City life: How $1.6 billion invested What do millennials insiders … · 2018. 8. 3. · And in today’s economy, you need to be connected for your business to thrive. When you bank

www.crainsdetroit.com Vol. 23, No. 33a Fall 2007 www.crainsdetroit.com

■ City life: How

insiders spend 48 hours

■ $1.6 billion invested

in cultural corridor

■ What do millennials

really want?

DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 08-13-07 B 57 CDB 8/7/2007 4:50 PM Page 1

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CDBmagazine.qxp 7/30/2007 6:38 PM Page 1

FALL 2007

Living & Investing intheDTable of contents

Detroit’s tipping pointMary Kramer: Yes, you can buy groceries inDetroit. Yes, urban dwellers would like more

choices.Page 2

48 hours in the DDetroiters let us tag alongduring a typical Friday andSaturday. Follow an empty-nester couple, a family and asingle professional.Web Extra: More profiles and aslide show with more picturescan be found atwww.crainsdetroit.com/livingd.Page 4

The next generationCreatives and up-and-coming millennials. Whatdoes the region need to do to keep them living andworking here? Page 12

RestorationsA mansion becomes aBrush Park B&B, NewCenter’s Graphic ArtsBuilding becomes lofts,and quirky rehabs dotthe Woodward corridorin Ferndale, Royal Oak,Birmingham andPontiac.Page 20

MidtownNew housing and retailis under constructionand planned nearWayne State University.Page 37

Getting things doneChurches lead nearly $300 million indevelopment, private equity fundsaffordable housing, and communitydevelopment corporations get to work.Page 40

NeighborhoodsCommunity openhouses bring inbuyers, changeperceptions. Page 50

Highland Park growsand HamtramckchangesPage 53

Web ExtraOur coverage for thisyear’s Living andInvesting in the D includes stories found only atour Web site, www.crainsdetroit.com/livingd.■ Retail outlook for Detroit.■ More on the surprises, challenges and delightsof living and working in an urban setting.■ Where the creative class gathers.■ “Automobile row” in Midtown evolves.■ Recent city development highlights.

CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS ISSN # 0882-1992 is published weekly by Crain Communications Inc. at 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit MI 48207-2732.Periodicals postage paid at Detroit, MI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS, CirculationDepartment, P.O. Box 07925, Detroit, MI 48207-9732. GST # 136760444. Printed in U.S.A.Entire contents copyright 2007 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial content in any manner withoutpermission is strictly prohibited.

ON THE COVER:Clockwise from top left:Aaron Timlin, executivedirector, Contemporary ArtInstitute of Detroit; MonaRoss, owner, 234 WinderSt. Inn; Tiffany Robinson,attorney, and Jason, Maxand Amy Peet, who areparticipants in 48 hours inthe D; 1754 Parker House.

Vol. 23, No. 33a

ABOUT THIS ISSUELiving & Investing in the Dwas edited by AssistantManaging Editor/FocusJennette Smith, withassistance from BusinessLives Editor Shawn Selby. Itwas designed by GraphicsEditor Nancy Clark. It wascopy edited by AssistantManagingEditor/Production MarkThompson-Kolar and CopyEditor Vic Doucette.Articles were written byCrain’s reporters RobertAnkeny, Tom Henderson,Sherri Begin and DanielDuggan; and freelancewriters Marti Benedetti,Tom Andrew, Tracy Mishler,Michelle Martin, JoAnnAmicangelo, ConstanceCrump, Bruce Mason,Maureen McDonald andAmy Whitesall.Photographers wereRebecca Cook, AaronHarris, John F. Martin andWilliam Pugliano.

CRAIN’S HOUSE PARTYCrain’s once again is hosting the UltimateDetroit House Party, offering a chance tocelebrate neighborhoods, Detroit investmentand Woodward Avenue’s 200th anniversary.The event is one of the best ways suburbanprofessionals can experience a slice of the D.Last year, 900 attended the party. Attendeeshave cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at a homeand then converge for an afterglow. Seewww.regonline.com/07houseparty.

Page 4

Page 24

Page 46

Page 53

CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 1


Page 2 FALL 2006 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESSFALL 2007

Living & Investing intheDMary Kramer

Detroit’s tipping pointecently, I was asked, possiblyfor the umpteenth time:“You live in Detroit. Where

do you shop for groceries?”Answering that question is one

reason Jennette Smith, the leadeditor who steered the ship onthis year’s “Living and In-vesting in the D” supple-ment, invited Detroit resi-dents to document 48 hoursin their lives. You can find amore complete slide show ofthese 48-hour segments onour Web site, www.crainsdetroit.com.

I thought about the gro-cery question last Saturdaywhen I cruised into EasternMarket, a fixture in my De-troit shopping repertoire. Ididn’t have time to dawdle;my mission on a day crowd-ed with commitments wasto buy bratwurst andsausage for a Sunday cook-out — and the perfect adultbeverages to go with.

It’s always more fun tomake the shopping trip abigger part of the morning, capped offwith a great breakfast at any of the hand-ful of market restaurants. But even withmy quick trip, I got to experience what Ilike best about the market. Next to thefood, it’s the mix of people, includingmany who speak foreign languages orspeak in accented English. It’s not onlyan open-air market ringed with specialtystores, it’s Detroit’s biggest and best“people magnet.”

According to market research complet-ed for the nonprofit Eastern Market Corp.in July, about 39,000 people visit the mar-ket on a typical Saturday; another 6,000visit the stores and restaurants ringingthe open-air sheds during the week.

The mix is about 57 percent from the

city and 43 percent from the sub-urbs.

“It’s more than just buying gro-ceries,” Jason Peet, a Detroit resi-

dent we profile in this section, toldCrain’s. (See 48 hours profile, Page 6)

“We go as a family, and it becomes asmall event you do every Saturdaymorning. If we lived in the suburbs, it

wouldn’t be an event. It would be achore.”

So, yes, Farmer Jack may haveabandoned Detroit. And yes,most Detroiters chafe with theknowledge they are underservedby major retailing chains.

But the Eastern Market experi-ence, which will only grow underthe leadership of the new non-profit that manages it, can onlybe found north of Gratiot, southof Mack and east of I-75. The mar-ket is Detroit’s grocery store onSaturdays.

During the week, most of usmiddle-class Detroiters pine for anearby store to rival HolidayMarket in Royal Oak, the FarmsMarket in Grosse Pointe or theWestborn, Papa Joe’s and NinoSalvaggio markets that dot the

suburban landscape.We look for tipping points to prove that

the building boom is real.One such sign may be the news, reported

by the Detroit News on Aug. 4, that the com-pany that operates Zaccaro’s Market inCharlevoix was poised to open a store onWoodward Avenue in Detroit’s Midtown,just north of Comerica Park, where itwould offer produce from Michigan farms,goods from an in-house bakery and pre-pared foods, such as whitefish pâté.

Whitefish pâté on Woodward? Withsuch “foodie fare,” the odds the tippingpoint is coming are growing.

