Oakland County to rehab, preserve foreclosed homes with $26 million
Source: metromode, 11/24/2008
Details are starting to trickle in about how Oakland County plans to put its $26 million in foreclosure funds to work.
The County recently received that money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's new Neighborhood Stabilization Program to deal with bad mortgages. It then released a plan on how to put those funds to use, which can be found here.
The
largest slices are heading to Pontiac ($3.5 million), Southfield ($3.2
million) and Waterford (a little more than $2 million). Oakland County
will now spread around nearly $10 million to Hazel Park, Oak Park,
Madison Heights, Royal Oak Township, Ferndale, Keego Harbor, Rose
Township, Ortonville, Holly Township, Lathrup and Lake Orion.
The
biggest slices of that $17.4 million pie will go to Oak Park and Hazel
Park ($1.6 million each) while the smallest ($400,000) will go toward
Lake Orion and Lathrup.
The rest will be focused on getting
people into foreclosed homes throughout the rest of Oakland County.
That includes help with securing down payments, lining up financing and
helping the new occupants rehab the homes.
"The county is
reserving some of it to help anyone who wants to purchase a foreclosed
home in any of our communities," says Karry Rieth, manager of the
community and home improvement division of Oakland County.
That
idea is to help local communities acquire and redevelop foreclosed
properties in danger of becoming (or remaining) blight. Some of the
money can be used to raze structures redevelop vacant properties.
Oakland
County Community & Home Improvement division will release
guidelines and application procedures in the near future. For
information, click here or call (248) 858-0493.
Source: Karry Rieth, manager of the community and home improvement division of Oakland County
Writer: Jon Zemke
Downtown Belleville set for some big developments
Source: metromode, 11/20/2008
Suburban Belleville's got big plans for some big buildings (at least by Belleville standards) in its downtown.
"We hope it will all come together to help bring people back to downtown," says Carol Thompson, director of the Belleville Downtown Development Authority. "We'd like to see our downtown become vibrant again."
The
plans call for building two mixed-use structures on Main Street and a
large Kroger about one block from the main drag. Although they're only
drawings on paper now, construction is set to move forward in 2012.
The
first building is planned for the corner of Roys and Main streets. The
Chase Bank building there will be replaced with a 3-story structure.
The ground floor's 11,000 square feet will be used for retail,
including space for a new Chase Bank. The second and third floors will
be used as residential space.
"Chase Bank is looking for a smaller footprint," Thompson says.
Another
3-story building will be built on Main between Third and Fourth
streets. The 20,000 square feet on the ground floor will be used for
retail space while the second and third floors are set aside for
residential space. It will replace a vacant lot and a couple of old,
mid-20th Century buildings.
The Kroger is set to be built at the
intersection of Charles and Third streets. The 73,000-square-foot
structure will be used only as a grocery store.
Source: Carol Thompson, director of the Belleville Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Historic Loft Building set to open in downtown Royal Oak
Source: metromode, 11/20/2008
Work on the Historic Loft Building in downtown Royal Oak is in its "final stages," according to Mason Capitani, leasing agent for the building.
That means get ready for another viable, occupied and historically restored structure on the south side of downtown much sooner rather than later. Two of the tenants are moving into the building at corner of Harrison and Main streets.
Those two businesses, a medical group and a pharmacy, will occupy most of the ground floor space. The remaining 1,500 square feet on the ground floor is still available.
The second and third floors of the 3-story building are being turned into Class A office space. Each floor has 8,600 square feet of space. The space is being built as loft-style office space with exposed brick and utility lines.
The structure was originally built as a Ford car dealership nearly 100 years ago. It has housed a few other businesses, including a furniture store most recently.
Source: Mason Capitani, leasing agent for the Historic Loft Building
Writer: Jon Zemke
Locals work to preserve Mellus Newspapers Building in Lincoln Park
Source: metromode, 11/20/2008
Not
too long ago, one of the coolest newspaper names graced the top of 1661
Fort St. – The Lincoln Parker. Today, the name no longer stands
sentinel and the building sits vacant in downtown Lincoln Park.
However,
a group of local preservationists are trying to bring some of the glory
days back to what is commonly referred to as the Mellus Newspapers
Building.
"There's actually a lot of really good uses for it," says Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance.
She
can see the building serving as home to new small business, such as
deli or bagel shop. One of the more intriguing ideas is using it as an
incubator for small businesses, such as a bead shop or computer repair
firm.
"For some of those little businesses starting out, all they need is a small 10 by 10 foot space," Lynch-Wilson says.
