metromode - Development News

Downtown Plymouth gets new biz incubator space

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One downtown Plymouth office landlord is getting a little creative when it comes to filling empty space. Trowbridge Realty has created a business incubator of sorts at 705 S Main for promising, out-of-the-box start-ups.

"We needed something clever to market the building," says Ryan Richmond, vice president of Trowbridge Realty.

The building was originally built in 1999-2000 and features 30,000 square feet of Class A office space and a ground floor built for a realty firm. Well, that real-estate company bit the dust when the housing market crashed and 705 S Main was left with a lot of empty space.

Now prospective tenants can rent spaces as little as 120 square feet in size. The first few months are free as long as tenants have more than your average business idea. That means more new economy start-ups and fewer run-of-the-mill old economy firms.

"We're looking for newer ventures," Richmond says. "Some who can define some long-term growth. Someone with an out-of-the-box idea."

So far 6,000 square feet has been designated for the incubator, with 10 businesses already signed up. More could be allocated if the demand grows. For information, send an email to rrichmond@trowbridgerealty.com.

Source: Ryan Richmond, vice president of Trowbridge Realty
Writer: Jon Zemke

Developer pushes for Mellus; Lincoln Park DDA says 'No'

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The future of the Mellus Building and two adjoining properties in downtown Lincoln Park is still up in the air after the city's Downtown Development Authority turned down an offer from a developer to renovate them and bring jobs to the Downriver suburb.

"Unless he comes up with a new offer quickly, it doesn't look good for the Mellus and Pollak buildings," says Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance.

An owner of a Detroit-based home care business has submitted an offer for the Mellus building and the adjacent Pollak and Dorsey buildings on Fort Street. All three buildings are vacant and in disrepair. The developer has stepped forward with an architect and a plan to transform the three buildings into office space for 20-30 employees.

He offered to pay $10,000 for each building, claiming he would have to invest more than $80,000 to make them suitable as office space for his business. The DDA paid $175,000 for the Dorsey building at the height of the real-estate bubble in 2005 and another $100,000 for the Mellus and Pollak buildings. It plans to spend another $30,000 to demolish the Mellus and Pollak buildings.

The DDA turned down the offer because it was too low. Some DDA board members said they would rather see retail businesses on the long-vacant block and questioned why the developer would want to move into Lincoln Park in the first place.

"Our DDA has been very unfriendly toward them," Lynch-Wilson says.

The Mellus was built in the 1940s and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an intrinsic part of the downriver suburb's history, having served as the home of Lincoln Park's local newspaper for decades. Local preservationists think saving the Mellus and the adjacent Pollak (named after Pollak Jewelers) building are important steps toward preserving downtown Lincoln Park's heritage.

The building on Fort Street still has its original porcelain-enameled Moderne commercial exterior, while the Pollak retains its terrazzo entrance sidewalk.

Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke

Pontiac sells Silverdome to Canadian developers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of the major millstones has been removed from the city of Pontiac's neck now that the Pontiac Silverdome has been sold.

The sale frees the city, which is in receivership, of $1.5 million in annual maintenance costs for the former NFL stadium. The city has been trying to broker a sale of the stadium and surrounding property at the corner of I-75 and M-59 ever since the Detroit Lions left it in 2002.

That led to the recent no-reserve bid auction hosted by Williams & Williams. A family owned real-estate company based in Toronto came in with the highest bid of $583,000. The Silverdome was built for $55.7 million in taxpayer money in 1975.

"We recognized the problem and made the tough decision to base the sale on reality rather than dreams of higher sale prices and procrastination," Fred Leeb, the Emergency Financial Manager for the city of Pontiac said in a press release.

The 80,000-seat stadium and surrounding 127 acres primarily served as the home for the Lions until the team left for Ford Field in downtown Detroit. The Pistons also played a few seasons there. Its field also sported a Super Bowl and World Cup soccer matches.

Source: Williams & Williams
Writer: Jon Zemke

Lincoln Hills Golf Course undergoes renovations

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Lincoln Hills Golf Course is undergoing renovations to its clubhouse in Birmingham.

