Business & Development

Published August 26, 2016

Mabel Gray owner plans to reopen Doug’s Delight in Hazel Park

HAZEL PARK — For decades, Doug’s Delight was a cherished fixture in the city of Hazel Park — a walk-up shop selling ice cream and comfort food at the corner of John R Road and West Annabelle Avenue, just north of Woodward Heights Boulevard. But then the owner died unexpectedly two years ago, and it’s been closed ever since.

This didn’t sit right with chef James Rigato, owner of nearby Mabel Gray. He began thinking about ways he could help restore Doug’s Delight to greatness.

Published August 24, 2016

Grosse Pointe Times

Park moving forward with amended business zoning for Mack

GROSSE POINTE PARK — City leaders are hoping to prevent certain types of businesses — such as gas stations that sell liquor — as well as more carefully control medical establishments in the largely residential city of Grosse Pointe Park.

Published August 24, 2016

Farmington Press

Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce reaches 500 members

FARMINGTON/FARMINGTON HILLS — Nestled in downtown Farmington, near the corner of Farmington Road and Grand River Avenue, is 156 years of history.

The Heeney-Sundquist Funeral Home, 23720 Farmington Road, has made Farmington home since 1850 — when the city itself was just 26 years old.

Inside his grand, historic office on a balmy summer day Aug. 19, Mark Ziegler, funeral home president, discussed why he considers it a privilege for his family to serve the people of Farmington for the past seven generations.

Published August 24, 2016

Troy Times

Cluster option zoning change aims to preserve more green space

Changes to Troy’s zoning laws that would allow more homes to be built closer together on parcels in order to preserve green spaces and natural features will move forward after the Planning Commission discussed the new guidelines Aug. 9.

The Planning Commission, by consensus, directed city staff to schedule a public hearing on the zoning text amendment for the enhanced cluster option in coming weeks. A date had not been selected by press time.

Published August 24, 2016

C&G Newspapers

Hills sees expansions to RTA master plan

FARMINGTON HILLS/DETROIT — While no new transit lines will be added to the city of Farmington Hills under the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan master plan, residents — and people who work in the city — can expect to see a number of expansions that could impact their commute.

During an Aug. 8 Farmington Hills City Council meeting, Tiffany Gunter, chief operations officer and deputy CEO for the RTA, gave a slide presentation and reviewed a few updates within the master plan.

Published August 24, 2016

Fraser - Clinton Township Chronicle

State rep: Senior housing building is safe from sale

FRASER — A building that has provided both housing and nervous contention seems to be in a good spot, according to a high-ranking public official.

During Fraser’s Aug. 11 council meeting, State Rep. Marilyn Lane, D-Fraser, delivered a presentation regarding the future of Fraser’s senior housing complex.

The three-story, 75-unit building is located across from the Fraser Activity Center, off 15 Mile Road and west of Utica Road.

Published August 24, 2016

Rochester Post

New hotel approved

ROCHESTER HILLS — Developers plan to build a four-story hotel on Marketplace Circle, off Adams Road.

Woodspring Suites will be located just east of the Meijer store.

“We are excited about getting started,” said Woodspring Suites Senior Vice President of Development Scott Bixle at the Aug. 8 Rochester Hills City Council meeting. “We would like to get going on this as quickly as we can.”

Published August 24, 2016

Shelby - Utica News

Homes, assisted living facility coming to land UCS once owned

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — On Aug. 16, the Shelby Township Board of Trustees voted 4-3 to approve a project that will develop approximately 40 acres of vacant land, located on Schoenherr Road, between 21 Mile and 22 Mile roads, that Utica Community Schools previously owned.

The planned unit development, or PUD, includes 69 single-family homes on 34.5 acres and a 60-unit assisted living senior facility on 4.5 acres. The plan also includes 3.4 acres of open space.

Published August 23, 2016

Woodward Talk

Landscape architect reveals three potential plans for Oxford Park

BERKLEY — The development of Oxford Park has picked up some steam in recent months, and at the City Council’s most recent meeting, a landscape architecture firm presented preliminary designs to detail what the land could look like in the future.

At the council’s meeting Aug. 16, Landon Landscape Architecture LLC displayed three plans formed with ideas gathered from Berkley residents in recent months through meetings and surveys.

