In a recent story for the Dearborn Times-Herald, editor J. Patrick Pepper did a great job of summing up what was initially proposed and what residents can now expect if Dearborn Village Partners get the development off the ground in 2010.
The initial $124 million project called for the following:
• 256 condominiums with midrise structures of eight to 10 stories sitting atop a three-story parking deck and including around 8,000 square feet of street-level retail space.
• An 881-space parking deck estimated at nearly $30 million built and financed by the developer. Under the project brownfield plan, the city would reimburse the developer up to $32,500 per space through tax revenues generated by the project.
• Demolition of the existing Michigan Avenue frontage, with the exception of the Oakwood Muirhead building at the northeast corner of Michigan and Military.
• Two commercial buildings with ground-level retail and rental lofts above including a theater complex at the former Bally’s Vic Tanny site.
• Civic space was envisioned in the middle of the Michigan Avenue frontage, which would require the relocation of Fidelity Bank into other space within the new project or elsewhere. The proposal was for DVP to pay $3 million for the parking lot site. In return, the city would invest the same sum into the civic space and land acquisition.
• In total, the original project called for $91.5 million in private investment and $32.5 million in public infrastructure costs.
Of course, times have changed and the economic and real estate landscapes have changed drastically. Dearborn Village Partners and the city of Dearborn have altered the plans to better meet the new market reality.
According to a memo by Economic and Community Development Director Barry Murray, the new configuration relies on a combination of the parking lot space and only the Michigan Avenue frontage controlled by DVP. Although a plan is yet to be fully developed, the revised project is expected to include:
• Student housing that would be privately developed to accommodate University of Michigan-Dearborn students. The housing would be built in two phases and house up to 432 students.
• A 110- to 125-room hotel valued at approximately $7.5 million and $10 million in private investment.
• A free-standing parking deck that would no longer be integrated into the retail and housing complex. The separated components would reduce significantly the cost of the deck, Murray said, noting that the Dearborn Town Center deck currently under construction is projected to cost about $21,000 per space.
• An Emagine! Theater for the Bally’s site, adjacent to the Muirhead building. A bowling alley would occupy the lower level with a multiplex movie above.
• In total, the new project would equal about $29.5 million to $38 million of private investment and $7 million in public contributions. Demolition and additional costs could add another $5 to $10 million to the price tag.
Clearly, it’s still an ambitious project that will change downtown west Dearborn forever if the plan goes forward (and that’s a big ‘if’). However, it’s interesting to track how the breadth and cost of the development has been forced to shrink to adapt to the ever-changing economic environment.
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12 comments:
Merry Christmas to all!
IMHO, three significant projects are ongoing in Dearborn that are equally, if not more important as the movie/bowling/student housing project.
Each has a uniquely substantial potential to bring visitors to the city, and all of which could use the support of the citizenry, and most of all, the young "student activist" alliance.
1) Intermodal transportation hub proposed in the land across from Andiamos. Having noticed they removed the fencing on the lots recently, perhaps there is movement underway already.
As I see it, this hub would integrate naturally with Greenfield Village, with perhaps the Village providing day-care or schooling. (envision: UM professor takes high speed rail to Dearborn, drops kids at GV daycare, teaches at UMD, and reverses the pattern at the end of the day).
The following link is of the award winning Fenuil Hall development in Boston...while it's scale is not in keeping with the available land across from Andiamos, I find the "flavor" of the project noteworthy, and, in light of it's longevity and acclaim so have others. How cool would that be on this land?
http://info.aia.org/nwsltr_hrc.cfm?pagename=hrc_a_200903_faneuil
While it seems impossible for me to insert photos here, if one were so inclined, he/she could Google: intermodal (images) and get photos of outstanding projects in: Milwaukee, Salt Lake City, Everett Washington, Miami, Rennsselaer New York, the bus station in Slough England, and renderings of proposed stations in Orange County California, and Houston. I've always also found the Cincinnati Union Station evocative as well.
From what I have read, high-speed rail has a good chance of succeding---why not Dearborn?
The second and third projects are as follows:
2) The conference/convention center in discussion near the Hyatt. I know little about it, but to me it is fruit ripe for the plucking, and would immediately improve the city in immeasurable ways.
3) A complete re-development of the Southwest corner of the Telegraph/Michigan Avenue intersection. In my mind, this area would be a preferred location for a theater complex if the demographics can reflect the LONG-TERM success of such a project, but frankly, I have my doubts.
However, taking a wrecking ball to everything standing from the vacant Wendys to the vacant location of Stanford Cadillac (yes, even Toys r Us and Chuckie Cheese, the Big Boy and the Donut store) would give the city something very very few established suburbs have: contiguous,visible, accessible, development property where something meaningful could replace the insignificant "stuff" there now.
That property could contain bowling alleys, apartments, restaurants, retail, and could be developed in such a way that it too could win awards 25 years from now...
...though I most likely won't be aroud in 25 years, those of you that will should embrace these challenges.
FYI to all: I grew up in, own property in, have had business in, have family and grandkids residing and schooling in, vote in, and truly love this city. Make no mistake about it.
dozer
PS: Hard to imagine leaving the (once viable retail) Muirhead property standing along side of all this new development. Driving by the now-empty display windows already confirms lack of vision or concern for continuity of design. If that property were part of creatively managed city, those windows, at the very least, would have been modified, rather than left to rot.
Maybe if we all make is a New Year's wish it will suddenly come true.
Anon/dozer, that the Muirhead building is used by Oakwood Hospital these days. It's not vacant. That's why it is not part of the demolition plans. Also, remember that the Henry Ford does currently have a school: it's called Henry Ford Academy. That said, I do not see how a day care would fit in with the visio and mission of the Henry Ford. The young child cannot yet grasp the timeline of history. You're better off encouraging Ford to open another daycare like the one they have on Rotunda.
Anybody heard anything more about the proposed Costco at the Telegraph/Michigan Ave intersection?
Judging from the picture, the strategy here in town would seem to encourage buying up buildings and allowing them to rot into blighted shells. Then turn to the city, the feds or third parties to bail you out. Once all that's done, then and only then consider MAYBE paying your taxes.
I'm in the wrong racket.
First, DNO, the picture you have shown speaks volumes. Every time I go to Merchant's or am across Michigan avenue I look at the mess that Mr. Fakhoury has left. Mr. Mayor and other enforcement people: any other property owner would have had the crap fined out of them for 'maintaining' such a mess! Piles of concrete, cardboard, scrap, etc. all over, weeds, etc. in such a prominent location? Instead of letting this guy get you by the you-know-whats, and forcing you to agree with his grand plans that will probably never materialize, you should have insisted compliance. Second, I agree with others' earlier postings: why are we so sure that another theatre will suceed when the one a mile or so away did not? Third, student housing for a commuter school? Hey, maybe councilperson Abraham can rent some of his condos to U of M Dearborn students. Others have stated the obvious: this guy can't even rent out the dwellings he has now, as they are too expensive and inferior quality. Can you imagine what he will have for the students? The success and/or failure of this project will now all lay squarely on Fakhoury, the Mayor, and 5 gutless wonders on the council. I credit Mr. Darany for taking the lone and correct stand; the others, including Mr. Tafelski, whom I usually credit with more common sense and intestinal fortitude, are a consistent disaapointment and totally ineffective. Oh, and Hank, your comments are spot on!
I'm on the fence on the theater. One reason the other theater couldn't compete is because it was allowed to become physically obsolete. At least in terms of competing with other first run theaters. An Emagine would be built to compete. However, the only thing it would do, I think, is siphon customers from Fairlane and not really create any new business overall. It would just shift business.
Student housing is, as I've said before, ridiculous from my point of view. Not at a commuter school and definitely not that far from campus. It will be built completely on speculation with no proof of demand like other all student buildings in actual college towns. Those other cities already had long established thriving student neighborhoods that developed organically to base their developments on.
What happens if they do built these apartments and no one moves in? They can't exactly market them to non-students. The floor plans will not be what non-students want. Like other similar types of apartments I have been in there will be poor sound insulation and they will be fitted out with the cheapest materials, appliances and fixtures. It just won't be marketable to anyone else if it fails to draw students.
Will it change downtown Dearborn forever? There's no doubt. The question is will this development's affect have a positive or negative impact? I'd argue that this development would impact Dearborn as significantly as Fairlane Mall. However, I consider the mall a disaster for downtown Dearborn and the city, in general. Yes, it helps the tax base. But how much does it cost residents in higher auto insurance and police costs? Has it moved our city in a better direction? This Muirhead project is a similar desperate mistake that will reverberate for a long time.
Oh, I should mention the letter of interest from the Emagine president is worthless to me. Just about as worthless as this from 2006
"Another of the buildings Fakhoury owns was officially leased Thursday. Luigi Cutraro, owner of Sangria in Royal Oak, will convert the former Dearborn Jewelers building into a Spanish restaurant and bar."
http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2006/11/15/localnews/20061115-archive.txt
Or maybe this in regards to the Gateway Building at Military and Michigan
"Except for one space, all of the commercial space at street level has been leased and Fakhoury said he's in negotiations with a national or a "strong local" tenant to fill the still-vacant slot. Work on the long-awaited Caliente Grill is progressing, as it is with Armani Suits, he said."
http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2007/12/09/localnews/20071209-archive0.txt
I enjoyed eating at Caliente the other day and stopping by the Armani store for a new suit so I could be stylishly dressed on New Year’s Eve at the Spanish restaurant.
Totally agree Paul. The student housing component of this is just a total pipe dream and a fool's errand of the worst sort. Who's buying this nonsense? I also appreciate you pointing out this developer's LONG history of BS. Caliente, fatburger, the Armani store, the piano bar, the Spanish restaurant and now the theater, the bowling alley and student housing?!?! I won't start forming my bowling team anytime soon.
Mich Ave Man and Paul - I agree with you both 100%. I know people will say that we are being negative but I guess 'seeing is believing'.
Miss Hay when it comes to this developer and this development it's not being negative its just being realistic.
Dearbornette makes a great point. Just look at the picture they included with the story. isn't that enough to cite the owner of this building? Hell, I'll get a warning if I leave my garabage cans out in plain view but these guys can let a building rot on Michigan Avenue. I'm losing faith in this citys leadership.
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