metromode - Development News

Dearborn, Birmingham stations win federal funds

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vanir Entertainment to build film studio in Clinton Twp

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Another movie studio is coming to Metro Detroit, and this one is heading to Macomb County.

Vanir Entertainment plans to build a $20 million film studio on 26 acres just south of Hall Road near Groesbeck Highway in Clinton Township. The project is expected to build the base for 80-200 new jobs when all said is done. The company plans to begin work on the facility this spring/summer and finish construction within 18-24 months.

The heart of the studio will be the sound stages. There will be two smaller ones, measuring out to 5,000 and 10,000 square feet each. The big kahuna is the 20,000-square-foot green screen, which promises to attract the most attention from filmmakers.

"The specialty of the facility is the green screen," says Alex Greene, executive producer of Vanir Entertainment. "That's basically like an upside down fishbowl."

The facility will also feature a recording studio, editing suites, a cafeteria and a couple of production studios. Vanir is also teaming up with Baker College to use the university's students in an intern capacity so they can learn the ins and outs of film production.

"The good thing is they will be able to get a job anywhere in the world," Greene says. "Their only limitation is their own."

Source: Alex Greene, executive producer of Vanir Entertainment
Writer: Jon Zemke

GreenPath plans to build new HQ in Farmington Hills

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

GreenPath Debt Solutions is building a new headquarters in Farmington Hills not far from its existing headquarters on 12 Mile Road.

The non-profit that specializes in financial counseling (think dealing with bankruptcy or foreclosure) plans to build the new structure so it can house the company's 400 employees. That's enough room to accommodate the organization's expected growth for the foreseeable future.

The 4-story building will be 125,000 square feet and sit on a 10.5-acre plot just east of Halstead on the south side of 12 Mile Road. It will house both the non-profit's headquarters and call center, and will come complete with high ceilings to deaden noise and lots of natural light.

GreenPath plans to go for LEED certification. Among the green features is the preservation of a two-acre wetland on the property.

GreenPath has contracted Harley Ellis Devereaux to design the building and is in discussions with Steelcase to provide furnishings. Construction is set to begin in March and to take one year to complete.

Source: Andrew K Johnson, communications and public relations manager for GreenPath Debt Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

Beaumont links Troy, Sterling Heights with pedestrian bridge

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

There is a new place for anyone who wants to have a foot in both Oakland and Macomb counties.

Beaumont Hospital has opened an elevated pedestrian bridge between two of its buildings at its Troy campus. One of the buildings stands on the Troy side of Dequindre Road, while the other sits on the Sterling Heights side. It's a structure that hospital officials say will help bridge the two communities in more ways than one.

"The bridge serves as a symbol that we serve both Oakland and Macomb counties," says Tom Brisse, senior vice president and hospital director for Beaumont Hospital Troy. He adds that getting two cities, two counties, the state and a road commission to work together is never an easy task, but that everyone not only played nicely but worked effectively together.

The $19.2 million bridge connects Beaumont Hospital Troy with its new outpatient facilities at the Beaumont Medical Center located in Sterling Heights. The 600-foot walkway features 15,000 square feet of pedestrian space, including two multi-level atrium reception areas on each end of the bridge. It's finished with brushed aluminum and lightly tinted glass.

Beaumont Hospital Troy opened in 1977 and now features a 361-bed, acute care community teaching hospital that ranks among the nation's highest-volume community hospitals for admissions and surgeries.

Source: Tom Brisse, senior vice president and hospital director for Beaumont Hospital Troy
Writer: Jon Zemke

Royal Oak's 400 Parent Avenue Lofts wins awards for innovation and reuse

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The 400 Parent Avenue Lofts are garnering a little more excitement for Royal Oak, taking in two awards highlighting a creative and innovative reuse of an existing building.

The loft project is located in Royal Oak's Warehouse District, just south of downtown. The developer took an old lumber warehouse and turned it into eight residential lofts. Such adaptive reuse allowed the building, designed by Michael Poris and John Skok of Birmingham-based McIntosh Poris Associates, to be named "Best Loft Building" by Detroit Home magazine. It received a 2009 Honor Award from the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The award notes that the developer took "a building that appears to have no redeeming value and gives it life with minimum of means."

