Bloomfield Hills
All-Sports Lakefront
Grandeur exists in this almost
17,000 sq. ft. estate home. Over 2
acres of privacy. Guest house.
Exquisite walkout. Five car garage.
$6,499,999
Bloomfield Village
Classic Country Home
This rare 6,300 sq. ft. manor was re-
built with a traditional floor plan.
Master suite with dressing area. All
bedrooms are suites. Lease
$8,000/month. $1,399,000
Union Lake
Contemporary Masterpiece
Designed by award winning AZD this
spectacular lakefront property was
created to redefine architecture in
Michigan. Over 5,000 sq. ft. of living.
Three plus car garage. $1,099,000
Franklin Park Like
1.2 Acre Setting
Completely remodeled with Designer
kitchen opening to living areas.
Finished lower level. Three car
garage.
$685,000
Franklin Hills
Golf Course Frontage
With southern exposure and
perennial gardens. Newer kitchen,
family room addition and second
floor laundry. Bloomfield Hills
Schools. $549,000
Bloomfield Hills
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New on market. Close to Forest Lake
Country Club and thoroughfares. A
stunning, private elevation.
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manicured grounds. Casual floor
plan for entertaining. Finished lower
level with all the recreation you need.
$2,850,000
Orchard Lake
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First time on market. One of Oakland
County’s most scenic, in-town
locations. Water and sewer at road.
West Bloomfield schools.
$1,370,000
Upper Straits
Lakefront
Estate size property with southern
exposure and sandy beach. Ideal
updates for entertaining. Walkout
lower level. Private street.
$1,099,000
West Bloomfield
Rare 4 Acre
Parcel that is a perfect opportunity to
build your dream estate. Rolling
topography. Water at street and
sewer up Maple Road. Birmingham
schools. $630,000
West Bloomfield
Newer Construction
On cul-de-sac setting. Neutral tones
throughout. Open floor plan for
entertaining. Three car garage.
Meticulously maintained.
$499,000
Watkins Lake
Waterfront
With boat docking. Updated with
cook’s kitchen. Walkout lower level
with recreation room, billiards and
bar. New low price.
$287,500
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With almost 10,000 sq. ft. of living
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Over 6,000 sq. ft. of custom design.
Master suite with separate lounge
area. Four car garage. Bloomfield
Hills schools. Free Hunt Club
membership. $1,745,000
In-Town
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Three story complex. Adjacent to
park. New York style living. Exquisite.
Fabulous views. Abundant storage.
Lease for $4,700/month.
$1,190,000
Bloomfield Hills
Gated Community
Over 5,200 sq. ft. with updated
master suite. Finished lower level
with bar. Three car garage.
Bloomfield Hills schools.
$895,000
Bloomfield Hills
Golf Course Setting
Quiet cul-de-sac setting. Walkout
ranch with incredible views and open
floor plan. Three car garage.
Bloomfield Hills schools.
$599,000
West Bloomfield
Ranch Style Home
This one and a half story is located
on private setting with many capital
improvements. Open floor plan.
Private natural setting.
$449,000
Newer Build
in Pleasant Ridge
Sophisticated interior with granite
kitchen, high ceilings, open floor
plan. New roof. Fenced yard. Turn
key.
$157,000
Sylvan Lake
New Soft Contemporary
Designed with exceptional amenities.
An entertainers fantasy. All bedroom
suites. Second floor game room.
Three car garage.
$1,425,000
Bloomfield Village
Renovation
Elegant redesign with function in
mind. New Euro kitchen opens to
family room and breakfast nook.
Formal library. Large master suite.
$1,149,000
City of Bloomfield
3.29 Acres Setting
Surrounded by nature. Walkout
elevation. Move in or custom build.
Bloomfield Hills schools.
$785,000
Birmingham
New Construction
Adjacent to park and walking
distance to town. Euro style design
and open floor plan. Exquisite master
suite.
$549,000
Bloomfield
Hills
Completely updated ranch on large
private lot. Fabulous flow. Living
room and recreation room with
natural fireplaces. Bloomfield Hills
schools. $350,000
End Unit
with Newer Kitchen
Opens to step down family room,
three bedrooms, formal dining room
and living room. Finished lower level.
Two car attached garage.
$149,000
■ inside / august
■ 8: THE DOWNTOWN VACANCY BATTLE
Birmingham PSD taking proactive approach to stemming the growing
numbes of retail vacancies in the city shopping district
PAPER
PUBLISHER / PRESIDENT: James W. Fancy
PUBLISHER / VICE PRESIDENT: David P. Hohendorf
■ 22-23: BLOOMFIELD PARK PROJECT Administrative Assistant: Carol Barr

The massive mixed use development, pput on hold last year, is still in NEWS EDITOR: Tim Dmoch
limbo Staff Writers
Sally Gerak, Brooke Meier, Kathleen Meisner, Leslie Owsley,
Kirk Pinho, Andrew Sawmiller, Michael Shelton
Contributing Writers: Eleanor Heald, Ray Heald,
■ 35: NOTABLE NEIGHBORHOODS Mike Scott, Mark Stowers

Research/Listings Assistant: Cynthia Stawick

A sampling of some of the neighborhoods that help make the
Staff Photographer: Amy K. Lockard
Birmingham-Bloomfield area unique
Sales Representatives
Jill Cesarz, Dan Neumaier, Jules Pickard,
Linda Stickney, Ron Warwick
Sales Assistants
■ 13: CRIME MAP Jessica Holstein

A locator guide to specific categories of crime in the local area INSIDE SALES MANAGER: Lori Snyder
Inside Sales Representatives
Rhonda Libkuman, Cindy Stawick, Leslie Timko
■ 17: MUNICIPAL
GRAPHICS MANAGER: Chris Grammer
The Shain Park project; library-city battle; Bloomfield Hills charter question; study of Graphics Assistants
staffing changes; search for added revenue in township; city election deadline nearing; Denise Jungjohan, Karen Polatka, Marcia Reimer
transit center funding and more Systems Manager: Chris Grammer