The 1940s building is on the National Register of Historic Places
and is an intrinsic part of the downriver suburb's history. Not only
did it serve as the home of Lincoln Park's local newspaper, the owner
of that paper William Mellus (whom the building is named after) was a
good friend with automotive entrepreneur Preston Tucker.
Local
preservationists think saving it and the adjacent Pollak (named after
Pollak Jewelers) building are an important step toward preserving
downtown Lincoln Park's heritage. The Mellus Newspapers Building still
has its original porcelain enameled Moderne commercial building exterior while the Pollak Building retains its terrazzo entrance sidewalk.
Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke
Anton Art Center brings art to downtown Mt. Clemens with grants
Source: metromode, 11/20/2008
Art is widely regarded as a key component
to making a downtown district, and an overall community, vibrant. It's
a theory Mt. Clemens is adhering to as its Anton Art Center starts accepting applications for mini grants to assist local arts projects.
The
mini grants will pay for student art, art exhibits, film, readings,
performances, art workshops and restoring public art. The Anton Art
Center is teaming up with the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs to offer the grants.
"It really helps us support the arts and culture center of the county," says Arthur Mullen, executive director of the Mt. Clemens Downtown Development Authority.
Although the deadline for the grant applications is set for Feb. 1,
a grant writing workshop will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Anton Art
center, 125 Macomb Place.
For information, Kanani Taylor at kananitaylor@theartcenter.org or (586) 469-8666.
Source: Anton Art Center and Arthur Mullen, executive director of the Mt. Clemens Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Lincoln Park residents work to establish historic district downtown
Source: metromode, 11/20/2008
Lincoln Park residents are seeing dollar signs in historic preservation.
The
Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance is working to establish a downtown
historic district as a way to make the city's core more vibrant and
economically viable. That section encompasses northwest side of Fort Street between Southfield Road and Euclid Street and includes the Park Theatre and a neoclassical bank building, formerly National City Bank.
The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office determined earlier this month that it's eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
The proposed North Fort Street Historic District is historically
significant because of its association with the development of Lincoln
Park's commercial life in the 20th century. It's rich with a number of
architectural styles exhibited between the 1920s to the 1950s.
Preserving this is a key part of reviving downtown Lincoln Park say some local residents.
"As
far as economics go there are certain incentives that would be
available for property owners," says Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of
the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance.
Those
incentives include state and federal tax credits for renovating
historic buildings. Those credits can take as much as 20 percent of the
rehab costs off the project. It would also allow the city's Downtown Development Authority to create a façade-improvement program, which would be similar to ones used in Metro Detroit's most successful downtowns.
The
Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance is preparing a nomination for the
proposed district to the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office in
Lansing. For information on the effort, contact Lynch-Wilson at
lalynch@wideopenwest.com or at (313) 598-3137.
Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke
Belleville DDA plans to install LED lights downtown
Source: metromode, 11/20/2008
Local officials in Belleville are working on a way to make the lights in the city's downtown shine brighter, longer and cheaper.
The Belleville Downtown Development Authority is planning to install LED lights in its streetlights in the next few years.
"It’s
in the DDA plan but we're still a few years away," says Carol Thompson,
director of the Belleville Downtown Development Authority.
The lights are expected to significantly cut the downtown's electricity expenses because LEDs
are more energy-efficient and longer-lasting. LEDs typically cut
electric bills in half because they use less energy,
predominantly producing light that is visible to the human eye. Normal
incandescent lights produce large amounts of ambient light that isn't.
The
technology is already widely used in traffic lights, TVs and brake
lights for cars; as well as those expensive flashlights at REI.
Ann Arbor is already in the process of installing them in its downtown
streetlights. Those lights are expected to pay for themselves through
energy savings within 4.2 years.
Ann Arbor is also looking at installing LEDs in all of its streetlights within the next few years. Pontiac
recently installed LEDs into some of its streetlights. Other cities
like Ferndale, Wyandotte and Ypsilanti are seriously considering
similar options.
Source: Carol Thompson, director of the Belleville Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Eastern Michigan breaks ground on Mark Jefferson Building
Source: Concentrate, 11/20/2008
The ground is breaking for Eastern Michigan University's biggest construction project ever.
Excerpt:
Before the scientists can do their work the construction crews need to
get on their job, which is happening now at Eastern Michigan
University's Mark Jefferson Science Complex.
The university broke ground on Tuesday and expects to finish the $90
million renovation and expansion project in 2011. This is the largest
single construction project in the history of the EMU. It is expected
to meet the university's needs for minting more teachers in science,
technology, engineering and math for decades to come.
Read the rest of the story here.
