Development News

Juicy Kitchen, a healthy foods catering and delivery business, has moved from a back room into a new storefront café on Ann Arbor's west side. Since Juicy Kitchen opened its café at 1506 N. Maple Road in mid-January, "We have had an overwhelmingly positive response, from the neighborhood especially." says owner Susan Todoroff.

"I worked from this hole-in-the-wall kitchen with no windows – all of a sudden I have big picture windows, sunlight, and people," Todoroff adds.

Juicy Kitchen now fills the space formerly occupied by the Maple Gardens Chinese restaurant. All traces of the former tenant have vanished. Todoroff and her husband spent a few months on renovations. They installed wainscoting made from northern Michigan white pine and stained it peacock blue. The walls are painted a pumpkin orange, there's a new counter with galvanized steel coating, and school house-style lighting. Todoroff's husband built the dining tables. The cafe has seating for 16 people on Victorian church pews and auction-find chairs.

Breakfast and lunch are served daily. After 2 p.m., customers may stop in and pick up prepared meals to go. Todoroff is continuing the catering and delivery operation as well. Baked goods are mostly vegan and emphasis whole grains and less sugar. High-quality foods, such as locally raised, hormone-free chicken and eggs, come out of the kitchen. Calder Dairy supplies the milk, and Mighty Good coffee is poured.

Todoroff has seven employees, three of whom are full-time. Chef Dan Vernia is formerly of the Ravens Club.

"There's nothing else like us in Ann Arbor, but especially on the west side," says Todoroff. "They don't have a place where they can sit down and have a really good healthy breakfast and a really good cup of coffee."

Source: Susan Todoroff, owner, Juicy Kitchen
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

It's full-on winter now, but that's not stopping the Border to Border Trail from growing. In February, work begins in Dexter on a new three-mile segment of what will be a 35-mile non-motorized trail connecting Washtenaw County to Livingston and Wayne Counties along the Huron River.

This three-mile leg is expected to be completed by fall 2013. At that point, 23 miles of the planned 35 will be completed, says Coy Vaughn, deputy director of the Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission. This new portion will run from Hudson Mills Metropark to Dexter, linking up to Warrior Creek Park. It will be mostly asphalt, but there will be a boardwalk through the wetlands and a small pedestrian bridge.

"Once this is done, it will create a 13-mile round trip that you can take from downtown Dexter up through Hudson Mills Metropark. They already had three miles of trails on the other side of the [Huron] River, so overall it will be a 13-mile round trip bike ride, walk, run, or whatever from downtown Dexter," Vaughn says.

On the east side of Dexter, work has concluded on a 1.25-mile trail headed towards Ann Arbor and ending at Dexter-Huron Metropark. That segment connects to the DPW yard in the village, with a small section adjoining Central St. Vaughn says it's not open to the public yet, as the county is in the process of obtaining a railroad easement.

Hudson Mills Metropark is north of Dexter on the river, and to the southeast of Dexter is Dexter-Huron and Delhi Metroparks. "We're trying to connect all the Metroparks to the village [of Dexter] and the city of Ann Arbor," sayas Vaughn.

Source: Coy Vaughn, deputy director, Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

After 48 years of music history in Ann Arbor, The Ark acoustic music club has settled on a permanent abode. At the end of 2012, the non-profit purchased its 8,000 sq. ft. space at 316 S. Main St. The $2.05 million transaction was completed as a condominium purchase from building owner Dr. Reza Rahmani, according to Marianne James, The Ark's executive director.

"Sixteen years ago, when we had a new lease with terms totaling 20 years, that seemed like a long time. But with only four years left on that, we really needed to focus on locking in the next phase of The Ark's future," James says. "And if we could do that in a permanent location, we felt that was the best option we could secure for The Ark."

The Ark is embarking on a capital campaign with the intention of paying off its mortgage in the next 5-7 years. James says funds raised will also be put towards capital improvements such as updating the concessions area, and "we're looking at redesigning the bar at some point, probably redesigning and perhaps expanding the box office, and there will be a whole series of things we'll keep a wish list on."