■ 31: COUNTY CIRCULATION MANAGER: Dennis Boggs

Circulation Assistant: Dan Griffin
Cooper sues state over prison release; tri-party road funding disappearing; lobbying
contract approved ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MANAGER: Carol Barr
Supervisor: Carolyn Petherbridge
Accounts Receivable: Mable McCullough, Jan Morris
■ 33: BUSINESS
MAILING ADDRESS:
Edward Dorian, Oliver’s Trendz, The Annex, L’Uomo Vogue, Pink Pump, Hamilton Room, P.O. Box 14, Union Lake, MI 48387-0014
Christian Grothe, Via Bella OFFICE ADDRESS:
7196 Cooley Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48327-4113
TELEPHONE:
■ 41: EVENTS CALENDAR 248.360.6397 • 248.360.7355
OFFICE HOURS:
What’s happening for the month of August Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

■ 43: THE COMMUNITY HOUSE DISTRIBUTION:

Shelley Roberts on what’s coming up in the weeks and months ahead
■ 44: EATING OUT
Our directory of place where you can eat in Birmingham-Bloomfield; Main Course and
Quick Bites; Focus on Wine with the Eleanor and Ray Heald
The Paper is mailed free of charge to over 29,000 homes in
Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills just
before the start of each month. Additional free copes are
available at newstand locations.
Paid subscriptions are available for $15.00 per year by phon-
ing our distibution department at 248.360.6397.

■ 47: SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK

The latest from the society and non-profit circuit
SPINAL COLUMN NEWSWEEKLY
■ 54: FINAL WORD THE PAPER
OAKLAND LAKEFRONT
OAKLAND HOMES
MONTHLYADVERTISER
Our editorial commentary WEST OAKLAND DIRECTORY

50th YEAR OF PUBLICATION

Member of National Newspaper Association
www.oaklandpaper.com

4 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

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■ from the publisher

Welcome to The Paper for Birmingham-Bloomfield

The publication you are now reading — The Paper — is making its debut with this August issue. Over 29,000 homes in
Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills are receiving this publication free by direct mail this week, in addition to
1,500 free copies being distributed on newsstands throughout the general area.

Obviously we are excited about the response in the business community to our latest publication from the SCN Communications
Group, which has been publishing newspapers, magazines, direct mail shoppers and community directories in Oakland County for
the past 50 years.

Our goal with The Paper is to provide residents of the Birmingham-Bloomfield area with a solid, concise package of news and
advertising information on a monthly basis in a full-color, oversize-magazine format. Conversations with key business community
members in recent months helped us determine that a monthly product, where you can find everything you need in terms of
advertising and news, was the best product for the area.

Our publishing group has a strong reputation with our other publications for concise, straight-ahead presentation of important
information, and we are taking a similar approach for the Birmingham-Bloomfield communities.

As publisher, and as a local resident, I am excited about what we were able to present in the first issue.

For starters, take the time to review the businesses who are supporting our publishing effort. Our advertisers are the leaders in the
Birmingham-Bloomfield business community and from surrounding areas, a clear sign that we have hit a responsive chord with The
Paper.

From an editorial standpoint, you’ll find anchor features each month on issues and trends in Birmingham-Bloomfield, municipal and
school governance news, Oakland County government and occasional state news that has a direct impact on the local area, along
with news from the local business community.

Each month we will also publish a map of crimes from the past 30 days in the Birmingham-Bloomfield communities, which allows
local residents to see the approximate location of some key categories of crimes.

On the news side, we will also present each month a directory of local restaurants, features and news from the local dining world
presented by Eleanor Heald, as well as a wine feature each month authored by Eleanor and Ray Heald, nationally-known writers in
this field. Shelley Roberts, president and CEO of The Community House, will keep local residents updated on activities at this
pivotal local institution, and each month you will find a calendar of upcoming community events.

Because the Birmingham-Bloomfield area has a long-held tradition of supporting worthy causes in the broader community, noted
society reporter Sally Gerak will be updating everyone each month about events in her Social Lights column.

Our monthly edition of The Paper is also augmented by a strong website (oaklandpaper.com), which we launched several weeks
ago. Everything from the print edition, both news and advertising, is available on the site in a searchable format.

Equally important is the fact that we post at least weekly, if not more often, ongoing news coverage from the local communities.
Further, we offer site visitors the opportunity to sign up for e-mail alerts on several fronts during the course of a month. Among
the alerts is our Weekly Update, usually on a Thursday basis, which gives notice that we have just posted the latest government
and public safety news; Breaking News e-mail alerts, of which we have already had a couple in the last several weeks; and Sally
Gerak’s column which is posted to the site each Monday with numerous photos that may not always make it into the print version.

Already over 300 people have signed up for some or all of the online news update services and we expect, based on past experience
with our other websites, many more will join us now that The Paper print version is arriving in local homes.

We look forward to bringing you The Paper for Birmingham-Bloomfield each month. As always, I welcome your feedback to my
e-mail address listed below.

David Hohendorf
Publisher
davidhohendorf@thescngroup.com
The Paper photos/Amy K. Lockard
VACANCY
BIRMINGHAM PSD WORKING TO
STEM TIDE IN DOWNTOWN AREA
By Andrew Sawmiller and Kirk Pinho

