Ann Arbor Construction updates - Page 19

Docta_Love · #1 Posted **Dec 6, 2017, 4:10 PM**

Quote:

State Theatre in Ann Arbor to reopen after $8.5 million overhaul

By KURT NAGL
Crain's Detroit Business
December 06, 2017

-Michigan Theater Foundation leads improvements
-Art deco cinema has refurbished facade and four screens
-Grand reopening this weekend

The show is set to go on at the State Theatre in Ann Arbor as the iconic movie house caps an $8.5 million renovation with a grand opening this weekend.
In time for its 75th birthday, the classic art deco art house at 233 S. State St. will celebrate with a grand reopening on Friday night for members and open to the public Saturday after a 10-month transformation doubled its number of screens to four and overhauled projection and seating, according to a news release from the theater.

The Michigan Theater Foundation, which owns the theater, led renovations, including a refurbished façade, new lobby and restrooms, as well as installation of a full-size elevator and escalator. The complex now has four screening rooms, ranging from 50 to 140 seats with increased legroom. A new full-service cocktail bar and renovated concessions stand were also part of the project.

Built in 1942 and designed by renowned architect Howard Crane, known for his work on the Fox Theatre in Detroit, the State Theatre was purchased by the Michigan Theater Foundation in 2014 and closed for renovations in October 2016.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...llion-overhaul

deja vu · #2 Posted **Jan 13, 2018, 2:35 AM**

This article discusses recent developments and has several construction update photos (scroll to the bottom):

Quote:

Ann Arbor mayor says $3.4M of city's budget due to new construction
Ryan Stanton | MLive
January 9, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - Without all of the new development in Ann Arbor over the past decade, Mayor Christopher Taylor says the city would have notably less tax revenue than it does now. In an annual report released this week, Taylor said $3.4 million of the city's budget is attributable to new construction since 2007. That includes several new apartment high-rises built in the downtown, and various other new residential and commercial developments that have allowed more people to live and work in Ann Arbor. Altogether, the city's budget now totals about $423 million, including a nearly $105 million general fund...

deja vu · #3 Posted **Jan 13, 2018, 3:02 AM**

Whether you're a UMich fan or not, this new sports facility looks sweet - and it only cost a measely $168 million. The sheer amount of equipment in this facility is nuts - I've never seen a rowing simulator like that before. Check out the article for more photos.

Quote:

Underwater bikes, hydraulic track featured at new Michigan sports facility
Andrew Kahn | MLive
January 9, 2018

ANN ARBOR -- Perhaps the best part of Michigan's brand new, $168-million, 280,000-square-foot athletics facility is that women's rowing coach Mark Rothstein will no longer have to risk his life to properly prepare his team. Rothstein, the team's head coach for the 20 years the program has existed, would spend the early spring trying to break up ice on Belleville Lake in order to train there. Thanks to the South Competition and Performance Project, which officially opened last week and will hold its first public event on Saturday, the rowing team can use an indoor rowing tank that can simulate open water...

All photo credit goes to MLive | Melanie Maxwell:

Fvn · #4 Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 12:38 AM**

More apartments proposed, this time near Michigan Stadium at Hoover and Greene:

Mlive article with more info and renderings
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/...ghborhood.html

deja vu · #5 Posted **Feb 3, 2018, 2:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fvn

More apartments proposed, this time near Michigan Stadium at Hoover and Greene:

Mlive article with more info and renderings
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/...ghborhood.html

^ It looks like 9 detached homes and 3 commercial structures would be demolished for this. The design is unremarkable, but it does achieve some positive things like some ground-floor retail on the east side and a fairly well-concealed parking ramp. There will be a partial zoning change involved for the west half of the site from R4C to C2B. I bet this will go through though.

deja vu · #6 Posted **Mar 9, 2018, 2:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deja vu

^ It looks like 9 detached homes and 3 commercial structures would be demolished for this. The design is unremarkable, but it does achieve some positive things like some ground-floor retail on the east side and a fairly well-concealed parking ramp. There will be a partial zoning change involved for the west half of the site from R4C to C2B. I bet this will go through though.

