Detroit Development News

[hudkina]

You didn't say, "Google did not have a significant presence in metro D." You said, "the so-called Google outpost planned for SE Michigan back during 2007..."

Google did build a "so-called" outpost in Southeast Michigan. In fact, they built two, and one just happens to be the "so-called" headquarters of one of the most important money-generating divisions of Google.

[Lmichigan]

Anyway, a busy day in local transit. Private entity M-1 announeces it has come up with the operating costs (a major sticking point that had killed DDOT Woodwar LRT) for M-1 Rail up Woodward on the same day the new budget is released calling for the privatization of DDOT, and a week before the legislature holds a potential vote on the creation of a regional transit authority for Southeast Michigan:

Woodward light rail line group says it will pay for first 10 years of operations

By Matt Helms | The Detroit Free Press

April 23, 2012

The private-sector group that wants to build a 3-mile light rail line on Woodward Avenue from downtown Detroit to the New Center said today it has raised all of the money it will need to build the line – and is pledging to fund the operations of the system privately for the first 10 years after it’s built.

The M-1 Rail Group outlined the details in a report it has sent to the federal government. The group of private investors and philanthropic groups behind the effort said they would commit to paying the estimated $5.1 million annual cost of operating the Woodward rail line through 2025.

That’s a significant step for the project. How to pay for operating the system has been a key point of contention in a city that’s now under a consent deal with the state to oversee its finances and plans to slash millions from its annual appropriations for the city’s bus system.

The group would then donate the project’s assets to the appropriate agency, such as a regional transit authority that Gov. Rick Snyder and the Legislature are working to create for southeast Michigan to oversee a big new network of rapid-transit buses on Woodward, Michigan Avenue, Gratiot and Hall Roads connecting Detroit to key suburbs, Metro Airport and Ann Arbor.

...

In art news, an interesting nighttime arts festival is planned for Midtown:

Dlectricity, a nighttime outdoor arts festival, planned for Midtown Detroit

By Mark Stryker | The Detroit Free Press

April 23, 2012

And the art gods said let there be light.

A new nighttime outdoor contemporary arts festival is planned for Midtown Detroit that promises to light up the Woodward corridor next fall with site-specific installations of light, sound, performance and video projections. Details are sketchy, but the festival, to be called "Dlectricity," will be held in Midtown on Oct. 5-6, with an international cast of artists, designers and architects transforming buildings and spaces into grand spectacles of light and sound.

"It's an event where we're going to do light installations around Midtown with artists from around the world -- Europe, New York and metro Detroit," said Marsha Miro, board president of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and director of the Dlectricity Curatorial Committee

...

[SWDetroit]

Originally Posted by hudkina

You didn't say, "Google did not have a significant presence in metro D." You said, "the so-called Google outpost planned for SE Michigan back during 2007..."

Google did build a "so-called" outpost in Southeast Michigan. In fact, they built two, and one just happens to be the "so-called" headquarters of one of the most important money-generating divisions of Google.

And yet a more careful reading of my post 1097 shows...
"BTW, Google does not list having any (significant) office(s) anywhere in metro Detroit."

I see that whenever the situation becomes dire at DDOT or SMART, Matt Helms, a pipe dreamer at the Free Press, emits yet another of his expected LRT puff pieces of propaganda. His headline would mislead a reader into thinking that the M-1 Group would be picking up the full tab of any shortages of the operating expenses of the streetcar boondoggle. However, M-1 Group would only pay for only a fraction of the annual operating expenses--and for a limited time span.

In addition, a careful reading of both the Freep and the DetNews shows that the M-1 Group's plan is pretty much made up on the fly--perhaps, mostly lies in general. In any event, the proposed streetcars would simply assist Detroit to lose money even faster.

Let's not kid ourselves, the Woodward streetcar system will be yet another DPM, which itself has a dismal cashbox payback percentage of only 8 or 9%--and which is currently operating with the assistance of draining a reserve fund from the city of Detroit before the city goes into an eventual EFM phase before entering inevitable Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

[Lmichigan]

What in the world is wrong with you?

[hudkina]

Well, I'm glad we have your opinion, SWDetroit. Thanks...

[Lmichigan]

Daniel Mears | The Detroit News

Path clear for building revival at Capitol Park

By Louis Aguilar | The Detroit News

April 26, 2012

Detroit's Downtown Development Authority Wednesday cleared the way for Lansing's Karp and Associates to renovate three publicly owned, empty buildings in the city's Capitol Park area.

The authority's board approved Karp and Associates as part of an estimated $83.9 million deal to rehabilitate The Farwell Building at 1249 Griswold, the former United Way Building at 1212 Griswold and the Capitol Park Building at 1145 Griswold.