Mary Kramer is publisher of Crain’s Detroit Business. She can be reached [email protected].

A Saturdaytrip saysmuch aboutthe future

“The EasternMarketexperience ...can only befound north ofGratiot, southof Mack andeast of I-75.”

R


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WHY LIVE IN THE D?Crain’s presents a special

report on theDetroit living

experience. Byshowcasingthe lives ofcity dwellers,we seek toanswer some

of the commonquestions about

Living in the D.Where do you shop?

What do you do forentertainment? Where do youtake your kids for day care?These are the sorts ofeveryday questions we askeda team of writers to documentas they worked with ourparticipants to chronicle theirroutines and keep a two-daydiary. Look for the watch tofind details of the 48 hourscaptured — from trips toEastern Market to riding bikesto work.See our Web site,www.crainsdetroit.com/livingd,for more 48 hours coverage.


BY MARTI BENEDETTICRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

or some empty-nesters,adventure is found climb-ing a mountain or visiting

faraway places. For KatheStevens and Glenn Maxwell, itis living in their Midtown De-troit neighborhood.

“For me, every day (livingand working in the city) is anadventure,” said Stevens, anadministrative assistant forGMAC’s legal staff who rides herbike to work at the RenaissanceCenter. “The adventure is thateven though my commute isthree-and-a-half short miles,every mile is different. I seedifferent people doing differentthings, and it’s up close. I haveto think about how I dress. Theweather matters. I’m not leav-ing in my car, driving the free-way with the windows rolledup and the heat or air condi-tioning on. And sometimes it’s

balmy and mild in the morn-ing, but a headwind is blowing25 mph.

“And just like all commuters,I have to think about my route.Are the Tigers playing? Isthere a concert somewheredowntown? Is it Friday night?”

Stevens, 55, lives with fianceMaxwell, 62, in an 1,800-square-foot condominium in HancockSquare. The new constructioncondos are behind the HilberryTheatre and across the streetfrom Wayne State University’sOld Main building.

Maxwell, a freelance comput-er programmer, always likedthe city and lived in Indian Vil-lage when he first moved to De-troit in 1967. He worked formany years at Unisys when itwas in the New Center, and wasa frequent visitor to the DetroitInstitute of Arts, the Detroit FilmTheatre and Orchestra Hall. Hebought the condo in Detroit in2001 after living in condos insuburbs such as FarmingtonHills and Troy.

“I always wanted to live inthe city. When I met peoplewhile traveling, I wanted to beable to say, ‘I live in Detroit.’ Ilike the idea of walking toeverything,” Maxwell said.“When this place was beingbuilt, I loved the location.”

From their home office, thecouple often sees WSU theaterstudents moving props from OldMain to the Hilberry. “Or watchmodern courtship unfold beforemy eyes,” Stevens said.

Stevens raised her son anddaughter in Allen Park andDearborn but was always anavid Detroit visitor and boost-er. When her children movedout, she wanted to move down-town. She initially met Maxwellat the First Unitarian UniversalistChurch at Cass and Forest. Butthey did not start dating untilmuch later when she saw himat the Detroit Opera House. Theyhave been together for 4 1/2years and are planning a fallwedding.

Stevens bicycles to work un-less the thermometer dips be-low 20 degrees; then she takesthe bus. “Riding down Cass orWoodward or Livernois or FortStreet on my bike is participat-ing fully in the experience of allthe other people who are on thestreet. I’m experiencing com-munity right up close. I see amother fussing over her child. Isee lovers holding hands. I seeforlorn beggars. But I don’t flyby at 50 or 40 or even 30 mph. Inod and wave; they nod andwave back,” she said.

Maxwell works at home butsometimes has to drive to seeclients. “I can go for days with-out using my car,” he said.“And it’s fun to be in (the mid-dle of) this energetic collegecampus.”

The couple eats at home a lotbut have some favorite restau-rants. Those include the nearbyTraffic Jam and Snug andTwingo’s, both within easy walk-ing distance. They also enjoy MiPueblo in southwest Detroit andrestaurants in east Dearborn.

What would they like to see

Living & Investing intheDD48 hours in Detroit

F

Both Kathe Stevens and GlennMaxwell ride their bikesfrequently in the city. On this day,Glenn rode downtown and alongthe river to Belle Isle, returningwith fresh milk for Kathe to makeher morning latte.

Glenn Maxwell and Kathe Stevensenjoyed Comerica Park butregretted that the Tigers lost.

From biking totheater, empty-nesters makeevery day count

At

Midtown adventur

DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 08-13-07 B 4,5 CDB 8/8/2007 4:37 PM Page 1

Friday, July 20

5:30 a.m.Glenn: Rode my bike tothe RenCen and thenalong the river to BelleIsle. Stopped to buymilk and got home intime for Kathe to makeher morning latte.Worked at home.

7:15 a.m.Kathe: Commuted to myjob in downtown Detroiton my bike; even bikersrun into construction!

11 a.m.Glenn: Biked to the DIAto meet with thevolunteer staff. Droveto T.J. Maxx at FairlaneGreen mall in AllenPark.

1 p.m.Kathe: Met a friend fora short power walk onthe River Walk, which ispacked with people.The tour boats leavingthe docks are full. Thestage is being set forthe Romantics concertin the evening. Stopped at the foodcourt for carry-out soupand salad and ate inthe Wintergarden.

5:30 p.m.Kathe: Back home onmy bike, rode downBrush past ComericaPark — Tiger festivitiesheating up.

6:30 p.m.Kathe and Glenn: Beganour walk to Comericawith Kathe’s brother,Don, who is here fromSan Francisco for hermom’s 80th birthday.We’re having thebirthday party at BaileCorcaigh in Corktownon Sunday. Whilewalking, we see aWoodward bus, so we

hopped on it and rodeto the stadium. Enjoyedthe game. The view ofdowntown is breath-taking; the fireworksspectacular. But theTigers lost.

10:30 p.m.Caught a bus home.Got off a block early tomake a stop at theTraffic Jam to have amicrobrew and catch upon the day.

2 a.m.Kathe’s daughter, Julie,and her friend, Sandi,arrived from the airport.Julie is here for hergrandmother’s birthday.

Saturday, July 21

7 a.m.Glenn: Biked to getsweets from AvalonInternational Breads atCass and West Willisfor a retreat of thegoverning board of ourchurch, First Uni-tarian UniversalistChurch of Detroit.

9 a.m.Glenn: Walked tochurch and spentthe day at theretreat.

10 a.m.Kathe: Julie and Iheaded to theEastern Market tobuy fresh fruit andvegetables andflowers forSunday’s party.

12:30 p.m.Kathe: Julie and Idrove Downriver tovisit with family —those who live hereand those comingin for the party.

3 p.m.Kathe: I drove to

Windsor via the Ambas-sador Bridge to pick upGlenn’s mother fromthe train station. Hertrain is an hour late, soI sat in a park by theriver to read a book andenjoy the beautiful day.