"Giving new life to a building with a different use is exciting," Michael Poris said in a prepared statement. "This was a small lumber warehouse, built in the 1960s, set on the edge of a neighborhood. As Parent Avenue Lofts, it becomes part of the neighborhood, transitioning what was once an industrial outskirt into an extension of the community. We were able to take something that had outlived its purpose and make it useful."

The current 14,500-square-foot building features two-story units that come with many of the true loft amenities, such as exposed duct work, 21-foot-high ceilings, metal roof trusses, cement flooring on the ground level, and open, flexible spaces. They also have some sustainable features, like tankless water heaters and pyramidal skylights.

The developer also removed the original front of the building because it lacked windows and replaced it with private-entry doors and bay windows for each unit. It combined the building's industrial heritage with its current modern residential use. The interior also features other post-industrial/residential touches like custom concrete countertops and metal-and-wood staircases.

Source: Laura Grover, spokeswoman for 400 Parent Avenue Lofts
Writer: Jon Zemke

Tri-counties team up on Green Schools Initiative

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Macomb, Wayne and Oakland counties are finding ways to not only be sustainable with the Green Schools Initiative but also to be more regional.

The three counties have formed the Southeast Michigan Green Schools Initiative, which works to implement more sustainable practices in Metro Detroit's schools. The new initiative also is adding more levels for schools to achieve beyond the regular green certification. They can also go for the high levels of emerald and evergreen.

"We know to really get local people involved with sustainability you need to get students involved in the process," says Paul Gieleghem, chair of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. "This is a great way to connect your people with the direction we need to go to develop a green and sustainable economy for the 21st Century."

Part of that economy also appears to involve more regional cooperation. Instead of all three counties adopting their own separate standards, local officials decided to model one universal standard around what Macomb County has already implemented.

Source: Paul Gieleghem, chair of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners
Writer: Jon Zemke

Metro Airport first to build terminals post 9/11, wins Build Michigan Award

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It turns out 9-11 wasn't entirely negative for Metro Airport. It helped the budding Aerotropolis and the firms that reshaped it in the last decade win a Build Michigan Award.

Metro Airport's two new terminals (McNamara and North) came online post 9-11, making them more readily able to handle the security changes made necessary since then. Pulling such a feat off is always much easier said than done, but far from impossible.

"These buildings were conceived before 9-11," says Janet Cohen, director of corporate communications for Barton Malow, which shared the award with fellow contractor Walbridge and architects Gensler and Ghafari. "After 9-11, without an actual budget increase and new demand for increased security, we met the original budget."

That team work is primarily why Metro Airport and the crews behind its recent recreation received the Build Michigan Award. Other projects that won include the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, Henry Ford Health System West Pavilion Vertical Expansion in Detroit, and the Gratiot Woods Co-op Apartments, which is also in Detroit.

Source: Janet Cohen, director of corporate communications for Barton Malow
Writer: Jon Zemke

More Tribute sculptures coming to Woodward Avenue

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit and Pontiac are the next cities in line to install tribute sculptures on their section of the famed Woodward Avenue corridor.

They are part of the Woodward Avenue Action Association's Tribute Project, which is building the sculptures along Michigan's Main Street to raise awareness about its important place in history. The sculptures are normally a robust column a story or two tall that depict part of Woodward's illustrious history.

Detroit's sculpture will be built next to the Spirit of Detroit at the intersection of Woodward and Jefferson avenues in downtown. It will have a theme of labor. The Pontiac sculpture's theme will center on transportation. Its location is still being determined.

A combination of federal funds and a local match are paying for the projects. Construction on both is expected to begin late this spring or early this summer.

"They're going to cost significantly less than the Ferndale one because that was the test case," says Nicole Brown, outreach and promotions coordinator with the Woodward Avenue Action Association.

These cities are following the lead of downtown Ferndale, which erected the first column in 2008. The idea is to tell Woodward Avenue's story and increase tourism through 30-foot-high interpretive themed columns made mainly of glass and concrete.

The sculptures will be internally illuminated to help depict visual elements of Woodward's past, present and future, such as its history in autos, technology, and music. Portions of these sculptures are being paid for by National Scenic Byway grants.