B
irmingham is not immune to economic realities. While the supply and demand
curve may often play favorites with the upscale and vibrant community, the finan-
cial situation swirling around the state and nation has made its presence known in
the city’s Principle Shopping District (PSD) in the form of ever-changing retail vacancies
in the heart of the downtown area.
In light of this interesting quandary, city officials are turning to both creative and con-
ventional ways to combat a decline, which some outside of City Hall classify as a major
concern.
“Overall, our retail occupancy rate, as a percentage of total available retail space, is
94.9 percent,” said PSD Director John Heiney. “That’s down slightly from 95.7 percent
in June 2008. Some businesses are moving to other locations, like the Rail District here
in Birmingham. Others are closing.”
The recent closings can be attributed to a myriad of factors, according to Heiney.
“There are often many reasons retailers go out of business or close,” he said. “In
some cases we have lost small operations that were struggling month to month. We
have also had some long-time proprietors retire, such as Edward Dorian and Imelda’s
Closet.”
And it’s not just the local businesses that are facing problems. Some of the national
chains have also pulled out, or merely maintained just one presence at the nearby
Somerset Collection mall.
“Some national chains have pulled out as well — Smith and Hawken was one,” Heiney
said. “They have one other location at a mall in Rochester Hills. Now Chico’s plans to
leave by the end of July. They do have a location at Somerset.”
Birmingham City Manager Tom Markus, a de facto member of the PSD board through
his city position, deferred to Heiney as being in the best position to answer questions
about retail issues.
“Readers should know that the retail and commercial leasing climate in Birmingham
and elsewhere is unlike anything we have seen for many years,” Heiney said. “We are
seeing downward pressure on lease rates. Property owners and entrepreneurs are strik-
ing creative deals to help fill space. The results are some unique new retailers coming to
town that may not have had the opportunity before. Some of these include Via Bella, a
women’s accessories store; Suhm-Thing, a gift and accessories store that is owned and
operated by the owners of Oliver’s Trendz here in Birmingham; and the Annex, a
women’s, men’s and home accessories store that came here from another city.”
The PSD came about after July 1992, when then-Gov. John Engler signed Public Act
(PA) 146, which amended Public Act No. 120 of 1961, known as the “Redevelopment of
Shopping Areas Act.” According to Heiney, the law provides much needed assistance in
the organization, improvement, and promotion of the Birmingham business community.
The PSD’s adopted mission is providing “leadership in the marketing, advertising and
promotion of the Birmingham Principal Shopping District. We actively work to promote a
district that is active, attractive, clean, safe and pedestrian-oriented, and ensure that the
entire district continues to serve as a center for business, service, social, cultural and
community activities.”
Primarily funded by assessments on all commercial non-residential property in a spe-
cific area centered in and around the city’s business district, the PSD looks at building
lease rates on a per-square-foot basis, according to Heiney.
“We don’t calculate an average,” he said. “Typically retail space within the central
business district ranges from $20 to $35 per square foot, plus triple net charges (taxes,
insurance, utilities).”
Heiney said those rates can also vary given the location of a parcel or shop in the
shopping district and whether the space is first-floor retail space or second-floor and
above.
“Most of the spaces in general are owned locally,” he said. “However, we do work
with property owners who live or spend most of their time out of state. Typically, they
have local representatives who we work with directly.”
According to Heiney, the PSD is working with a $965,000 budget for the 2009-10 fis-
cal year. Divided into four main expenditure categories — special events, marketing
and advertising, maintenance and improvement, and business recruitment — the vast ➤
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 New Stores Since August 2008
• Adventures In Toys, 250 W. Maple
• Annex, 534 N. Old Woodward
majority of the budget goes toward promotion. • Ashtanga Yoga Room, 161 Townsend as a noticeable retail decline. However, he agreed
About $288,000 is spent on overall administrative • Alpha Lifestyle Center, 808 E. Maple the current climate is challenging.
costs, which includes the salaries for three part- • Be Well, 750 S. Old Woodward Given the challenges, he said the hiring of a
time employees who are paid between $15 and • Birmingham Deli, 34186 Woodward consultant to recruit businesses is merely a com-
$20 per hour and Heiney’s $75,000-$85,000 • Cafe Via, 310 E. Maple pliment to what the PSD already does.
annual salary, which he said is on par with the • Cheeseburger Cheeseburger, 755 E. Maple “It’s just an initiative we’re following up on, as
salary paid to other city department heads. • Cold Stone Creamery, 108 S. Old Woodward we have a series of programs that we do and this
At press time, there were about 80 listings for • Detroit Rocks, 115 W. Maple is an additional one we’re adding to our inventory
retail and office vacancies on the PSD’s web site of programs that we offer,” he said. “I wouldn’t
• Forest Grill, 735 Forest
(enjoybirmingham.com/lease-space). say there’s a noticeable decline. I think if you look
• HotPop!, 233 N. Old Woodward at the statistics, and you look at the actual occu-
Given the retail slide and an obvious need to • Leo’s Coney Island, 154 S. Old Woodward
keep attracting newer and bigger retailers, the pancy rate year after year, we’re not down that
• Maalouf Salon, 387 S. Old Woodward much.
PSD, as an extension of City Hall, is reaching out • NuImage Med Spa, 700 N. Old Woodward
and doling out some cash to bring in an expert to “Are people being challenged? Yes,” he said.
• Paulina B-H Boutique, 229 N. Old Woodward “Is this a difficult economy? Yes. But we’re fortu-
draw some national attention.
Just prior to press time, the PSD’s search com- • Pink Pump, 150 W. Maple nate that we still are at decent occupancy rates
mittee settled on a recommended candidate who • Root and Sprout, 474 N. Old Woodward compared to our competitors.”
reportedly lives locally and spent a number of • Sam and Lola, 580 N. Old Woodward Asked why time and money should be spent
years working for the Bloomfield Hills-based • Snap Fitness, 325 N. Old Woodward on an outside retail consultant-recruiter if things
Taubman Centers, Inc. Specific details on the • Stacey Lieuliette, 235 Pierce Street aren’t all that bad, Hockman said the PSD has
agreement weren’t available prior to press time. • Suhm-Thing, 120-B W. Maple always taken pride in being proactive when it
“The PSD board has agreed to retain a retail comes to the business community.
• Toast, 203 Pierce
leasing consultant who can help us lease some of “I think you need to be proactive in this econ-
• Via Bella, 141 E. Maple omy and this market,” he said. “You need to
the downtown spaces,” Heiney said. “This con- • Yoga Bliss, 280 N. Old Woodward
sultant will focus on national retailers because we always be looking ahead of where you are and
believe there should be a mix of national chains look to the future. If we can bring in some addi-
along with the boutiques. National chains bring
Closed Since August 2008 tional assistance and help, that would be a good
name recognition and significant advertising dol- • Ageless Remedies, 135 E. Maple thing. That’s what we want to do — compliment
lars. They also serve as anchor stores, bringing • Aunt Olive’s Good Food To Go, 525 N. Old Woodward what we’re doing with some additional
additional foot traffic that supports all of our • BabyHood, 141 W. Maple resources.”
stores.” • Baci Salon, 101 Willits Donna Figi, a senior associate and brokerage
While specific details of that contract are still • Buca Di Beppo, 270 N. Old Woodward services retail property specialist with CB Richard
being negotiated, Heiney said the PSD board has Ellis, said while times are tough, everyone is
• Dominator, 286 W. Maple
already set aside funds for an annual salary in the going to have to give a little, including landlords,
• Edward Dorian, 237 Pierce tenants and the city.
range of $50,000, plus expenses, for such a con- • Goodyear, 835 Haynes
sultant. “This is my take on it. This is an ‘opportunity’
• Gracie’s, 154 W. Maple time, especially for entrepreneurs,” she said.
“These dollars will come from the existing
• Greek Boys Coney Island, 154 S. Old Woodward “You’re not going to see rates like this for a long
operational budget such as marketing, special
events and maintenance,” he said. “No additional • HomeRun Deli, 215 N. Old Woodward time. Rates are way down. This is time for that
dollars will be raised to fund this effort.” • Kuhlman, 152 N. Old Woodward entrepreneurial spirit and because people have
The PSD board consists of business owner • Original Soup Man, 172 N. Old Woodward lost their jobs, they are looking for new opportu-
members and residents from areas around and • Shaggy Chic, 574 N. Old Woodward nities and new ways to reinvent themselves.
adjacent to the PSD. The board provides overall • Sock It To Me, 120-B W. Maple What better place than to do it in Birmingham?”
direction and leadership to the executive director • Smith and Hawken, 284 W. Maple Figi also surmises that because the PSD vacan-
and the PSD office. It meets monthly, usually the cy rate is higher than it has been — as she and
• This Is Me, 202 E. Maple
first Thursday of the month, at 8 a.m. at the her company have vacant spaces available in the
• Tropical Squeeze, 215 N. Old Woodward downtown area — people are going to have to
Birmingham Community House.
The City Commission appoints board members work together to make it through this difficult
Moving/Moved economic period.
to two-year terms. The current board members
include Chairman Geoffrey Hockman; Vice • Beal Bank, 325 N. Old Woodward “Yes, there is a high vacancy rate,” she said.
Chairman Richard Astrein; and Robert Benkert, • Revive, 154 W. Maple “You’re not seeing expansion of the national
Cheryl Daskas, Douglas Fehan, Julie Plotnik, • Universal Watch, 177 S. Old Woodward retailers like we once had. We are now going to
Steven Quintal, William Roberts, Larry Sherman, • Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, 275 E. Maple see more of what we call ‘mom and pop’ type
Peter Sobelton, JoAnna Yaksich, and City Manager stores opening up. Yes, the lease rates are still
Markus. high, but landlords are helping or trying to work
The board has six active committees chaired by board members. with tenants and if they aren’t working with them, tenants are finding they
Daskas, co-owner of Tender at 271 W. Maple in Birmingham, said the can’t meet the lease rates and are going to find someplace else. There are
recent steps taken to address PSD vacancies will be successful. landlords out there that are really trying.
“We’re bringing in a consultant to fill the spaces,” she said. “It’s more of a “The city also has to work with the landlords in assisting with tax relief,”
recruiter type of person to recruit new stores. I’m 100 percent sure that this she said. “Everybody has to give. If that’s possible, this will be a perfect
is going to help. I think that it has to do with relationships with different place for opportunity.”
companies that can bring these people in.” Figi said she also agrees with action by the PSD board to bring in an out-
Daskas admits that the retail and commercial property situation in side retail consultant-recruiter to leverage as many resources as possible to
Birmingham is challenging and may just be part of the economic cycle coming bring retailers in and spur some activity in the district.
to pass. “I think anything you can do these days, as many feet as you can put on
“It’s challenging down here,” she said. “Though I do think it’s a cycle, the ground, is best, with all of them pulling in the same direction,” she said.
too. I think it’s going to get better. I absolutely do. We are trying very hard “That’s great. If they can do it, fantastic. Especially if you have, perhaps, a
to fill the spaces in town with the right stores. We can fill the spaces, but we company that works on or specializes in urban retail, that’s fantastic.
want to do it with the right mix of stores.” Anything they can do to help is wonderful.”
According to Daskas, some of the PSD businesses have had a hard time in Those sentiments are shared by PSD officials and Heiney, who said open
the downtown area because they have been under-capitalized and have failed
lines of communication are going to be key in resolving the current situation.
to understand the business climate of the times.
“It’s a little of both,” she said. “I think they are under-capitalized and also “The PSD will continue to work with the retailers, property owners and
think they are under-staffed. The other thing is today in retailing it’s like a other stakeholders to help restore and revitalize our downtown shopping dis-
global economy; you can’t just think it’s cute to open a store and expect it to trict,” Heiney said. “Birmingham has a lot to offer a potential retailer, includ-
be successful. You have to really work at it. You have to know your business ing a very affluent shopper, a beautiful downtown shopping area, and many
and know your customer.” events to support the retail climate. We are confident that these assets, com-
PSD Board Chairman Hockman, an owner of the renowned Townsend bined with our new leasing consultant, will position Birmingham well for an
Hotel at 100 Townsend Street, said he wouldn’t classify the current situation influx of new retailers, once the national retail scene improves.” ■
 Kitchens ▼ Baths ▼ Additions