7 p.m.Kathe and Glenn:Hopped a Dexter bus tothe Fox Theatre to seejazz chanteuse DianaKrall in concert. Thebus driver was amazing.First, he stopped, inresponse to our waves,to pick us up at the endof our street. Then,because there was alsoa baseball gamestarting at the sametime, concertgoerswere arriving, trafficwas really backed up.But that didn’t stop ourdriver. He askedeveryone on the buswhere they were goingand then proceeded to

maneuver through thetraffic to get to the Fox,the ball game, and theother destinations. Wejust sat and enjoyed theride.

10 p.m.After the concert, wewalked out of the Foxjust in time for thegrand finale of fireworksacross the street at thestadium. There’s a bitof a wait for a busbecause of all thetraffic.

11 p.m.We relaxed on ourbalcony, enjoying thesounds of the night inan energetic city,shared a glass of wineand made plans for thenext day’s party.

CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS FALL 2006 Page 5FALL 2007

downtown? More and bettergrocery stores, and they covet aretailer such as Target. Theywish there were somethingmore they could do to help thehomeless people they see everyday. And, Maxwell added, citybus service could be better.

Stevens said it is not unusualto wait an hour in the cold for abus to work or the theater. “Re-liable and on schedule would begood,” she said.

48hours

with GlennMaxwell and

Kathe Stevens

At Eastern Market At the Fox Theatre

Kathe Stevens rides througha park near her home

urers



A family’s affairsBY TRACY MISHLER

SPECIAL TO

CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

ason and Amy Peet can’tthink of a better place tolive than their recently

renovated home, built in 1905,in the West Village neighbor-hood on Detroit’s east side.

The couple, who moved tothe city in 2002 from Ann Ar-bor and married in 2004, said ifthey had to choose between liv-ing in their community, threeblocks from East Jefferson Av-enue, versus a suburbanneighborhood, they wouldn’tchange it for the world.

“This community haseverything we could possiblywant,” said Jason, projectmanager for Midtown DetroitConstruction. “And if it does-n’t, we go to what we need. It’snot an inconvenience.” Amyis an account supervisor forCampbell-Ewald in the Renais-sance Center.

Jason and Amy, both 30,along with their 20-month-oldson, Max, who attends the BollFamily YMCA on Broadway forday care, take advantage of theamenities the city has to offer,including routine trips to East-ern Market on Saturday morn-ings.

“Its more than just buyinggroceries,” Jason said. “We goas a family and it becomes asmall event you do every Sat-urday morning. If we lived inthe suburbs, it wouldn’t be anevent. It would be a chore.”

Like many who call Detroittheir home, the Peets say thatunless you live in the city, itstrue beauty will always be a se-cret.

“I think people assume we’llbe looking to move when Maxgets to be school age,” Jasonsaid. “I don’t think that will bethe case. We’ve already lookedinto the school he’ll be going to(Chrysler Elementary), and wefeel comfortable with him at-tending.”

Jason said his familyspends a lot of time at home,playing in the backyard andenjoying time together, “andwe also have places like BelleIsle to go swim and take ourdog (Bosco).

“You can turn any home orneighborhood into a place toraise your child,” Jason said.“Before we moved here, I did-n’t put too much stock in whatwas being said by people whoweren’t involved in the city.

“Our neighbors have beenhere 30 to 40 years and thatwas encouraging to us. Theycould live in other places, butthey stayed and it wasn’t be-cause they were stuck here.”

On the Thursday eveningprior to the diary for this pro-ject, the family got togetherwith neighbors and friends forthe monthly “Big Wheels,Beers and Big Dog” nightwhere a combination of fami-lies and friends with dogs min-gle. It’s just one example oftheir regular routine in aclose-knit neighborhood.

City lifesuits thePeets —Dad, Momand littleMax —just fine

J

“I think peopleassume we’ll belooking to movewhen Max gets tobe school age. Idon’t think thatwill be the case.”

Jason Peet


JOHN F. MARTIN

Jason, Max and Amy Peet have found aneighborhood with a strong sense ofcommunity in West Village.

DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 08-13-07 B 6,7 CDB 8/8/2007 11:42 AM Page 1


6:45 a.m. They wake up.

8 a.m.Jason drops Amy’s car off atRen Cen Mechanical Serviceon Joseph Campau for a tune-up and windshieldreplacement. 8:20 a.m.He drops off Amy at herCampbell-Ewald office in theRenaissance Center. 8:30 a.m.Jason takes Max tothe Boll FamilyYMCA Child Devel-opment Center onBroadway Street forday care. Max hasbeen attending theday care since hewas 14 months old.There are sevenstudents in Max’sclass.8:45 a.m.Jason arrives atMidtown Detroit Constructionat 4147 Cass Avenue.

11 a.m.Amy picks up two pairs ofpants being hemmed atSam’s Tailor Shop in theRenaissance Center.“(The Renaissance Center)has shoe repair stores,bookstores, restaurants, afour-screen movie theater andmore,” Amy said. “It has apost office too.”

12:15 p.m.Amy rides with a co-worker toCampbell-Ewald’s main officein Warren for a meeting.

1 p.m.Jason walks four blocks fromwork to Cass Café, on CassAvenue near Wayne StateUniversity, for lunch. Heorders the blackened chickensandwich with cheese andsour cream on the side. “With Max especially, we’retrying to be conscious of howmuch we spend and eat out,”Jason said. “I’ll eat (at CassCafé) every two weeks,maybe.”

5 p.m.Jason picks Amy up in Warren

to bringher back

to the city. “Picking Amy

up in Warrengave me a taste of

what a commute is likebecause we don’t deal withthat traffic,” Jason said.

5:20 p.m.Jason and Amy pick up Maxat the YMCA.“We read up on Max’s day inhis journal and visit with all

the turtles, fish and lizardsbefore leaving,” Amy said.“He has his own cubby inwhich they keep a binder thathas every day of what he’sdone. We get an entire storyof what the entire class did.It’s a great communicationpiece.”

5:30 p.m.Everyone arrives home to letBosco, the family dog,outside.The Peets took Bosco intotheir home about three yearsago. “He adopted us,” Amysaid. “He was sitting on ourporch, as if saying ‘let me in.’ ”

6 p.m.Family makes brownies totake to a HACK party (HistoricArea Cocktail Klub). The otherrequirement is $1 for theGoodfellows charity and adrink to share.The Historic Area CocktailKlub is a once-a-month socialclub. The HACK party is opento Indian Village, West Villageand Berry subdivisionresidents.8 p.m.Grab new neighbor Aaron

Wagner; stop at HarbortownMarket on East Jefferson forbottles of wine to take to theparty. See another neighborthere.8:15 p.m.Arrive at the HACK party,which is being hosted in theBerry sub for the first time ina number of years.10 p.m.Arrive at home for story timeand bed. (It’s a late night forMax.)Saturday, July 287 a.m.Wake up.8 a.m.Leave the house for EasternMarket.8:10 a.m.Stop at the Buhl Building onGriswold Street to get moneyfrom the ATM. Most places inEastern Market require cash.8:30 a.m.Breakfast at RussellStreet Deli. Big bowl ofstrawberries and bananasfor Max, corned beef hashfor Amy and the omeletspecial for Jason.Everyone shares bites. 9 a.m.Shop for vegetables andfruit in the stalls and stopby Ronnie’s Meats onGratiot for chicken, beefand pork. “We shop at EasternMarket because it’sextremely cheap and fresh,and that’s why we love it,”Jason said. 2 p.m.The Peets take Max to theDetroit PuppetArt Center, onEast Grand River betweenFarmer and Woodward, for a

showing of “Banana forTurtle.” Theshow was $7for adults and$5 for children.“It was reallycute and Maxloved it,” Amysaid.3:30 p.m.Arrive inCorktown, anold Irishneighborhood,to visit LadelsBooks onBrooklyn Street. Ladelsspecializes in multiculturaland children’s books.

