Farmington Hills Council Considers Hotel Conversion Project
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisIn June, Farmington Hills Council members approved a Planned Unit Development to convert a hotel on 12 Mile Road into a senior housing complex. This week, city officials will look at the agreement that finalizes the project details. Manor Senior Living wants to convert the Radisson hotel’s rooms into 217 memory care units, 51 assisted living, and 56 independent living units. When the PUD was approved, five senior housing projects were in the works. Since then, St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher property proposals have stalled.
Corktown Apartment Tenants Have Water and Heat Restored
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisTenants of Corktown’s Victor Attar Court apartments have had their water and heat restored over the weekend. They were previously told they would have to relocate because of health and safety concerns. The building’s owner received 22 tickets amounting to $13,142, according to the city’s Buildings, Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department. The apartment residents were notified last week that if the landlord did not restore heat and water and bring the building up to code, they would have to vacate the building. Real Estate developer Emre Uralli is listed as the trustee of 1324 Porter Street Trust, the entity that bought the property when it was in foreclosure. Uralli claims he was unaware of the heating issues and the tickets. They’ve since met with inspectors and cooperating with them.
Jefferson-Chalmers Neighborhood Now Part of FEMA Flood Plain
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisThe Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood has been prone to flooding for years. The neighborhood is bordered by Clairpointe Street, Jefferson Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park, and the Detroit River. Due to climate change, rising water levels in Lake St. Clair are spilling over into the Detroit River causing residents to experience regular flooding with no permanent infrastructure fix in sight. Raising the seawall in Jefferson Chalmers by almost 2 feet would solve the problem, but the multi-million dollar cost and the private property ownership along the Detroit side of the river complicate matters. While FEMA does not look at a community’s infrastructure to determine its flood hazard status, it may change that practice, according to the regional flood insurance liaison for FEMA’s Region 5 in the Midwest.
Strings Attached to Development of Northville Downs Property
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisHunter Pasteur Homes’ request for planned unit development eligibility for the Northville Downs property was approved by the Northville Planning Commission. The redevelopment presentation was heavily scrutinized during the almost 5-hour meeting. However, the approval comes with attached strings. The developer must submit a current traffic study, provide values of benefits, the funding it is committed to cover, and the funding requested by the city for public benefits. The segregation of residential uses and the addition of a farmers market as a public benefit must also be addressed by Hunter Pasteur Homes. Planning commissioners approved the eligibility with a 7-1 vote.
Joe Louis Arena’s Redevelopment to Include Residential High-Rise
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisA conceptual plan that was submitted to the city of Detroit in July envisions a 24-story, 290-foot residential high-rise as part of the former Joe Louis Arena’s redevelopment. According to the Sterling Group, the tower would tentatively be named The Louis and house 500 studio and one-bedroom units. Other possible uses in addition to the residential building are unknown. The site has been discussed as a mixed-use development and could potentially include a hotel. The conceptual plan includes the firms of Neumann Smith, Resurget Engineering and Giffels Webter, as well as construction contractor Colasanti.
Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport Expansion on the Horizon
/in Northern Michigan /by Tracy WillisTraverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport had its busiest month in July of 2021, serving just under 113,000 travelers. According to the airport’s director, the airport’s peak summer traffic could grow by another 32% by 2030. The airport is making preparations to support that growth. The Northwest Regional Airport Authority approved a parking expansion that will break ground next week. According to Klein, TVC’s existing long-term parking lot has 989 parking spaces. The expansion will incorporate a new EV charging station, underground stormwater retention systems, and restriping of the existing lot. The expansion sill add 425 spaces in total. Preliminary plans could triple the size of the airport’s terminal in the future.