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Washtenaw County Purchases Conservation Property

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Washtenaw County’s Parks and Recreation Commission closed on the purchase of  the Maisel property in Northfield Township on December 1. The purchase increases the county’s system of parks and nature preserves by about 220 acres. The $1.44-million conservation purchase will become one of the largest publicly accessible sites in the Ann Arbor area. Ann Arbor’s greenbelt program covered the majority of the purchase price. The land won’t be open to the public immediately, as the park staff determines trail layout and parking access and demands. Kiosks and trail maps also need to be installed. The large size of the park will offer core habitat for wildlife.

 

 

Saugatuck’s Clearbrook Golf Course Has New Owners

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The new owners of Saugatuck’s Clearbrook Golf Course have no concrete plans for changes to the course other than small aesthetic amendments like burying overhead power lines. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and his wife, Julie, view their purchase as a way to invest in the community and plan to maintain the golf course which has been in place since 1926. The purchase did not include the Grill Room Restaurant. Jim and Candy Jeltema will continue as owners of the restaurant. Although they no longer own the golf course, the Jeltemas will continue to operate it.

 

432-Unit High Rise Planned For Grand Rapids

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Spire Investment Properties and Krika Development are proposing 432 market-rate apartments at the southern edge of downtown Grand Rapids. The McConnell is a 10-story, 336,835-square-foot development that covers three lots. The two out-of-state investors hope to build a food hall, microbrewery or distillery, an outdoor lot for food trucks and shipping container-retail  stores. The development would spread over three parcels. They have not disclosed the project’s budget. The developers are seeking special land-use approval from the Grand Rapids Planning Commission to sell alcohol, food and retail at the site.

 

Soured Chicago Land Deal Upsets Public

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Justin Ishbia, the brother of the CEO of Pontiac-based United Wholesale Mortgage, has reneged on a land swap deal with a suburban Chicago park district. Ishbia and his wife bought the 261 Sheridan Road property in November 2020. The property  stands between Elder Lane park and Centennial park. They negotiated a land swap deal with the Winnetka Park District officials, promising to turn the Sheridan Road property over to park district officials in exchange for the southern section of Centennial Park. Residents are urging park district officials to take the multimillion-dollar lakefront parcel by eminent domain. The land swap deal fell apart under public scrutiny of the deal the park officials made with Ishbia.

 

Ilitch and Ross Propose Hotel Development Near Little Caesars Arena

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The Downtown Development Authority board signed off on a proposal for a new $190.5 million hotel south of Little Caesars Arena. Plans for the hotel have been in the works for a while. The hotel would be 14 stories tall with 290 rooms. The Ilitch family and developer Stephen Ross submitted the development plan. Together, they would ground-lease the land from an Olympia-owned entity. The hotel, food, beverage and other amenities will create a variety of jobs and attract people to the region. The project would cost $137.3 million. Ilitch and Ross have partnered on projects in the Ilitch family’s District Detroit area in the last year.

 

 

West Michigan Projects Receive Rehabilitation Grants

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Multiple projects in West Michigan have received almost $19 million in placemaking and real estate rehab grants from the state. The Right Place, the city of Grand Rapids and city of Muskegon were awarded $18,991,166. Twenty-two grants totaling $83.8 million were approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund board. The grants are part of the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) incentive program created to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan. The program grants up to $5 million per project for real estate rehabilitation and development and up to $1 million per project for public space improvements.  Up to $20 million can go to local or regional partners who develop a coordinated subgrant program.

 

 

Downtown Detroit Receives Grant Monies for Parks and Real Estate Development

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Downtown Detroit parks can expect a facelift in the near future. The Downtown Detroit Partnership was recently awarded a $13.74 million-dollar grant by the Michigan Strategic Fund board. This grant is just one of 22 awarded. Metro Detroit’s awardees are the DDP, the city of Ecorse, the Wyandotte Downtown Development Authority, the city of Mount Clemens, and the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority. Bedrock LLC and Karp and Associates will get some funds from DDP’s pot of grant money with the redevelopment of Gilbert’s Harvard Square Center building and the former United Savings Bank of Detroit building. A total of 8 projects are part of the funding, according to the DDP.

 

The Gillespie Group to Transform Lansing’s Former Sears Location

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The Gillespie Group is looking to transform a major business corridor in Lansing, Michigan by developing a former Sears location. Located at 3131 E. Michigan Ave., the property is being marketed as ROECO as a tribute to Sears Roebuck.  Gillespie Group’s project aims to transform the property into a mixed-use entertainment destination. It has already hooked the attention of local and national investors. The new development would come to be as thousands of new housing units are being built across the Lansing area. ROECO is situated in the heart of the region and across the street from new dining, housing and hotel rooms. The timeline and and final product of the project will be in flux as the Gillespie Group continues to find new partners.

 

College Hotel Demands High Price

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Ann Arbor’s Graduate Hotel is located a few blocks from campus, making it a convenient place to stay. Although spring commencement at the University of Michigan is 8 months away, the hotel is  sold out for the weekend in April. They do have openings for Wolverines football games, to the tune of $3,000. Visitors to the Graduate Hotel book their rooms months, and even years, in advance. Prices for popular dates typically ring up at exorbitant prices. For example, want to head to this year’s U-M vs. Michigan State game? It’ll cost you $1,599 per night with a 2-night minimum stay. By the time taxes and fees are added, guests are facing a bill of over $3,500.

 

Stiiizy Opens Ferndale Dispensary

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California’s best-selling cannabis brand is coming to Michigan. Stiiizy opened its new location in Ferndale this past weekend. It hosted a grand opening at 642 E. Nine Mile Road. Stiiizy offers a clothing line, skateboard decks, and smoking accessories in addition to cannabis products. The company has previously partnered with charitable efforts in Michigan. In 2021, Stiiizy partnered with the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative to host an event to teach sustainable gardening to children at Detroit’s MUFI urban farm.  In early 2022, they worked with Easterseals Miracle League to fundraise for a new accessible field in Orion Township’s Friendship Park.