Grand Building rises in downtown Farmington
Source: metromode, 11/12/2009
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
Farmington Hills Parks win environmental award
Source: metromode, 11/12/2009
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
Farmington puts final touches on downtown streetscape
Source: metromode, 10/22/2009
They're getting ready to stretch the ribbon in Farmington so it can be cut on the downtown streetscape project next weekend.
The
city recently finished paving and striping the $3.2 million project.
Construction workers are putting the final brick pavers, lamp posts,
and signage in place this week.
"They're wrapping up the final details," says Annette Knowles, executive director of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority.
The
project rebuilt Grand River Avenue between Farmington Road and Warner
Street, making the byway friendlier to pedestrians, bicyclists, and
motorists. It also expanded the sidewalk area, adding bump-outs around
parallel parking spaces and installing new sidewalks, crosswalks,
benches, bike racks, trash cans, and decorative streetlights.
City
officials are now applying for grant funding to complete the original
scope of the project, which called for doing the same sort of work on
Grove Street between Grand River and Orchard Street and adding a
boulevard.
"We're very hopeful that will happen," Knowles says.
Source: Annette Knowles, executive director of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Downtown Farmington streetscape nears completion
Source: metromode, 9/3/2009
One side of the tracks, errr…, road is finished in the downtown Farmington streetscape project, and the other isn't far behind.
Work
crews have finished the north side of the road, and are about to finish
off the water-and-sewer section of the south side soon. The whole
project is expected to wrap up by October, with an Oct. 24 ribbon
cutting scheduled.
"I expect over the next couple of weeks we'll
see the real visible parts come in," says Annette Knowles, executive
director of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority.
The
visible parts include the curbs, brick pavers, planters, and trees.
Most of that is already installed on the north side of the street.
The
multi-million dollar project is rebuilding Grand River Avenue between
Farmington Road and Warner Street, making the byway friendlier to
pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. It will expand the sidewalk
area, add bump-outs around parallel parking spaces, and install new
sidewalks, crosswalks, benches, bike racks, trash cans, and decorative
streetlights.
The original plan
called for doing the same sort of work on Grove Street between Grand
River and Orchard Street. That has now been put on hold for at least a
year until the city finds financing.
Source: Annette Knowles, executive director of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County workshop focuses on green downtowns
Source: metromode, 8/13/2009
The last of three workshops aimed at the revitalization of downtowns in Oakland County is set to go down on Friday, August 14.
The
"Lead Your Downtown from Brown to Green" workshop will focus on
tackling sustainability issues, such as historic preservation and
eco-friendly development.
"As the title says, we're trying to
take downtowns from brown to green by letting them (local stakeholders)
know what they can do in this economy," says Bob Donahue, executive
director of Main Street Oakland County.
A
number of topics, including how to make best use of brownfield sites,
effective historic preservation, and how to incorporate green-building
practices, such as LEED standards, will be covered. Other subjects will
include tapping into farmers markets, the cost-effectiveness of LED
lights, and how best to employ urban forestry.
Main Street
Oakland County is encouraging local architects, planners,
preservationists, developers, city officials, and community activists
to attend. The cost is $75 per person. The workshop will be held
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the Oakland County Executive Office
Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph,
in Waterford.
Source: Bob Donahue, executive director of Main Street Oakland County
Writer: Jon Zemke
Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office to expand
Source: metromode, 8/6/2009
The Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office is picking up steam this summer, with plans to become supercharged by this fall.
So far six communities have joined the program run by the Michigan Suburbs Alliance,
including Ferndale, Lincoln Park, Roseville, Grosse Pointe Woods,
Madison Heights, and Farmington Hills. Another two or three dozen
municipalities have it on their agendas for late this summer or early
fall.
"We expect that by the end of the month we'll have 15-20,"
says Brittany Galisdorfer, program director for the Southeast Michigan
Regional Energy Office.
There are no upfront costs for smaller
communities. The program will help participating municipalities fill
out grant applications and go after projects that will make them more
sustainable.
One of the early favorites is switching street
lights from normal incandescent bulbs to LEDs. It's a tactic Ann Arbor
and Pontiac have successfully deployed to capture significant
electricity and maintenance savings. Farmington Hills wants to buy a
foreclosed home and turn it into an eco-friendly showcase for local
residents.
Source: Brittany Galisdorfer, program director for the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County pushes for land bank to deal with foreclosures
Source: metromode, 7/30/2009
Oakland County is beginning to publish
its stock of foreclosed buildings electronically to prepare them for
auction. However, at least one Oakland County official would like to
see this process changed -- with a land bank.
Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner
sees a number of things wrong with the auction process. It's why he is
pushing for Oakland County to form a land bank, as many other Michigan
communities have done, to handle its problem properties.
"There are some perils with the auction approach," Meisner says.
For
instance, speculators are scooping up large batches of these homes and,
at best, turning them into rentals. More than people like to admit end
up falling further into blight and becoming eyesores, weakening what
were once otherwise strong neighborhoods. Meisner says this sort of
speculation is the junk food of the real estate market, supplying
short-term profits at the expense of long-term investment.
"We're rolling up our sleeves and trying to get families in those houses," Meisner says.
He
adds that a land bank gives local officials the power to package
parcels and sell them to a developer or even ensure that individual
buildings end up in the hands of local residents. Right now he is
trying to build up awareness about the idea, and hopes to begin a
legislative push for one later this year.
Source: Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner
Writer: Jon Zemke
Farmington's McNut Building gets a new face
Source: metromode, 7/23/2009
Work on the McNut Building is wrapping up
in downtown Farmington. What once was a dreary single-story structure
is now a spic-and-span, 2-floor building, thanks to a new façadectomy.
"There are a couple of details that need to be tweaked, but it's ready to be photographed," says Steven Schneemann, owner of S3 Architecture, which designed the new façade.
The
century-old structure next to the Civic Theatre served as the home of
Books Abound near the intersection of Grand River Avenue and Farmington
Road before going vacant a few years ago. An ugly mid-20th Century
façade covered it for most of that time.
A new face returns it to its original brick look, with a second story false front to boot. The nearby Exchange Building underwent a similar transformation last year.
The 1,600-square-foot structure is being renovated to accommodate an office tenant. The space is still available.
Source: Steven Schneemann, owner of S3 Architecture
Writer: Jon Zemke