Ann Arbor Parking Structure Upgrade

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Ann Arbor, Downtown Development Authority, Parking Structures

Ann Arbor’s parking structure at Fourth and William will be upgraded. The Downtown Development Authority approved approximately a $3.7 million contract with Spence Brothers who will be the main contractor. The DDA had approved $5 million for the project in 2014. The planned improvements are to replace stair and elevator tower along William, ground floor lobby area, new parking equipment, improved electrical system and new exterior signage. An additional 200 square feet is planned for each level.

A possible future project that would create a retail incubator space on the structure’s first floor has a projected cost of $2 million.

Source: The Ann Arbor News

Photo: Google Maps

Plum Market going in Cleary College Building – NE Ann Arbor

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Ann Arbor, Citizen Participation, Northeast Ann Arbor, Traffic Ann Arbor

Plum Market, a natural foods grocery store, purchased the Cleary College Building on Plymouth Road planning to retrofit the building for their second location in Ann Arbor. No other “natural foods” grocery exists in this part of town although there is a Busch’s across the street and Kroger’s a mile away.

There was a citizen participation meeting on September 17th for nearby residences or businesses to ask questions regarding the development. Reinhart Commercial is located in a building adjacent to the proposed Plum Market and commercial agent, Amy Freundl attended the meeting. She asked about traffic patterns and parking.

Plum Market doesn’t anticipate a traffic problem. Adjacent businesses and rush hour commuters may have a different opinion.

Source: Ann Arbor News

Planning Elevation:  Saroki Architecture via Plum Market Meeting Notification

Seeing City Spaces as Opportunities

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Ann Arbor, City Planning, Public Spaces, Washtenaw Ave

ReImagine Washtenaw wants to transform the Washtenaw Avenue Corridor and has a vision and plan to make it possible. They are concentrating on three areas that most need transformation:  Place-Making, Economics and Safety.  Nathan Voght, project manager for ReImagine Washtenaw, describes Places “are where you enjoy being, whether you have to be there or not.” Economics along the Avenue are about creating more jobs as a result of being a place where people want to be. Safety will involve being able to safely cross and walk along the corridor as well as room for bicyclists.

Urban Planner, Amanda Burden, was chief city planner under New York City’s Bloomberg Administration, in her TED talk: How public spaces make cities work, she sees open spaces in cities as opportunities. Good public spaces can enhance commercial investment.

Source: Concentrate Media

Source: TED Talks

 

Rents Rise

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Ann Arbor, Investment Property, rentals, Rents

Due to high demand for rentals in Ann Arbor, tenants are paying more this year and can’t dally in making a decision or the property will be taken.

Reinhart Property Manager, Cathy Petchell says, “There has been high demand for single family rental homes and condos this past Spring/Summer.  This high demand has boosted rental rates higher this year than in the past years. Properties in the best condition, priced competitively haven’t stayed on the open market long and usually had multiple applications. Spring and Summer tend to be the busiest months for rentals with the market slowing down over fall and winter.”

Ann Arbor’s median and average rent for 2013 will be released this month from the Department of Numbers. Vacancy is at an all-time low.

Rents are also rising in other mid-sized cities. Nashville, Tennessee has rentals increases up 18% since 2009 and more than half of households renting in the Nashville metro area are paying more than 30% of their income to rent.

With the rents rising, rentals are seen as a good investment and Mega-Investors are buying up properties in targeted cities with potential for price appreciation.

Source: Ann Arbor News

Source: Wall Street Journal

Source: Realtor Magazine

 

They want your imput! – August 26, 27 and 28

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Ann Arbor, Charette, Development, Site Planning

The Platt Road Site Project Planning Team wants you to get involved. 2270 Platt Road, Ann Arbor, a 13.5 acre site (formerly a juvenile center) will be developed.  A charette, the intensive planning session, to develop a vision for this property, will take place August 26, 27, & 28. Don’t mss this opportunity to be part of the designing and planning. Go to www.plattroad.org for details.

Efforts to Create Affordable Housing in Ann Arbor

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Affordable Housing, Ann Arbor, Community, Urban Design, Washtenaw County

On May 22nd, the task force on Sustainable Revenues for Supportive Housing Services recommended a plan to the Washtenaw County Commissioners, to create 500 or more units of housing to help the homeless. The goal is to have the housing and supportive services paid for through a millage and endowment fund. An endowment fund was established in 2011 and has $2.1 million in commitments to date.

The Platt Road Site Community Advisory Committee met on June 11th and is moving forward to the next stage in the design process for the best use of the parcel that held the Washtenaw County Juvenile Center. This is expected to take several months and they want community imput. The main event will be a public multi-day design session. The public will be able to work with urban designers, architects and landscape designers, making use of their skills to create something tangible.

Source: The Ann Arbor Chronicle

Source:  The Ann Arbor News

 

Vibrant Cities Offer Transportation Options

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Ann Arbor, Cities, Transportation

Millennials are a demographic group of over 80 million Americans and cities are paying attention to what is important to them.  Transportation options are one of the key considerations when they decide where to live. Cities that can’t attract young professionals may lose out.

Aging boomers are another group of 80 million or more that are moving into urban areas and seeking those cities with walking and transportation options. In a study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, people of all ages are driving less. The decline started right after 2004, before the recession, indicating that there is a real shift in driving habits.

Ann Arbor, adjacent Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township voters, passed a tax increase on May 7th, 2014 to expand transit services in those cities and township. It passed by 71% clearly making transportation options important to the majority of voters.

Source: The Atlantic Cities

Graph: CNBC

County Board of Commissioners Approves Recommendations for Platt Rd Parcel

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Ann Arbor, Multi-use Development, Platt Road, Washtenaw County board of commissioners

Recommendations made for the 13.5 Acre site at 2260/2270 Platt Rd by the citizens advisory group were given final approval by the Washtenaw County board of commissioners at the Feb 19, 2014 mtg.

Source: Ann Arbor Chronicle 

Recommendations for County-Owned Platt Road Site

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Affordable Housing, Ann Arbor, Mixed Used Site, Platt Road

The advisory committee, created to study the best use of the county-owned property at 2270 Platt Road, offered their recommendations February 5th to the county board of commissioners for the parcel located just south of the Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center. Any plan for the site will include some affordable housing.

Source: Ann Arbor Chronicle

Visions for Washtenaw Avenue

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Ann Arbor, City Planning, Commercial Real Estate, Washtenaw Ave, Ypsilanti

Can Washtenaw Avenue linking Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti transform from an eyesore to a vibrant pedestrian friendly thoroughfare? “Reimagine Washtenaw”, a multi-community planning effort thinks with the right planning it can be done.

Source: Concentrate Media