The board approved development agreements for the United Way and Capitol Park buildings that the authority owns.

The deal still awaits approval from the board of the state land bank of a development agreement for the Farwell Building.

"This is another home run for downtown," Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said in a statement.

The plan calls for a total of 204 loft-style apartments and 45,000 square feet of retail and office space.

...

Karp also purchased a parking deck on the north end of the park.

Karp said he is in talks to buy "other buildings" nearby, but they are far from done deals.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1tCjdUs00




...

Karp does good work.

[Lmichigan]

Daniel Mears | The Detroit News

Path clear for building revival at Capitol Park

By Louis Aguilar | The Detroit News

April 26, 2012

Detroit's Downtown Development Authority Wednesday cleared the way for Lansing's Karp and Associates to renovate three publicly owned, empty buildings in the city's Capitol Park area.

The authority's board approved Karp and Associates as part of an estimated $83.9 million deal to rehabilitate The Farwell Building at 1249 Griswold, the former United Way Building at 1212 Griswold and the Capitol Park Building at 1145 Griswold.

The board approved development agreements for the United Way and Capitol Park buildings that the authority owns.

The deal still awaits approval from the board of the state land bank of a development agreement for the Farwell Building.

"This is another home run for downtown," Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said in a statement.

The plan calls for a total of 204 loft-style apartments and 45,000 square feet of retail and office space.

...

Karp also purchased a parking deck on the north end of the park.

Karp said he is in talks to buy "other buildings" nearby, but they are far from done deals.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1tCjdUs00




...

Karp does good work.

[SWDetroit]

You can say that again.

Oh, you did...

[Lmichigan]

More M-1 news:

Sergio Marchionne commits $3M to Woodward light rail

By Tom Walsh | Detroit Free Press

April 30, 2012

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne today pledged to support the privately-backed Woodward Avenue light-rail project, committing $3 million over five years for Chrysler to sponsor one of the stations on the 3.3-mile route from downtown Detroit to New Center.

Marchionne made the pledge in a private meeting with Quicken Loans chairman and M-1 Rail backer Dan Gilbert, following a morning event marking Chrysler’s deal to lease two floors of space and move 70 people into the former Dime Building downtown, now renamed Chrysler House.

Gilbert told the Free Press that he, in turn, promised to take an active leadership role with United Way for Southeastern Michigan, where Marchionne is the 2012 fund-raising chair. Gilbert is joining Marchionne’s fund-raising cabinet, which had its first meeting last Friday.

With Chrysler’s commitment to light rail, the number of corporate and nonprofit groups pledging to sponsor stations has grown to 15. Others include Quicken Loans, Compuware, Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Health System. the Ilitch companies, Compuware, Penske Corp., Wayne State University, Chevrolet, the Downtown Development Association, and the Kresge, Hudson-Webber, Ford and Kellogg foundations.

...

Related story:

William Archie | Detroit Free Press

Quicken Loans helps welcome Chrysler to historic new digs today

By John Gallagher | Detroit Free Press

April 30, 2012

With the Selected of God choir providing introductory music, Chrysler and Quicken Loans celebrated the automaker’s first-ever move to downtown Detroit this morning by renaming the city’s historic Dime Building as Chrysler House.

Chrysler plans to move about 70 staffers into the top two floors of the 23-story office tower located near downtown’s Campus Martius Park. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will have an office in the building, which will serve as the home of the company’s Great Lakes Business Center and other corporate functions.

...

The Chrysler employees will begin moving in this summer once the 33,000 square feet of space is readied for them.

Gilbert and his partners bought the Dime Building in mid-2011 as part of their effort to control enough real estate to relocate Quicken’s employees and those of other firms to downtown. Once Chrysler moves in, the building will be fully occupied, Gilbert said.

...

[testdrive]

I saw this article in the Seattle forum so am not sure if anyone here saw this but it bodes well for Detroit if the "Whole Foods effect" it talks about become a reality in Detroit http://www.salon.com/2012/05/05/whol...buy/singleton/

[hudkina]

Midtown has been on the verge of not being ghetto for nearly 10 years. Whole Foods will certainly help in the transition to a yuppy paradise, but it would have happened regardless.

[Lmichigan]

Well, the Midtown Whole Foods broke ground, yesterday.

Up in Royal Oak, a boutique hotel is taking shape...

Royal Oak to discuss boutique hotel project

By Karl Henkel | Detroit News

May 15, 2012

The site of the former Fresard auto dealership in Royal Oak may become the location for a boutique hotel, according to the agenda for this month's Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority.