The venue has seven full-time and five part-time employees. Anywhere from 51-54,000 people attend over 300 folk and roots music performances hosted there each year. That attendance figure does not include concerts The Ark hosts elsewhere, such as the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in Hill Auditorium or those at the Michigan Theater and other places, says James.

"I think we're also part of the downtown identity, and the fact that we get to be part of that into the future is not only great for The Ark, it's great for downtown Ann Arbor."

Source: Marianne James, executive director of The Ark
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

To keep up with production and R&D demands, American Broach & Machine Co., a maker of broaches (metal cutting tools), broaching machines, and CNC and manual broach tool sharpening machines for the auto, aircraft, train, off-road vehicle, defense, and other industries, recently purchased a new 42,880 sq. ft. building at 535 S. Mansfield St. in Ypsilanti. Adjacent to its 23,200 sq. ft. current location at 575 S. Mansfield St., the acquisition means a near-tripling of the company's current total square footage.

American Broach & Machine Co. has been in business since 1919, and once employed Rosie the Riveter (Geraldine Hoff Doyle) as a broaching machine operator in its former Ann Arbor factory.

The company will keep its existing building and move about half of its employees and equipment to the new location, beginning in June. The move should be completed by September, says President Ken Nemec.

"We're going to be making broach tools in that plant and working on R&D projects for the broach and metal-cutting business. We've got three or four irons in the fire of things we'd like to develop," Nemec says.

The purchase price was just under $1 million, and the company will invest another $500,000 in upgrades prior to moving in, according to Nemec. Upgrades include more efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems systems, and high-efficiency lights using one-third the electricity of the current fixtures.

The company has 48 employees and has been consistently hiring, adding a new position every 1-2 months, Nemec says. The average salary is over $50,000 per year. There are 4-5 job openings right now.

"We're looking for unskilled trainee workers that have an aptitude for becoming a toolmaker. Over the next five years I anticipate adding probably 30 positions like that, " Nemec says, adding, "Within five years, maximum ten, we'd like to have 100 employees."

Source: Ken Nemec, president, American Broach & Machine Co.
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Be it resolved that this harsh winter, arts boosters will get their day in the sun. The city of Saline's Arts and Culture Committee is putting forth the idea of a new arts and cultural center in Saline. The first of two meetings will be held this week in order to gauge public interest.

"The purpose of this cultural "campus" or "mall" would be to offer established and growing arts and cultural organizations a common location with space to meet teaching, storage, rehearsal, performance, and display needs, as well as space to grow and expand," says an invitation letter for the meeting.

The intention is not for Saline's arts and culture committee, the city, or its school system to either drive or fund the center. "It really needs to be a community effort," says Saline City Council Rep. Linda TerHaar, who is also a Saline Arts and Culture Committee member. "We see our role as the catalyst to get the discussion going."

TerHaar says the center, which would be years away from fruition, is not intended to replace any current arts organizations or infrastructure in Saline.

The committee is seeking a range of public input on everything from potential locations to funding sources to uses for such a center, according to TerHaar. One location that's been floated is Houghton School, which is not currently in use. The school is located near Saline's downtown and Mill Pond Park. It's also expected that the center would be funded privately, with options including private donations, grant funding, and charging users rent.

"We've talked about studio space for individual artists. Houghton School has a kitchen, so if we're at Houghton School there could be culinary arts classes and demonstrations. The Saline Area Players could have a performance, just as an example," TerHaar says, adding, "We see the possibilities as pretty unlimited. We've also talked about landscape art, gardening art. Once again, depending on the facility, the Houghton School has a lovely inner courtyard that we could foresee landscape artists just having a wonderful time designing and working in."

The first of two meetings is set for 7 p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 24 at Stone Arch Arts & Events, at 117 S. Ann Arbor St. in Saline. The second will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at a location to be announced on the Saline Arts and Cultural Center's Facebook page. All are welcome.