New building construction nearly done at Ann Arbor Airport
Source: Concentrate, 11/20/2008
Ann Arbor is building its own little Aerotropolis at the city's small airport, attending to long overdue upgrades and an expansion of facilities.
Excerpt:
It's not exactly Aerotropolis development, but the Ann Arbor Airport is indeed expanding.
The small airport on the city's south side is preparing to open a few new buildings in the next few months as part of a $2.5 million improvement project. First up will be the six hangars set to open in January. A new maintenance shed will also open its doors early this spring.
Read the rest of the story here.
Downtown Detroit lands arts center, seafood restaurant
Source: Model D, 11/19/2008
The Paradise Valley district of downtown Detroit has two new
destinations: the multi-disciplinary Virgil Carr Arts Center and Fish
Market @ Paradise Valley, a seafood restaurant.
Excerpts:
The Arts League of Michigan
will be
developing the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center in the Harmonie Club
building at 311 E. Grand River Ave. Set to open in January 2009, plans
call for two floors of the building, approximately 14,500 square feet,
to be used for exhibition and studio space.
Frank Taylor, who owns or operates
several other Detroit restaurants, including South Beach Pizza Bar,
Seldom Blues and the Detroit Breakfast House and Grill, will be opening
the Detroit
Fish Market @ Paradise Valley in the space formerly occupied by
Intermezzo. Taylor seeks to fill a niche left by the closure of Chuck
Muer's, with an emphasis on fresh seafood in an upscale, casual
environment.
Read the entire article here.
After a long wait, Ferndale's Loving Touch is set to open next week
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
Chris Johnston thinks patrons will be most impressed with the little details in his latest venture in downtown Ferndale – The Loving Touch.
Details like the live greenery, the back atrium and wood from local trees in the pool hall next door to the Woodward Avenue Brewers on Woodward Avenue. The space is set to open on Tuesday.
"It's been a long time coming but I think people will be impressed with what we have been working on for the last 1.5-2 years," says Chris Johnston, one of the co-owners of the highly anticipated billard joint
Its tongue-in-cheek name (after an old massage parlor) and suggestive sign (neon mud flap girl) have attracted the most attention. However, Johnston thinks patrons will remember the place for its atmosphere, such as its painstakingly finished wood.
"It's not rough around the edges but it’s not polished either," Johnston says. "It's subtle."
The pool hall replaces the old Paperbacks Unlimited storefront next to the WAB facing Woodward. The 5,000-square-foot space will have eight or nine pool tables and an atrium in the back. Two walls will be alive with plants.
Johnston also owns a piece of The Emory and the WAB with the same partners invested in The Loving Touch. And they are pushing the envelope with local officials.
First the name is taken from an infamous massage parlor in downtown that closed in the early 1990s.
Second is the proposed pool sign. The Loving Touch owners want to create a neon version of the mud flap girl that will seductively "kick" a pool ball, lighting up the name of the business. Johnston and his partners see this a potentially iconic piece of art that goes well with the Woodward Dream Cruise. As cool and tongue-in-cheek retro as it is, the idea has received a cool reception from a few city officials.
Source: Chris Johnston, co-owner of Woodward Avenue Brewers and The Loving Touch
Writer: Jon Zemke
Preservationists work to restore Park Theatre in Lincoln Park
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
A
common theory about revitalizing downtowns is that they need a major
draw to bring people back. Historic structures, density and unique
businesses are all key aspects of a vibrant core but without a concert
hall or marque business it's hard to engage visitors.
Leslie
Lynch-Wilson thinks the same thing for downtown Lincoln Park. The local
resident sees preserving and refurbishing the Park Theatre as key to
rebuilding the suburban downtown in Downriver.
She points out
how Birmingham, Royal Oak, Farmington and Ann Arbor have preserved
their historic downtown theaters and turned them into destination
venues. Sometimes they still show movies and sometimes they turn into
venues for live performances.
"This could be a showcase for Lincoln Park," Lynch-Wilson says.
She and a group of local residents are part of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance to
help accomplish this. The theater, long a palace for pornography before
recently closing, is in danger of being razed so it can be replaced by
a mixed-use development from Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency.
Lynch-Wilson
doesn't have a problem with the development, just its placement. She is
also worried the downtown will struggle and storefronts remain empty
without a building that serves as a destination.
"We need some
sort of draw there," Lynch-Wilson says. "To build this sort of
mixed-use building you need some sort of draw to attract people."