Source: Nicole Brown, outreach and promotions coordinator with the Woodward Avenue Action Association
Writer: Jon Zemke

Super green, mixed-use rehab underway at 71 E. Garfield

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

More and more projects based around green building and historic preservation are coming to fruition in Detroit's Midtown (Cass Corridor) neighborhood. Think turning the some of the worst blight into sparkling examples of why it makes sense to invest in the Motor City.

Excerpt:

A significant historic preservation project is nearing completion in Midtown's Sugar Hill district, which is bounded by E. Forest, John R, E. Garfield and Woodward. The building, at 71 E. Garfield, was once a hotel and was recently ravaged by fire. It is currently under construction and is poised to literally emerge from the ashes as a super-green mixed-use complex of 22 live/work spaces geared towards artists and eight art studio/retail spaces. The grand opening is slated for April 2010.

The building is on track for Energy Star rating and to accomplish energy reduction below 50% of current ASHRAE standards. Solar power will offset 20 percent of the building's energy load and a geothermal system will provide heating and cooling. All appliances and windows are Energy Star, it is highly insulated and employs a white roof, which has proven to aid efficiency more than darker flat roofs. A 3,000 gallon cistern will collect water on the roof, recycled materials were used for flooring and reclaimed doors were used when possible.

Read the rest of the story here and about more ultra-green historic restorations in Midtown here.

The pros and cons to a downtown Ann Arbor hotel

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Birmingham-Troy transit center nets another $250K in stimulus funds

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Money is starting to pile up for the Birmingham-Troy transit center now that backers for it have netted another $250,000 in federal stimulus dollars.

That brings the total raised to a little more than $1.5 million for the $7 million project that will serve as the transit hub on the border between the two cities for rail, bus, auto, bike and pedestrian transportation systems. And much more funding is potentially on the way.

Organizers behind the project are trying to dip into two large pots of government money from the federal stimulus program. That includes the TIGER program, which represents $1.5 billion in discretionary spending for mass transit and the high-speed rail funds for Michigan. Competition for both funds is fierce and is at the discretion of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, but local supporters are optimistic that either one of these could fit the rest of the transit center's bill.

"There is a huge national competition for these funds but we feel we have a credible application for both programs," says Dan Beattie, director of federal affairs for Clark Hill, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm representing Troy and Birmingham in the project.

The two cities plan to create the transit center on the Birmingham side of the border between the cities. About $4 million would be set aside for the center, while the rest would be used to build a pedestrian tunnel underneath the tracks.

The center will facilitate traffic from pedestrians, bicyclists, automobiles, buses, and the planned northern extension of the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line. There has also been talk of creating an east-west streetcar line to connect the station to Birmingham's downtown and Troy's Somerset Collection mall.

The proposed site is in Birmingham's emerging Rail District. The cities plan to create a transit oriented development district around the station that would roughly be bordered by Crooks, Adams, and Maple Roads and Lincoln Street.

Source: Dan Beattie, director of federal affairs for Clark Hill
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakland U renovates Meadow Brook Hall

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A key component to the Meadow Brook Hall is about to get a major overhaul.

Oakland University is spending $700,000 to completely gut and replace many of the structural and mechanical systems in the hall's kitchen. Those repairs include changing the ventilation system, providing new kitchen equipment, refurbishing the counter tops, and replacing flooring, plumbing and lighting. The refrigeration system will also be upgraded to meet modern standards.

The kitchen was previously renovated in the 1970s and '80s. The hope is that modernizing it again will allow Meadow Brook Hall to put its best culinary foot forward for catered events.

"It's really just improving our business and staying true to the Meadow Brook Hall," says Shannon O'Berski, marketing manager for Meadow Brook Hall.

The Matilda R. Wilson Fund is financing the project, which should be done by April. The grant will also support a number of other smaller projects over this decade. Among those are the restoration of the dining room portraits of Matilda and Alfred Wilson, as well as ongoing preventative repair projects and ecological systems preservation.

Source: Shannon O'Berski, marketing manager for Meadow Brook Hall
Writer: Jon Zemke

Lockhart's BBQ to add more flavor to downtown Royal Oak

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The nightlife in downtown Royal Oak is about to get a little more flavorful now that a new restaurant is getting ready to open.

