Development News

In downtown Ann Arbor you can pull a chair up to the bar for an educational session on skin care. DBTS Skin Bar is opening on Nov. 1, with the mission of informing patrons on how to take care of their skin.

DBTS Skin Bar is an offshoot of owner Nancy Young's Delicate Beauty Therapeutic Spa in Pittsfield Township, however: "We don't consider ourselves as a spa at all," Young says. "We consider ourselves a skin therapy studio because what we specialize in is specifically skin science. You're not just going to find someone lathering a bunch of stuff on your face and sending you on your way with products that you don't know how to use."

While patrons can have services such as facial waxing and treatments, the studio caters to the "on-the-go" client, with no service taking more than 30 minutes. "There's a lot of walking traffic [downtown], so that's a perfect location to have this type of business model, where it's meant to have people coming in and out, taking a look at the skin care products we have and try them out, then going on their way."

Young had only cosmetic work, such as painting and floor polishing, to do in the 1,000 square-foot space at 111 W. Liberty St., which formerly housed the Acme Mercantile. She also installed a four-seat bar and an esthetic chair. The original lighting fixtures have been retained.

Young and four other employees, all licensed cosmetologists or estheticians, will staff the studio to begin with, although "We definitely are looking to expand our team," she says. "We're always looking for people that are motivated and passionate about the skin care industry and not just doing it just to pass time."

Source: Nancy Young, owner, DBTS Skin Bar and Delicate Beauty Therapeutic Spa
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

It has yet to catch up to toy stores, McDonald's, and tot couture, but the kids' haircare industry is now in a growth spurt.

Ilze Meija, a former attorney and stay-at-home mom, was surprised at the lack of a children's salon in Ann Arbor. Other moms she knew were either taking their kids to the big chains, which can turn out uneven results, or to their own fancier salons, a pricey option for young ones.

"So there was nothing in between that was just for kids," Meija says. Hence, she founded zoey + joey, a hair care studio dedicated to the under-18 set.

zoey + joey, located at 3260 Washtenaw Avenue, in the Arlington Square Plaza on the corner of Huron Parkway and Washtenaw, will hold its grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 11-4.

The build-out is still underway at the 1,750 square-foot full-service salon, which will have seven hair-cutting stations. Younger clients will sit in mini Mini Cooper cars while getting hair-dos, and the older set can watch sports or play video games while seated in regular chairs. And expect an indoor play structure with a slide in the waiting area. Adults can't fit in the Mini Cooper seats (the main focus is kids, after all) but they, too, can get coiffed.

Meija, who owns the salon, will be managing a staff of five stylists and a receptionist.

A "green salon", zoey + joey will use vegan shampoo and non-toxic nail polish for girls' mini-manicures. A wash, cut, and style runs $21 for boys, $23 for girls.

"It's a growing industry; we just haven't seen it here in Ann Arbor," Meija says. "On both coasts, in California and New York, it's a really big booming industry to open up a hair salon that's just for kids."

Source: Ilse Meija, owner and founder, zoey + joey
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

In the aftermath of Dexter's tornado last spring, a new services business has sprung up. Allstate Insurance agent Jennifer Johnston has opened Johnston Agency at 8071 Main Street in downtown Dexter. The office is located in a historic purple-painted building which formerly housed the Dexter Leader newspaper.

Johnston, a licensed insurance agent, was looking for a business location with a small-town feel, where people look out for each other. Inspired by the quick reaction of Allstate personnel to the tornado: "They were there before the Red Cross," and the manner in which the village pulled together afterward, Johnston says, "we wanted to be part of the Dexter community."

The office opened in early September with three insurance agents and an office manager. Johnston plans to add one or two more agents and telemarketing personnel. "We're already expanding," she says.

Source: Jennifer Johnston, owner, Johnston Agency
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Another round of Ypsilanti storefronts will be getting assisted facelifts with a new round of grant money from the city's Downtown Development Authority (DDA). At its meeting last week, the DDA's board of directors approved the latest installment of the Façade Improvement Program, which will award grants totaling $40,000 for eligible projects through the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year. The Historic Downtown is to receive a $20,000 allocation, while Depot Town and West Cross St. - Campus Town will get $10,000 apiece.