Regarding the Redico apartment proposal, Crain's has an article studying how this developer is making a move into more purely-housing oriented development, over large mixed-use projects, which has been the company's M.O. to-date. It cites two main reasons for this change - (a) apartment construction is quicker and easier, with less hurdles, and (b) more caution in a market that can be unpredictable. I guess you could easily add reason (c) - that the demand for apartment housing in places like this is presently very high.

Quote:

Developer Redico jumps into apartment sector in Ann Arbor
Kirk Pinho | Crain's Detroit Business
March 4, 2018

Redico LLC is branching out into apartment development, first with a $26 million project north of Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The Southfield-based developer has been best known in recent years for large mixed-use developments like the Gateway Marketplace project in Detroit, which brought the city its first Meijer Inc. store, and the Village at Bloomfield, the former Bloomfield Park site in Bloomfield Township and Pontiac. Now the company is scaling back its pursuit of new, sweeping developments like those with multiple components and instead turning its eye to a bread-and-butter real estate asset class: Apartments...

deja vu · #7 Posted **Feb 3, 2018, 3:13 PM**

Amidst all of the vertical expansion along South U - The Collegian North, The Collegian East, etc. - news now that Espresso Royale may go vertical with the addition of three floors of apartments. The design has already gone through some changes after going before the Design Review Board on Jan. 17.

Quote:

Vertical expansion of Espresso Royale building on South U proposed
Ryan Stanton | MLive
February 01, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - As a major transformation and densification of South U continues, another new development is in the works. Plans have been submitted to the city of Ann Arbor for a vertical expansion of the Espresso Royale building at 1101 S. University Ave., where the University of Michigan Diag meets South U. Washington, D.C.-based S. University Properties LLC, which owns the building, is proposing the addition, which is being designed by J. Bradley Moore and Associates Architects. If approved, three floors of apartments would be added to the existing two-story building, which currently includes the coffee shop on the first floor and basement, and office space on the second floor. The proposed building would have more than 8,100 square feet of floor area and a total of 16 bedrooms in three apartments...

Proposed rendering, showing the U/C The Collegian North behind:

View looking towards Espresso Royale, from The Collegian North construction site:

Images Source: MLive | Ryan Stanton

deja vu · #8 Posted **Feb 3, 2018, 3:29 PM**

Dennis Dahlmann, who owns several properties in the area, has filed suit with the city over the downtown lot that he bought four years ago -

Quote:

Developer sues Ann Arbor in hopes of keeping valuable downtown land
Ryan Stanton | MLive
February 02, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - Four years after buying a downtown property from the city of Ann Arbor with stated intentions of building new apartments and commercial space, Dennis Dahlmann is suing the city in hopes of getting another four years to make a project happen. Dahlmann, who owns and manages several properties in Ann Arbor, never built the building city officials wanted to see when they agreed to sell a public parking lot to him for $5.25 million in April 2014. The Y Lot -- the former site of a YMCA next to the Blake Transit Center -- now sits empty on the north side of William Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, across from the downtown library. Local attorney Tom Wieder filed a lawsuit against the city on Dahlmann's behalf in Washtenaw County Circuit Court on Friday, Feb. 2, blaming the city for the failure of the development plans...

A new development plan for a lot on the city's east side, just to the west of M-23, that has failed to see earlier proposals go through -

Quote:

160 apartments planned for site of former Ann Arbor homeless camp
Ryan Stanton | MLive
January 30, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - A 160-unit apartment development is in the works for Ann Arbor's east side. Neighbors of the wooded property at 2805 Burton Road are being invited by the developer to attend an upcoming citizen participation meeting to discuss the new plans for the eight-acre site. The meeting is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Feb. 8 inside the gym at Pittsfield Elementary School, 2543 Pittsfield Blvd., according to a notice mailed to neighbors. The property hugs the west side of U.S. 23 north of Packard Road. It has been the site of multiple past development proposals, and the site of a homeless camp that was evicted four years ago while an 80-unit affordable housing project was in the works...

deja vu · #9 Posted **Feb 10, 2018, 7:08 PM**

Some news from neighboring Ypsi / EMich:

Quote:

EMU nearly energy self-sufficient with new cogen plant
Tracy Samilton | Michigan Radio
February 09, 2018

Eastern Michigan University flipped the switch on its new co-generation plant Friday, making the university the first in Michigan to meet close to 100% of its campus energy needs...John Donegan is vice president in charge of facilities. He says the plant will be able to produce 98% of the heat used on campus, and 93% of the electricity...Even though EMU will have to pay $500,000 every year to DTE Energy to be on standby in the event of a plant failure, the university will still save a lot of money -- $50,000 a week in energy costs, for an annual savings of $2.8 million. That will bring EMU a return on investment in just under nine years...