4:30 p.m.Play in the park across thestreet. 5:30 p.m.Drop off dry cleaning at IndianVillage Dry Cleaners, rightaround the corner.

6 p.m.Home to make dinner. Madechicken breasts from EasternMarket, salad and rice.7 p.m.Eat dinner.9 p.m.Story time and bed for Max.

9:30 p.m.Neighbor Aaron isdone working onhis new home forthe day and comesover for a beer onthe back porch.Have a couple ofdrinks, talk. Aaronrecently moved tothe neighborhoodfrom GrossePointe.

48hours

Friday, July 27

with Jason, Amy and Max Peet

Jason and Max at day care

At the Detroit PuppetArt Center

Amy and Max at LadelsBooks

Breakfast at Russell Street Deli




Living where you work anBY TOM ANDREW

SPECIAL TO


ike most out-of-town-ers, Tiffany Robinsonwas steered to the sub-

urbs when she moved to De-troit three years ago fromWashington. But the 28-year-old attorney with the down-town firm of Barris, Sott, Denn& Driker soon discovered thatDetroit was not just a placeto work, but where she spentmost of her casual time aswell.

A little more than a yearago, she purchased a two-bedroom, three-level town-house in the Art Center Townand Carriage Homes developedby Colin Hubbell on the edge

of the city’s cultural district,just north of downtown.

“I considered Royal Oak,Southfield and Detroit,”Robinson said. “But Ithought the condo optionsdowntown were really good.I liked the quality. I liked thelook. And the pricing was re-ally good.”

Best of all was the idea ofmoving into the heart of De-troit.

“I really missed living in acity,” Robinson said. “Withall of the restaurants andclubs, I was always in De-troit. So it made sense tomove here.”

Robinson, a native of Lan-caster, Penn., came to De-troit for her first job aftergraduating from Howard Uni-

Urbancondo isright forlawyer

L

REBECCA COOK


and play

you want a variety of shop-ping.”

Still, her favorite restau-rants and hangouts are clos-est to her home in the city.She was very interested torecently learn about thethriving Indian Village TennisClub. And she’s delighted toknow there are still manythings to learn about De-troit.


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versity’s law school in Wash-ington. “My parents thoughtit was a good opportunity —they were happy for me,” shesaid, though admitting herfather, a lawyer, “wanted meto come back and work forhim.”

She arrived in Detroitwithout knowing anyone.But her network of friendsbegan growing when shemet people while studyingfor the bar exam. Now “Imeet people through peo-ple,” and through her in-volvement in groups suchas The Barristers of the DetroitBar Association, the Wolver-ine Bar Association, as amember of the board of di-rectors of the A.C.E. Academycharter school, and the Jim

Dandy Ski Club.Robinson, a

member of her lawfirm’s commerciallitigation group, still drives towork, but the commute takesless than 10 minutes, whichmakes it especially easy if shehas to come in and work a fewextra hours on weekends.And she hasn’t turned herback on the suburbs.

For instance, she’s takinghorseback riding lessons onSaturday mornings nearAnn Arbor. She’s a memberof the Pointe Fitness healthclub in Harper Woods andplays tennis with friends onpublic courts in Berkley,Ferndale or Grosse Pointe.And, she says, “You reallyhave to go to the suburbs if

“I reallymissed livingin a city. ... Iwas always inDetroit, so itmade senseto movehere.”

Tiffany Robinson,standing at right,with 36th DistrictJudge Katherine

Hansen at an after-work gathering.

48

See Page 10

hourswith

Tiffany Robinson begins on Page 10


Friday, July 21

7:15-8:45 a.m.Wake up a little later thanusual — it’s sometimes alittle more casual onFridays; get dressed; eatbreakfast and watch a bitof the “Today Show”;check personal e-mail;drive to work (a seven-minute commute).

8:45 a.m.Arrive at work, checkvoicemail and work e-mail;complete time sheets;review daily e-journals ofrecent Michigan Court ofAppeals and MichiganSupreme Court opinions.

9:30 a.m.Conduct legal research onordinance regulations forbillboards and process toappeal denial of billboardpermit.

10:30 a.m.Conference with clientregarding status of case.

10:45 a.m.Conference with partner

regarding order on motionto compel discovery andfor a protective order.

11 a.m.Drafting and revisingamicus brief to be filed inMichigan Supreme Courtregarding zoning issue.

NoonGet carry-out lunch withco-worker Rebecca Seslarat Bangkok Crossing atWoodward and Congress.I really like this place — Igo there at least once aweek, but I try not to gomore than once a week.

12:30 p.m.Continue revising amicusbrief.

3 p.m.Drafting written discoveryrequests.

5:30 p.m.Leave work early — hey,it’s a Friday — for dinnerand cocktails at theDetroit Yacht Club withRebecca. It’s nice, and Iget to see a part of Belle

Isle that I’d never seenbefore.

7:45 p.m.Leave Detroit Yacht Cluband go home; changeclothes; check e-mail andmail; speak with lawschool friend on phone.9 p.m.Leave house to go to aBody Shop party at friendTresha Jackson’s housein Shelby Township. In anexercise of restraint, I onlybuy a couple of bodybutter moisturizers.

MidnightDrive home and go to bed.

Saturday, July 22

7:15-8:15 a.m.Wake up and get dressed(throw on typical ridingattire — ropers, jeans andtank top); eat breakfast.

8:15 a.m.Drive to riding lesson; takeprivate western ridinglesson at Morrell’s EquineCenter near Ann Arbor;practice loping. 10:15 a.m.Drive home. Rehash riding


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lesson with my aunt overthe phone; she’s beenriding for 17 years andencouraged me to startriding.12:15-2:45 p.m.Play tennis with friend EricYounan in Berkley; winmatch in straight sets; goto nearby tennis pro shopto check out sale.3-6 p.m.Drive home. Watch TV.Clean house and change

to go out to dinner withfriends.6:30-9 p.m.Friend Kameshia Gantpicks me up and we driveto friend Carrie Bryant’shouse to pick her up. Goto Vincente’s on Librarynear Gratiot to eatauthentic Cuban dinneroutside. From our table,we watch the flamencodancing performance inthe restaurant. 9:30 p.m.Drive to restaurant/barcalled They Say on Jos.Campau in the warehousedistrict in Detroit fordessert and drinks; watchan R&B band. MidnightLeave restaurant and gohome so I can get up earlyand go into the office for afew hours to work.