Drew Ciora, owner of the Royal Oak Brewery and Detroit Beer Company, plans to open a barbeque restaurant in downtown Royal Oak. Lockhart's BBQ will specialize in traditional southern barbeque that is smoked and made to order on site.

"It's something I have always had a passion for and this is something I have always wanted to open," says Ciora, a Texas native who moved to Metro Detroit in 1995.

The restaurant will go in the ground floor of the old Consumers Gas building at 202 E Third St., kitty corner from the Royal Oak Brewery. The 1920s-era building was recently renovated by Wold Architects and Engineers, which occupies the second floor.

Lockhart's BBQ will occupy 5,000 square feet on the ground floor, which equates to enough room to seat 147 people if you include the planned outside patio. The $700,000 project is expected to start this week and wrap up before Memorial Day. Stephen Auger + Associates Architects is designing the interior of the restaurant.

Source: Drew Ciora, owner of Lockhart's BBQ and Chris Aller, principal of Stephen Auger + Associates
Writer: Jon Zemke

Plans surface for rail trail in Oakland County

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Another road between Royal Oak and Birmingham is about to surface, but the problem is that this one is less traveled.

Jim Rasor and his fellow city commissioners in Royal Oak are trying to change that. The legislative body is now formally pushing to turn a lightly used road for railroad maintenance vehicles adjacent to the tracks into a rail trail for everyone.

"This is a rail with trail, not a rail to trail," Rasor says.

The trail would go from downtown Royal Oak north to the Birmingham border. Rasor hopes it could go even farther north if the other local municipalities pick up the cause. The space is already used illegally by pedestrians and bicyclists who routinely travel its length.

The railroad corridor, which is owned by Canadian National Railway, has two sets of tracks and a maintenance road running alongside it. Rasor and other backers of the plan want to build a barrier of fencing and shrubs between the tracks and road so the road can be opened up to everyone.

"There is a lot of space there," Rasor says. "All of the bridges are wide enough for the road. The rail was designed for four tracks but only two were installed."

He admits that local municipalities like Royal Oak are too cash-strapped to tackle such a project, but thinks the Oakland County Parks system could do so. He points out that most of the parks in that system are on the outskirts of the county because the urbanized southeast section was already built out when parkland was being acquired.

Rasor also likes to make the point that this will enhance the quality of life for young people and help attract young families. He compares Metro Detroit unfavorably to other vibrant urban areas that our brain drain funnels to that have well-established, non-motorized transportation options, like Chicago and Toronto. In Metro Detroit commuters are mostly chained to their cars.

"There are a great many groups that would like to see this happen," Rasor says.

Source: Jim Rasor, city commissioner with Royal Oak
Writer: Jon Zemke

Mass transit speeds up in Metro Detroit

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Mass transit is gaining speed in Metro Detroit. This time it's about the possible expansion of SMART and the progress of the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments still expects to launch the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line by October. It has reached an agreement with the railroads that own the tracks on the proposed line and is working out further details for the project. It also has nailed down $3.5 million in federal funding and hopes to get more soon.

At the same time, the Oakland County suburb of Keego Harbor is considering joining the SMART transit system for the first time. A local group of residents is pushing for the municipality's inclusion so bus services can be expanded to the small town. Local officials are considering the proposal. Oakland County has an opt-out clause that allows communities that don't want to be involved in SMART to opt out.

"There is a chance for a community to join or leave," says Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United. Earlier this month, Farmington Hills toyed with the idea of leaving SMART but instead city officials decided to let voters make the decision in the election this August.

The mass transit advocate is also holding a Transit Action Conference between 1-6 p.m. Saturday at the Michigan State University Detroit Center, 3408 Woodward, south of Mack. The event will feature transit updates, TRU Board elections, and opportunities to get involved in making comprehensive transportation options a reality for Metro Detroit.

TRU is also looking for an organizer/assistant director. Potential candidates should have a passion for mass transit and motivation to help improve the transportation options in southeast Michigan. For information, click here.

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

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

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Burton Theatre gets more neighbors inside, quickly filling old school building

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

What was once the famed Burton International School in Detroit's Cass Corridor is quickly becoming a hotbed for new businesses, including a new art house movie theater.

