mass transit in southeast Michigan has moved further down the track thanks to a $25 million federal grant and an Amtrak ridership survey that shows the number of train commuters continues to increase.


"I believe that southeast Michigan is as close as it has ever been to implementing higher levels of transit," says Carmine Palombo, transportation director for SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. 


He says SEMCOG and the Michigan Department of Transportation "continue moving forward on the commuter rail project from Ann Arbor to Detroit. Amtrak ridership on the Pontiac to Chicago line is up significantly. These are all positive signs that could lead to enhanced transit being in our future in the not too distant future."


The positive prognosis comes after the award of a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the building of the Detroit Light Rail Line. The grant comes from the Transportation Investment Generating Recovery - TIGER, a program of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. 


The first phase is the construction of a light rail line that runs 3.4 miles along Woodward and has 12 stations connecting downtown Detroit to Grand Blvd in the New Center area. The second phase would extend the light rail line 5.9 miles from Grand Blvd to 8 Mile Road near the Michigan State fairgrounds.


Separately, according to a report from the Michigan Dept of Transportation (MDOT), Amtrak ridership and ticket revenue increased again.


From October to December, 130,683 passengers took trains on the Pontiac/Detroit-Chicago corridor -- or Wolverine line -- for an increase of 22.7 percent from a year ago. Ticket revenue increased 26 percent to $4,949,889, according to MDOT. Ridership and revenue also increased on the Blue Water train that goes between Port Huron and East Lansing and the Pere Marquette line between Grand Rapids and Chicago. 


Janet Foran, a spokesperson for MDOT, which helps fund the Pere Marquette and Blue Water lines, says "certainly there is a lot more effort in southeast Michigan to get new projects off to a start, one being the Woodward light rail line…Clearly there is much more defined interest train travel."


Palombo and Foran say, as always, funding will have to follow the interest.



Source: Carmine Palombo, director of transportation for SEMCOG and Janet Foran, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Transportation

Writer: Kim North Shine

Chug no more: $150 million for regional high-speed rail

metromode Thursday, October 28, 2010
Michigan will be receiving $150 million to help develop a high-speed rail corridor between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.

News came out Monday that the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program will be awarding the money, along with a $3.2 million planning grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Michigan has the existing rail lines from Chicago to Detroit, but is lacking the upgrades to get the trains up to a higher speed.

Although it won't be announced until today as to how the $150 million will be allocated, Carmine Palombo, transportation director for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, says the announcement was great news overall. "Being able to make that sort of investment in that high-speed rail corridor is great," he says.

Among the beneficiaries will be Amtrak and freight rail, but also everyone trying to establish a commuter rail service between Detroit and Ann Arbor, too. One project that was identified as necessary was the connection west of Detroit, where there is consistently a bottleneck between usage of the track by freight and passenger services. Fixing that alone would take about 5-7 minutes off the time between Detroit and Ann Arbor, Palombo says.

"That's a pretty good chunk of time that would be saved as a result of this project," he says.

It was also announced in January that Michigan will be receiving $40 million for train station development.

Source: Carmine Palombo, transportation director for SEMCOG
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

CVS to keep façade on downtown Ann Arbor space

Concentrate Thursday, May 27, 2010
Building a new CVS in downtown Ann Arbor won't be easy, but the developers will probably be able to pull it off without many passersby noticing.

Excerpt:

What promises to be downtown Ann Arbor's first façadectomy doesn't look like it will be an easy process. CVS Pharmacy plans to tear out everything except the façade in its new home next to the University of Michigan's campus.

The national pharmacy chain will be moving into 209 S State, which is the 2-story building between the State Theater and Buffalo Wild Wings. The challenge is that the building behind the storefront facade is a former single-family home.

"There isn't much historic work worth saving other than masonry facade," says Aaron Vermeulen, principal of Ann Arbor-based O-X Studios, which was redesigning the building a year ago before CVS purchased it. That sale became final last week.

Read the rest of the story here.

Brownstown Middle School plans green projects

metromode Thursday, May 20, 2010
Brownstown Middle School is going for the green building trifecta by installing a wind turbine, solar panels, and a green roof.

The Woodhaven-Brownstown School District received $670,000 in federal grants to install the three sustainability projects this summer that will help generate clean energy for the school and teach its students about science, biology, and environmental issues. The green roof promises to be the biggest teaching tool.

"They are putting a football field-sized green roof on top of the building," says Andrew Clark, the assistant principal at Brownstown Middle School who is helping organize the project with Ann Arbor-based Energy Works Michigan. "There will be five different types of grass."

Those types will range from resilient vegetation that grows year-round to plants that flourish during the warm months of the year. Next to that will be six solar panels that will generate electricity for the school. Students will monitor and study the power generation.

A 60-foot tall wind turbine will be installed in front of the school. The school's staff will also use it as a teaching tool for students who want to learn about wind energy. Clark says the turbine will create minimal noise that won't impact the surrounding neighborhood.

"They assured us that the noise it would generate would be less than the ambient noise that the wind makes," Clark says.

The projects are expected to begin construction after school lets out this summer and be ready to go in time for classes this fall.

Source: Andrew Clark, the assistant principal at Brownstown Middle School
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor aims to switch 75% of streetlights to LEDs by 2011

Concentrate Thursday, May 20, 2010
Some cities aim to one day have LED street lights. Ann Arbor aims to convert 75 percent of its street lights to LED. By next year. The city is also planning to install them in a number of its buildings this summer, so it can serve as a municipal showcase of their virtues.

Excerpt:

LED lights are already a staple in downtown Ann Arbor's streetlights, but the next generation of energy efficient lighting is about to become the go-to municipal light bulb in Tree Town.

The City Council has approved a $218,000 contract to install 88 LEDs in the ornamental streetlights along West Stadium Boulevard. The city is also inline to take advantage of a state grant that will allow it to replace many of the high-powered lights at its buildings throughout the city, such as the garage lights in fire stations and the lights at the Mack Pool.

"It's going beyond streetlights," says Andrew Brix, energy programs manager for the city of Ann Arbor. "This is the new frontier."

Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor stadium bridge groundwork to be laid this summer

Concentrate Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Stadium Boulevard bridges aren't coming tumbling down yet in Ann Arbor, but city officials see their replacements coming next spring.

Excerpt:

You won't be able to see the work being done on the Stadium Boulevard Bridges from State Street this year. All of that activity is taking place behind the scenes where city officials are finalizing plans and lining up funding for the spans above State.

Last year, city workers removed part of the 92-year-old bridge after one of the beams began failing. Now it is only accessible by two lanes of traffic on what has become one of the city's most obvious failing (but still safe for the time being) pieces of infrastructure. 

"When a structure gets to this point it's very, very hard to say how much longer it's useable," says Homayoon Pirooz, a project manager with the city of Ann Arbor.

Read the rest of the story here.

Conceptual design nearly done for Ann Arbor Skatepark

Concentrate Thursday, May 06, 2010
Ann Arbor's first skatepark will take a big ride toward becoming a reality when conceptual plans are released later today.

Excerpt:

What will the plans for Ann Arbor's first skatepark look like when they're revealed later this month? Interested skaters and fans of the longtime underground sport should look east for clues.

Trevor Staples, chair of the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark, says they are using the new Riley Skatepark in Farmington Hills as a sort of template for what they plan to build.  They are also working to make sure storm water run-off is taken care of and public art is incorporated so everyone can enjoy the new facility.

"Our goal is to have something for every skater," Staples says. "We want to have beginner, intermediate, and expert levels right next to each other so they can learn from each other."

Read the rest of the story here.

Work begins on Crisler Arena complex addition, renovation

Concentrate Thursday, May 06, 2010
Before the University of Michigan can start developing its new class of basketball stars at Crisler Arena, it needs to finish working on its new Player Development Center. Work starts today.

Excerpt:

Construction fences will go up and shovels will go into the ground this week for the new Player Development Center at Crisler Arena for the University of Michigan Men's Basketball team.

"It will start to look like work is happening on Thursday," says Steve Donoghue, design manager for the University of Michigan.

Read the rest of the story here.

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

Oakland, Macomb counties push forward green programs

metromode Thursday, April 29, 2010
Oakland and Macomb counties are pushing toward a more sustainable government with a recent spate of announcements for environmentally friendly programs. Those programs include a website dedicated to information activities on sustainability, cutting energy costs through efficiency improvements, and challenging local residents and businesses to cut energy use by 10 percent within the next two years.

That last one is called the OakGreen Challenge and was issued by Oakland County Executive L Brooks Patterson just before the county's second annual Green Summit in mid-May.

The program is similar to Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje's Green Energy Challenge. That initiative, announced in 2005, calls for Ann Arbor to use 20 percent green energy by 2010 for municipal operations and by 2015 for the whole city. The city is now on a path to reach 30 percent green energy usage by the end of the year.

Not to be left out of the energy efficiency fun is Macomb County, which recently announced that it has saved taxpayers $44,400 in energy costs through implementing energy efficient improvements. Those savings took place in the first two months of contracting electrical power from First Energy for nine buildings that draw power from its main powerhouse, plus the Administration Building. The savings are projected to hit $600,000 over the next two years.

Macomb County also recently launched Green Macomb, a website dedicated to green initiatives and information. Think of the efforts being undertaken to create everything from energy efficiencies to clean water initiatives.

Source: Oakland and Macomb counties
Writer: Jon Zemke

$30M in federal funds set aside for building retrofits

Concentrate Thursday, April 29, 2010
The greenest construction projects involve an existing building. It's an idea that wasn't lost on the latest round of federal stimulus grantmakers and the $30 million Michigan received as a result.

Excerpt:

The numbers are impressive: about $452 million in federal stimulus funds split between 25 communities/states to help retrofit existing structures into more energy efficient buildings. Michigan is one of those areas, roping in $30 million.

The details of how that money will be put to work and where are still being sorted out. However, the macro impact has the potential for not only shrinking carbon footprints but helping contain suburban sprawl.

"The idea is to go into these houses and retrofit them so they're more energy efficient," says Sam Offen, director of energy program for the Michigan Suburbs Alliance. "It will allow them to stay longer because they will be more habitable."

Read the rest of the story here.

Near North development prepares for construction in Ann Arbor

Concentrate Thursday, April 22, 2010
Near North is nearly there when it comes to nailing down its financing so it can break ground on the north side of downtown Ann Arbor. The affordable-housing project just received another $250,000 grant from the federal government.

Excerpt:

Financing is starting to fall into place for the Near North development on the northern edge of Ann Arbor's downtown area. The affordable-housing development recently nailed down $250,000 more in funding from the feds and expects to hear on the rest by mid May.

"We're hoping to break ground in August or September," says Bill Godfrey, developer of Near North.

But first Three Oaks and Avalon Housing, the two organizations behind the development, are waiting to hear if the development qualifies for the $10 million in state brownfield and affordable housing tax credits. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority is expected to pass judgment by mid May on the $11-million project.

Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor green lights LED streetlight pilot project

Concentrate Thursday, April 22, 2010
Energy-efficient LED streetlights are multiplying throughout Ann Arbor, thanks to a new partnership between the city and DTE Energy.

Excerpt:

LED street lights are starting to spread from downtown Ann Arbor into the city's neighborhoods.

The city has recently partnered with DTE Energy to perform a pilot project for neighborhood LED streetlights. The two institutions will split the $44,800 bill to install 58 cobrahead LED streetlights in the student-housing-dominated neighborhood just south of the University of Michigan.

"Some students had previously raised concerns about the quality of streetlighting," says Andrew Brix, energy programs manager for the city of Ann Arbor. "We had been looking for an opportunity to try out LEDs in an area where DTE owned the lights. This worked out perfect."

Read the rest of the story here.

New plans surface for Chelsea's historic livery buildings

Concentrate Thursday, April 15, 2010
Local residents are rallying around the historic-yet-endangered Chelsea Livery buildings, developing some innovative adaptive reuse plans that call for a diverse set of mixed uses.

Excerpt:

A new plan for renovating the historic livery buildings in downtown Chelsea has surfaced, thanks to the friends group working to preserve the vacant structures.

Downtown Chelsea-based Dangerous Architects has put forward a plan that would turn the livery's three buildings into a mixed-use development complete with space for retail, restaurants, and residential. It was the only submission for the the city's request for proposals for the building. The Chelsea Downtown Development Authority, which had once planned to raze the livery, will entertain the proposal on Thursday.

"The three main buildings are historic," says Scott McElrath, president of Dangerous Architects. "The structures and their foundations are strong. There is no reason to take them down."

Read the rest of the story here.

Downtown Ann Arbor's Sudworth Building fills up

Concentrate Thursday, April 15, 2010
Well, that didn't take long. By that we mean leasing out the newly renovated Sudworth Building in downtown Ann Arbor, and, by long we mean a few months.

Excerpt:

One of the few, mostly vacant old buildings in downtown Ann Arbor is now one of the many full, renovated structures. The Sudworth Building has signed another tenant.

The development team called 2mission Design and Development started renovating the 3-story building at 205 E Washington two years ago. It spent $3 million to turn the old home of a mostly vacant Buddhist Temple to into a mixed-use structure housing a microbrewery and a couple of new economy-oriented start-ups.  

"We were pleased with how quickly we were able to fill it up," says Greg Lobdell, a partner with 2mission Design and Development.

Read the rest of the story here.

Q&A with U-M prof on potential real-estate rebound

metromode Thursday, April 08, 2010
Real estate prices are hitting new records, and Metro Detroit is leading the way. That means obtuse problems and opportunities.

Dennis Capozza, a University of Michigan professor of finance and real estate, says housing prices have fallen to 1988 levels. The last four years of losses have wiped out gains of the last 10 years, leading Capozza to call Metro Detroit the canary in the coal mine for the housing crisis that is now overrunning Las Vegas, Phoenix, inland California metros, and many south Florida metros.

Capozza agreed to answer some questions over email about the current real-estate environment and what we can expect to see from it in the near future.

If Metro Detroit was the canary in the coal mine for the housing crisis, should we expect it to be at the forefront of the recovery, too?

No, Detroit will recover slowly.

Lots of people are obtaining once-in-a-lifetime real estate deals today. Could the low-to-non-existent housing payments being achieved today translate into more disposable income and a stronger local economy 5-10 years from now?

Yes, the less we have to spend on housing the more we have available for other goods. That is the adjustment that is taking place; but a lot more families are still saddled with mortgages they can no longer afford so the transition will take time.

Lots of local and out-of-state investors are picking up surplus property today. How can we expect this will reverberate through our local economy?