The golf course is gutting and replacing much of its club house. This includes ripping out and replacing some inner block/brick walls that have suffered significant deterioration.

The newly renovated building will feature new counters, doors, windows, roof, decorative fencing along 14 Mile Road, a covered storage area for carts, landscaping around the building, HVAC system, and updated restrooms. The parking lot will also be repaved.

The project began construction last month and will wrap up by March. The golf course, which is owned and run by the city, is located at 2666 W 14 Mile Road.

Source: City of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke

Downtown Mt. Clemens welcomes new businesses

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If small business is the lifeblood of any downtown, then Mt. Clemens has some good pressure in its system these days.

The Macomb County seat just welcomed two new businesses to its vibrant city center this month. Madea Lounge is a new nightclub looking to take advantage of the downtown's booming night life and Detroit Burger Company plans to go after the established restaurant business.

Madea Lounge is located at 75 Macomb Place next to the Bath City Bistro. The contemporary lounge is smoke free and does serve some appetizers. Detroit Burger Company also opened in a former restaurant space at 39 N Main.

Source: Arthur Mullen, executive director of the Mt. Clemens Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke

Emagine adds moving seats to Metro Detroit theaters

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Some viewers at Emagine Entertainment's theaters will be in for a bumpy ride, and that's a good thing.

The Metro Detroit-based firm is installing new seats in all four of its theaters (Canton, Novi, Woodhaven and Birch Run) that will move with the movie to give the viewers a better experience at the cinema. Think of it as a rollercoaster-style effect for moviegoers.

"It keeps with our desire to keep at the cutting edge of technology and offering the best experience possible," says Paul Glantz, president and chairman of Emagine Entertainment.

About 50 of these seats will be installed in each theater by Christmas. That will allow some viewers who pay a small extra charge to use them during the movie.

Source: Paul Glantz, president and chairman of Emagine Entertainment
Writer: Jon Zemke

Detroit Edison upgrades pollution controls at Monroe plant

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Monroe Power Plant is becoming a bit cleaner these days now that Detroit Edison has installed a new pollution scrubber in the coal-fired power plant.

This is the second flue gas desulfurization system installed this year. It reduces sulfur dioxide emissions by about 97 percent and mercury emissions by 80-90 percent on the plant's No. 3 generating unit. The No 4. unit has a similar system that went into operation in June. The plant has four generating units.

Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of Detroit-based DTE Energy, has also installed other pollution control devices in recent years, including selective catalytic reduction systems on three of the plant's generating units to reduce nitrogen oxide output by 90 percent.

The Monroe facility is the first power plant in Michigan to install both of these systems. Installation on the remaining generating units is expected to begin next year. The scrubbers and catalytic reduction devices are expected to help the plant meet federal and state emission limits.

Source: DTE Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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.

EMU teams up with Chevron to make campus more sustainable

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Who would have thought an oil company would help make Ypsilanti's Eastern Michigan University greener?

Excerpt:

Eastern Michigan University intends to tighten its energy belt by forming a partnership with Chevron Energy Solutions.

The two will conduct energy audits of the university's 16 buildings. Some of these buildings are 100 years old or older, but most were built in the mid-20th Century. Many have gone decades without updating their infrastructure, if it was upgraded at all.

"We're looking at more than $30 million in potential savings. And that is just in our housing buildings," says Steven Moore, energy and sustainability manager for Eastern Michigan University, a post that was created early last year. "There is a large potential for energy savings on this campus."

Read the rest of the story here.

Grand Trunk Pub expanding to neighboring space with Foran's Deluxe Diner

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What was once Eph's in downtown Detroit is about to become Foran's Deluxe Diner.