Spendmore timein Detroit

rain’s has twomore 48 hoursstories and di-

aries that can be foundat our Web site,www.crainsdetroit.com,along with more photosof the other familiesprofiled in these pages.

Online, read aboutanother single profes-sional: Jamie Schafer,(upper right) an IT riskconsultant who livesand works downtown.And, read about anoth-er family: Matt Bre-deweg, Jennifer Fitz-patrick and their son,Liam, age 1 (right). Theylive in the Woodbridgeneighborhood. Matt isan attorney and Jen-nifer works as a consul-tant.

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Effort fitswith pushto fostercreativeclusters

BY SHERRI BEGINCRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

nitially, Southwest Housing Solutions Corp.planned to tap artists to help it restore twobuildings in Southwest Detroit for affordable

housing.But the $7.1 million project shifted to affordable

housing for artists whenSouthwest met with AaronTimlin, executive director ofthe Contemporary Art Instituteof Detroit.

Besides providing historicpaint schemes or helping torestore Pewabic tile on rehabilitation projects, artists

need an affordable place to live. They are graduallybeing priced out of Detroit, Timlin said.

“Artists are the thread that keeps culture thriv-ing and brings people down to enjoy, celebrate andpartake in creative entertainment,” Timlin said.

“People explore cities through the arts and whatothers are doing creatively. Then they start to look

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Living & Investing intheDDThe next generation

Project develops housing for arti

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rtists, gallery


around and think, ‘Hey, Icould live here.’ ”

The project fits with a broad-er, regional push to establishmore creative clusters in the city andregion. Detroit Renaissance Inc.’s 2006 econom-ic development report, “Road to Renaissance,”pointed to creative clus-ters as one way to attractmore people to the re-gion.

Projects like theartists’ housing provideeconomic opportunity,said Detroit RenaissanceVice President SabrinaKeeley. “The project willhopefully draw otherartists, customers and

people who want to live in acreative environment to the

city,” as well as other business-es, she said.

“All of it adds up to creating athriving city, and that attracts more people.”

Timlin and the Contemporary Art Instituteare helping market the Southwest develop-ments, both on Hubbard Avenue, to more than300 local artists.

The gallery also is helping design the 1,500-square-foot Ladybug Gallery and Studios in thebasement of the Whitdel Apartments, one of twobuildings that are part of the project, to dis-play and sell the work of local artists, both ten-ants and nontenants. The art institute willown and operate the gallery area, Timlin said.The building also will include classroom spacefor community arts education and common ar-eas to provide work space for artists.

The gallery is expected to open Sept. 22, serv-ing as a secondary site to the Contemporary Art

See Page 14

Aaron Timlin, executive director of the ContemporaryArt Institute of Detroit, is helping market housing onHubbard to local artists. The tile (Page 12) andmedallion (above) are from the property.

Keeley

WILLIAM PUGLIANO



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Living & InvestingThe next generation

Institute’s fifth annual “Actual Size Bienni-al” art show (each item on display will be 8½ inches-by-11 inches) The gallery openingis scheduled just a few days before the apart-ments officially open.

Southwest is creating 40 units of afford-able housing through its renovation of thehistoric Whitdel Apartments on Hubbardat Porter and Melie Apartments on Hubbardnorth of Vernor. The Whitdel, which datesto the 1920s, is part of the Hubbard FarmsHistoric District, said Timothy Thorland,executive director of Southwest Housing. Itconsists of two- and three-bedroom unitsand is much more ornate than other prop-erties in the area. It includes an expansivelobby, highly decorative plaster and orna-mentation on the walls, Pewabic tile in theentry foyer and an outdoor courtyard.

Like most of the apartment buildings inthe area, which were built in the 1920s tohouse single men who were civil servantsor factory workers, Melie Apartments areefficiency or one-bedroom units, Thorlandsaid. Rents in both buildings for the one- tothree-bedroom apartments will range from$310 per month to $665. Updates includenew plumbing, electrical, heating, kitchensand bathrooms, he said. To restore thecharacter of the Whitdel Apartments,Southwest is either repairing in place orduplicating doors, wood trim, molding de-tails, carpets, historic paint schemes, hard-ware and lighting.

The nonprofit housing developer is fi-nancing the renovations through low-in-come and historic tax credits, said Thor-land.

Expected to open in October, the renovat-ed housing is Southwest’s latest in adecade’s worth of housing development to-taling about $65 million, he said.

“Certainly we want to do this in the fu-ture with projects that don’t have incomerestrictions or could include home owner-ship in the city of Detroit.”

Separately, Southwest is working onthree other affordable-housing projectsthat it hopes to finance by the end of theyear, Thorland said.

An ancillary benefit of the renovationprojects is that they help remove slums andblight from the community, Thorland said.The nonprofit approach results in more af-fordable housing in the area.

“No investor from the suburbs can comeinto the city and rehabilitate these build-ings … and make a profit. The economics ofit don’t work — the cost to rehabilitatecan’t be supported by the rents you cancharge.”

Sherri Begin: (313) 446-1694,[email protected]

■ From Page 13


CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 15FALL 2007

Living & Investing intheDDThe next generation

Stores, transit, walkabilityTo attractmillennials,appeal totheir desires

BY BRUCE MASONSPECIAL TO


irst it was the babyboomers. Then Genera-tion X. Now it’s time for

the millennials to take centerstage.

For a struggling Michiganeconomy, finding out what thisgroup needs is a top priorityand should greatly affect hous-ing planning, according to ex-perts.

A millennial is any personborn from 1977 to 1996. As agroup, they’re mobile and entre-preneurial. And, most impor-tant, they seek urban areas.

Laurie Volk, a research ana-lyst and principal at Zimmer-man/Volk Associates Inc., basedin Clinton, N.J., left her markon a panel of experts in Maywhen she spoke to severalgroups on what millennialsmean to the future of Michigan.

One such expert is MichiganFuture co-founder and PresidentLou Glazer.

“There’s this wonderful quotethat we use in the report fromthe publisher of Forbes,” saidGlazer, “which is, ‘Smart peopletend to be mobile. Watch wherethey go. Because where they go,robust economic activity willfollow.’

“And the most mobile smartpeople are young.”

Shared responsibility Architects, urban planners,

local chambers and banks, toname a few, must make millen-nials a priority, Glazer said.

First, policymakers have tofocus on developing centralcities — particularly high-den-sity, mixed-use, walkableneighborhoods. And for that tohappen, state and local levelshave to put together a set oflaws that push such develop-ment, Glazer said.

But there is a problem: zon-ing.

“In many cases you can’t do

mixed-use development,” Glaz-er said, “because there’s idioticzoning laws. So all of that regu-latory stuff has got to bechanged.”

Arnold Weinfeld, director ofpublic policy and federal affairsfor the Michigan MunicipalLeague, agreed Michigan poli-cies and economic developmenttools during the past decadehave not pinpointed urban ar-eas enough.