Source: Saline City Council Rep. Linda TerHaar
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The recent morphing of a garage into an art classroom is another coup for the arts community in the village of Chelsea. And it's certainly what aspiring potters and sculptors have been waiting for.

Next week, the Chelsea Center for the Arts will begin holding classes in the new room, converted from the garage portion of its circa-1923 brick building at 400 Congdon St.. New plumbing, heating, air conditioning, walls and ceiling, electrical, and lighting were installed. A windowed garage door lights the space.

"What makes it so nice is that it can be open. We have a garage door... that can be fully opened up to our secured garden area in the rear of the building," says Lisa Baylis Gonzalez, the center's executive director. "It's going to be a great open space, a great open studio, in the summer months, in the nice months."

The $30,000 project was funded with a grant from the Worthington Family Foundation. The center now has a pottery wheel and kiln in the classroom addition – amenities it lacked before.  Open studio time will be available, and Baylis Gonzalez anticipates class sizes of about eight students each.

"This is certainly a project that we needed to add classes and hopefully add programs like crazy, which will hopefully lead to more staff time as we build the program," Baylis Gonzalez says.

Source: Lisa Baylis Gonzales, executive director, Chelsea Center for the Arts
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

At Ypsilanti's A Pocketful O' Tea, the reaction to Flowering Dragon, a lavender-green tea mix with rose hips and hibiscus, has been anything but tepid. "I actually have people come in and ask for it that have never been here," says Chris Biek, who opened his tea shop at 8 W. Michigan Avenue last December.

There is seating for up to 15 people in the emporium. Biek installed new flooring and re-painted the space. He also carries locally-made alcohol-free soaps and lotions, cards and jewelry, and serves organic coffee. He plans to offer baked goods and sandwiches once approvals from the city health department have been received.

Biek, an EMU student who holds a second job as well, is relying on volunteer help at the shop. It's open every day of the week except Thursdays.

"I get all sorts of foot traffic," he says. "I try and avoid going into Ann Arbor, so I wanted to be able to open a place that Ypsilanti doesn't have, and so that people who can't make it to Ann Arbor, they can get affordable tea here, and coffee."

Source: Chris Biek, owner, A Pocketful O' Tea
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Contrary to popular forecasting a few years back, e-books haven't done to print what the cell phone has done to pay phones and land lines. Rather, thoughtfully curated, indie book emporiums are still a welcomed alternative to mega stores and e-readers.

Literati Bookstore will open at 124 E. Washington St., likely in early spring, says Hilary Lowe, who co-owns the store with her husband, Michael Gustafson. The couple moved to Ann Arbor from Brooklyn late in July with plans to open an indie book shop downtown.

"We want to be a general-interest store because there is a real void left by Shaman Drum and Borders, serving the populace as a general bookstore selling new titles," Lowe says. "We will be focusing on literary fiction and quality non-fiction."

She sees this as an underserved market in Ann Arbor. The West Side Bookshop, Dawn Treader, Kaleidoscope, and Motte and Bailey carry a huge assortment of used books. New book purveyors include Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore and Crazy Wisdom, which primarily emphasizes spirituality.

And, "Nicola's does a great job, but they're not in the walkable downtown area, and that was kind of our goal," says Lowe.

The store has 2,600 square feet on the basement and ground-floor levels and is undergoing a refurbishment. The work includes refinishing the wood floor on the ground level, carpeting and painting the basement, new lighting, and a fire alarm system.

To begin with, Literati Bookstore will have 3-5 part-timers on staff, along with Lowe and Gustafson. It will be open seven days a week, with hours to be announced at a later date.

Source: Hilary Lowe, co-owner, Literati Bookstore
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Just shy of the one-third mark of a 30-year millage approved by voters in 2003, the Ann Arbor Greenbelt, a program to acquire open-space parks and development rights on farmland in eight townships ringing the city of Ann Arbor, has already exceeded its initial goal. The greenbelt now has over 4,100 acres of land within its boundaries.