I have not looked at these data on out-of-state investors but I would guess that most of them are serving as intermediaries for investors liquidating foreclosed properties.  If so, the properties will be quickly resold to local buyers.

Where is the bottom for the Metro Detroit real-estate market? Have we hit it yet and if not when could we realistically expect to?

Our forecast calls for real (inflation adjusted) prices to continue to decline at a slower rate for 1-3 more years, barring a significant recovery in the auto industry or highly targeted government programs. However, long-term recovery hinges on Michigan being able to replace the auto industry with a vibrant new industry, which often takes decades.

Source: Dennis Capozza, a University of Michigan professor of finance and real estate
Writer: Jon Zemke

Zaragon Place gears up for downtown Ann Arbor sequel

Concentrate Thursday, April 08, 2010
So when does Zaragon Place 3 come out in downtown Ann Arbor? It's a question worth asking now that plans for Zaragon Place 2 have been made public.

Excerpt:

The developer behind the original Zaragon Place thinks it was such a success that it's starting to push a sequel through the city approval process.

Chicago-based Zaragon is proposing to build a 14-story high-rise with 99 rental units and ground-floor retail space. There will also be a fitness center and on-site parking garage. The structure would go up at the southeast corner of William and Thompson streets, next to the Cottage Inn Restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor.

Read the rest of the story here.

Developers plan 2nd phase of Windsong townhomes

Concentrate Thursday, April 08, 2010
New, privately funded construction is beginning in Ann Arbor now that the developer of Windsong is preparing to build the rest of the 32 townhomes on the city's south side.

Excerpt:

Most developers these days run long on plans and short on financing. The people behind Windsong are claiming they have both.

A partnership between Excel Realty Group (Shaker Heights, Ohio) and Epic Development (Altamonte Springs, Florida) is pushing for city of Ann Arbor approval to build the second phase of a town home development on Stone School Road just north of Elsworth Road. Peter Jobson, president of Excel Realty, says they have the ever-elusive financing lined up and are ready to start working this summer.

"Ann Arbor is a strong market," Jacobson says. "It's probably the strongest market in Michigan. This product is not offered elsewhere in the marketplace so we're seeing a strong demand for it."

Read the rest of the story here.

An Ann Arbor campus for Washtenaw Comm College?

Concentrate Thursday, April 01, 2010
Washtenaw Community College is expanding its horizons beyond the suburban campus outside of Ypsilanti all the way to a downtown Ann Arbor outpost.

Excerpt:

Washtenaw Community College is looking at opening a new satellite campus, and downtown Ann Arbor is at the head of its list.

The college's leadership seriously considered signing a lease for 30,000 square feet in the Talley Hall Building (behind Border's downtown location) but backed away when budget constraints pushed the option onto the back burner. McKinley offered the space at $10.50 a square foot and offered a build-out.

"The price was very, very attractive," says Larry Whitworth, president of Washtenaw Community College. "We almost struck a deal with them."

Read the rest of the story here.

Let's Save Michigan pushes for complete streets

metromode Thursday, March 25, 2010
Is your street a complete street? If you live in Michigan there is a good chance it isn't. The Let's Save Michigan initiative wants to change that.

The Ann Arbor-based non-profit is pushing for legislation and policy that calls for making the state's highways and byways less car dominant and friendlier to other forms of transportation, such as pedestrians and bicyclists.

"There isn't a policy that advocates for complete streets," says Sean Mann, director of Let's Save Michigan. "We need to advocate for pedestrians, bicycles and others."

That means spending more public money on improving the infrastructure for those modes of transportation. It's a policy the U.S. Transportation Secretary has recently put forth and one which Mann wants to see Michigan and Metro Detroit communities adopt with things like comprehensive transit plans.

Such legislation is being crafted in Lansing. Mann is hopeful that will be introduced during this year's legislative session. The Michigan Complete Streets Coalition has rallied support from 30 organizations behind it and continues to gather more support for the policy idea.

Source: Sean Mann, director of Let's Save Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Terumo finishes Ann Arbor HQ expansion, new plant

Concentrate Thursday, March 25, 2010
Complaints about the effectiveness of the state's tax credits have nothing to do with the success story unfolding at Terumo's new Ann Arbor campus.

Excerpt:

Two of Terumo's subsidiaries are opening the doors to their new expanded facilities in Ann Arbor, capitalizing on tax breaks recently awarded by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Terumo Cardiovascular Systems and Terumo Heart have opened a new production plant and expanded office space on Jackson Road just west of the city. The firm's subsidiaries have consolidated their research, development, and manufacturing facilities in Ann Arbor.

Read the rest of the story here.

Washtenaw County invests $3M in trail network expansion

Concentrate Thursday, March 18, 2010
Some of the most prized recreation options aren't destinations but what gets you there. It's why Washtenaw County is investing millions of dollars in its growing trail system.

Excerpt:

Washtenaw County plans to invest $3 million in expanding the county's trails, pathways and other pedestrian/bicycling routes. The Connecting Communities program plans to give out $600,000 worth of grants each of those five years.

"Trails are the most popular thing we do," says Coy Vaughn, superintendent of park planning for Washtenaw County. "When we do a survey of things we should spend our money on, trails are always on the top of our list."

Read the rest of the story here.

$21M in stimulus cash for Ann Arbor, Detroit transit

metromode Thursday, March 11, 2010
And now it's time for a little love for the buses, the hardworking behemoths chugging away for the Detroit Dept of Transportation and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority.

The two transit agencies received about $21 million in federal stimulus funds last week, with most of that money going toward both areas' bus systems. DDOT received $18.9 million for operating expenses.

It will also facilitate the purchase of the agency's first hybrid buses (four), along with another 42 diesel buses. All 44 are the normal 40-foot long buses.

AATA received about $1 million to upgrade its bus storage area and another $700,000 to redevelop the University of Michigan's Central Campus transit center, which serves buses. The agency used federal stimulus funding last year to purchase four more hybrid buses, which should come online in May.

The entire state of Michigan received a total of $34.6 million in federal stimulus funds for mass transit improvements last week.

Source: U.S. Dept of Transportation
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

Warm Training Center, Clean Energy share in $200K block grant

metromode Thursday, March 11, 2010
Non-profits from Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti are splitting the lion's share of a $195,996 state grant to promote municipal sustainability.

The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth awarded the money, which originated from the federal stimulus package, to four non-profits. They include the Michigan Municipal League Foundation of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti-based Clean Energy Coalition, and WARM Training Center.

The latter is a 30-year-old Detroit-based non-profit that helps people make their homes and businesses more energy efficient and implement alternative energy generators. It received $59,400 to help small municipalities (35,000 residents or less) in southeast Michigan become more energy efficient in their facilities.

"The focus is definitely energy efficiency," says Bob Chapman, executive director of the WARM Training Center. "However, we broadened it to any type of green technology and reducing green house emissions."

The Clean Energy Coalition received $58,300 to support 37 communities in south and south-central Michigan. The Michigan Municipal League Foundation received $58,296 to support 36 communities in the southwest, west and northern portions of the state. East Lansing-based Michigan Energy Options received $20,000 to support 12 communities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Source: Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth and Bob Chapman, executive director of the WARM Training Center
Writer: Jon Zemke

U-M's North Quad construction heads into home stretch

Concentrate Thursday, March 11, 2010
The finishing touches are going on the University of Michigan's first new dorm in decades, North Quad, so it can open to students this fall.

Excerpt:

In case you haven't noticed the big, brick building taking shape on the north side of the University of Michigan's Central Campus, North Quad is heading into the final stages of construction.

"We're really in the finishing mode," says Sue Gott, planner for the University of Michigan. "All of the interior walls and structures are in place."

Read the rest of the story here.

U-M opens new tower at Kellogg Eye Center

Concentrate Thursday, March 04, 2010
It's hard not to see the new addition to the Kellogg Eye Center complex. The Brehm Tower promises to create more opportunities for research, innovation, and employment at the University of Michigan.

Excerpt:

A new research center at the University of Michigan is opening now that the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center Complex has completed the Brehm Tower.

The $132 million facility will provide 230,000 square feet to expand U-M's capacity for eye-care research and education. Researchers will also be working on how eye sight relates to diabetes and other diseases.

That research is becoming more in demand because it primarily affects older segments of the population. The U.S. population, as well as Michigan's, continues to get older as Baby Boomers reach retirement age.

"This population will be growing significantly over the next 15-20 years," says Dr. Paul R. Lichter, professor and chair of the University of Michigan Dept of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and director of the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center. "That population is the one that has glaucoma and other ailments we specialize in."

Read the rest of the story here.

Federal stimulus funds $15M expansion of U-M research facilities

Concentrate Thursday, March 04, 2010
The federal stimulus strikes again. This time it's not funding research as much as it is enabling it with a new building at the University of Michigan.

Excerpt:

As a new University of Michigan research building opens, another has received funding to begin construction.

The federal stimulus is sending $14.8 million toward the U-M Institute for Social Research to build a significant new addition to the institute's home on Thompson Street. The 50,000 square foot addition will expand the reach of the world's largest academic social science research and survey organization.

It will also create a variety of jobs... estimates suggest as many as 200 more. They will include short-term construction positions as well as long-term research employment.

Read the rest of the story here.

It's almost spring, and transit centers are sprouting in Ann Arbor

Concentrate Thursday, February 25, 2010
Ann Arbor is known for flowers and trees sprouting up in the spring, but you can add transit centers to that list now that U-M is joining AATA, SEMCOG, and the city in making plans for a new transit center.

Excerpt:

Transit centers are now development du jour in Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan recently unveiled plans to develop its own student-transit center. This plan joins others in the works for the Blake Transit Center, Fuller Road Station, and the new stop for the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.

"Having these stations really transforms our community," says Nancy Shore, executive director of the getDowntown program. "It's really changing the environment so people can be more comfortable when they use these other forms of transportation."

Read the rest of the story here.

Zingerman's expansion, Library Lot become talk of Ann Arbor

Concentrate Thursday, February 25, 2010
Zingerman's is making another go at expanding its Kerrytown headquarters and is making its intentions known to anyone who will listen.

Excerpt:

Two of Ann Arbor's biggest project proposals are about to become the talk of the town – the Library Lot and the Zingerman's expansion.

The people behind Zingerman's are making another push toward expanding their deli and coffee shop facilities in Kerrytown. They will be holding a public meeting about their plans at 5 p.m. on March 8 at the deli, 422 Detroit St. Zingerman's has grown into a family of businesses with facilities all over the city, but its headquarters remains in the storefront in downtown Ann Arbor.

"We've been doing business there for 28 years in March," says Paul Saginaw, co-founder of Zingerman's. "We'd like to keep doing business here for another 28 years. The original building isn't built for the type of intensity it currently hosts."

Read the rest of the story here.

New Chinatown developing near Ypsilanti?

Concentrate Thursday, February 18, 2010
Southeast Michigan has lacked a real Chinatown for decades. A couple of Asian-American entrepreneurs in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area are trying to change that with their new expanded offerings.

Excerpt:

Could the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area organically grow its own Chinatown now that Hua Xing is expanding its Asian market business to include an adjacent restaurant? If plans for further expansion come to fruition, the answer could be yes.

Xingchou Wang, the owner of Hua Xing Asian Market and his management team have researched and toured many of North America's major metropolitan areas and noticed they all have something that Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti and Metro Detroit doesn't.

"The one thing they all have in common is a Chinatown," says Steve Xiao, the general manager of Hua Xing. "We don't have one."

Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor MichCon brownfield becomes home of sustainability

Concentrate Thursday, February 11, 2010
One of Ann Arbor's most polluted properties is getting a second life centered around sustainable projects, ranging from disassembling buildings to the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.

Excerpt:

The old MichCon property on Ann Arbor's north side (near the Amtrak station) shouldn't be exhibiting as much life as it is these days. The property is one of the most polluted in the city - usually a development death sentence. Not for this couple of acres along the Huron River.

In a way that could only seem to happen in Ann Arbor, local stakeholders are generating interest and green projects on the site. Such projects include the disassembling and recycling of a building, proposals for redevelopment, and even serious conversations about turning it into a cog in the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter train line.

DTE Energy, which owns the property, disassembled an old industrial building there. That resulted in recycling between 95-99 percent of the building, including donating parts of it to Habitat for Humanity and a Michigan school. The now empty space is being seriously considered as overflow parking for the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.

Read the rest of the story here.

The pros and cons to a downtown Ann Arbor hotel

Concentrate Thursday, February 04, 2010
Is a hotel the best thing that can be built above downtown Ann Arbor's Library Lot? Some influential backers of building up the city voice some pros and cons to such pursuing such a development.

Excerpt:

Now that is appears a hotel/conference center is destined for the Library Lot in downtown Ann Arbor, local residents are going to have to weigh the pros and cons of such a development.

City officials have narrowed the field of six projects to two. The others have been put on hold, meaning they haven't been dismissed but don't hold your breath waiting for them to see the light of day. The leading projects come from Valiant Partners and Acquest Realty Advisors, which call for thousands of square feet of conference center, commercial space and hotels between 8-15 stories built over the underground parking garage currently being constructed next to the Ann Arbor District Library's downtown branch (the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue).

Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, points out that a new hotel hasn't been built downtown in 40 years. Such an asset would provide a busy neighbor to complement the library, nearby business district, and the University of Michigan.

"Hospitality and tourism is a growing industry," Pollay says. "The growth Ann Arbor has seen is at the highway edges. We have not had one [new hotel] in our energetic, vibrant city center."

Read the rest of the story here.

U-M's Delta Upsilon plans to restore Albert Khan house

metromode Thursday, January 28, 2010
One of Ann Arbor's grand mansions is about to come back from the edge, thanks to plans for a full renovation.

Excerpt:

Another one of Ann Arbor's Hill Street beauties is about to become, well, beautiful again. Or, at least, that's the plan. Delta Upsilon has decided to renovate its chapter house at the University of Michigan.

The fraternity owns 1331 Hill St., a grand Tudor-revival structure accentuated by exposed timbers on the outside and surrounded by stucco. Its interior is resplendent with ornamental woodwork, plaster, and Pewabic tile. Read more about its history here.

Read the rest of the story here.

Downtown Ann Arbor projects stack up on shelf

Concentrate Thursday, January 21, 2010
Ann Arbor may be generating a lot of buzz with its big downtown developments on the boards, but don't expect them to all go into the ground at once.

Excerpt:

The shelf for downtown Ann Arbor projects is started to get a little crowded. You might have noticed a bit of controversy surrounding a number of projects slated for downtown in recent years. However, most of those have yet to materialize.

Seven major projects have been approved but have yet to break ground in the downtown Ann Arbor area. Another two are going through the approval process and the city has issued request for proposals for two of its downtown-area parcels.

Common sense would seem to dictate that there might be a flood of projects as soon as the economy recovers. However, don't expect to start seeing shovels go into the ground all at once (or any time soon) as banks and the rest of the financial industry continue to lick their wounds from the housing and mortgage meltdowns.

"The banks were all very burned by real estate," says Stewart Beal, an Ypsilanti-based developer and owner of Beal Properties. "They will be looking for other projects to finance before real estate."

Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor swims in new microbreweries

Concentrate Thursday, January 21, 2010
Smaller breweries in Ann Arbor are making a bigger and bigger impact on the local economy.

Excerpt:

If you think the selection of local micro-brews is starting to become bigger than that for macro brews, you're not too far from the truth, especially in Ann Arbor.

The college town is welcoming its sixth craft brewing establishment with the Wolverine State Brewing Co, making it the municipality with the most microbrews or brewpubs in Michigan. Add in the local craft breweries in the surrounding area and the Ann Arbor area runs away with the title.

"Certainly the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area is a great place for Michigan craft beer," says Scott Graham, executive director of the Michigan Brewers Guild. "I think there is a lot of room for more growth still."

Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor approves Moravian, City Place becomes Heritage Row

Concentrate Thursday, January 14, 2010
Two of the more controversial projects proposed for downtown Ann Arbor are gaining traction on moving forward.

Excerpt:

Though history hasn't always been kind to progressive development in Ann Arbor, there's a real chance that the south side of downtown will evolve into a denser, more vibrant area now that two significant projects are moving toward approval.

First, a deal appears possible for the City Place development. The developer, Alex de Parry, has resubmitted plans that preserve the original houses and call for building dense housing behind them. The new development along Fourth Avenue is called Heritage Row and is planned for Fifth Avenue just north of Packard Street.

The new plans call for 44 one-and two-bedroom apartments featuring a total of 163 beds and 60 underground parking spaces. The original houses, including one of the oldest in the city, will be restored and have three apartment buildings behind them in a layout that is reminiscent of the Chicago- or C-style apartment buildings of the early 20th Century.

Read the rest of the story here.

Metro Detroit mass transit gets a lift from Omnibus bill

metromode Thursday, December 17, 2009
--This article originally appeared on March 19, 2009

Mass transit systems that have been underfunded or non-existent for year after year got a healthy infusion of federal funds from the Omnibus act.

Omnibus means Omnibus Appropriations Act, which is an annual run-of-the-mill Congressional budget bill. These are notorious for earmarks (federal dollars set aside by members of Congress for projects in their districts); while only a fraction of the overall bill, they can add up to big-time controversy. 

Metro Detroit's mass transit program scored a number of these earmarks to make a lot of small but effective improvements to existing systems and to help get new ones off the ground.

"That's definitely money the system has needed for a very long time," says Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United, a local mass transit advocacy group. "The bus system has been run on a very minimal budget."

Some of those small-but-important earmarks include:

  • $1.425 million for a new fare collection system for Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) buses
  • $712,500 to replace DDOT buses
  • $3.924 million for maintenance and engine replacement of Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transit (SMART) buses

Money for popular rail projects, such as:

  • $950,000 for the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line
  • $475,000 for the Detroit Transit Options for Growth Study to put light rail on Woodward Avenue
The Omnibus bill also includes language directing the Federal Transportation Administration (the agency that doles out funds to build mass transit lines) to give "priority consideration" to the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line. That project is expected to come online in the fall of 2010.

Source: Offices of senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United
Writer: Jon Zemke

Bus bike racks help fuse transit options in Metro Detroit

metromode Thursday, December 17, 2009
--This article originally appeared on April 16, 2009

Soon all bus riders in Southeast Michigan will have a place to park their bikes when they get on a local transit system.

The Detroit Department of Transportation will equip all of its buses with bike racks this year, joining SMART and the Ann Arbor Transit Authority. The $680,110 project is paid mostly with federal transportation funds funneled through the state.

Transportation Riders United, a local mass transit advocate, hailed the improvement as a way of connecting more transportation options in Metro Detroit. The lack of these options and connections has held the region back, in the view of TRU's leadership.

"If a bus doesn’t come within a few blocks of your house, it's not an attractive option," says Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United. "If you can ride your bike a mile or two to a bus, then it becomes a much more attractive option."

Incorporating more options for bicyclists has been a major goal for both TRU and local leaders. SMART and AATA added the bike racks a few years ago to help boost ridership. They have enjoyed significant use as more and more Metro Detroiters took to two wheels, especially as gas prices went higher.

They are also looking at making the proposed Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail and Woodward light rail lines bicycle-friendly.

"That's the ultimate goal, is to have many different ways to get around," Owens says.

Source: State of Michigan and Megan Owens, executive director of the Transportation Riders United
Writer: Jon Zemke

Michigan Life Science Innovation Center opens in Plymouth

metromode Thursday, December 17, 2009
--This article originally appeared on September 24, 2009

It's official. The Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center, one of the state's most intricate business incubators, is open for business and already has an impressive list of tenants.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Ann Arbor SPARK, and Greater Wayne Economic Development Corporation cut the ribbon for the old Pfizer space that will now house a combination of experienced entrepreneurs and start-up life science companies.

The 57,518-square-foot facility offers office state-of-the-art laboratories for drug development and clinical research. That means millions of dollars of equipment that is available to start-ups at a low cost. It's also has a central location, putting it within 20 minutes of five counties and Metro Airport.

"There is really nothing of this magnitude or scope under one roof," says Roger Newton, president and CEO of Esperion Therapeutics.

The companies that have signed on include Algal Scientific, Distributed Compliance Solutions, Esperion Therapeutics, Lifetime Nutrition, Lycera, Milad Pharmaceuticals Consulting, Next Generation Therapeutics, Velesco Pharmaceutical Services, and Chef House Catering, which operates the center's cafe.

Source: Roger Newton, president and CEO of Esperion Therapeutics
Writer: Jon Zemke

New Zingerman's coffee shop opens by Ann Arbor airport

Concentrate Thursday, December 03, 2009
Zingerman's continues its caffeinated growth in and around Ann Arbor.

Excerpt:

Getting a cup of Zingerman's coffee is a little bit easier these days now that the acclaimed eatery has opened up a satellite coffee shop on Ann Arbor's south side.

Zingerman's Coffee recently opened its processing site in an industrial area on Plaza Drive, in the Airport Plaza Business Park next to the world-famous eatery's bake house and creamery. Part of the deal is a retail location at the site so customers can see how the coffee is made and grab a cup of joe, too.

Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor's Library Lot project promises to redefine downtown development

Concentrate Thursday, December 03, 2009
What goes up over the Library Lot underground parking garage promises to impact downtown Ann Arbor for decades to come.

Excerpt:

Lost in all of the talk about what to put on top of the Library Lot underground parking garage is the impact it will have on future development in downtown Ann Arbor. In fact, one of the area's major local developers calls it one of the three most important project sites in the city.

Peter Allen, of Lower Town fame, say these three sites will have the biggest impact on development in Ann Arbor over the next 50 years. The other two sites are Fuller Street Station transit center by the University of Michigan Hospital and where the Amtrak station is currently located, on Depot Street by the Broadway Bridge.

"These three sites all impact Ann Arbor and each other in a fundamental way over the next 50 years," says Allen, president of Peter Allen & Associates.

Read the rest of the story here.

Construction resumes on Upland Green's apt units in Ann Arbor

Concentrate Thursday, November 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.

$10M gift for U-M Law School expansion

Concentrate Thursday, November 12, 2009
The lawyers...or rather, the soon-to-be lawyers... are seeing even more money at the University of Michigan's Law School, by way of big renovations.

Excerpt:

The University of Michigan's Law School scored a big win last week when a benefactor made a $10 million donation toward its $102 million renovation/expansion project.

The university's Law School is midway through the project that will renovate parts of the famed Law Quad and add another 4-story building next to it on the surface parking lot on Monroe Street next to Dominick's. The university plans to put that stretch of Monroe on a vacation, which means it will become pedestrian-only. That project is expected to wrap up by 2012.

Read the rest of the story here.

Dominick's looks to expand retail options in Ann Arbor

Concentrate Thursday, November 12, 2009
Dominick's in Ann Arbor is about to get bigger and better, but will maintain its charm.

Excerpt:

The light is green over at Casa Dominick's these days now that the city has signed off on its planned-unit-development plans.

The signature bar and eatery next to the University of Michigan's Law Quad is looking at turning the property that houses the business and two adjacent houses that serve as student rentals into a restaurant, residential apartments, offices, and one or more bed and breakfasts.

Read the rest of the story here.

New wing of U-M's Kelsey Museum opens in Ann Arbor

Concentrate Thursday, November 05, 2009
One of downtown Ann Arbor's oldest buildings is showing off a whole new side, err… wing.

Excerpt:

The Kelsey Museum at the University of Michigan is reopening this week, bigger and better than ever before - thanks to a significant expansion.

The 1888 building received a new 20,000-square foot wing as part of an $8.5 million gift to the museum. That wing will now make it possible to house all of the 100,000-plus artifacts and increase the display number to 200-300 artifacts.

Read the rest of the story here.

Downtown Ann Arbor CVS project to go before City Council

Concentrate Thursday, November 05, 2009
A new store is getting ready to go behind an old façade in downtown Ann Arbor.

Excerpt:

The plans to slip a CVS Pharmacy behind a historic storefront in downtown Ann Arbor are about to go before the City Council Thursday for approval.

West Bloomfield-based Velmeir Construction plans to tear down the old Queen Anne house behind the 2-story storefront at 209-11 S. State St. In its place will go a 13,000-square-foot CVS Pharmacy.