Excerpt:

Fans of Eph's sandwiches, have no fear: although its current Downtown location will be transformed into Foran's Deluxe Diner, the deli will eventually reopen at the Bohemian National House and, in the meantime, favorites will continue to be available on the new menu. Owner Tim Tharp, who also is the proprietor of the next-door Grand Trunk Pub, (formerly called Foran's Irish Pub) says his new spot will focus on "gourmet comfort food" that is locally sourced. "If it's not from Michigan, we'd really rather find something else," he says.

To complement the railroad history exemplified at Grand Trunk Pub, a former GT ticket office, the diner's decor will be Art Deco. Its metal facade will remain, with new signage designed and fabricated by Tharp and local artist Amanda Box. The giant Eph's pickle will not stay, nor will many of the historic artifacts currently displayed on the walls.

Read the rest of the story here.

Plans for downtown Royal Oak movie theater go public

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Plans for a movie theater in downtown Royal Oak are moving forward after the city's Planning Commission recommended approving the project Tuesday night. The plans are expected to go before the Royal Oak City Commission later this fall.

"I have no question that a well-run, first-class movie theater has a place in downtown Royal Oak," says Paul Glantz, founder and chairman of Emagine Entertainment.

The plans to build a 2-story, 10-screen theater in the vacant lot on 11 Mile Road behind the Main Art Theatre have been refined. The 73,000-square-foot building will look like Emagine Entertainment's theaters in Novi and Canton, clad in brick and limestone. It will show first-run movies and is not expected to provide direct competition with an indie-and-foreign movie house like the Main Art Theatre.

The new cinema's entrance will face the back of the Main Art Theatre while the section facing 11 Mile will have windows similar to a traditional storefront but will otherwise be an inactive space. Traffic will be routed off of 11 Mile around the theater and then out onto Troy Street.

The $14 million project will house 1,680 seats and a 16-lane bowling alley and bar that are meant to complement the movie-going experience. There will also be a private party area/meeting room on a second-floor mezzanine area over the main entrance. The developer will reconfigure the parking lot between the Main Art Theatre and the new cinema to accommodate a few more cars along with landscaping and traffic islands.

The theater is expected to create 40 new full-time jobs and another 60 part-time positions. Although smaller than the industry standard for a multiplex of 18 screens, it is not expected to ever reach full capacity. A study of comparable theaters show they only reached above 70 percent capacity five nights a year, mainly on the weekends. The highest daily average attendance is about 40 percent on Friday evenings and a little over 50 percent on Saturday evenings.

Source: Paul Glantz, founder and chairman of the Emagine Entertainment and city of Royal Oak
Writer: Jon Zemke

Grand Building rises in downtown Farmington

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Grand River Avenue in downtown Farmington is getting a brand new building this fall now that construction is in full swing on the Grand Building.

Grand Dry Cleaners is building a 6,300-square-foot structure that will serve as its home on the first floor. The second floor will house three loft-like apartments. There will also be one indoor parking space for one of the apartments.

"They have the ability for a loft look with the high ceilings," says Vincent Cataldo, president of St. Clair Shores-based Infuz Limited Architects, the designer of the building.

The brick-clad building is set to serve as a principal piece of the eastern entrance to downtown Farmington. Its two tall stories, balconies, corner entrance, and tower-like features promise to make it one of downtown's marquee buildings.

"The intent is to bring some energy to that entrance of downtown," Cataldo says.

Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.

Source: Vincent Cataldo, president of Infuz Limited Architects
Writer: Jon Zemke

Westborn Market completes Dearborn store expansion

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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

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

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

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

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

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

Birmingham looks at redeveloping Kenning Park

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A lot of stuff is done at Kenning Park every day, from youth sports to police sharp shooting. More could be on the way as Birmingham city officials weigh options for its future use.

City officials were recently approached by personnel from the local little league baseball teams and a local school about adding fields to the 21.7-acre park. The park south of Lincoln Street and east of Eaton Street already houses facilities for soccer, tennis, a police shooting range, and a skatepark.

Birmingham has issued a request for proposals from design firms to create a long-term master plan for the park. That will include a community charrette in the spring to develop a plan next year.

City officials expect to receive proposals for the master plan by December and make a choice on firms by February or March.