Creating that might not be the easiest task. Louis Piszker, CEO of
Wayne Metro, points out that the building only resembles a theater on
the outside. The interior has had the stage removed, a concrete slab
poured in where the seats should be, is now sub-divided into peep-show
rooms, the cieling dropped and the balcony enclose. Simple said, and
Piszker says it, "it's not a theater anymore."
"I don't think economically you can restore it and make it an economically viable project," Piszker says.
The Lincoln Park resident would like to see the theater come back, but
he doesn't see it. Instead he thinks replacing it with a new mixed-use
building will work. he sees a loft-style building, similar to the ones
recently constructed in Dearborn's West downtown, would attract more
attention to downtown and spurr economic redevelopment.
Although the project isn't a done deal, Piszker hopes to break ground in the fall of 2009.
What
is certain is the Park Theatre, 1583 Fort St., is one of the most
historic and notable building downtown, for both the right and wrong
reasons. Many Downriver residents have fond memories of seeing movies
there and it has an iconic exterior that can often define a downtown.
It also conjures up recent memories of sex and smutt.
The Park
Theatre dates to 1925 and was originally designed by theater architect
C. Howard Crane who also designed the Fox Theater in downtown Detroit.
It underwent a renovation in 1936 where it received the Streamline
Moderne design it sports today.
The 600-seat venue served as a
movie theater until the 1970s. It briefly became a concert venue where
greats like Bob Seger and MC5 played. Seger even mentioned the Park
Theatre in a song.
Unfortunately, it became a place for
pornography in the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s. Everything from peep
shows to lingerie was sold there until it recently went belly up. The
owners recently donated the building to Wayne Metro for redevelopment.
Lynch-Wilson
and her fellow activists want the theater preserved as an entertainment
venue that will help bring more foot traffic to downtown and preserve
the historic character of the city. Piszker thinks his development is
more likely to accomplish that.
The historic theater is now at a
critical crossroads. The Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance is asking
people who would like to see the theater preserved write letters to the
Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency. The letters will be sent to
the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office in Lansing.
Letters of support can be sent to info@waynemetro.org or to:
Louis Piszker
Chief Executive Officer
Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency
2121 Biddle Avenue, Suite 102
Wyandotte, MI 48192
For
information on the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance, contact
Lynch-Wilson at (313) 598-3137 or email lalynch@wideopenwest.com.
Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance and Louis Piszker, CEO of Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency
Writer: Jon Zemke
Volunteers hack away at Sterling Heights mountain bike trail
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
Aaron Burgess has been breaking the
law... by riding his mountain bike in Sterling Heights. What makes it
ironic is that Burgess is a sergeant with the Sterling Heights Police
Department and he was riding on a trail he is now improving and making
legitimate.
Burgess is heading up a group of local volunteers
that are improving a mountain bike trail that starts in Sterling
Heights and stretches nine miles through northern Macomb County.
"I
have been riding what is an illegal trail for the last 13 years,"
Burgess says. "I have wanted to do the project for last 10 years."
During
most of that time, the path was little more than a deer trail that
locals used to get their mountain bike fix. During that time,
vegetation had been destroyed by riders using it and erosion spread
as people strayed beyond the informal path's boundaries.
Burgess
and his fellow volunteers are creating a permanent trail to help stop
the erosion and close off rogue paths. The idea is to create a greenway
that will help enhance the recreation options in Sterling Heights. They
are bringing in the Michigan Mountain Bike Association to help make the whole thing legit.
"This
will be the first sanctioned mountain bike trail in Macomb County,"
Burgess says. "I want it to be the nicest mountain bike trail in
Michigan."
The first leg will be 2.5 miles between Jaycee Park
(near Henry Ford II High School) and Dodge Park. More than 60 people
showed up to help improve the trail earlier this month.
Burgess
hopes to finish that first section this fall. Next spring they plan to
start tacking a 6.5 mile section between Dodge Park and the Edison
corridor. The plan is to have it done within two years.
"We're just starting with baby steps," Burgess says.
For information on the trail and the efforts to improve it, send an email to Burgess at aburgess@sterling-heights.net.
Source: Aaron Burgess, sergeant with the Sterling Heights Police Department
Writer: Jon Zemke
Dearborn holds open house for commuter rail station next week
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
You know something is getting close to reality when public information meetings are scheduled. Such is the case for the proposed Detroit-Ann Arbor Commuter Rail Line.
Dearborn is holding an open house about its proposed station for the line on Tuesday evening. City officials expect the intermodal station to help spur investment around it and make the city a destination for tourists, shoppers and workers.
The station is proposed to go in at Michigan Avenue and Elm Street. It will be set up like a park-and-ride, yet is designed as pedestrian friendly to those visiting the adjacent Henry Ford museums, nearby west downtown and the Rouge Parkway. Buses and taxis will be available to take passengers to the nearby Fairlane Towne Center and the campuses of the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College.
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) is heading up the commuter rail project and is working out details with a number of train companies that control the tracks between Ann Arbor and Detroit. A video of the proposed line, set to come on line in 2010, is available here.
The meeting will be held between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Avenue. A 45-minute presentation will begin at 5 p.m.
Source: Randy Coble, spokesman for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke
Fondue Room brings sushi to downtown Mt. Clemens
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
Sushi has come to the east side. The Fondue Room recently opened in downtown Mt. Clemens
It's the latest offering from sushi Chef Michael Chee. He previously worked at a sushi restaurant in downtown Royal Oak and has six years experience as a sushi chef. This is the first sushi restaurant in Mt. Clemens.
Chee is making the dining experience at The Fondue Room a more interactive one, allowing the sushi chefs to interact directly with customers. That is accomplished by preparing the dishes personally at each table.
The Fondue Room is located at 82 Macomb Place and can be reached at (586) 463-8568.
Source: Arthur Mullen, director of the Mt. Clemens Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke
Study calls for Michigan to double transit spending
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
The Michigan Department of Transportation wants more money. Yeah, more money!
Well, the MDOT isn’t asking for it so much as Michigan's Transportation Funding Task Force thinks it should get it. The task force just released a report that says Michigan needs to double its investment in transportation.
Doing that is critical to maintaining the state's highways, roads, bridges, mass transit transportation, freight transportation and aviation systems. It’s also key to preventing the loss of up to $1 billion in federal funds annually, according to the report.
Doubling the transportation investment will also stimulate more investment, attract businesses and create more jobs. Oh yeah, it will also making getting from Point A to Point B easier for Michiganders.
Source: Michigan Department of Transportation
Writer: Jon Zemke
Oakland County to build green airport terminal
Source: metromode, 11/13/2008
A green terminal is coming to the Oakland County International Airport.
The new terminal will incorporate a number of top-shelf sustainable options, such as wind power generating technology, geothermal and landscaping that uses rain water irrigation. It will also be built with a number of recycled materials.
The "green" terminal replaces a building that has been around for nearly 50 years. Materials from the demolished building will be recycled where possible.
The new terminal will be smaller than the current building (13,500 square feet versus 17,000 square feet) but the space will be used more efficiently. It will include airport offices, a U.S. Customs Service office and have a private meeting room for up to 80 people.
The $5.5 million project is set to begin next spring. Construction should be wrapped up by the summer of 2010. It's being paid for by Oakland County's Airport Fund, which consists of money from fees from airport users.
Southfield-based Neumann Smith Architecture is designing the building. The firm is aiming for LEED certification with its designs.
Oakland International is the 16th busiest airport in the U.S. and the second busiest in Michigan behind Detroit Metropolitan Airport. More than 500,000 people pass through Oakland International annually and more than 800 private and corporate aircraft are based there.
Source: Oakland County
Writer: Jon Zemke
Eastern Michigan almost done with Pease Auditorium restoration
Source: Concentrate, 11/13/2008
Eastern Michigan University is finishing off work on one of the university's landmark structures.
Excerpt:
The most visible signs that work is wrapping up on the renovation of Eastern Michigan University's Pease Auditorium can be on seen on the building's exterior.
Workers are putting the finishing touches on the landscaping around the
building, including the creation of a small park at the corner of
College Place and West Cross Street. The improved surrounding green
space is meant to complement the $2.2 million restoration of the 94
year-old building.
"This is pretty much the icing on the cake," says Ward Mullens, a spokesman for Eastern Michigan University.
Read the rest of the story here.
Phase 1 of The Courtyards complete at U-M's North Campus
Source: Concentrate, 11/13/2008
Residents are moving into The Courtyards development now that the first phase is finished near the University of Michigan.
Excerpt:
Education Realty Trust is moving along with its dorm project on the University of Michigan's North Campus – The Courtyards. The firm just finished building the first phase of the 319-unit development this fall and expects to complete the entire project next summer.
Students have moved into the first 103 apartments in the first phase. Another 216 apartments will come on line when the rest of the project is done.
Read the rest of the story here.
Detroit develops $47.1M foreclosure stabilization plan
Source: Model D, 11/13/2008
Armed with a $47.1 million grant from the US department of Housing and Urban Development, the city of Detroit is developing a neighborhood stabilization plan to deal with the effects of the foreclosure crisis.