At a Wednesday meeting, the development authority's board is scheduled to discuss the project for Hotel Indigo — a line of boutique hotels owned by United Kingdom-based InterContinental Hotels Group, which also operates Holiday Inn and Staybridge hotels.

Dennis Griffin of commercial real estate company CBRE in Southfield — who represents the property owners, Fresard Investments LP — has asked the development authority about financial incentives or assistance, according to a memo to the board.

Royal Oak-based Krieger Klatt Architects Inc. has designed renderings for the hotel project, which could have eight floors, including a main floor with retail space.

...

[SWDetroit]

Originally Posted by hudkina

Midtown has been on the verge of not being ghetto for nearly 10 years. Whole Foods will certainly help in the transition to a yuppy paradise, but it would have happened regardless.

So? Is the Whole Foods going to become a food pantry? Or do their people actually believe that they will turn a profit--considering Detroit's history of shrinkage?

Several years ago, the firm that was hired to do mystery shopping for the ill-fated Kroger at Gratiot and Lappin (the former space where Montgomery Ward's was south of Seven Mile) recruited me as a shopper, knowing that I passed the joint on Monday and Wednesday mornings to get to Eastpointe to play nine-inning softball games back then--around 2003. I really was not interested, but again the gig made me $24 for some 45 minutes of "work" each of the several times.

They wanted me to check out the Kroger in the Pointes too, as a control. But after two reports--finding nothing amiss there--I never had to return to that store again.

Without boring anybody with the details, that Kroger in Detroit--its only Kroger, BTW--was likely the dirtiest and worst managed Kroger in existence. It permanently closed soon thereafter. Also, the mega Walgreen's a block south on Gratiot also closed after being open only a very brief time.

Will the Kroger experience be repeated in Midtown?

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by SWDetroit

So? Is the Whole Foods going to become a food pantry? Or do their people actually believe that they will turn a profit--considering Detroit's history of shrinkage?

Several years ago, the firm that was hired to do mystery shopping for the ill-fated Kroger at Gratiot and Lappin (the former space where Montgomery Ward's was south of Seven Mile) recruited me as a shopper, knowing that I passed the joint on Monday and Wednesday mornings to get to Eastpointe to play nine-inning softball games back then--around 2003. I really was not interested, but again the gig made me $24 for some 45 minutes of "work" each of the several times.

They wanted me to check out the Kroger in the Pointes too, as a control. But after two reports--finding nothing amiss there--I never had to return to that store again.

Without boring anybody with the details, that Kroger in Detroit--its only Kroger, BTW--was likely the dirtiest and worst managed Kroger in existence. It permanently closed soon thereafter. Also, the mega Walgreen's a block south on Gratiot also closed after being open only a very brief time.

Will the Kroger experience be repeated in Midtown?

If Midtown Detroit, was not experiencing some sort of urban renewal I highly doubt Whole Foods would invest in building a new store at that location. Retail companies such as Whole Foods have an entire team dedicated to looking to see what area's can support a store by looking at the demographics of the neighborhood beforehand. If they have commited to building a new store then they are convinced that the store will attract their target clientel (who tend to be wealthier and more educated than the US average) and eventually turn a profit.

[hudkina]

Originally Posted by SWDetroit

So? Is the Whole Foods going to become a food pantry? Or do their people actually believe that they will turn a profit--considering Detroit's history of shrinkage?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they would perform the required due diligence before making an investment...

[Lmichigan]

Honestly, can we just start ignoring the roll? Every single post is something negative and he comes in weeks later to address something petty.

Honestly, can we just start ignoring the roll? Every single post is something negative and he comes in weeks later to address something petty.

Anyway, lots and lots of news...

Sandra Pierce, president of Charter One and RBS Citizens, Michigan, and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing answer questions from reporters after the announcement. (John T. Greilick / The Detroit News)


Charter One offering grants to help Detroit farmers, market vendors grow businesses

By Candice Williams | The Detroit News

May 19, 2012

Detroit — Local farmers and vendors of farm markets in Detroit, including Eastern Market, will be able to apply for grants to help them grow and promote their businesses, Charter One officials announced Saturday.

The Charter One Foundation will offer $100,000 in funding through three programs. The purpose is to help expand local food resources to the community, officials said.

"It's all about giving access to nutritious and healthy food," said Sandy Pierce, president of Charter One and RBS Citizens, Michigan.

Grants of varying amounts will be awarded to participants in three programs: urban farming development, market vendor improvement and Detroit community markets development.

Among those eligible are vendors in the city's nine farmers markets as well as urban farmer participants in the training programs with the Greening of Detroit, the Garden Resource Collaborative, Earthworks Urban Farm or the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network.