The DDA will match 50% of qualifying project costs, up to a maximum of $2,500 per grant. At least 16 businesses stand to benefit. Washtenaw County's Eastern Leaders group has put $7,500 towards the program, with the balance coming from the DDA.

Only exterior beautification projects such as painting, new awnings, signage, brick repair, parapet repair, or replacement windows will qualify.

The program is now in its second year. Tim Colbeck, director of the Ypsilanti DDA, would like to see this grant be a perpetual fund. The monies are separate from the DDA's building rehabilitation grant program, which also allows for interior work.

"The larger grants, where we're talking about building rehabilitations, we know there are certain buildings in town that are either in a state of disrepair or they're being underutilized and they could really use some heavy investment. At some point in time there's an assumption that we won't have any more of those buildings," Colbeck says. "But when it comes to façade improvement there's almost always going to be a steady stream because people are going to want to replace awnings. A new business is going to come in and say, we want a new sign."

Last year's projects included a new sign for Model K, a sign and awning for Old Towne Coin & Gold in Depot Town, and gooseneck exterior lighting for Red Rock Downtown Barbecue.

Funds are available to both property and business owners. "So if you are a business owner and you rent, you can still apply for the grant," Colbeck says. Written permission to do the improvements from the property owner is required. Applications are being accepted now through June 30, 2013, and will be reviewed by the DDA on a rolling basis.

Source: Tim Colbeck, director of the Ypsilanti DDA
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The University of Michigan's Planet Blue operations team, a group charged with identifying and implementing energy conservation measures in the university's academic buildings, helped to cut last year's energy consumption by 8.1%, saving $4.1 million on utility bills in the process. The energy cuts exceeded the university's goal of 5%, according to Rich Robben, U-M's executive director of plant operations.

The savings equates to a reduction of 17,800 metric tons of carbon emissions, comparable to removing 3,562 vehicles from the roads, according to the university.

"Last year's utility budget was $64 million, so we've been able to reduce it. This year, our utility budget is going to be reduced to below $59 million," Robben says. "That translates right back to the schools' and colleges' costs. This is a direct hit on the expenses that go into determining whether you need to increase tuition or not. This helps keep tuition rates down."

Over the last four years, the Planet Blue team has evaluated and implemented energy conservation measures in 137 academic buildings, such as installing occupancy sensors in conference rooms and updating controls for heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. Planet Blue is also assigning teams to various groups of buildings. Those teams will communicate with occupants as to sustainability measures they can take.

"University communities are very transient. Your students are changing over every four years, so you're in this mode of continually trying to raise awareness to make sure everybody knows what's going on and what they can do," says Robben.

Source: Rich Robben, U-M's executive director of plant operations
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The parking lot behind Ann Arbor's Downtown Home & Garden, which is arguably as scenic as parking lots get, is getting its own scene. Bill's Beer Garden opens there on October 18, next to Mark's Carts outdoor food court. Patrons may bring food from the carts into the garden.

It's "the combination of the location, the existence of [Mark' Carts] and the incredible Michigan craft beer industry all kind of coming together, and I think we're going to produce a very nice operation, a very nice place where people will want to come to and want to be," says owner Bill Zolkowski.

A beer shed modeled after a Parisian news stand now sits in the lot. A pavilion with a permanent roof, radiant heat, and seating has been built on either side of the greenhouse to the rear of the garden store at 210 S. Ashley St.

Bill's Beer Garden will be open from 5-11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 4-9 p.m. on Sundays, until December 2. It will re-open on St. Patrick's Day 2013, Zolkowski says. He plans to hire 8-12 staffpersons.

It can seat 160 people at tables on the pavilion and classic open-air beer garden benches.
 
"You're very likely to be sitting next to someone you don't know and end up in a conversation with people, interactions with people that you did not come in with and you didn't anticipate when you walked in the front gate. And that really has been almost a trademark of classic beer gardens, and we want to replicate that..." Zolkowki says. "We'll expand the community, give the community a space with which to come and to hang out. We think it's going to work real well in a city like Ann Arbor."

Source: Bill Zolkowski, owner of Bill's Beer Garden
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The alley is becoming the next promenade in cities like Saline. Saline Main Street, an organization charged with improving the vitality of the downtown, has signed an agreement with the city to spearhead an improvement project in a one-block alley off of Ann Arbor Street, behind the Brecon Grille and Mangiamo Italian Grill on Michigan Avenue.

Alley enhancements include replacing a wooden planter with a wrought-iron fence, raising concrete, stringing overhead lighting, adding planters, and installing an entryway feature of a design yet to be determined. The lighting should be in place later this fall, in time for Saline's holiday parade. The restaurants plan to install outdoor seating in the alley when the weather warms next year, according to Rebecca Schneider, the design team leader for Saline Main Street.

"It's a wonderful way for us to get more community gathering space, and one of the wonderful things about when you find that space in an alley is that utilizing the space doesn't require closing the street or closing a parking lot, which disrupts commerce and traffic in your downtown," Schneider says.

The total project cost is still unknown, says Schneider, due to the expense of overhead lighting and the yet-to-be-determined entryway feature. The city of Saline has contributed $10,000 towards the project. Saline Main Street will raise additional funds as necessary.

Saline Main Street will also hold up to six public events a year in the alley. "It's not just outdoor seating for Mangiamo and Brecon Grille, it's also community space which will be utilized for different functions, where we hope to engage all different facets of our city in that space," she adds. Possibilities include wine tastings, art displays, musical performances, and events for children.

Source: Rebecca Schneider, Saline Main Street design team leader
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Scones are the new muffin, at least in Ypsilanti's Depot Town, where scone-baking operation Let's Get Sconed has been heating up the kitchen of Café Ollie.

Let's Get Sconed co-owner Danielle Teachout, who also owns MI General Store and Café Ollie with her scone-loving husband Mark, has been helping her employee, Ben Lewis, to run the business.

Lewis, aka "head sconer" of Let's Get Sconed, was inspired to turn the scones into a full-time venture last spring. "It was a collaboration of my recipe and his name..." Teachout says. "We encourage our people to be little entrepreneurs."

Flavors run from sweet – blueberry-lemon, apple cinnamon, and pumpkin; to savory – zucchini red pepper cheddar. A reuben scone (corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss) is in development. The scones are popular at Café Ollie, and are also sold at the Corner Brewery, at the Ypsilanti Farmers Market on Tuesdays, and at the Wednesday Kerrytown Farmers Market in Ann Arbor (now closed for the season).

And the bakers want to get the scones out to hungry masses everywhere. "Right now we are just waiting on our [packaging] labels and we're going to start taking them around to other stores and coffee shops and stuff like that, and starting to sell them there," Teachout says.

Source: Danielle Teachout, co-owner of Let's Get Sconed
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The Bank of Ann Arbor is branching out with the opening of a new Saline location. A new branch is coming to 179 E. Michigan Avenue, close to Saline's downtown. A mid-December opening is planned, according to Hans Maier, a senior vice president at the bank.

The 1,600-square-foot building has been home to branches of various financial institutions since 1968.

The bank is capitalizing on Saline's growing residential population. "With the proximity of Saline in our market area, we thought that would be a great location because of the number of Saline customers we already have in our Ellsworth [Road] office," Maier says.

Five employees will staff the branch, according to Maier.

Source: Hans Maier, senior vice president, Bank of Ann Arbor
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The Sidetrack Bar and Grill is taking on an ambitious expansion and renovation project that could make Ypsilanti's Depot Town an even more enticing stop for the restaurant and nightlife crowds. Last month, Sidetrack purchased a 6,000-square-foot building at 52 E. Cross St. from the owners of Bird Brain, which relocated elsewhere.

"We were looking outside of the area because it made sense, with the economic times here, instead of doing new construction, to just buy another place..[but]we wanted to keep investing in the city of Ypsilanti," says Linda French, owner of Sidetrack.

The building adjoins Sidetrack and Frenchie's http://www.sidetrackbarandgrill.com/frenchies/ at 54-56 E. Cross St. It has been completely restored and still has its wall-to-wall brick interior. French says it will house a new kitchen and bathroom facilities for Sidetrack.

Moreover, Sidetrack will be moving upward into its three-story premises. The 5,000-square-foot second floor will be used for catering events and larger parties. Sidetrack will be putting the proceeds of a $15,000 rehabilitation grant from the Ypsilanti DDA towards window replacement and tuck pointing on the second and third floors. French would like to turn the third story into apartments.

The projects are currently in the planning, design, and licensing phases. A completion date is unknown at this time, according to French. She plans to add 30 jobs as a result of the expansions.

"We [have] one of the last remaining buildings in Depot Town that hasn't [been restored]," French says. "It's a big deal to get this corner redone."

Source: Linda French, owner of Sidetrack
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

The nothingness of a boarded up gas station on Detroit Street in Kerrytown is likely to make way for a building that a local architect sees becoming a landmark for the city.

Though small, the proposed flat iron style building - roughly a triangular shaped structure with a nose that faces the convergence of two streets, will stand out, says Marc Rueter of Rueter Associates Architects. And true flat iron structures in Ann Arbor are rare - though there is one down the street near Zingerman's deli at Fifth and Detroit.

Rueter is the architect on the project that's being developed by Dan Williams of Maven Development.

"He recognized this was a really cool site..It's a hard site to develop because it's such a small footprint, but it could be very much a landmark, something to be seen when you cross the bridge over the river, something people will notice and remember."

The building would be three stories and about 4,000 total square feet. The ground floor would be office space, and the second and third floors would each be condominiums of about 1,650 square feet. The top condo would have access to a rooftop patio and a view of the Huron River. Parking would be located underground.

And the location to Kerrytown market makes it attractive.

"I think it's one of the nicer areas to live in Ann Arbor if you want the urban lifestyle," Rueter says. "It's a short walk to a lot of the things you need and great places."

The project, which involves demolishing a Clark service station that was boarded up about 30 years ago, is supported by city officials but most go before the historic district commission because of its location in a historic area. The commission meets Thursday.

If it is approved, as expected, the project would go for other approvals and likely be done by year's end. Construction could start in the spring, Rueter says.

Source: Marc Rueter, Rueter Associates Architects
Writer: Kim North Shine

Jan McCormick is putting her British stamp of style and changing American tastes into The Pear Tree, a gift shop in the Dixboro community of Ann Arbor.

The nearly three-month-old shop is at 5153 Plymouth Road and joins the burgeoning, historic village with its village green and specialty businesses. Next door to Pear Tree is a coffee shop Across the street is a general store. It's a combo that attracts shoppers with an appreciation for quaint.

McCormick, a former Londoner who's married to longtime Detroit News car columnist John McCormick, has stocked Pear Tree with goods she feels are special or unique. There's jewelry, pottery, clothing and other merchandise, which changes often and comes from Michigan whenever possible.

Source: John McCormick, co-owner The Pear Tree
Writer: Kim North Shine

A plan to market Ypsilanti's Eagle Crest Resort to executives and conference planners around the world are unfolding as more multimillion-dollar, multi-year renovations are made.

The resort, which features a Golf Digest four-star rated golf course, a conference center that as of recently will be managed by Marriott Corp. and a hotel already owned and managed by Marriott, has redone its landscaping, roads, sidewalks and more. The conference center has gotten new furniture and decor and will get upgraded technology, part of a recently approved $1 million expense by Eastern Michigan University, and the golf course has $1 million in upgrades as well.

The property is leased from Ypsilanti Township to Eastern Michigan University, which owns the golf course and conference center and manages the golf course. The latest round of renovations will cost $200,000 each year for the next five years, says Leigh Greden, executive director government and community relations at EMU. Previously EMU put $2 million into the conference center, which had management operations taken over by Marriott last month.

In addition, Marriott is improving the hotel, Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest.

It's all part of plan to market Eagle Crest Resort with its closeness to Metro Airport and Ann Arbor, its scenic views of Ford Lake and a highly-rated and improving golf course to the world.

The parties behind the project include EMU, Ypsilanti Township, and Marriott.

"It's always nice to put money into a facility to keep it fresh, but we're really doing it as part of a coordinated multi-pronged marketing strategy to enhance the entire resort," Greden says. "It's a win for the university as we push to have the conference center make money. We think the partnership with Marriott is a win for the community because of the property taxes Marriott pays.  We think it's a win for the public because this is public golf course and something Ypsilanti-area residents can enjoy.