Source: Jana Ecker, planning director for the city of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakland U goes green with new hydration station

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Going green could be as easy as offering people a choice to do so. That's what Oakland University is doing by adding a hydration station to the mix for its students.

Most of the time the term 'hydration station' comes across as fancy jargon for a water fountain. The university replaced one in the Oakland Center with a water dispenser that makes using a refillable bottle more convenient and lessens the need to buy bottled water.

"It's designed to refill water bottles quickly," says Richard Fekel, director of the Oakland Center.

The idea is to encourage more students to carry their own containers instead of buying disposable plastic ones that too often clog landfills. While this is the first hydration station on Oakland University's campus, however, more might be in the future.

"My guess is this will start a new trend," Fekel says. "We sell a lot of bottled water on campus so this is just another way for our students to give back to their environment."

Source: Richard Fekel, director of the Oakland Center
Writer: Jon Zemke

Farmington Hills Parks win environmental award

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Farmington Hills green spaces are getting green awards for not going the extra mile to make their grass as green as possible.

The city's park system and gold club were recognized for their environmental stewardship by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program recognizes organizations for enhancing wildlife habitats and going above and beyond environmental compliance.

That could mean preventing pollutions and protecting waterways by using less fertilizer that contributes to water run-off pollution and reducing the maintained areas of the golf course. Other areas of recognition include conserving energy. For instance, the city received an energy audit of all of its buildings.

The city also created a new chemical storage room for its golf course, so spillage is contained in one area. Fertilizer and lawn maintenance is also limited to areas away from waterways and only done a few times a year.

"We have very good turf," says Bill Wright, parks supervisor for Farmington Hills. "People are shocked when they hear that."

Only 52 of the 230 properties participating in the Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program have met the criteria for certification in Michigan. Farmington Hills is the first municipal park system to receive it.

Source: Bill Wright, parks supervisor for Farmington Hills
Writer: Jon Zemke

Grosse Pointe reforms downtown zoning for taller buildings

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Grosse Pointe is laying the groundwork to make its downtown area denser and more competitive in Metro Detroit.

The City Council approved zoning changes that will allow for taller buildings, more density, residential units, and more commercial uses in the traditionally flat city center. The couple of blocks of downtown that line Kercheval Street are mainly served by 1-2 story buildings that feature ground floor retail and office space above.

"The rules should encourage new development that allows for greater heights, uses and flexibility in the village," Peter Dame, city manager for Grosse Pointe, wrote in an email.

The new rules now allow for residential units above the first floor of a building to encourage more downtown living. Businesses now may include office space on the back half of the ground floor of commercial buildings. Retail and restaurants must still face the street unless offices have already been grandfathered in.

Developers can now look to build taller buildings in the center of downtown. Buildings can rise as tall as 52 feet in the center of downtown and taper down to 42 and 35 feet the father from the center they are. Developers can also make a payment to the city if they can't provide sufficient on-site parking. The idea is to make development more economically feasible on smaller land parcels.

Source: Peter Dame, city manager of Grosse Pointe
Writer: Jon Zemke

$10M gift for U-M Law School expansion

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Retail wine shop and tasting bar headed to Woodward

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Woodward corridor in Detroit is about to become tastier with its latest wine business.

Excerpt:

David Armin-Parcells, armed with 18 years of experience in the wine business, had a hunch that Greater Downtown residents were hungry for some good grape. His stint managing Zaccaro's, where he handled beer and wine orders, proved the hypothesis. "It was the most successful department there," he says. "This gave me some hard numbers."

Bolstered by the facts, Armin-Parcells will open Motor City Wine at 608 Woodward's second floor suite. His wine shop and tasting bar will be located above what is currently Eph's (but will soon be Foran's Deluxe Diner -- more on that in a future issue) with a separate front entrance. The space will seat approximately 45, with some two-tops as well as a large community table. The north wall will be lined with product shelved in hanging wooden wine crates -- approximately 120 different varieties of wine will be stocked -- as well as rotating works of art.

