Another authority is up and running in Birmingham. This time the City Commission has approved the bylaws and budget for a Corridor Improvement Authority for the city's Triangle District.

The authority would take tax revenue generated by improved land, such as a parking lot developed into a mixed-use building, and let developers use it to make public infrastructure improvements to their projects. Those improvements could include things like new streetscapes or parking structures.

The Triangle District consists of the area bounded by Woodward Avenue, Adams Road and Maple Road (just east of downtown). It is experiencing development pressure, prompting the City Commission to approve the Triangle District plan. The new master plan calls for developing surface parking lots and underutilized lots into dense, urban  structures that will create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly and mixed-use district.

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

A new movie studio set to open in the city of Pontiac could create 3,600 new jobs in the Michigan film industry.
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said the film studio wants to be making movies within 90 days.

Excerpt:

The new venture, called Motown Motion Pictures LLC and currently based in Birmingham, will include a film studio and production company.

The investors plan to spend $70 million for a 600,000-square-foot development, including nine sound stages located inside General Motors' former Centerpoint truck plant at South Boulevard and Opdyke Road in Pontiac.

The state's growth authority expects the studio to create 3,600 direct jobs and another 1,500 indirect jobs by the year 2020 with an average weekly wage of $824.

The authority on Tuesday approved a state tax credit valued at $101 million over 12 years. The project also will receive $12 million in state incentives along with job training assistance through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Read the story here.

The City of Farmington Hills debuted its plan for a green renovation of its City Hall building Feb. 11.  Officials have been saving for years to fund the project.

Excerpt:

City Manager Steve Brock said officials want to break ground on the project later this year.

"We're rolling," said Brock.

Design work on the improvements began in September. Officials say the updates, for which there are no cost estimates, could include green features like solar panels and a recycling system for storm water. Parts of the current 30,000-square-foot City Hall--which dates to the 1950s--will be torn down and others will be remodeled.

The new building could be reopened in 2010 and officials want it to be certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certification is the national standard for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.

Read the article here.

Experts from Lawrence Technological University and the U.S. Green Building Council will discuss "Sustainable Architecture: Building a Greener Michigan" on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the university’s UTLC gallery, located at 21000 W. 10 Mile Road in Southfield.  The event is free and open to the public.

The forum will cover the economic and societal trends driving the shift toward sustainable architecture, the latest in university research, the branding of Michigan as a "green belt" and economic development opportunities.

Matt Roush, editor of the Great Lakes IT Report and technology editor at WWJ Newsradio 950, will moderate the event. 

Speakers include:

Glen S. LeRoy, an urban planner and dean of the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Tech.
Joseph C. Veryser, director of Lawrence Tech's Center for Sustainability and associate dean of its College of Architecture and Design.
Dan Jacobs, director of sustainability for A3C Collaborative Architects in Ann Arbor and chair of the Green Schools Advisory Committee for the United States Green Building Council.
Ryan LaFontaine, general manager, LaFontaine Automotive Group and green building owner.

Find out more about the event here.

Selling a home isn't the easiest task in Metro Detroit these days, but it's a challenge the people at Woodward Place of Birmingham seem to be up to.

The condominium conversion just north of downtown is nearly sold out. There are only 29 of the 79 units left. Of those, five are ready to move in right away. The rest are leased but still available for sale.

Prices on these units are also lower. A few years ago they would have gone as high as $349,000. Today they start at $149,000 for a one-bedroom, $159,000 for a two-bedroom and $179,000 for a three-bedroom.

The units range in size from 1,000 square feet to 1,500 square feet. Each condo comes with hardwood flooring, granite countertops, crown molding, a private balcony, parking spaces and an in-unit washer and dryer. The development also overlooks the Rouge River.

The development, 1115 N. Old Woodward Ave., was originally built as an apartment complex in the 1960s.

For information, call (248) 594-6680.

Source: Katherine Demeter, sales director for Woodward Place of Birmingham
Writer: Jon Zemke

The Woodward Avenue Action Association is looking for a few good winners for its new Woodward Corridor and Woodward Design Awards.

The Woodward-advocate organization is accepting nominations for the awards through Feb. 20. The award include:

• Best New Byway Asset, such as a new attraction, business, venue or event
• Best Planning Vision, which recognizes the best a strategic plan or vision
• Seeds of Change Community Action, which will spotlight people who overcome obstacles to bring change
• Best Small Business, such as a business that is excelling in hard times
• Best Transit Oriented Design for a project along Woodward
• Best New Neighbor for a new building along the corridor
• Best Historic Preservation, which recognizes preserving or restoring a building's historic architecture
• Woodward Treasure, which will recognize a historic building or environment

For information, call (248) 288-2004 or send an email to nicole@woodwardavenue.org.

Source: Woodward Avenue Action Association
Writer: Jon Zemke

Most people know not to ingest toxic chemicals, like cleaning products, but you'd be surprised to learn how many don’t know that you shouldn't pour them down the drain ...and into our waterways and environment.

Greenblendz plans to change that dynamic by investing here in Metro Detroit. The Arizona-based start-up designs manufacturing processes for commercial cleaning agents using new nano-technology that makes them more environmentally friendly. These include cleaning chemicals, personal care and antimicrobial coatings.

Greenblendz is spending $795,000 to buy a vacant chemical manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills. The investment is expected to create 47 new hires at the site.

The Michigan Economic Growth Authority approved $11.3 million in tax incentives to convince Greenblendz to set up shop in Metro Detroit instead of in Ohio or North Carolina.

Source: Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Writer: Jon Zemke

The LaFontaine Automotive Group in Highland was awarded the Oakland Conservation District's first "Green Business of the Year" award for its innovative green dealership building project at 4000 West Highland Road.

Excerpt:

The auto dealership is being recognized for their green innovation and environmentally-friendly building project, which includes geothermal, solar and rainwater recycling.

To read the rest of the story, go here.

Genisys, the Auburn Hills based credit union, is planning to add two branches this spring in Commerce Township and Shelby Township.

Excerpt:

Genisys Credit Union, formerly T&C Federal Credit Union and USA Credit Union, is now serving more than 125,000 members with 23 branches.

To read the rest of the story, go here.

The WaterWheel Centre is a classic example that not all old buildings are blight.

Eyesore is what a lot of local residents saw when they looked at 235 E Main St. after Ford pulled out of it. The Albert Kahn-designed building had fallen a long ways since Henry Ford commissioned it as one his last community industry buildings. This factory, which once made the valves in every Ford for the heart of the 20th Century, stood empty when Richard Cox found it in 1994.

"They actually were thinking of tearing the building down," Cox says. "I rebuild cars and when I saw the building I knew it was a diamond in the rough."

He initially kept it as manufacturing space for his company, giving the surrounding green space to the city for a park.

But the 52,000-square-foot facility was too big for just him. Luckily people were starting to take notice of his offices there, so he started to rent some of that space out. A little more than 10 years later it made the transition from brownfield industrial to edgy downtown offices.

Today six companies and a health club occupy the ground floor and basement area. HSK Architecture is moving in early this year, creating an absolutely beautiful space, according to Cox.

"They could pay more per square foot than I could for manufacturing," Cox says.

Those companies weren't the only ones taking notice. Ford officials brought in people from around the world to show off how nicely it was renovated before buying the sister buildings to it in Australia. All because of how well Cox shinned up the old structure in Northville.

Source: Richard Cox, owner and general manager of the WaterWheel Centre
Writer: Jon Zemke

Strategic Energy Solutions just finished turning its new home in an industrial brownfield green.

The building on 11 Mile in Berkley served as an industrial facility for half a century until Strategic Energy Solutions purchased it last year. The sustainability technology firm renovated it into an environmentally friendly structure that is going for silver LEED certification.

The building's 9,200 square feet of loft-like office space is heated and cooled with a geothermal system. Strategic Energy Solutions added a plethora of windows, including making the entire east side wall transparent. There is so much light that every employee has a view.

"Whether it's day or night, snowing or raining everybody can see outside," says Steve DiBerardine, president of Strategic Energy Solutions.

The 11-year-old company used to call Ferndale home before spending about $1 million reinventing its new Berkley space. It's now big enough that the company can comfortably expand for the next few years as it continues to rake in the green.

Source: Steve DiBerardine, president of Strategic Energy Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ferndale already has a reputation as a city of tree huggers, but now city officials want the inner ring suburb's buildings to embrace the environment around them, too.

The City Council recently debated a new ordinance that recommends all of the structures owned or funded by Ferndale be sustainable. It plans to do that by suggesting that silver certification of LEED standards be incorporated into the city's building stock.

City officials believe this policy will help encourage new construction or redevelopment projects to include sustainable design and building practices in buildings that are environmentally responsible, energy efficient and healthy places to work.

City officials quoted statistics that say that buildings consume approximately 70 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S. while creating 30 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. The hope is that such policies will help curb building-energy consumption and emissions.

Source: City of Ferndale
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakland University's Kresge Library is in line to receive a $10,000 refresher course in student comfort.

The university's Student Congress is paying the first installment to build a café and renovate the lounge area in the library. Most of the money will go toward new furniture, work tables and vending machines in the building on the Rochester Hills campus.

The students and university officials are working to raise another $75,000 to finish funding for the rest of the project. For information on the project, contact Alysa Hunton at hunton@oakland.edu or (248) 364-6106.

Source: Oakland University
Writer: Jon Zemke

At least another 140 people will be enjoying downtown Royal Oak now that Howard & Howard has finished moving into its new headquarters.

The law firm took over the old Pulte building at the edge of the central business district at the end of last year. Howard & Howard used to call Bloomfield Hills home before buying and renovating the structure on Lafayette near Fourth Street.

The 4-story building was built in 1991 on the 400 block of Lafayette. The building's 152,000 square feet gives Howard & Howard plenty of room to grow in its own building. Even though its leasing the third and fourth floors to National City Bank it easily has room for 20 more employees.

Howard & Howard is occupying the first and second floors of the building.

Source: Stacey Parzuchowski, marketing assistant for Howard & Howard
Writer: Jon Zemke

Royal Oak is making a grab at $1 million to help stabilize its neighborhoods in the wake of the mortgage crisis.

Federal and state officials recently let Royal Oak leaders know that the city is eligible for up to $1 million in federal funds meant to help stem the tide of blight caused by foreclosures. City officials are now officially applying for those grants.

The money is meant to help city officials acquire, renovate, raze or sell foreclosed homes. The idea is to help stabilize these properties before their blight causes home values in the neighborhood to slide.

Several other communities in Oakland County are taking advantage of similar funds through both the feds and federal money filtered through the county. Southfield, Hazel Park and Pontiac are receiving the largest chunks of that pie worth millions of dollars.

Source: City of Royal Oak
Writer: Jon Zemke

You know they're serious about a project when they break out the lobbyists. That's the case with the Troy-Birmingham Intermodal Transit Center.

Local leaders have hired Detroit-based Clark Hill to lobby state and federal lawmakers, government agencies and potential non-governmental partners for funding for the train station for the northern extension of the Detroit-Ann Arbor Commuter Rail line.

The project will build a regional transit center that will serve trains, buses, bicycles and pedestrians. It will be located in Birmingham's Rail District, which is on the city's border with Troy. Construction is set to begin in 2010.

A plans to connected a streetcar line to the station that will also connect downtown Birmingham, Birmgingham's Triangle District, the Rail District Sommerset Mall and the planned Troy Pavillions has also been mentioned.

Source: Clark Hill
Writer: Jon Zemke

The second wave of The District Lofts is hardly a tsunami, but it's a welcome addition to the Birmingham's emerging Rail District.

Eighteen of the development's 24 units are not only finished but almost all are leased. J.C. Cataldo, developer of The District Lofts, recently switched the development from "for sale" to "for lease" because of market conditions.

It follows other prominent luxury developments like The Fifth Royal Oak and New Street Lofts in Mt. Clemens. Urbane Apartment's redevelopment rentals in downtowns are going fast, too.

For-sale prices in The District Lofts started at $400,000 before the switch. Today rents start at $2,700 a month for a 1,550-square-foot loft. That includes all of the utilities and an underground parking space. They go as high as $3,400 a month for just under 2,000 square feet. The rest of units are expected to be finished in March.

The development consists of a 4-story, mixed-use building where the homes are located above ground floor retail space and an underground heated parking garage. They are a few blocks east of downtown Birmingham on South Eaton Street.

The old industrial corridor is dotted with old factory buildings that are being converted to lofts and businesses as the city redevelops the neighborhood. A stop for a northern extension of the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line is also planned for the area.

For information, call (248) 593-6000.

Source: J.C. Cataldo, developer of The District Lofts
Writer: Jon Zemke