“Michigan needs to be in-vesting in cities,” Weinfeldsaid.

Zoning models need to be re-vised to allow mixed-use neighborhoods. Inmost communities,they are illegal, saidJames Tischler, who isthe Adrian city plan-ner but also works as apublic-private devel-opment consultant.Areas such as Mid-town and downtownDetroit are reviving

through the efforts of the localgovernments, which have en-couraged changes in zoningcodes to allow mixed-use neigh-borhoods, Tischler said.

“(It’s) the allowance of thoseto happen not on a special basis,but on a permitted-by-right ba-sis,” Tischler said. “The de-mand is there.”

Economic toolsDavid Egner, Michigan Fu-

ture board chairman and presi-dent of the Hudson-Webber Foun-dation, said millennials “wantto rent and they don’t want big

places.”“So the notion that

these folks are goingto buy 2,000 squarefeet is not in align-ment with the valuesystem of the millen-nial,” he said.

But there are pro-grams in place to

Glazer

WHO’S A MILLENNIAL?Anyone born between 1977and 1996. They are highlymobile and entrepreneurial.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?They seek urban areas thatare high-density, mixed-useand walkable.They want to rent, not own,smaller residential units.They want retailconveniences like groceryand drug stores.

See Page 16

Seattle is cited as an urban area that attracts younger people.

F



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assist young professionals in buying mod-est homes, such as programs of the Michi-gan State Housing Development Authority.(See sidebar, Page 18). Other tools such asNeighborhood Enterprise Zone tax cuts —recently approved by the Detroit City Councilfor 26 additional communities to take placein 2008 — can lure young buyers.

“It’s a good selling point,” said MattAllen, a press secretary to Detroit MayorKwame Kilpatrick .

Twelve-25 Woodward, a residential-loftproperty scheduled to open in the summeror fall of 2008, lies within one of the zones.

It’s something Detroit-based Fowler L.L.C.managing partners Derron Sanders, 33,and Sterling Howard, 28, sought.

“It allows (buyers) a 12-year, 50 percenttax abatement,” Sanders said. He addedthat some young professionals haven’t yetfound an urban development they can com-fortably afford; the NEZ helps resolve that.

Besides a place to live in an urban cen-ter, millennials want retail convenienceslike neighborhood grocery stores.

“The only thing that people ask is fordrugstores and mini-markets,” said DinoDiamantopoulos, leasing manager for Har-monie Park Lofts, whose 12 residential unitshouse people in their mid-20s.

Technology and transitMichigan needs to look forward and fol-

low the lead of other cities such as Port-land, Seattle and Atlanta, which enduredweak economies but began to concentrateon young talent and eventually pulled outof the muck, said Glazer.

Researcher Volk said infrastructure is-sues such as wireless network access arecritical to reach this group.

“Over and over again, we hear that anyplace that’s got free Wi-Fi is incredibly at-tractive to young people,” Volk said, “be-cause that’s how they communicate.

“No. 1, it’s clearly a lot easier for thisgeneration to start their new business any-where, just because of the whole Internet,wireless revolution,” she said.

Mass transit is key as well, “in order toget the really high densi-ties that you need to createthe mini-Manhattans andChicagos and San Francis-cos,” Volk said.

Imagine if a trolley bustransportation system, forexample, were to stretchall the way down Wood-ward Avenue. Then, evenmore businesses would beattracted into the region,said Bob Slattery, president of Midtown De-troit Construction.

Living & InvestingThe next generation

■ From Page 15

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Living & Investing intheDDMillennials

Stay, and it may payhe Michigan State Hous-ing Development Authorityoffers a graduate pur-

chase assistance programmeant to get graduates intotheir first home.

People who have receivedtheir diplomas (bachelor’s, as-sociate’s, master’s or doctoraldegree) within the past threeyears are eligible if they meetprogram requirements.

If those graduates buy in oneof the “Cities of Promise”(Benton Harbor, Hamtramck,Saginaw, Detroit, Flint, High-land Park, Muskegon Heights,Pontiac), MSHDA issues a 30-year fixed-rate loan at a sub-stantially reduced interestrate, said Mary Townley,MSHDA director of home own-ership. Household income lim-its are no more than $72,250 a

year — less in some communi-ties. Rates are about 2 percentbelow market rates.

“It is an excellent programto help keep newly educated,young individuals in thoseCities of Promise,” Townleysaid.

The development authorityalso offers a statewide employ-er-assistance housing programthat provides help with downpayments. An example could bea Detroit-area hospital lookingto place nurses and doctorsnearby, perhaps walking dis-tance from employment.

“(The hospital) will createthe program; we’ll work withthem,” Townley said. “We willallow for a match, dollar fordollar, up to $5,000 — and helpthat employee obtain homeownership.”

The MSHDA match is in theform of a second mortgage tobe repaid when the property issold or refinanced. Employerscan contribute in variousforms, such as grants or loans.

There are also seven low-rate first-mortgage programsoffered by the authority gearedfor first-time buyers.

The loans and operating ex-penses are financed throughthe sale of tax-exempt and tax-able bonds and notes to privateinvestors, not from state taxrevenue.

“We work very, very hard toproduce the best possible,most affordable loan transac-tions for individuals in thestate,” Townley said.

For more information, seewww.michigan.gov/mshda.

— Bruce Mason

Assistancehelpsgraduatesget into theirfirst home

T

Page 18 FALL 2006 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS


When I am working on this program for our employees, I feel like a real dream maker. Everybody deserves the opportunity to

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Retain your employees and become an employer with a competitive edge by partnering with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority

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Living & Investing intheDDRestorations

Ross the boss of her B&BBY ROBERT ANKENYCRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

ona Ross has a strongsentimental attachmentto the Brush Park area,

and it shows in the 135-year-oldmansion that she’s rehabbedinto the 234 Winder Street Inn, afetching bed and breakfast justacross the Fisher Freeway fromFord Field.

The 9,000-square-foot, three-story mansion built by mer-chant Emanuel Schloss in 1872was vacant but not abandonedwhen Ross found it for sale inthe early 1990s.

The French architectural styleincludes a mansard roof withdormer windows and projecting

bays on the front withdecorative stone hoodsand keystones. It waslisted on the State Reg-istry of Historic Sites in1988.

Ross said she envi-sioned a bed and break-fast for her refurbishedproperty from the start,even though there waslittle else redevelopedyet in the area.

Groundbreaking forWoodward Place at BrushPark condominiums oc-curred shortly after shebought the property.Planning for several

other Brush Park developmentswas in the works, but few wereunder way.

“Comerica Park or Ford Fieldweren’t there when I bought thehouse, and at first I didn’t like(the stadiums) because I like qui-et. But it’s really turned out to bean added plus for business,” shesaid.

The old mansion was in disre-pair, Ross said, but many of thefiner features were intact, in-cluding mostly original chande-liers and five functioning mar-ble fireplaces, most withPewabic tile decorations. Assist-ed by her family, Ross workedfor nearly a decade getting thehouse into shape, then furnish-

ing it herself with beds, chairs,cabinets and wallhangings that recallthe 19th century.