"And as for the township, they've been great partners in making this happen. The supervisor, Brenda Stumbo, and her team have been amazing in marketing the township as a great place to do business. We could not doing without them and their commitment to making Ypsilanti Township more friendly to the business community."

Source: Leigh Greden, executive director government and community relations, Eastern Michigan University
Writer: Kim North Shine

The sun may be lower on the horizon now, but solar activity is rising, beginning with the National Solar Tour in October. Nine installations in Ypsilanti, along with one each in Saline and Ann Arbor, will be open to visitors interested in seeing solar.

Eight of those sites are within approximately one mile of each other in and near downtown Ypsilanti.

The Ypsi Food Co-op and River Street Bakery at 312 North River Street sport three installations. Other hotspots are: Krzyzanski Apts A,B,C at 403 Huron Street; Ypsi City Hall at 1 South Huron Street; Adams School at 503 East Oak Street; Frog Island Park at 600 Marketplace; and the Corner Brewery at 720 Norris Street.

Power Panel, the provider of the large installation at the Corner Brewery, will be presenting at the brewery at 12 and 2 p.m. And local solar installer John Wakeman will be speaking about the "25% by '25" legislation, an initiative to require that Michigan utilities obtain 25% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025 (the current requirement is 10% by 2015), will be speaking there at 1 p.m.

"We have [panels] on roofs, things on awnings on the side of buildings. We have micro-inverters, regular inverters...it's a lot of examples in a short distance," says Dave Strenski, volunteer coordinator of Solar Ypsi, points out. Strenski will be at City Hall throughout the day to answer questions, and Solar Ypsi volunteers will staff some of the other spots.

Other displays within driving distance will be at the Graf residence at 6232 Munger Road in Ypsilanti and the Bredernitz residence at 2114 Windmill Way in Saline.

All sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Also in conjunction with the National Solar Tour, Novi, Michigan-based Srinergy will host a bus tour of residential and commercial solar installations that day. Ann Arbor's AMMA Center will be a featured stop. Click here for more information and to register.

Both tours take place on Saturday, October 6.

Sources: Dave Strenski, volunteer coordinator of Solar Ypsi; Srinergy
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

As Michigan gained dominance in the new-car market in the mid-19th century, leading architects were also designing of-the-moment housing. The decades spanning 1940-1970 spawned Modernism - a spare, clean style which abounds in Ann Arbor, where renowned architects and professors of architecture - think Eero Saarinen, George Brigham, and Alden B. Dow - designed many of the iconic Modern homes still standing today.

"There was a lot happening in Ann Arbor - the college was moving from the Beaux Arts style to Modern, there was a large influx of new students after the war, more faculty, and the need to build. The faculty were doing cutting-edge research and were really open to a new and different way of living," explains Nancy Deromedi, co-founder of A2 Modern, an educational group and promoter of Ann Arbor's collection of Modern architecture.

Although no firm count of Modern properties in Ann Arbor has been completed yet, A2 Modern, together with U-M's College of Architecture, has developed a walking-tour map highlighting 86 sites around the city. Many can be found in Ann Arbor Hills, Barton Hills, near Spring Street, and along E. Huron River Drive.

"I think what is interesting to see is if you start in the Geddes-Arb area, you can see the changing styles of what was Modern, starting with the home George Brigham designed for two families...It is on Oswego, [made of] concrete block and has more of an International Modern feel. And then you can work your way over a few blocks to see what Alden Dow did for his sister in 1932, which is a fabulous low-ground hugging structure on Berkshire; then go a few blocks further and see an example of Bauhaus with the home William Muschenheim designed for himself on Heatherway. So, it is really a fascinating collection of ideas and influences," Deromedi says.

Modern fans and the merely curious can meet at 7 p.m. on October 9 at the Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor, where A2 Modern will host state historic preservation officer Brian Conway, who will be discussing Michigan's role in the Modern movement. To obtain walking tour maps and for more information on upcoming programming from A2 Modern, click here.

Source:  Nancy Deromedi, co-founder of A2 Modern
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar