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City Officials Break Ground on 22-Acre Park

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City officials broke ground on the Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park on Tuesday. The park is the last part of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s revitalization plan. The $75 million investment will consist of 22 acres of playscapes and recreational spaces. A $40 million commitment from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation kickstarted the 2018 plans for the park.  The DRC conducted a study to bring back the best features of nationwide parks to Detroit, and a community advisory team gathered input from Detroit residents

 

Park and Trail Projects Promise Increased Value and Developments

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The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park on the west Detroit riverfront will feature a bear slide, an otter slide, and a slide in the form of a beaver. The park will include swings, trails, a treehouse, a replica of Fort Wayne and an outdoor classroom. The park broke ground on Tuesday afternoon, a month after ground was broken on the Southwest Greenway, a trail being built to connect southwest Detroit neighborhoods to the riverfront. These amenities that come with these projects will help property values, based on many studies that show that the proximity of a public park increases a home’s value. They should also be a catalyst for development in the area.

Former Rock Venue Listed For Sale

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Detroit’s former leading rock hall is for sale. The Grande Ballroom at 8952 Grand River has been listed for $5 million. It’s currently owned by Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church. In its glory days, the building hosted touring guests like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who, along with Michigan acts like the Frost, and MC5. The Grande is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and that status may offer a financial windfall to its developer due to the State Historic Tax Credit Program.

 

Lyon Township Approves Plan For Orchard Crossing Development At Erwin’s Property

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The Lyon Township Planning Commission recommended final plan approval for residential components of the Orchard Crossing development on the Erwin Orchards site.  It will create 121 single family homes and 40 duplex homes on 77 acres. The orchard’s operations will continue for now. A pedestrian crossing over Silver Lake Road has not been resolved, and it will be delayed until there’s further development on the orchard operations. The plan includes a paved event center parking lot, a larger bake shop and farmer’s market, a tasting room and a possible drive-thru. The construction of homes will be done in four phases as homes sell, but there isn’t a specific construction timeline.

Local Officials Upset About Detroit Zoo’s Great Lakes Center for Nature Plans

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Clinton Township and Mount Clemens officials are frustrated with the Detroit Zoo and its Great Lakes Center for Nature plans. Four years ago, Detroit Zoo officials announced the facility would be located in Macomb County. However, the zoo is now considering a tract of undeveloped wetlands along Hall Road, adjacent to Macomb Community College’s Center Campus. The Clinton Township Treasurer questions the decision of building the nature center in one of the most heavily populated commercial areas of the county. Two years ago, Clinton Township and the city of Mount Clemens offered Shadyside Park on the banks of the Clinton River at no cost to the zoo, noting that the direct access to Lake St. Clair and its established trails would make it an ideal site. The Clinton Township Commissioner is concerned about the minimal benefits the county is receiving from the Zoo for the 0.1 levied on each taxpayer in the county.

 

 

Northville Downs Property Sparks Heated Exchange

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The Northville Planning Commission met for 3 1/2 hours to discuss The Downs planned development’s preliminary site plan. The meeting ended with a motion to table the discussion until the commission’s next meeting on February 15. The commission’s contract with the Northville Community Center, where the meeting was held,  expired at 10:30 p.m. The meeting included a 23-minute presentation by city planner Sally Elmiger, an approximately 70-minute site plan presentation by Hunter Pasteur, a 32-minute period when commissioners asked clarifying questions to the developers and roughly 48 minutes of public comment regarding the site plan. Hunter Pasteur CEO Randy Wertheimer addressed the commission and stated that ending the meeting without a vote was unacceptable. Commissioners countered that more time was needed for further discussion.

 

 

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.

The Grand Hotel Owner Snaps up More Island Properties

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KSL Capital Group has purchased three boutique hotel properties and an adjacent restaurant on Mackinac Island for an undisclosed price. The properties include The Bicycle Street Inn, Waterfront Collection North, Waterfront Collection South, and Winchester’s Whiskey and Bourbon Room.  The sale included housing on the island and in St. Ignace for seasonal workers. KSL Capital Group also owns the Grand Hotel. The 3 hotel properties are in the heart of the downtown on the island. KSL Capital Group hopes to potentially provide more job security for seasonal workers who could have the opportunity to work on other properties owned by the group during Mackinac Island’s off-season.

 

 

Washtenaw Conservationists Purchase Acreage

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The Michigan Land Conservancy purchased 162 acres of wetlands, forest and former cropland for $1 million. The acreage is located east of Ann Arbor in Superior Township. This is a second purchase toward preservation efforts in Superior Township. Previously, Superior Township leaders voted unanimously to buy 300 acres known as the “Rock property.” The newly-purchased Michigan Land Conservancy parcel is next door to that property and the township-owned Cherry Hill Nature Preserve. The speedy transaction was financed through private loans and donations, including a loan and donation from Detroit Audubon.

 

 

 

Partnership Looks to Grow Greenspace

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A partnership between the city of Grand Rapids and Kent County Drain Commissioner Ken Yonker is focused on developing some much needed greenspace on the city’s Southeast Side. Located at 1516 S Division Ave., the property and an adjacent parcel are two of 11 properties the Grand Rapids City Commission will move forward on. The other nine properties are along Carrier Creek on the city’s Northeast Side. The city plans to turn them into park spaces, while maintaining the storm water management functions that are in place. The parks will focus on recreation opportunities like walking trails, overlooks and benches.

 

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