The nine farmers markets in Detroit can apply for grants for marketing, provide healthy food cooking demonstrations or create shuttle services to the markets.

Henry Ford Hospital is casting its shadow and, now, its influence over Detroit’s New Center neighborhood. Dozens of homes like these on roads like Trumbull and Sterling are being stripped for salvage and will soon be razed. (Photo by John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

Henry Ford puts expansion into motion in New Center

By Louis Aguilar & Melissa Burden | The Detroit News

May 19, 2012

Henry Ford Health System has begun clearing whole streets near its Detroit hospital, ramping up its campaign to expand the flagship medical facility and remake 300 acres of the surrounding New Center neighborhood.

Hospital officials had put a $500 million price tag on the project, which they hoped will spur another $500 million in outside investment in the area: housing, retail and other commercial activity.

In a month, the health system is expected to announce details of the development plan. A Henry Ford Health System spokesman had no comment Friday.

Plenty of movement is under way. Residents of two blocks just off West Grand Boulevard have moved, their houses bought and boarded up, and the demolition process has begun, according to a construction crew.

"We just started this week. We're doing the entire block," James Willer of WARM Training Center said Friday as he stood on Trumbull, just off the boulevard.

...

In prior interviews, health system officials said they planned to expand the hospital's footprint south, across West Grand Boulevard, with doctors' offices, research facilities, an education center and ground floor retail and commercial space.

Possible additions to the main campus include a surgical center, emergency department, a cancer institute and a 210-bed inpatient tower.

It is unclear whether aspects of the project have changed since they were revealed two years ago, but the health system said previously it would work with developers to revitalize 300 acres of the neighborhood, with a mix of residential, retail and commercial space.

State seeking development proposals for Michigan State Fairgrounds

By Karl Henkel | The Detroit News

May 19, 2012

The State of Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority said Friday it will seek proposals for the development of the 160-acre Michigan State Fairgrounds.

The authority's board of directors on Friday approved and issued a request for proposals for the development.

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Prospective developers have about 60 days to submit proposals to the land bank for review. Proposals cannot include plans for casinos, racetracks, prisons or railroad freight trains, according to the land bank authority, which is a part of the Michigan Strategic Fund. The restrictions were part of legislation that Snyder signed into law in April.

...

If the property isn't developed, the authority could transfer it to a local government for fair market value. The consent agreement between the state and Detroit on the city's finances mentions the possible development of a commuter rail station on the former fairgrounds property.

...

Papa Joe's Gourmet Market & Catering weighing Detroit location

By Karl Henkel | The Detroit News

May 19, 2012

A suburban high-end gourmet market may become the latest full-line grocer to commit to opening a store in Detroit.

Papa Joe's Gourmet Market & Catering, which has locations in Birmingham, Rochester and inside Royal Oak's Beaumont Hospital, is in discussions to become the Motor City's newest grocery addition. A Meijer Inc. store is expected to open in spring 2013 at Eight Mile and Woodward Avenue, while a Whole Foods store is scheduled to open later next year in Midtown.

...

Curtis did not disclose where the market is considering setting up shop. Bedrock Real Estate Services, one of Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc.'s family of companies, confirmed it is in discussions with several grocery stores to locate downtown, but declined to name any candidates.

[Nino_B]

Half of Detroit’s Streetlights May Go Out as City Shrinks

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...y-shrinks.html

[desertpunk]

Originally Posted by Nino_B

Half of Detroit’s Streetlights May Go Out as City Shrinks

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...y-shrinks.html

Wrong thread, bro.

[Nino_B]

Originally Posted by desertpunk

Wrong thread, bro.

Sorry Mod, didn't see a thread perfectly matched for this article.

The title is misleading as it doesn't appear to be development related however there was some discussion of the Detroit Works plan which will lay out ideas on how to reconfigure the city for residences, businesses, green space and even agriculture. This includes reprioritizing resources such as public utilities including the street lights. So I figured close enough.

[desertpunk]

Originally Posted by Nino_B

Sorry Mod, didn't see a thread perfectly matched for this article.

The title is misleading as it doesn't appear to be development related however there was some discussion of the Detroit Works plan which will lay out ideas on how to reconfigure the city for residences, businesses, green space and even agriculture. This includes reprioritizing resources such as public utilities including the street lights. So I figured close enough.

I saw that headline too but I think these issues are best discussed in US Urban Issues since it incorporates some broader themes about communities that are downsizing or have distressed finances. (I could post all day about certain 'burgs in Pennsylvania! )

~ Carry on...