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12 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com
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14 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

■ snapshot

mikki
gardner

M ikki Gardner, a Birmingham native and owner of

Mood Events, recently earned acclaim after turn-
ing her growing catering operation into an all-
inclusive events planning business based in Birmingham. As a result of her
impressive work and creativity, Gardner has been named Best Up-And-
Coming Special Events Planner by “Michigan Meetings and Events” maga-
zine.
“I have a food and beverage background,” Gardner said. “I have always
loved food, wine and everything around it. But I found I like working the
entire event.”
Gardner attended Lake Forest College in Chicago before heading west
to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco to earn her associate’s
degree in culinary arts. Ultimately, family and friends brought Gardner
back to Michigan.
“I wanted to build a business and I felt the best way would be to come
home where I have family, friends and a network of people,” she said.
Gardner had owned a successful catering business before opening
Setting the Scene, an events planning business, with partner Holly Roemer
in 2005. Now, as sole owner of Mood Events, Gardner is serving the
Birmingham community and beyond.
“I have a good, loyal group of clients in Birmingham and Bloomfield,”
Gardner said. “I enjoy working in this area because my clientele are very
sophisticated and well-traveled which extends me a wonderful challenge to
create unique, fresh events that exceed their expectations.”
Gardner plans a wide variety of events, from children’s birthday parties
to bat mitzvah and charity functions.
For Gardner, the opportunities are never ending.
“My goals are to grow my business and client relationships, both exist-
ing and new, by continuing to create fresh, innovative, chic events in this
challenging economic climate,” she said.
Recently married, Gardner lives in Birmingham, where she hopes to
continue to expand Mood Events locally, as well as nationally.
— Katey Meisner
CREDIT: Our thanks to Blossoms in Birmingham for use of the store as
a photo backdrop. The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard
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16 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