Read the rest of the story here.

Local owners take over Parkside of Plymouth project

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Parkside of Plymouth development is getting a second lease on life now that new local investors have taken the project over.

The downtown development had stalled out earlier this year before Sue Knight and Patrick Tortora (Plymouth and Northville residents, respectively) took it over. The new developers hope to have it all wrapped up by the end of this winter and fully occupied by next May.

"It's constantly being worked on," says Chris Knight, the realtor representing the project. "There is a lot that needs to be done."

The new owners were attracted to its location on Penniman Avenue overlooking Kellogg Park and to the value of such a large development in a small downtown.

"We all love downtown Plymouth," Knight says. "It's such a positive environment to do business in."

The 18-unit structure will be a mixture of for-sale and for-lease residential units, plus ground floor commercial space. It will also utilize geothermal heating and cooling units, which are considered cutting edge environmentally friendly building technology. Geothermal technology uses the constant temperature of the earth to help heat and cool the building while keeping costs low.

Source: Chris Knight, the realtor representing Parkside of Plymouth
Writer: Jon Zemke

Work wraps up on Birmingham's Baldwin Bridge

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cars, bikes, and pedestrians can cross the Baldwin Avenue Bridge now that construction workers have wrapped up work on replacing it.

The city of Birmingham began work on the bridge in early August as part of a project to improve three other spans, including the West Maple Road, Oak Street, and Lakeside Drive North bridges. The Baldwin Bridge was the biggest project of the lot, clocking in at $700,000 and finishing on schedule.

The bridge, just northwest of downtown Birmingham, dates back to the 1920s and has been showing decades' worth of wear and tear for years. The city did away with the narrow, one-lane bridge, replacing it with something more pedestrian and motorist friendly.

The new span features two lanes and a 5-foot-wide sidewalk. The historic arch with a stone-cut façade underneath has been recreated, a process the city has also done with four other bridge replacements.

Source: City of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke

Transportation Riders United celebrates 10 years

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Transportation Riders United is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month, and what a decade it has been for transit since TRU came on the scene.

"The attitude has changed dramatically," says Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United. "The public and public officials' attitude toward transit has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. In 1999, transit wasn't even on the radar of public officials and if it was, it was for buses for poor people."

Today Metro Detroit is on the precipice of approving a regional plan (and even an authority) for mass transit. Plans for a streetcar along Woodward are on the verge of materializing. A commuter rail line connecting Detroit, Metro Airport, Dearborn, Ypsilanti, and Ann Arbor is even closer. That's a long way from the everybody-drives-their-own SUV culture of the late 1990s.

That's not to say TRU is primarily responsible for this change in perception, but the mass transit advocacy non-profit has certainly played a major role in making it happen. Owens sees potential for even more change in the next couple of years that could literally redefine how Metro Detroiters view and use mass transit.

"The next couple of years have the potential so we can really see the rails hit the road," Owens says.

Ten years from now, she sees not only the current projects up and running but expanded, so the Woodward light rail stretches as far north as Royal Oak and the commuter rail line also swings up to Birmingham and Pontiac. Other possibilities include expanding these lines into Macomb County and the Downriver area, plus a much more effective and comprehensive bus system across southeast Michigan.

This is not about maps, tracks, and technology," Owens says. "It's about making people's lives more convenient."

TRU's 10-year anniversary celebration will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Majestic Theater in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood. For information, click here or call (313) 963-8872.

Source: Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United
Writer: Jon Zemke

Southfield capitalizes on property improvement grants

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Façade and streetscape improvement grants are the type of tools normally associated with traditional downtowns, not a commuter-based suburb like Southfield. Think again.

The Cornerstone Development Authority (Southfield's Downtown Development Authority) has awarded a couple of $15,000 grants to the Greenfield Plaza and Northland Towers as part of its Property Improvement Grant program. The idea is to spruce up the aesthetics of the city's lower southeast corner near the Northland Shopping Center commonly known as the Cornerstone District.