Quote:

Eastern Michigan University, Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, Integrated Healthcare Associates to collaborate on new health center on EMU campus
EMU Press Release
February 09, 2018

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) and Integrated Healthcare Associates (IHA) will collaborate on a new health center on the EMU campus under a plan approved today by the EMU Board of Regents. The health center will be located on the northwest end of campus on open land off Huron River Drive and Oakwood Street, near the present headquarters of the EMU Department of Public Safety...

...The collaboration will include the construction and operation of a new 25,700 square foot facility, with the construction costs of nearly $6.6 million to be funded by IHA/SJMHS. The University will fund the construction of a $1.8 million roadway to the facility. Eastern will occupy slightly more than half the facility, 14,500 feet, and IHA will occupy 11,200 square feet...

Image Source: EMU

deja vu · #10 Posted **Feb 10, 2018, 7:22 PM**

Rehab of several historic structures for new co-working space on E. Huron St. is on track to open this summer:

Quote:

Co-working tech office prepares to open in downtown Ann Arbor
Jessica Haynes | MLive
February 07, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - Historic buildings are seeing new life again thanks to Cahoots, a tech hub outfitting office space for new and established businesses in downtown Ann Arbor. Cahoots is right on schedule to open this summer, said Alison Todak, managing director of the 24,000-square-foot space that includes three buildings and multiple floors at 206 E. Huron St...

deja vu · #11 Posted **Mar 9, 2018, 2:30 PM**

Another new mixed-use apartment proposed for downtown Ann Arbor. The earlier plan for a new bath house on this site was a neat idea. More interesting than another apartment block anyway, and if it were to work anywhere in Michigan, Ann Arbor was a good spot to try. Too bad there turned out to be not enough interest, and the owner ran into financial problems. The public bath houses in Japan / eastern culture are a social gathering space, not just somewhere to get clean. They seem to have a stigma here though - oh well.

Quote:

$6M project with Jetsons-inspired name proposed on Ann Arbor's Main Street
Ryan Stanton | MLive
February 26, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - With previous plans for a community bath house scrapped, a new mixed-use development is in the works for a vacant site on Ann Arbor's North Main Street. Elroy's Place is the name of the six-story building now proposed at 321 N. Main St., where Peter Woolf's Sun Baths development plans stalled last year due to financing troubles...

Source: MLive | Courtesy Atlantes LLC and Robert Darvas Associates

deja vu · #12 Posted **Mar 9, 2018, 3:02 PM**

Renderings were unveiled at the DDA Board meeting on Wednesday, March 7, to illustrate planned improvements for the downtown Ann / Ashley parking deck. The DDA's plans for the 827-space garage include adding 3 new levels of parking (375 new public spaces) atop the existing 6, adding ground-floor retail along Ashley Street and Miller Ave, and an extensive facade overhaul. There may also be some more utilitarian upgrades to electrical and storm systems, and the addition of electric car charging stations. All told, the scope of the project has increased for the better, and we may be looking at a budget of about $24 - 25 million for everything now, an increase of $7 million from the DDA's budget that was approved back in October.

Quote:

See plans for transformative makeover, expansion of Ann Arbor parking deck
Ryan Staton | MLive
March 7, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - A major transformation is in store for the Ann/Ashley parking garage in downtown Ann Arbor if the Downtown Development Authority follows through on plans for a renovation and expansion. The DDA's design consultants unveiled new architectural renderings at a DDA board meeting Wednesday, March 7, showing a completely new look for the decades-old garage on the west side of downtown...

Source: MLive | Courtesy Ann Arbor DDA / Fusco, Shaffer and Pappas Inc. architects and planners, architect Carl Luckenbach, and Carl Walker Inc.

