Berkley Fire Hall feasibility study due later this month
Source: metromode, 11/5/2009
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
U.S. DOT names Woodward an All-American Road
Source: metromode, 10/22/2009
Woodward Avenue has always been known as
Michigan's Main Street, so it should be a no-brainer that it's now an
All-American Road. That's the conclusion the U.S. Dept. of
Transportation came to this week.
Woodward is now one of 37
byways in the U.S. that is designated as an All-American Road, part of
the U.S. Dept of Transportation's National Scenic Byways Program.
Staff at the Woodward Avenue Action Association expect the new
designation to bump up tourism and investment dollars along the
corridor.
"It raises the profile of Woodward Avenue not only in
America but around the world," says Nicole Brown, outreach and
promotions coordinator with the Woodward Avenue Action Association.
What
sets Woodward apart is its heritage as the home to the U.S. automotive
industry. Historic places like the Ford Piquette Plant (where the first
Model Ts were made) in Highland Park show the area's importance in the
story of the United States. New signage describing this history and the
new designation are expected to be erected along Woodward next summer.
"It's always the story the road tells that can't be duplicated anywhere else that sets it apart," Brown says.
Source: Nicole Brown, outreach and promotions coordinator with the Woodward Avenue Action Association
Writer: Jon Zemke
Berkley plans to restore historic Fire Hall
Source: metromode, 8/13/2009
The city of Berkley is taking the first
steps toward renovating its historic Fire Hall now that it has hired
Stephen Auger + Associates Architects to perform a feasibility study.
It
will focus on improvements for the 10,000-square-foot neo-classical
building, such as bringing it up to code, making it more accessible,
and preserving the historic elements. The study will be done by this
fall and the city is expected to make a decision on what, if any, work
it will do by November.
"Right now we're just in the study phase," says Chris Aller, principal of Lake Orion-based Stephen Auger + Associates Architects.
The 2-story Fire Hall
was built in 1928 and originally served as a fire department station.
Its exterior is made up 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 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
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
Ride the Trolley returns to Oakland County downtowns
Source: metromode, 7/16/2009
Getting to and from Oakland County's
vibrant downtowns is getting a little easier this summer. Pleasant
Ridge, Ferndale, Royal Oak, Berkley, and Huntington Woods are using a
trolley-bus program to ferry people between the five downtowns.
The
trolley will run to coincide with important events in the respective
cities so nightlife revelers can travel between each downtown
destination.
"We think it's going to bring more people to
Ferndale," says Bob Bruner, city manager for Ferndale. "For us it was a
no-brainer."
The next trolley-buses will on Friday, July 30 and
Thursday, August 20 between 6 p.m. and midnight. They will stop at
places like Boogie Fever in Ferndale and 24 Seconds Bar and Grill in
Berkley.
Source: Bob Bruner, city manager for Ferndale
Writer: Jon Zemke
Main Street Oakland County brings in AIA Michigan for workshops
Source: metromode, 6/18/2009
Main Street Oakland County is bringing in a big gun to help keep the investment in its downtowns going - the American Institute of Architects Michigan.
The renowned association for architects is helping Oakland County with issues vital to vibrant city centers, such as sustainability, revitalization, and preservation. AIA Michigan members will provide advice about how to best take advantage of tools and opportunities that spur growth and development.
"The idea is to help businesses understand what is going on," says Ron Campbell, principal planner/preservation architect of Oakland County and president of AIA Michigan.
The first workshop will be held Friday, June 19 and will focus on dealing with and taking advantage of today's economic situation. It will also take a macro view of development in downtowns, including how to find the best design and identify financing.
The downtowns present opportunities for all sizes of projects and firms," Campbell says.
The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph Road, in Waterford. Architects, planners, preservationists, Main Street staffers, developers, business and building owners, community officials, and downtown stakeholders and activists are invited. For information, click here.
Source: Ron Campbell, principal planner/preservation architect of Oakland County and president of AIA Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County to hold workshop on zoning flexibility
Source: metromode, 6/4/2009
Oakland County officials want local
governments to become more flexible in their zoning rules and master
plans, and now they're ready to teach them how to do it.
The
county wants municipalities to be ready to welcome and facilitate
growth from new economy firms; hence, it will hold a Technology
Planning Toolkit workshop on Monday, June 8.
"We hope they can
use this as a basis when they update their own planning documents,"
says Bret Rasegan, planning supervisor for Oakland County.
It introduced this program
as a way of making local governments friendlier to knowledge-based
firms. By streamlining the old bureaucracy, the hope is to make these
cities more attractive for new economy start-ups and their new jobs.
For instance, buildings zoned for one purpose can be diversified to
include a number of uses.
"It's very important, especially with how quickly the market is changing," Rasegan says.
The
free workshop will be held at the Oakland County Executive Office
Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph
in Waterford. For information, call (248) 452-2166 or send an email to browningj@oakgov.com.
Source: Brett Rasegan, planning supervisor for Oakland County
Writer: Jon Zemke