Building from thedark walnut mold-ings she restored,Ross brightened eachroom using light col-ors such as cream,pink and mauve onwalls. Avid about an-tiques, she broughtfurniture for therestoration fromacross the countryand decorated oneroom at a time.

The inn has sixsuites, two with pairsof beds, and eachwith a bathroom.

On the first floor, adouble parlor withtwo fireplaces andgrand piano serves asa dining or meetingarea.

In all, Ross spentabout $200,000, in-cluding the purchaseprice of about $70,000,in actual outlays, she said. Sheadded “incalculable amounts” of

personal and family labor —“sweat equity” — tothe inn, whose valueshe now estimates at$750,000.

But it’s been a la-bor of love, she said.

“I was drawn to it,something motivat-ed me. After Ibought it in 1995, Iwould just sit in it,full of trash, holes inthe roof, but I felt athome. I could see itas if it were finished,and knew I was sup-posed to be the care-taker now.

“I’m not saying Ibelieve I was bornbefore, but there’s afeeling here,” shesaid.

Born in New Or-leans and brought toDetroit by her par-ents in the 1950swhen she was 4,Ross said, she wasback and forth dur-ing her childhoodand mostly schooled

M

“After I boughtit in 1995, Iwould just sitin it, full oftrash, holes inthe roof, but Ifelt at home. Icould see it asif it werefinished, andknew I wassupposed to bethe caretakernow.”

Mona Ross

Brush Park-area mansioncontributes toneighborhoodrevival

See Page 22

WILLIAM PUGLIANO

There was little else developed in the immediate area when Mona Rossbought the mansion she turned into a bed and breakfast.

The transformation of234 Winder St. isevident even from thefront steps. For a“before” photo of theentrance, see Page 22.


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in Louisiana.Her mother was a domestic worker who

later opened an adult foster care homehere. Her father was a carpenter whotaught her how to use tools so she can han-dle jobs ranging from drywalling to roof-ing, Ross said.

“Actually the first time my mother washere, her residence was the Carleton Ho-tel,” Ross said, gesturing out the front win-dow to where that building stands, beingconverted into condos.

Ross said that she’s “always loved tocook, especially Cajun.” She owned a cater-ing business for about 15 years, mostlyserving community and church customers.This came in handy in 2006 when shewhipped up special red beans-and-rice andjambalaya for Super Bowl XL guests at theInn.

Before the Inn, Ross had purchased twohouses on Eliot Street and rehabbed them,which was when she first joined the BrushPark Community District Council, volunteer-ing for cleanup and other chores.

This led to her becoming a member ofthe Brush Park Development Corp., where shelater was president.

The group includes the Joint Fraternal De-velopment Corp. (composed of Kappa AlphaPsi Fraternity Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha FraternityInc., The Most Worshipful King David GrandLodge A.F. and A.M.), The Village of Brush ParkManor Paradise Valley Seniors Housing, andCrosswinds Communities Inc.

Ehrlich Crain, vice president of Novi-based Crosswinds, calls Ross’ effort “a phe-nomenal job, on work that’s very difficult,with structural challenges and historic fea-tures that are very intricate and time-con-suming.”

Crain knows a bit about what it takes torehab historic Brush Park homes, becauseCrosswinds has completed three rehabsthere and has four more in the works.

Those finished are a six-unit brownstoneat 2669 John R; at 255 Winder, a 3,800-square-foot home; and a 2,500-square-foothouse at 85 Adelaide, Crain said. “Andwe’re about to start another rehab acrossfrom Mona’s B&B, at 269 Winder, a 5,000-square-foot single home to be split into twounits.”

In addition, Crosswinds also has builtand sold 188 housing units in the Wood-ward Place complex, just north of the Fish-er Freeway, with 55 more units under con-struction in what is projected to be a600-unit development.

James Marusich, development projectmanager for the Detroit Planning and Devel-opment Department, lauded Ross’ spirit.

The 234 Winder Street Inn was recipientof some aid from the city through its BrushPark Historic Facade Easement Program,

Living & Investing intheDDRestorations

■ From Page 20

Marusich said. But with the city’s blockgrant funding diminishing, he said, indi-vidual entrepreneurial efforts like those ofRoss, and Ghassam and Marilyn Yazbeck(whose Inn at 97 Winder bed-and-breakfastnear Woodward has been open since thelate 1990s), are even more critical.

“Working with limited resources andhelp, she’s made a great impact in thearea,” he said, “If we had more people likeher, and the Yazbecks, Brush Park wouldbe even farther along.”

Robert Ankeny: (313) 446-0404;[email protected]

“Before” (above)and “after” (left)photos show theamount of workinvolved inconverting 234Winder St. to afunctioning bed andbreakfast.

Period furniturewas usedthroughout thehouse.

The front porch andoverhang had to bereplaced.

PHOTOS ABOVE AND BELOW BY WILLIAM PUGLIANO

ROOM RATESRoom rates start at $159for a single room Mondaythrough Thursday, based ona two-night minimum stay.The same room is $229 onweekends. Visitwww.234winderstinn.com.


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Mona Ross sits in the same spot recently as ispictured in the “before” photo below.

WILLIAM PUGLIANO


Page 24 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESSFALL 2007

Living & Investing intheDDQuirky rehabs

BY JOANN AMICANGELOSPECIAL TO


uildings in and aroundDetroit are being re-habbed all the time: an

old warehouse is turned intolofts, office buildings are up-dated to attract new tenants,and aged storefronts are re-stored for modern retailers andrestaurateurs.

The stories that follow areabout the quirky renovations— those unusual reuse projectsthat spring from the minds ofvisionaries who can see poten-tial in a dated funeral home oran old streetcar power station.Some of these innovative trans-formations have rescued his-torically significant buildingsfrom further decay and possi-ble demolition, while othershave just made good use of anold structure with good bones.With each reinvention comes anew and interesting twist oninvesting in the Woodward cor-ridor.

FERNDALE

Law offices go back to schoolWhen Bill Osantowski, part-

ner, Foley & Mansfield P.L.L.P.,began looking for new spacefor the Detroit offices of theMinneapolis-based law firm,he envisioned a Soho loft-stylebuilding in a downtown areawhere employees could walk tolunch or to run errands.

He and managing partnerGary Sharp began looking inBirmingham and Royal Oak

but couldn’t find anything intheir price range or withenough square footage. In early2006, they expanded theirsearch area to Ferndale, whereOsantowski lived while attend-ing law school in the late 1970s.They found what they werelooking for in the former Fern-dale K-12 School, built in 1915.

“From our initial walk-through, we loved it. We lovedthe bones of the building withits 10- to 12-foot-high ceilings.Osantowski said the building’s

Reinventing spaces

Minneapolis-basedBarbour LaDouceurDesign Groupincreased the formerFerndale K-12 Schoolbuilding’s squarefootage with a three-story glass-and-brickatrium. The buildingwas once used asschool districtadministrativeoffices.

