Rochester Community Schools To sell Historical Administration Building

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Rochester Community Schools is selling a 4.43-acre parcel of land and a 133-year old historical building. The RCS Administration Building is a three-story structure that contains 89,716 square feet of gross building area. Purchase proposals must be submitted in writing by 5 p.m. on March 28. The original building was built in 1889. The last renovation of the building took place in 1988. A community committee studied options for the future of the building and its artifacts. The committee determined the process a prospective buyer will follow to bid on the property, and it’s also focused on identifying artifacts for preservation.

 

 

Novi Residents Protest Childcare Center

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A plan to transform an existing golf clubhouse in the northwest corner of the city into a learning center is facing stiff opposition from area neighborhoods. The learning center would accommodate between 125-175 children on a daily basis, exceeding the zoning allowance. Hundreds sent letters to the city opposing the project, and many attended the January 26 planning commission meeting. The plan would also convert the nine-hole golf course into open green space. Residents are concerned about traffic, especially during drop-off and pick-up times. The residential properties and the clubhouse share the same road connector. The attorney for the petitioner says the traffic will actually be less intensive than a bar, restaurant or golf course. Commissioners voted to recommend a denial to the city council.

 

 

 

 

 

Overtaxed Detroit Homeowners Wait for Reparations

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Over-assessed Detroit homeowners are waiting for compensation from the city. Between 2010 and 2016, the city of Detroit overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million. Detroit City Council President and the Coalition for Property Tax Justice have set forth a tentative plan for compensation and restoration of residents’ dignity. The illegal overassessments led to 100,000 Detroiters losing their homes when they should not have. The state constitution states that property can not be assessed at more than 50% of its market value, and yet the city assessed 55%-85% of its property in violation of that law. There are four categories of residents that are eligible for compensation if they owned and occupied a home that was overtaxed between 2009 and 2020. Depending on the category residents fall under, a variety of compensation options are available to fit their individual needs.

 

 

 

 

Former GM Transmission Plant to be Redeveloped

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NorthPoint Development, the owner of the former General Motors Transmission plant in Warren has a $180 million plan to redevelop the site. The plan is expected to bring 1.4 million-square feet of new industrial space, as well as 600 jobs. According to Warren Mayor James Fouts, the development is a good idea for the city. The company will house multiple tenants on the site. It will make improvements to parking, green space and storm water management. Site jobs will pay at least $15 per hour. This project is just one of many that NorthPoint Development has underway in the Detroit area.

 

 

 

 

Agree Realty Corporation Portfolio Balloons

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When opportunity knocked, Agree Realty Corp. listened. The Bloomfield Hills-based real estate investment trust capitalized on the COVID-19 pandemic and has doubled its portfolio size and outgrown its recently-expanded headquarters. It will redevelop the former 50,000-square-foot Art Van Furniture Inc. store into a new base of operations. The company has focused on retail properties leased to investment-grade tenants. They’ve bought up properties with a diverse mix of tenants, strengthening their multi-faceted retail game. In less than 3 years, the company’s portfolio has increased from 660 to 1,404 properties across 47 states. Their growth is expected to continue in 2022.

Fenton’s Red Fox Outfitters Building Proposed For Event Venue

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Applicants Chelsie Welch and Core Cunningham of Cruwood Granary have submitted a special land use permit to turn the Red Fox Outfitters building into a special event banquet facility. The Fenton Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on January 27 to consider the permit. If approved, the facility could host events for up to 200 people. The property is located at 234 N Leroy Street in Fenton in the central business district. It’s current use is listed as retail. The applicants are required to show how the plans support the master plan and maintain cohesiveness with the character of the vicinity.

Michigan’s Rental Aid is Backlogged as Need Continues Rise

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173,000 tenants have applied for the statewide rent aid program that was launched to help renters avoid eviction and meet their payments. Wayne County makes up about one-third of the applicants. Detroiters make up 22% of the rent help applicants. According to the chief operating officer of the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, they continue to see high numbers of requests for support. The Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey reports that between Dec. 1 and Dec. 13,  more than 100,000 Michiganders said they were behind on rent or mortgage payments. Less than half of the applications for assistance were approved as of January 7. Statewide, wait time between application and approval averages 35 to 40 days. In Wayne County, that wait time may take as long as 10 weeks. MSHDA has hired staff combat the backlog and high numbers of applications in Wayne County

Crate & Barrel Sister Brand is Coming to Birmingham

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CB2, a Crate & Barrel sister brand, has signed a lease for the vacant Panera spot at 100 N. Old Woodward Ave. The CB2 offshoot caters to customers looking for some “coolness” factor in their furniture. Crate & Barrel moved from its Somerset Collection location in Troy to Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi in 2020. CB2 is owned by the Boji Group. Serena & Lily, another furniture retailer is also moving to downtown Birmingham. Both stores are part of a the recent surge of retailers and restaurants to open or expand in downtown Birmingham in the last year.

 

 

Eastland Center Wraps Up Holiday Season and Tenure

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Harper Woods’ 60-year old Eastland Center wrapped up its last holiday season. With only two remaining stores, K&G Fashions and Shoppers World, the center is slotted for demolition next year. NorthPoint Development will redevelop the site into a $94.2 million industrial complex. Hudson’s built the center in 1957. Just 20 years ago, it housed nearly 150 stores. Area residents have pleasant memories of the popular after-school hangout. The shift to internet shopping, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, led to the center’s demise. Moody’s has predicted that 20% of the America’s remaining 1,000 malls will close or be repurposed in the next few years.

 

Pontiac’s Woodward Loop Will Get Pedestrian-Friendly Makeover

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Pontiac’s Woodward Avenue Loop opened in 1964 during the urban renewal binge. State high engineers announced they would turn Detroit’s I-375 spur into a street-level boulevard over the next several years. MDOT announced that it’s making a similar commitment for the Woodward Loop. Construction will take place in 2024-2025, along with the simultaneous reconstruction of M-59 through Pontiac. It will include new sidewalks, traffic signals and bike paths. The goal is to turn Pontiac’s Woodward Avenue into a series of pedestrian-friendly two-way boulevards with slower traffic speeds. The project also aims to reconnect neighborhoods to the downtown.