Excerpt:

Joel Landy's one busy guy. As reported in Model D last week, he is currently transforming several vacant buildings on Cass Ave. south of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. into viable commercial buildings. Meanwhile, the developer is working to fill the Burton School with tenants -- one of which, the Burton Theatre, is already fairly well-known around these parts.

Former classrooms are filling up, with seven now occupied by artists, non-profit associations and a computer company. There are 33 classrooms in total, along with other usable space such as a kitchen. "These are the most comfortable, workable art studios you've ever been in," says Landy. "The building is turning out really well." A recent improvement was the addition of wheelchair access.

Read the rest of the story here.

Corridor Sausage Co. to bring homemade links to Cass Ave.

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Detroit's Midtown is turning into a bit of a food Mecca as it gentrifies. The latest entry into the mix is the Corridor Sausage Co., which comes from the people who make the food at The Whitney famous.

Excerpt:

Will Branch and Zach Klein will open Corridor Sausage Co. in Willys Overland Lofts on Canfield, next to Traffic Jam and Snug, in September 2010. They currently rent production space in Howell and make small batches for a handful of restaurants in Ann Arbor and Detroit, and their tasso ham is available for purchase at Avalon International Breads.

Ultimately, their 2,000-square-foot space inside Willys will offer fresh and smoked sausages, cured meats and other meat-based products. Besides traditional recipes, they specialize in slightly left-of-center charcuterie -- think lamb sausage blended with dried fig and ras el hanout. Branch characterizes their approach as "playful" and emphasizes their local commitment. "We're trying to use as many Michigan products as we can," he says.

Read the rest of the story here.

EMU to begin Pray-Harrold renovation this spring

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Eastern Michigan University is gearing up for another big renovation as part of its campus renewal.

Excerpt:

Construction crews are gearing up to start work on the Pray-Harrold Building at Eastern Michigan University.

Work on the $42 million renovation project is expected to begin this spring. Construction workers will be replacing many of the core systems in the building, such as electrical and mechanical. This will be the first significant work done on the building since it was built in 1969.

Read the rest of the story here.

Birmingham-Troy transit center gets $1.3M

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The long-awaited Birmingham-Troy transit center is one big step closer to becoming a reality now that it has landed $1.3 million in federal funding.

The federal earmark could be first in what promises to be even more federal funding. So far, the two cities have raised half of the $7 million needed for the project from a variety of local private and public sources. It hopes to secure the rest of the money and begin construction this year.

"We're expecting word in the next 30-60 days from federal stimulus funding programs," says Michele Hodges, president of the Troy Chamber of Commerce.

The two cities plan to create the transit center on the Birmingham side of the border between the cities. About $4 million would be set aside for the center while the rest would be used to build a pedestrian tunnel underneath the tracks.

The center would facilitate traffic from pedestrians, bicyclists, automobiles, buses, and the planned northern extension of the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line. There has also been talk of creating an east-west streetcar line to connect the station to Birmingham's downtown and Troy's Somerset Collection mall.

The proposed site is in Birmingham's emerging Rail District. The cities plan to create a transit oriented development district around the station that would roughly be bordered by Crooks, Adams, and Maple Roads and Lincoln Street.

Source: Michele Hodges, president of the Troy Chamber of Commerce
Writer: Jon Zemke

Mellus one of nation's most endangered historic sites?

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As city officials and local preservationists vie over the future of the endangered Mellus Newspaper Building, a historic landmark in downtown Lincoln Park, the question is: Is it one of the most endangered historic sites in the U.S.?

The Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance thinks so, nominating the longtime former home of the local newspaper for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's America's 11 Most Endangered List. The Mellus has been on the National Register of Historic Places for years.

The 1940s-era building at 1661 Fort St. served as the home to Lincoln Park's local newspaper, then owned by William Mellus, for generations. The Mellus still has its original porcelain enameled Moderne commercial building exterior, while the adjacent Pollak (named after Pollak Jewelers and also up for demolition) retains its terrazzo entrance sidewalk.