Published August 23, 2016

Woodward Talk

Robina Avenue to be closed temporarily at 12 Mile Road for traffic study

BERKLEY — The north and south sides of Robina Avenue connected to 12 Mile Road will be closed temporarily to perform a traffic study on the area for a possible plaza area.

The closure, which the City Council approved at its Aug. 15 meeting, will take place from Sept. 19 to Nov. 18 to allow for a traffic study to learn how the area would be affected if a plaza were installed in the area.

Published August 23, 2016

Woodward Talk

Robina Avenue to be closed temporarily at 12 Mile Road for traffic study

BERKLEY — The north and south sides of Robina Avenue connected to 12 Mile Road will be closed temporarily to perform a traffic study on the area for a possible plaza area.

Published August 23, 2016

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Eastpointe purchases tax reversion properties from county

EASTPOINTE — Eastpointe recently purchased 27 tax reversion properties from Macomb County with hopes to sell the properties to a buyer who officials hope will encourage homeownership, according to a press release Aug. 17.

Eastpointe City Manager Steve Duchane explained that once approved, it’s preferred that new owners occupy the properties.

Published August 17, 2016

Woodward Talk

Ferndale hires new community and economic development director

FERNDALE — After months of searching, the city of Ferndale has hired a new community and economic development director.

Jordan Twardy’s first day on the job was Monday, Aug 8, and he was introduced as the new hire at the City Council meeting later that night.

He replaces Derek Delacourt, who left in March to become Ann Arbor’s community services administrator.

Twardy previously served as the executive director for the Eight Mile Boulevard Association, where he had worked since 2012 and as director since 2014.

Published August 17, 2016

Fraser - Clinton Township Chronicle

Bid awarded for Prince Drewry lot improvements

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Rehabilitation of Prince Drewry Park is set to commence after Clinton Township approved its tabulated bid offers.

On July 20, the Clerk’s Office received and processed three bids for the project, with the low bidder being James P. Contracting Inc. Bids were reviewed by Giffels Webster, the Clinton Township Public Services Department and the Clinton Township Planning Department.

Published August 17, 2016

Fraser - Clinton Township Chronicle

Parking lot improvements to undergo additional changes

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The reconstruction of Clinton Township’s Civic Center parking lot is currently in full swing, and some additional changes will be added to the process.

The third phase of the current construction schedule is proceeding in timely fashion, according to Scott Chabot, senior project manager with Giffels Webster — the township’s engineering firm.

Published August 17, 2016

Troy Times

Plans for five-story apartment complex stall

The Troy Planning Commission sent a developer back to the drawing board again Aug. 9 after taking a second look at plans for a five-story, 140-unit apartment building on McClure Drive, just north of Big Beaver Road, east of Crooks Road.

The 2.5-acre, three-parcel site currently contains one single-family home.

Published August 17, 2016

Farmington Press

Farmington Hills redeveloper leads rehabilitation of historic landmark in UP

FARMINGTON HILLS/MARQUETTE — You may have heard of the former Holy Family Orphanage.

Some say it’s haunted, others see dilapidation, while some use the historic landmark as content for the blogosphere.

For Farmington Hills-based Home Renewal Systems, a redeveloper of historic properties, they see an opportunity to turn blight into beauty by creating the Grandview Marquette, a 56-rental-unit affordable housing space come 2017.

Shannon Morgan, of HRS Communities, said that the building has quite a bit of history.

Published August 16, 2016

Southfield Sun

OHM, city to host second Northland visioning session

SOUTHFIELD — Following a public input session and a recent presentation in front of City Council, OHM Advisors — the firm selected to develop a conceptual, market-driven master redevelopment plan for Northland Center, 21500 Northwestern Highway — is again looking for Southfielders’ suggestions.

The city will host the public input session 6-8 p.m. Aug. 23 in the auditorium of the Southfield Public Library, 263000 Evergreen Road.

Published August 16, 2016

Rochester Post

Rochester Elevator could be moved to make way for condos

ROCHESTER — Rochester’s oldest business, the Rochester Elevator Co., could soon bid farewell to its home at the corner of University and Water streets in downtown Rochester.

Published August 12, 2016

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

County celebrates improvements to Executive Drive

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — “It was named after me: Executive Drive,” joked Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.

Not really. Executive Drive was constructed four decades before Hackel was voted into his position as county leader, but that didn’t mean a celebration wasn’t necessary on Aug. 10 as local officials and business leaders flocked to the middle of the 1-mile stretch of road to mark its grand reopening following some major improvements.