Related: A2's DDA has big spending plans for the next few years -

Quote:

Ann Arbor DDA dipping $8.4M into cash reserves to tackle big projects
Ryan Stanton | MLive
March 9, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - A lot of improvements are planned in downtown Ann Arbor over the next few years, and it's going to be costly. The Downtown Development Authority...is planning to draw $8.4 million from its cash reserves to balance its budget in the next year. That would drop the DDA's fund balance from $12 million to $3.6 million by next summer, spending down much of the DDA's savings. The DDA board voted this week to put forward its 2018-19 budget for City Council approval in May...The budget shows the DDA is anticipating $36.5 million in expenses and $28.1 million in revenue for the year, including $21.2 million in parking revenue and $6.7 million in revenue from its share of the taxes paid by downtown property owners...

Fvn · #13 Posted **Apr 7, 2018, 1:00 AM**

More apartments; this time coming to intersection of Miller and Ashley--

MLive - http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/...propose_1.html

Fvn · #14 Posted **Apr 7, 2018, 1:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fvn

More apartments; this time coming to intersection of Miller and Ashley--

MLive - http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/...propose_1.html

As well as on Commerce Drive on the west side (behind the post office on Stadium)--

MLive - http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/...ed_on_ann.html

deja vu · #15 Posted **Apr 14, 2018, 3:45 PM**

Groundbreaking on U of M's new Ford Robotics Building was yesterday -

Quote:

University of Michigan breaks ground on Ford Robotics Building
Meredith Bruckner | ClickonDetroit.com
April 13, 2018

ANN ARBOR - Officials at the University of Michigan broke ground Friday morning at its newest $75 million facility -- the Ford Motor Company Robotics Building.

According to the university, robots will fly, walk, drive and help enhance or rehabilitate human function starting in early 2020. The four-story complex is 140,000 square feet and will house classrooms, a startup-style open concept collaboration area, offices and a tailored lab space. Plans for the facility include an outdoor obstacle course for mobile robots, a three-story fly zone for autonomous drones, a space for mobility and rehabilitation robots, such as exoskeletons and prosthetics, and a high-bay garage for autonomous vehicles...

Source: ClickonDetroit.com | Courtesy U of M

deja vu · #16 Posted **Apr 14, 2018, 3:52 PM**

Update on the Y lot downtown, as the city considers its options on whether to exercise its right to purchase it back from the current owner, or to try and negotiate some sort of deal. The owner / developer has offered up many excuses for not developing the site within 4 years, which was a requirement of the sale back in 2013. He is now trying to sue the city.

Quote:

Ann Arbor official who may be Y Lot swing vote hopes for negotiation
Ryan Stanton | MLive
April 10, 2018

ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor officials left a closed-door meeting Monday night, April 9, and adjourned a special session of the City Council with no final decision on the Y Lot. Council Member Jane Lumm, who could be the swing vote deciding whether the city exercises its right to repurchase the prime downtown property for $4.2 million, much less than the city believes it's worth, said she hasn't made up her mind yet. Lumm said she wants to see a development happen on the site, and at the moment her personal preference is to have the city negotiate with the property owner to achieve that goal, rather than remain tied up in litigation and potentially have the lot sit vacant for years...

Fvn · #17 Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 3:36 AM**

1140 Broadway is now known is Nine99

--

Heres an update on a project that was proposed in mid-2017 (It's the first time I've seen anything about it...) but has gotten some updates. Being dubbed as "Game Day Condos"--

Wickfield/Bowers&Asscocaites - http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/..._game_day.html

deja vu · #18 Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 10:26 PM**

Hadn't seen that either. Lots of glass on the east elevation, facing the big house.

Fvn · #19 Posted **Apr 23, 2018, 4:18 AM**

Timelapse video of the construction of the UofM's new Biological Science Building--
https://vimeo.com/260087212

Fvn · #20 Posted **Apr 24, 2018, 3:21 AM**

Future of Ann Arbor's Library Lot could go to voters in November

Quote:

For the second time in two years, members of a citizens group known as the Ann Arbor Committee for the Community Commons turned in 5,000-plus petition signatures in hopes of putting the future of the city-owned Library Lot to a vote of the people.

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/...news_ann-arbor

Ann Arbor NIMBYs are a special breed