The buildings had been vacant for several years before the Lincoln Park DDA purchased them for $175,000 in 2005. Some city officials call them blight, but the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance argues that their salvation is an important step toward preserving downtown Lincoln Park's heritage and encouraging business and job creation.

A Detroit-based business owner and developer made an offer to buy the two properties and another vacant adjacent structure to turn them into the new home for his healthcare business. The DDA turned him down, even though approving the deal would have meant bringing 20-30 new jobs to Lincoln Park and breathing new life into an otherwise dead block in a morbid downtown.

The city has signed a demolition contract for the buildings but has no future plans for the site. The demolition was scheduled for last December, but the state's Historic Preservation Office intervened. Now local preservationists and city staff are making their respective arguments for preserving or leveling the building to the state.

"To be demolished with no development plan makes no sense," says Karen Nager, executive director of Preservation Wayne. "In their (city officials') gut they want it down just because."

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, through its America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has identified more than 200 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since 1988. The list highlights historic places across the country that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development, or insensitive public policy. Designation on the list normally helps raise public awareness, rally resources, and save endangered sites. In various situations, the attention has gathered public support to save a treasured landmark and has been the spark to save important pieces of our history.

Source: Karen Nager, executive director of Preservation Wayne and the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oak Wyandotte plans to redevelop old Firestone store

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The face of downtown Wyandotte is set to change incrementally now that the state of Michigan has approved tax credits for a $1 million development.

Oak Wyandotte plans to redevelop the old Firestone Store at the corner of Biddle Avenue and Superior Boulevard. The plan is to demolish the existing vacant building and make way for a single story commercial building with space for a restaurant and/or retail use.

The half-acre parcel contains a 12,000-square-foot building. The circa-1936 structure became contaminated over years spent serving as an auto service center. It has been vacant since 2003.

The $1 million project is expected to create 10-15 jobs. The Michigan Economic Growth Authority made a $118,750 tax credit available for the project.

Source: Michigan Economic Growth Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke

24/7 downtown Birmingham leads to more jobs

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Downtown Birmingham is becoming all about "more" these days. Specifically, more businesses open more hours to attract more people (as well as businesses and jobs).

For instance, the Zuma Coffee House on 207 S Old Woodward Ave (the old Java Hutt) is routinely open 24 hours. It's the policy of new owners Richard and Lisa Spicko.

"Since my wife and I bought it in 2008 we haven't been closed for a minute," Richard Spicko says.

The policy has turned the coffee house into a refuge of sorts for the after-bar crowd, students pulling an all-nighter, and people who don't work bankers' hours. Patrons routinely thank the Spickos for staying open. The policy also enables the couple to hire two extra people to cover all the hours.

It's that type of vibrancy that attracted businesses like Arcadia Health Care. The Southfield-based firm moved one of its satellite offices (four employees) from Lathrup Village to downtown Birmingham last year because of the city center's urban vibrancy.

"It's a lively downtown," says Jennie Allard-Gilchrist, branch manager of the Arcadia Health Care Birmingham office. "A lot of people are walking around there. It's close to the neighborhoods and they have a great chamber. Birmingham is great. It's just a great place to be."

Sources: Richard Spicko, co-owner of Zuma Coffee House, and Jennie Allard-Gilchrist, branch manager of the Arcadia Health Care Birmingham office
Writer: Jon Zemke

Automation Alley gets $395K for International Biz Center

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Automation Alley is moving forward with plans to build an International Business Center in Troy, now that Uncle Sam is helping foot the bill.

The economic development agency recently received a $394,800 federal earmark for the project. That's on top of the $285,000 in federal funds it received for the project last year.

The new center will be an expansion of Automation Alley's current offices in Troy. It will serve as a soft landings center for international businesses looking to do business in Metro Detroit. Detroit's TechTown business incubator already has employed such a program successfully.

The new addition will feature new technologies that will make it easier for foreign companies to do business here, such as holding virtual meetings. Planning for the project has begun.

Source: Automation Alley
Writer: Jon Zemke

Auburn Hills rallies around its downtown

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know there is a downtown Auburn Hills? I am going to guess probably not, unless you live in or near the northern suburb.

Believe it. There is a small city center in Auburn Hills, a place known for housing corporate campuses and one of the most suburban sports venues in the world. That city center is where its municipal offices will be expanded through the purchase of a live-work development at 3395 Auburn Road, east of Squirrel Road.

"It's a great little place," says Stephanie Carroll, community relations and legislative affairs coordinator for the city of Auburn Hills.

The new site is a street level unit of a work/live development and will serve as an operational hub for city personnel during city-sponsored events. The downtown is centered on the intersection of Auburn and Squirrel roads just south of M-59. It's about the size of downtown Clawson and is reminiscent of Novi's downtown because it was built in the 1980s.

Auburn Hills recently received a study from Hyatt-Palma about improving its downtown. One of the recommendations calls for creating a sense of place, which establishing a municipal presence should only aid. The city is trying to get more of the students who attend the five nearby institutions of higher learning to come to downtown Auburn Hills and patronize the businesses and nearby Riverside Park.

"We're trying to collectively gather them and get them to come here," Carroll says.

Source: Stephanie Carroll, community relations and legislative affairs coordinator for the city of Auburn Hills
Writer: Jon Zemke

Farmington Hills promotes green building incentives

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Federal stimulus funds are making Farmington Hills a more sustainable community. The city is offering green building and sustainability incentives for local residents and businesses.

"We know we can't do it by ourselves," says Nate Geinzer, management assistant for the city of Farmington Hills.

The city's new Energy Efficiency Incentive Program is trying to reduce fossil fuel emissions and total energy use by creating more energy efficiency in the building, transportation, and other sectors.

The program is designed to empower residents and businesses to make informed decisions regarding energy efficiency improvements through a comprehensive energy audit. It will provide cash incentives to those interested in conducting the audits or installing eligible energy efficient or renewable energy products in existing buildings. Think Energy Star appliances, solar panels, insulation, and everything else that makes someone want to hug a tree.

It will also provide an extra incentive to individuals putting off needed improvements due to financial or other reasons, and expand the market for advanced energy efficiency and renewable energy technology.

For information on the program, call the Farmington Hills Green Efforts Committee or the Farmington Hills Building Division at 248-871-2450 or click here.

Source: Nate Geinzer, management assistant for the city of Farmington Hills
Writer: Jon Zemke

Lower Cass Corridor retail, restaurant scene poised to blossom

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The last remnants of the old, infamous Cass Corridor are about to be swept away by Joel Landy, a longtime local developer with a vision.

Excerpt:

Cass Avenue south of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard is slowly gaining momentum as a commercial corridor ... and current businesses in the district -- including Canine to Five, Mantra, Showcase Collectibles and the Burton Theatre at the Burton School -- may very well be getting some neighbors if developer Joel Landy has anything to do with it. He has purchased the buildings that housed the Charlotte Lounge, Chung's, the Gold Dollar, and the Chinese On-Leong Assoc. and has plans to renovate them into viable structures and then lease them.

Landy, whose other projects in the area include the Addison Building and the Burton, is currently meeting with funders and potential tenants, including restaurateurs, for the buildings. "There is a tremendous interest in retail, and I'm willing to work with new business owners," he says, adding wryly, "I'm like a business incubator not funded by any government agency."

Read the rest of the story here.

Downtown Ann Arbor projects stack up on shelf

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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.

S3 Entertainment opens film studio in Madison Heights

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

While many other film studio projectsbattle for financial footing, S3 Entertainment Group is opening up itsfilm studio in Madison Heights.

S3 Studios is opening in aformer hardware store distribution center in Madison Heights. It wasused for the production of the recently released Youth in Revolt and will serve as the studio for six other films this year.

The25,000 square-foot facility has a stage with a minimum height of 30feet, and comes outfitted with 10,000 square feet of furnished officespace. It also features post-production facilities, a state-of-the-artscreening room and camera support rooms on-site.

"It's the perfect recipe for filming," says Jeff Spilman, managing partner with S3 Entertainment Group.

Heexpects the studio will need an administrative staff of 30 full-timepersonnel, and host between 150-300 jobs when filming occurs. S3Entertainment Group plans to include its film institute on-site sostudents can get real-world experience while learning the ins and outsof the film industry.

Source: Jeff Spilman, managing partner with S3 Entertainment Group
Writer: Jon Zemke