"Actually, in 2006 when we did some projections we were thinking, given the prices at the time and everything, that over the life of the millage we'd only be able to do around 4-5,000, so we've exceeded that estimate now, with protecting over 4,000," says Ginny Trocchio, program manager for the Ann Arbor Greenbelt.

In December of 2012, the city completed several deals, including a purchase of development rights easement for $126,867 on the VanNatter farm in Webster Township, a parcel of about 20 acres. The purchase was also subsidized by a landowner donation. This parcel is situated on Joy Road and is part of an 1,100-acre block of farmland that is already protected.

The city also closed other purchase of development rights deals at year-end, one for $229,320 on the 136-acre Robert Schultz property in Superior Township, another in the amount of $167,580 for the 90-acre Robbin Alexander farm in Webster Township, and the 73-acre Hornback farm in Salem Township for $199,367, plus other funds from Salem Township.

Many of the purchases are assisted by grant funding from the USDA Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. The city is readying to apply for more grant funds in early March, Trocchio says.

Source: Ginny Trocchio, program manager for the Ann Arbor Greenbelt; Ann Arbor City Council
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Downtown Dexter is less than 10 miles west of Ann Arbor, but it's looking more like Montana if Hotel Hickman's Chuck Wagon BBQ has anything to say about it. You might recognize the catering and take-out joint, which opened in the former sheriff substation at 8050 Main St. in late November, by the chuck wagon parked out front from time to time.

Owner Scott Thomas does a brisk business cooking up Texas beef brisket and ribs on his 1889 chuck wagon, which also often sits outside the Dexter Feed Mill. He smokes all of his meats and makes everything from scratch – dishes like buttermilk biscuits and gravy, and mac and cheese.

Four people staff Hotel Hickman's Chuck Wagon BBQ, open Friday through Sunday all winter long. The foursome also does Wild West reenactments and cooking for private parties. Thomas plans to hire more staff and add outdoor picnic tables during the busier summer season.

"It's kind of a hobby, a little passion doing a little barbecuing," Scott says.

Source: Scott Thomas, owner, Hotel Hickman's Chuck Wagon BBQ
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

An Ann Arbor institution is making a foray into another college town, Ypsilanti. Sweetwaters will be opening its newest coffee and tea shop at 735 W. Cross St., behind the Water Tower landmark, likely by early February, according to co-owner Lisa Bee. She hopes to have an opening celebration to coincide with the Chinese New Year.

A coffee bar and new seating, flooring, and lighting are being installed. "We try to make every store a little bit different, and this one is going to have a fun kind of rustic modern industrial feel," Bee says, adding, "There'll be more rustic woods in there and some metals."

Exposed pipes and old barn wood are part of the décor in the 1,500 sq. ft. café, which will seat about 30 people. Fifteen employees will staff the new shop.

"We like the EMU campus," says Bee. "There seems to be a nice concentration of students, as well as the location that we're in is also close to residential, so we like that mix."

Source: Lisa Bee, co-owner of Sweetwaters
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The newly opened R.U.B. BBQ Pub is filling one of the last few slots in Ann Arbor's culinary palette. The eatery, located at 640 Packard St., began serving barbecue and hundreds of different beers during the last weekend of 2012. A student grand opening will be held from Thurs., Jan. 10 - Sat., Jan. 12.

"I like to call [Ann Arbor] the restaurant capital of Michigan because there's so many different palates of cuisine to choose from. The one particular taste of food that's missing is great authentic from-scratch barbecue," says Omar Mitchell, regional manager of R.U.B. BBQ Pub, which also has locations in Detroit and Warren, Mich. The restaurant group is owned by the Yono family.

The eatery, formerly home to the Packard Pub, has been newly painted and has over two dozen TV screens, more tables and chairs, LED lighting, and energy-efficient coolers.

"We're doing little things like that to give back and go green, you know?" Mitchell says.

About three dozen new hires staff the pub, which still has several job openings. Ultimately, the pub will have over 50 employees, according to Mitchell. It is open seven days a week and also offers curbside pickup, delivery, and catering.

Source: Omar Mitchell, regional manager of R.U.B. BBQ Pub
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar