Rezoning Proposal Heads to Ann Arbor City Council
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisAnn Arbor’s Planning Commission voted to recommend City Council approve the rezoning of 68 properties along State Street and Eisenhower Parkway into a new high-density development zone. The proposal would rezone 226 acres by Briarwood Mall and allow downtown-style development to occur, transforming the area into a mixed-use neighborhood. According to City Planner Alexis DiLeo, the proposed rezoning could potentially add hundreds of homes to the area.
Novi Residents Protest Childcare Center
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisA 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
/in Detroit, SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisOver-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.
Pontiac’s Woodward Loop Will Get Pedestrian-Friendly Makeover
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisPontiac’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.
Bedrock Purchases Former UAW-GM Site
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisDan Gilbert, billionaire founder and chairman of Rocket Companies Inc. has purchased the former UAW-GM Center for Human Resource building for an undisclosed price. Developers Dominic Moceri and Christos Moisides bought it a little more than a year ago, paying $34 million for it in November 2020. The purchase adds almost 1 million square feet of office space, in excess of 25 acres of land and 1,600 parking spots to his Detroit-area holdings. Earlier this year, Gilbert purchased the former Stroh family portfolio which gave him over 8.7 acres of developable land, 735 parking spaces and approximately 500,000 square feet of office building.
City of Novi Purchases Land for Conservation Efforts
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisThe city of Novi is purchasing 8 acres of vacant property with the aim to preserve woodlands and make improvements on Beck Road. According to City Manager Pete Auger, the city will continue to purchase property to maintain wetlands and woodlands using tree fund dollars. However, the $249,000 purchase of the two parcels on Edinborough Lane will come from the general fund. A public meeting regarding Beck Road is expected to take place in January. The road has capacity issues, and improvements have been discussed for years.