"It will beautify the properties," says Mary Daley, interim director of the Cornerstone Development Authority. "Right now the shrubs and trees are young but as they grow they will add a lot of greenery to the property. It's better than looking at concrete."

The program picks winners from its pool of applicants twice a year. The winners work with the authority and a landscape architect to improve their exteriors at the ground level. In the case of both Greenfield Plaza and Northland Towers, new planting beds, shrubs, flowers, and trees were installed to freshen up their entrances.

Source: Mary Daley, interim director of the Cornerstone Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke

Berkley Fire Hall feasibility study due later this month

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The document that will help determine the future of Berkley's historic Fire Hall will make its way before the public later this month.

"It's close to wrapping up," says Chris Aller, principal of Lake Orion-based Stephen Auger + Associates Architects, which is preparing the feasibility study for the Fire Hall.

Aller adds that he sees the rebirth of the Fire Hall as "a long-term project" since the city has other issues on closer burners, such as developing a new community center. Berkley is looking at improving the 10,000-square-foot neo-classical building. Planned upgrades include bringing it up to code, making it more accessible, and preserving the historic elements.

The 2-story Fire Hall was built in 1928 and originally served as a fire department station. Its exterior is composed of brick and limestone. It was added to Michigan's list of historic places in 1988. Today, it serves as home to offices for the Berkley Historic Museum and storage for the city.

Source: Chris Aller, principal of Stephen Auger + Associates Architects
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakland U adds more green vehicles to its campus

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Oakland University's vehicle fleet is becoming greener around the mud flaps now that it has added some zero-emission trucks to its mix.

The university's Facilities Management department purchased three Miles ZX40ST electric trucks. Each one charges from a standard 110-volt outlet and has expected regenerative breaking and a battery life measuring out to 25,000 miles.

The trucks have a payload capacity of more than 1,000 pounds each. They are street legal and can drive as fast as 50 mph, although they are built to go at speeds of around 25 mph.

"They're not only lightweight but they can do all of the work the little Mitsubishi gas-powered trucks can do," says Jon Barth, manager of custodial and grounds for Oakland University. "They're working very well for us."

Oakland University bought them from North Central Zenn in Ohio for about $14,000 each. Officials expect to save as much as $2,500 on annual gas and maintenance costs. The vehicles will be evaluated over the winter and summer to see if these projections pan out.

These are not the first environmentally friendly vehicles the university has purchased for its Rochester campus. It also uses an assortment of gas-powered pickup trucks and vans built by the Big Three.

Source: Jon Barth, manager of custodial and grounds for Oakland University
Writer: Jon Zemke

OCC renames building after philanthropist Doris Mosher

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The key player establishing the Oakland Community College Foundation is now having the building that houses it named after her.

The college celebrated the foundation's 30th anniversary by naming its building next to the George A. Bee Administrative Center in Bloomfield Hills the Doris Mosher Foundation House.

Doris Mosher served as the foundation's board member and, along with her husband George Mosher, played a crucial part in creating the foundation in the late 1970s as a longtime community activist. The couple also were instrumental in creating the community college in 1964.

She was a member of the foundation's board until her death in 2007. The foundation raises money to provide opportunities for students and enhance the quality of education at the college. Such funding, a common tool used in higher education, supports scholarships, libraries, the fine arts, equipment purchases, and program development.

Source: Oakland Community College
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti City Hall begins installation of solar panels

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The solar panels are going up and onto the backside of Ypsilanti's City Hall.

Excerpt:

The solar panels are starting to go up on the back end of Yspilanti's City Hall.

The grassroots group of solar-power activists making the project happen (with the help of a $36,000 grant and some local fundraising/volunteer efforts) are putting up the framing and getting ready to install 12 solar panels by the end of the month. The goal is to have the whole thing wired and ready to go in the very near future.

"We're hoping by the end of the year, hopefully sooner," says Dave Strenski, volunteer with the Ypsilanti Solar Panel Project.

Read the rest of the story here.

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

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Read the rest of the story here.