BNew looks atold buildingsadd life tometro Detroit

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOLEY & MANSFIELD


CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 25FALL 2007

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reuse history includes the FerndalePublic Library in the 1930s and Ferndale School District adminis-trative offices.

Renovation of the three-story,12,000-square-foot building beganlast December. A three-story brick-and-glass atrium with metal roofwas added, increasing the overallspace to 19,000 square feet. The plas-ter walls were removed to reveal theoriginal brick, much of which willbe left exposed, and all the windows were re-placed. Exposed ductwork will give thespace a soft industrial feel, contrasted withcherrywood and a palette of natural colors.

Much of the ceiling on the third floor inthe old section was removed, giving thatfloor a two-story height. In addition to twooffices, a conference room and sitting areawith fireplace, the third floor will include afull-service kitchen with access to an out-door patio. The new design also calls for afitness center.

ROYAL OAKAutomotive aftermarket firm generates newenergy for former power house

Michael Chetcuti, CEO, Quality MetalcraftInc., Livonia, has a way of rescuing oldbuildings. He transformed a century-oldcabin Up North, a 1930s-era home in Pleas-ant Ridge and, now, one of the oldest build-ings in Royal Oak.

The St. Clair Edison Building, at 711 S.

Main St., was built in 1909 as acoal-burning power plant forstreetcars traveling the Wood-ward corridor from Eight Mile toPontiac. From the 1940s to 2000,it was owned by Billings FeedStore, which sold “everythingfrom chicken scratch to dog foodand hay for the horses.” Thismonth it will debut as StreetcarUSA, an automotive aftermarketand specialty vehicle supplier

and Chetcuti’s latest business venture.“We had been looking at the building

since it went on the market four or fiveyears ago, trying to find a use for it. Weknew if we could get involved in it, wewanted to save the landmark,” he said.

Renovation of the 6,700-square-foot struc-ture involved removing two building addi-tions from the 1980s, including the originalBillings Feed storefront. Running waterand a sewer system were brought in, fea-

Michael Chetcutitook on therenovation of oneof the oldestbuildings in RoyalOak, the St. ClairEdison Building.

See Page 26

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUALITY METALCRAFT INC.



tures the building had never had before,and in-floor radiant heat was installed un-der new poured concrete floors. Sand-blasters and brick masons worked for ayear to expose the eight-brick-thick walls,and the glass block windows were replacedwith new ones that mimic the original di-vided light iron ones. Chetcuti said Street-car USA will be on the main floor, which in-cludes a mezzanine accessed by a metalstaircase he designed and manufactured.They are currently in negotiations with apotential tenant for the garden level but areopen to others who might be interested.

“Because our business is so tied to de-sign, we would love to have an interior de-sign firm, architect, automotive designer,or gallery in the space.”

BIRMINGHAM

Orthodontists cross the tracks for edgy offices in Birmingham

Drs. Scott Tyler and John Dumas, part-ners, Tyler, Dumas, Reyes, took a leap of faithwhen they decided to move their busy ortho-dontic offices in Beverly Hills to a dilapidat-ed industrial building in Birmingham’s rail-road district where furnace air filters wereonce manufactured. Not the first place youmight think of for a medical facility.

“We weren’t aware of anyone, certainlyin our profession, who had done it. It waskind of exciting to consider a sort of indus-trial, loft-style building,” said Tyler. “Andit’s a very unique space, basically a factoryaesthetic, with exposed duct work, 28-footceilings and old-fashioned fans.”

When theypurchased thetwo-story,23,000-square-foot, circa-1950building in late2004, it camewith one tenanton the mezza-nine level, ColeStreet Salon andSpa, whose own-er had alreadybuilt out “abeautiful spacewithin an ab-solute dump,”Tyler said.

Tyler and Dumas hired Victor Saroki & As-sociates, Birmingham, to restore the build-ing while making it compatible for their of-fices and future tenants. The renovation

Living & InvestingQuirky rehabs

■ From Page 25

See Page 28

Orthodontists now work ina space once used as afactory.

PHOTO COURTESY VICTOR SAROKI& ASSOCIATES


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involved cleaning and paintingthe cement block facade and in-stalling new steel-sash windowsto replicate the original ones.Existing truck bays were re-placed with glass entry doorsunder canopies for storefrontentrances. The existing hard-wood floor on the mezzaninelevel, where the doctor’s pri-vate offices are located, was re-finished to maintain a dis-tressed look.

“We left as much as we could— the roof framing, steelcolumns, the steel trusses andwood deck of the mezzanine —so you get a lot of the fabric ofthe original building,” said DanSchneider, project architect.

Tyler said patient reaction tothe space has been positive.

“We were a little concernedabout them having to crossWoodward and go into this kindof unknown district where youcertainly don’t get the feelingyou’re about to stumble onto aprofessional office, but they’vebeen great,” said Tyler.

Since purchasing the build-ing, Tyler and Dumas have

leased space to two additionaltenants: Goldfish Swim Schooland The Eriksen Group.

PONTIAC

Construction company gives newlife to funeral home

Kyle Westberg’s office used tobe a viewing room for the dead.But he’s not haunted by it. Aspresident of West ConstructionServices in Pontiac, he’s proudof the transformation his com-pany has made to the 114-year-old building at 79 Oakland Ave.that had been the Huntoon Funer-

al Home.WCS purchased the building

in 2005 after a yearlong searchfor an urban setting in OaklandCounty and a building that was-n’t what Westberg calls a“vanilla box.”

“When we looked at thisbuilding, it fit every single oneof our needs in regards to size,location and parking,” saidWestberg.

The structure was built in1893 by Alexander Baldwin, thestate representative in whosehonor Baldwin Road wasnamed. It was later owned by abuggy manufacturer and a civicgroup before becoming a funer-al home. Though they made justminor improvements to the ex-terior, such as new entry doorsand architectural detailingalong the front porch, the firmgutted the interior, which hadno remaining historic or archi-tectural value. With the help ofa sister company, TDG DesignGroup, WCS reconfigured thefirst and second floors, movingthe staircase back to its originalposition and replacing win-

dows. The third floor, which thecompany intends to lease, is un-finished. The basement, whichused to be the embalming room,is reserved for storage.

Today, the 9,300-square-footbuilding is teeming with newlife. The dated funeral home in-terior has been replaced by boldcolors and a mix of contempo-rary and traditional furnish-ings. Westberg said it took awhile for his staff to get over thebuilding’s “creepy factor.” Al-though the Huntoons hadmoved out a few years before,the embalming room (or “ERoom” as one staff memberrefers to it) was intact.

“My controller at the time re-fused to go down there,” saidWestberg. “But we’re all be-yond that now.”

The stage is set for the new Crofoot Building

Blair McGowan’s vision forthe long-vacant Crofoot Build-ing in Pontiac is much differentfrom that of the building’s de-

■ From Page 26

See Page 30West Construction Services officesonce housed a funeral home.

Page 28 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS


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