■ municipal
Revenue sources
subject of new
resident survey
By Brooke Meier
Bloomfield Township officials have
approved an $8,900 contract with
Mitchell Research and Communica-
tions, Inc. to survey residents on a
number of issues including revenue
enhancement options that include a
possible Headlee override, a new
millage, and collection of an adminis-
tration fee.
All three options could be addi-
tional sources of revenue for the
township, which is currently prepar-
ing for a 2010-11 budget shortfall,
according to Township Supervisor
Dave Payne. The township faces a
projected shortfall of at least $6 mil-
lion by the start of the 2011 fiscal
year.
“We’ve had a lot of experience
with Mitchell and his organization,”
said Bloomfield Township Treasurer
Dan Devine. “We find him to be
accurate in his surveys and to go
forward we want to make sure that
we have the most reliable informa-
tion.”
The survey will be similar to oth-
ers conducted by Mitchell in the
past. The sample size will be approx-
imately 300 residents and no ques-
tion will be asked without approval
from the township.
“The questions have yet to be
determined by the committee that’s
charged with community expecta-
tions,” Devine said. “We want to
make sure that anything we bring to
the public, as far as potential mill-
ages or other revenue stabilization,
is in sync with what the residents
expect.”
Mitchell Research and
Communications, Inc. is a Lansing-
based consulting and polling firm.
“We have in the past conducted
surveys to determine the viewpoints
of Bloomfield Township’s residents
and given the tremendous economic
turmoil that exists within the state
of Michigan, we met with the repre-
sentative of the committee involved
and have proposed to take a survey
on the critical issues facing the
township to see what residents
think the township ought to be
doing,” Mitchell said.
The survey will help to shape the
ever-changing strategic plan devel-
oped by the township in March
2009. The plan is a five-year projec-
tion of hardships the township is
anticipating and solutions to help
solve the impending financial issues.
“Our strategic plan is two
pronged — it’s a combination of cut-
ting expenses and looking at the
www.oaklandpaper.com
have to be less than or equal to 1.33
Birmingham election mills, according to Payne. This could
bring in approximately $4.5 million a
year.
Commission filing deadline Sept. 15 A mill is equal to $1 for every
$1,000 of a property’s taxable value,
By Kirk Pinho which generally is equal to half a
Birmingham citizens interested in running for a City Commission seat property’s market value. The owner
during the Nov. 3 election have until 4 p.m. on Sept. 15 to file a petition of a township property with a tax-
with the city Clerk’s Office. able value of $150,000 ($300,000
The terms of Commissioner Donald Carney, Mayor Pro Tem Rackeline market value) would pay almost
Hoff, and Mayor Stuart Sherman expire on Nov. 1. $200 a year in property taxes under
Hoff said she hasn’t made up her mind about whether she will run for a 1.33-mill levy.
re-election. The third option being explored is
“I have a couple months to decide,” said Hoff, who was first elected the addition of a 1-percent adminis-
to the commission in 2001. tration fee. There are 27 cities, vil-
Sherman was first elected in 2005 and served as mayor pro tem in lages and townships in Oakland
2006. Carney was appointed to the commission in January 2001 and County that charge an administration
elected in November 2001. Neither Sherman nor Carney returned calls
fee for property assessment and col-
from comment prior to press time. lection of taxes, according to Devine.
As of Friday, July 17, no candidate petitions had been pulled or sub-
If Bloomfield Township applied a
mitted, according to staff in the Clerk’s Office.
1-percent fee to the collection of
City commissioners, who serve four-year terms, are paid $5 per meet-
summer and winter taxes, it could
ing. The mayor and mayor pro tem positions rotate among commission
gain an addition $1.5 million in
members, with changes made each November.
annual revenue.
People interested in filing for candidacy must submit a candidate peti-
tion with no less than 25 voter signatures, and not more than 50 signa- “These three options are things
tures, according to Clerk’s Office staff. we’re going to consider in combina-
In addition, city voters will decide who will serve on the Baldwin tion with cutting expenses,” Payne
Library Board of Directors, as well as the Birmingham Public Schools said. “We may not have to restore
Board of Education. revenue but that’s something we are
The terms of Library Board of Directors Secretary Ileane Thal and looking at. We want to be prepared.”
members Andrew Harris and Ronald Vander Molen expire this year. “We want to see what our resi-
Candidates for the library board also have a Sept. 15 filing deadline, dents think of these options and see
by which they must submit no less than 25 and no more than 50 voter what their overall perception of
signatures. Members serve four-year terms and are not paid for their township services are,” he said. “We
service. want to know what they feel is
Board of Education President Lori Soifer’s term expires this year. important so we can get a pulse on
According to staff in the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds the community about a number of
Elections Division, a candidate can either pay $100, or submit a petition issues related to the financial dilem-
with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 100 voter signatures to get ma that every municipality is going
their name on the ballot. to face here in the next couple of
As of Friday, July 17, Soifer was the only candidate to file for the elec- years. It’s a way to stay in touch and
tion. The filing deadline for that post is Aug. 11. communicate.”
Board of Education members receive no pay, and serve four-year Payne said the three revenue
terms. ■ enhancement options are merely
being discussed.
“I don’t want people to think we
possibility of restoring lost rev- collections. are just running out and asking for
enues,” Payne said. “It isn’t like we The millages that would be con- more money, because that’s not the
won’t be cutting costs. To raise rev- sidered for Headlee overrides are case,” he said. “We have an obliga-
enues, those are the three options four public safety millages, a road tion, in order to maintain our service
we have.” millage and the township’s general levels, to look at all possibilities.
Headlee Amendment tax overrides operation millage; however, if rev- Once we gather all of the information
could restore current millage rates to enue restoration is needed, only the and gather how our property values
levels approved by voters at the time Headlee override requests necessary are impacted, then we can make
of their most recent renewals. to make up for revenue shortfalls adjustments.
“There are some laws that govern would be placed on a ballot for vot- “If, suddenly, the housing market
how far back you can go,” Payne ers to decide. picks up and the market hasn’t
said of override actions. “For all the “We’re only going to ask for what dropped as low as we’ve predicted it
millage rates we have there would be we need, we wouldn’t ask to raise all may, there may be no need to ask for
variables there.” of the millages,” Payne said. restoration of lost revenues,” Payne
The Headlee Amendment to If the township were to decide a said. “There are a lot of things that
Michigan’s 1963 Constitution Headlee override was the best way need to happen before we get to
requires taxing authorities to annual- to increase revenue, the overrides up that point.”
ly rollback millage rates so tax rev- for consideration would have to be Revenue restoration options and
enues don’t increase from one year placed on a ballot for a public vote. potential expense cuts are detailed in
to the next, except for additional rev- Each Headlee override request would the township’s strategic plan. To
enue generated by new construction be a separate issue on the ballot. view the plan, visit www.bloomfield-
and renovation. The amendment pro- The second option, a new general twp.org. The plan will be updated on
vides for so-called override votes, operation millage, would also have to a regular basis and any public com-
whereby voters can decide whether be placed on a ballot for voter ment is welcome, according to
to “override” the provision barring approval. Payne. To leave comments on the
increases in annual millage revenue Any new operation millage would plan, call 248-433-7708. ■
THE PAPER 17
■ municipal

Assessment of
staffing to counter
looming deficit
By Kirk Pinho
Looking down the barrel of a pro-
jected $1.4-million budget deficit for
2012, the Bloomfield Hills City
Commission has authorized the
Plante & Moran auditing firm to con-
duct a staffing assessment that is
expected to cost between $8,000
and $10,000.
The commission unanimously
approved the measure on Tuesday,
July 14, with all members of the
city’s governing body voting in favor.
The assessment, which will look
at efficiency and staffing across the
city, examine cost containment
strategies, and provide various
options for the commission’s consid-
eration, is expected to take between
60 and 90 days to complete.
$100,000 bump for Shain Park
The assessment would review the
current operations of the Bloomfield
Design change spending approved by council
Hills government, such as the offices By Andrew Sawmiller approved to cover increased con- as well as relocating the Marshall
of the city manager, city clerk, and and Kirk Pinho struction costs. Fredericks statute. Accompanying
city treasurer and finance director; The Birmingham City In addition, the commission all of these improvements is a
the public safety and public works Commission has authorized close approved spending $13,300 for planned installation of a perform-
departments, which, among other to an additional $100,000 in design changes for the north per- ance stage.
things, would have overtime history spending as part of what is now a gola, the park lighting system, and Due to all of the specified work,
reviewed, and enhanced mutual aid $2.9-million improvement project preparatory work for updated park- nearby city Parking Lot No. 7 will
and collaboration and outsourcing for Shain Park that’s scheduled to ing meters in Parking Lot No. 7. be reduced to nearly one-third of
options assessed, according to a let- be completed by the end of 2010. Approximately $500,000 of the its existing size.
ter Plante & Moran sent to Mayor The park improvements are $2.9-million overall project is for Shain Park is located in the Civic
David Kellet, Treasurer/Finance expected to be finished by the end design costs, O’Meara said. The Center area between the City Hall
Director Carolyn Lorenz, and City of this year, and road improve- balance of that figure is for actual and library. The current park is
Manager Jay Cravens. ments are slated to be done by the construction. The revised cost of flanked by Martin, Merrill, Bates
“So we are looking at the aspect end of next year, according to the project is well under the $3.5 and Henrietta streets.
of what we need to do for staffing,” Birmingham Mayor Stuart million estimated cost. The City Commission voted in
Cravens said. “About 33 percent of Sherman. “The project came in substan- June to select Braun Construction
our budget really goes for retirement Work began inside the park on tially under budget, so ... these are Group to complete the project.
health care and other pension obliga- Monday, July 13, said City well within expectations,” Sherman It’s been said by some city offi-
tions, so (we are asking) what do Engineer Paul O’Meara. Crews said, stressing that the money for cials that the park project has
we do to address those with current the project is coming from park been in the works for almost 82
began incorporating portions of
staffing.” improvement bonds, not the city’s years.
municipal Parking Lot No. 7 into
Earlier in the year, the city tapped general fund. “This has been going since
the park, and the removal of
Plante & Moran to conduct a five- “It’s important to note that before the city was set up,”
Merrill Street.
year forecasting model, which deter- Sherman said. “I’m very please
The City Commission voted 6-0 we’re not using General Fund
mined the city would be facing a
on Monday, June 29, in support of money for this,” Sherman said. we’re moving forward. After all
structural deficit by 2012, according
two separate motions to revise the “We’re using park bond money. these years of talking about it,
to Cravens.
park improvement plan. Commis- That’s money that can only be we’re finally at a point of moving it
Currently, the city employs 41
sioner Scott Moore was absent used for the betterment of our forward to develop the park that
people, 29 of which are public safety
from the meeting. parks and that’s what we’re the residents have asked for over
workers. The remaining employees
The commission authorized doing.” all these years.”
include six city administration work-
Albert Kahn Associates to proceed Among the expected park “This is part of a comprehen-
ers and five employees in the
with changes to the project improvements are a reconstituted sive plan for improvement, part of
Department of Public Works (DPW).
designs at a cost of no more than children’s play area near Martin what they call the 2016 plan,
There is also one part-time code
enforcement employee. $40,300. The changes to the plan Street, with the playground equip- which is a planning effort that
Cravens said Plante & Moran is relate to its geometry, trees, cor- ment to be purchased separately. brought the entire community
currently working on “the ground- ners of the park, lighting of the Also, installation of a large water together in terms of upgrading the
work,” including “getting the job Marshall Fredericks statue, a read- fountain is planned. whole town square and downtown
descriptions, organizational charts, ing area, a flag pole, lighting of the WWII and Civil War monuments area,” said City Manager Tom
and things like that.” park’s war monuments and light- currently located at the Markus. “This was one of the key
Plante & Moran also is looking ing for flower baskets that are Birmingham municipal building will projects in that plan. There had
into the feasibility of combining expected to be installed along a be moved to the park grounds. A been steady work on implementing
Birmingham and Bloomfield reconstructed Merrill Street. complete reconstruction of Merrill that whole plan, and this is one of
Township’s police, fire and dispatch An added $50,000 was also Street through the park is planned, the elements of the plan.” ■
services. ■

18 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

Dog park in city
moves closer with
potential sites
By Kirk Pinho
A subcommittee of the
Birmingham Parks and Recreation
Board is closer to coming up with
one or more sites for a potential dog
park in the community.
The Dog Park subcommittee,
which met Wednesday, July 15, has
narrowed a list of over 25 possible
sites down to about five or six
potential sites where a dog park
could be built, according to Bob Fox,
Birmingham’s assistant director of
public services.
Asked about sites being consid-
ered, Fox said a member of the sub-
committee told him it would be “a
little premature to start putting
exact sites out there (in the media).”
Walkability and parking availability
were some of the key criteria for
whittling the site list down, accord-
ing to Fox, among others. Costs for
developing a dog park could vary,
but it appears fencing or gating
would be the most substantial costs.
Fox said the fencing for a former
dog park in Birmingham — which
was essentially dismantled by the
Michigan Supreme Court in 2007
under a legal challenge from the
Bloomfield Estates Improvement
Association — was around $14,000,
although a significant portion of that
was fencing related to a local golf
course that abutted the park.
The subcommittee would have to
make a recommendation to the
Parks and Recreation Board, which
would in turn make a recommenda-
tion to the City Commission for final
approval of a dog park site.
Fox said he expects a recommen-
dation from the subcommittee by
the end of the year.
Not everyone is thrilled with the
idea.
Daniel Beyer, president of the
Presidents’ Council of Neighborhood
Associations, said he has reserva-
tions. His organization recently fired
off a missive to a number of city offi-
cials outlining council member con-
cerns.
“(The dog park proposal) is
something that’s been discussed for
a number of months, and the letter
was an effort by the Presidents’
Council to reach a general consensus
among members as to what we
thought the significant issues were
and had to be addressed,” Beyer
said.
In the letter, the organization
cites “questions that remain
unclear,” including the criteria for
determining possible dog park sites,
those which were considered during
the vetting process, what standards
were used to rule out potential dog
park sites, and what standards were
used to “retain an identified site ➤
www.oaklandpaper.com
Square Lake road work
Chain-link fence becomes issue on state project
By Brooke Meier
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees has
approved a contract with the Michigan Department of
Transportation (MDOT) to repave Square Lake Road,
contingent upon a request by the township that
MDOT leave up an existing chain-link fence.
In addition, township Engineering and
Environmental Director Wayne Domine has received
authorization to discuss with MDOT officials the pos-
sibilities of a contract change, including the elimina-
tion of a sidewalk along Square Lake Road.
While Domine can discuss the changes with MDOT,
it’s possible that MDOT will reject the changes and
move forward with the project as originally planned
without the support of the township. A contract has
to be submitted by the township to MDOT by
Monday, July 27. If the new contract is accepted by
MDOT, then a special meeting will be held for town-
ship officials’ approval.
“We are trying to utilize the stimulus money
through MDOT to best satisfy the needs of all town-
ship residents,” said Bloomfield Township Treasurer
Dan Devine. “Unfortunately the funds aren’t providing
a solution to every problem presented.”
The project was originally scheduled for 2011;
however, the opportunity arose to use stimulus funds
and the project was expedited to begin on Aug. 3.
Because of the stimulus funds, the township was able
to take advantage of the project and ask MDOT to
cover the cost of median repairs and installation of a
decorative three-rail fence to help beautify the corridor.
“We will start on Aug. 3 most likely,” said MDOT
Spokesman Rob Morosi. “We are going to resurface
both directions between Telegraph Road and
Woodward. The maintaining of traffic is essential. We
will have two lanes open in each direction.”
At times there will be restrictions on turns onto
certain streets, but residents will still be able to get
into their subdivisions, according to Morosi.
“Sometimes if you were westbound and want to go
southbound you may have to wrap around the east-
bound side to get southbound,” he said.
Fencing replacement, median curb and gutter work,
as well as signal upgrades are also included in the
project for a total cost of $5 million.
“It’s a very good price for what we are going to
get out of this,” Morosi said. “You’re looking at
improved ride quality, modernized and updated sig-
nals, new decorative fencing and repairs to the medi-
an.”
Construction is slated for completion, barring any
unforeseen problems, by late November.
“I think it’s a win-win situation for the township,
us and the motorists,” Morosi said. “What you’re
doing is including everything in one project and get-
ting it all done at once.”
Ajax Paving, an Oakland County business, will be
doing the project.
“We want MDOT to work with the individual resi-
dents as to the status of their fence,” Devine said.
“The sidewalk was part of our Master Plan for safety
paths; however, the proximity to the roadway was the
issue and our current position is that as presented we
are not interested in that sidewalk at this time. The
THE PAPER
key is safety. We want whatever transpires to be as
safe as possible.”
Many residents who live in the neighborhoods on
either side of Square Lake Road attended a Monday,
July 13 Board of Trustees meeting to voice their opin-
ions on the project. They were all against the town-
ship approving the contract and discussed numerous
problems ranging from the safety of installing a side-
walk to road debris and traffic noise.
Area resident James Connarn objected to the town-
ship entering into the contract.
“I think communication was poor,” he said. “I am
one of a number who have been residing in that area for
20 years, trying to have both safety and noise abate-
ment addressed. Nothing has ever been accomplished.”
According to Township Supervisor Dave Payne, a
study was conducted in the 1990s by MDOT and con-
cluded any noise abatement structures would be cost-
prohibitive.
“Some homeowners, I know, requested a sound
wall but that didn’t meet the criteria for sound wall
installation,” Morosi said.
Other residents, like Norman Parsons, were against
the removal of an existing MDOT chain-link fence
along the roadway. Several others shared Parsons’
opinion that the removal of the fence would result in
several safety problems.
“I have grandchildren that play in my yard, and a
three-rail fence will not stop them from running out
into the road,” Parsons said. “The first two comments
I get when I talk to people is they don’t want the
three-rail fence, and the second is they want a fence
like the one at Square Lake Road and Opdyke.”
“We’ve heard that there are some residents who
have expressed some concern about the fence,”
Morosi said. “We are willing to work with the town-
ship. They are the ones who are paying the extra cost
for the decorative fencing. If the township wants to
appease those individuals then we are very inclined to
work with them. This is not to throw the township in
front and say it’s their decision. What we have deter-
mined on this project is that we will work with the
township. The township has concerns — rightly so —
about this new decorative fencing and I am sure we
can find a remedy for this situation.”
“We are still working on getting an answer from
MDOT on the contract changes,” Devine said. “We are
confident that they will work with us to reach some
sort of solution that benefits everyone; but — and it’s
always a big but — it’s their contract and their proj-
ect. They have been very good to work with us but
they don’t have to. If push comes to shove they can
do what they want. They are running the show, not
us.”
If the chain-link fence is left in place, the decorative
three-rail fence will be placed as close as possible in
front of that fence and the township will look at ways
to repair or paint the chain link fence to continue the
beautification of the Square Lake Road corridor.
“We are trying to coordinate between MDOT and
the residents to take advantage of a situation to make
whatever improvements we can to that road, but we
are under a really tight time frame. We don’t want to
put the project in jeopardy,” Payne said. ■
19
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20 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

■ municipal
for additional consideration or rec-
ommendation.”
“Recognizing all Birmingham resi-
dents share your goal of perpetuat-
ing and enhancing the quality of life
(service, safety, environment, educa-
tion, community) we have made
every attempt to be part of the
process,” the letter states, adding
that the Presidents’ Council “in gen-
eral supports the pursuit of a possi-
ble dog park in a non-residential or
vacant area of the City.”
However, the council opposes
“any site that would be located with-
in a neighborhood or is in immediate
proximity of any residence,” pets
being allowed off their leashes in
“any public park with playground
equipment that prevents the users of
the park from enjoying the use of
the park or causes health or safety
concerns,” and “any pet being off
leash in any park, well site or other-
wise identified nature conservatory
without playground equipment.”
Under park rules, dogs are not
allowed in Birmingham parks, thus
necessitating such an area for
canines, Fox said. ■
Charter amendment
going before voters
in Bloomfield Hills
Bloomfield Hills voters will be
asked in November to approve a City
Charter amendment giving the city
added flexibility in the special assess-
ment district (SAD) billing process.
City commissioners seek a change
in an existing charter provision that
requires SAD bills to be paid within
30 days of an assessment roll’s con-
firmation. The proposed charter
amendment would allow the City
Commission to determine when the
billing process begins.
“We’ve found the 30 days to be a
little bit problematic for an existing
special assessment district that we
have going on for a road paving proj-
ect,” said City Manager Jay Cravens.
“The problem is assessing people for
an improvement that hasn’t hap-
pened yet. That doesn’t make sense.”
The proposed charter amendment
language states, in part, “All special
assessments shall be payable in such
number of approximately equal
installments, not exceeding twenty
(20), as the commission may deter-
mine. The due date of the first
installment and each subsequent
annual installment for each special
assessment district shall be deter-
mined by the commission at the time
the assessment roll is confirmed.”
The ballot language, which will be
known as Proposition A, will be for-
warded to the Governor’s Office and
Attorney General’s Office for final
review before placement on the Nov.
3 ballot.
SADs are used to pay for public
projects benefiting a limited number
of parcels in a given area by charging
a special assessment only to the
owners of properties benefiting from
the project. ■
www.oaklandpaper.com
Library opinion expected
State attorney general asked to decide city dispute
By Kirk Pinho
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox’s office may
soon issue an opinion on issues related to the ongoing
spat between the Baldwin Public Library Board of
Directors and the Birmingham City Commission.
The library board and commission have been bat-
tling over which group of elected officials has gover-
nance and financial control over the library, and a
library millage increase that was shot down by the
commission in May.
The library board wanted to hike an existing 1-mill
levy to 1.35 mills to help the library with its approved
$3.54-million budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year,
which runs from July 1, 2009 through June 30,
2010. City Finance Director Sharon Ostin said rev-
enues are projected at about $3 million.
A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a proper-
ty’s taxable value, which is generally equal to half a
property’s market value. The owner of a city property
with a taxable value of $150,000 ($300,000 market
value) pays $150 a year in property taxes to support
the library under the 1-mill levy. The owner of the
same property would pay $202 a year in property
taxes for the library under a 1.35-mill levy.
Baldwin Public Library Board of Directors President
Ann Conigliaro said the shortfall “requires a spending
down of the fund balance.”
She said the fracas is “not just over the budget,”
but more about the City Commission’s role in library
oversight. She also said that the library board had
considered a lawsuit against the commission, but took
that measure “off the table at this juncture” due to
the attorney fees that would be racked up.
In requesting the attorney general opinion, the
library board is seeking a determination on the follow-
ing two questions:
• “If the Library was lawfully established in 1907
pursuant to the Act, and the Village was later incorpo-
rated as a Home Rule City, can the City by its Charter
contravene the independent budget and governance
authority vested in the Library Board by (Public Act
164 of 1877, the City, Village and Township Libraries
Act)?”
• “If the Library’s governance is controlled by the
Act, is the City Commission legally obligated to assess
and collect the millage reported by the duly elected
Library Board as necessary for the support and main-
tenance of the Library, so long as that millage is with-
in the voted limitation, or does the City Commission
possess discretion to unilaterally reduce the Library
millage?”
State Sen. John Pappageorge (R-Birmingham,
Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills) has received the formal
request for an attorney general opinion from the
library board, according to Conigliaro and Birmingham
City Manager Tom Markus.
Michigan law requires that requests for attorney
general opinions be submitted by either chamber of
the state Legislature, the governor, or “any other
state officer.”
Any formal attorney general opinion issued would
be non-binding, according to Conigliaro.
It appears a legal precedent on the issue already
exists, according to staff in Pappageorge’s office.
In 1996, former Attorney General Frank J. Kelley
concluded in a case involving a different community
THE PAPER
and library that state statutory “language makes it
abundantly clear that it is the library board, and not
the city council, that determines the amount of money
to be raised for library purposes within the library tax
rate approved by voters.”
“It is my opinion, therefore, that the library board
of directors has the authority to determine the final
annual budget of a city library established under 1877
PA (Public Act) 164,” the Kelley opinion states.
However, some city officials have said that opinion
doesn’t tell the entire side of the story, arguing that
Kelley’s opinion addresses libraries that were
approved by voters, whereas the Baldwin Library was
established by a vote of the Birmingham Village
Council, the community’s governing body before it
was incorporated as a city. Some contended that state
statute deems the City Commission would have mill-
age authority, not the library board.
Mayor Pro Tem Rackeline Hoff said she didn’t want
to speculate on what, if anything, would change if the
opinion came down in favor of the library board’s
interpretation of its autonomy.
“I don’t know what the commission would do. I
don’t know what the next step is, legally,” she said.
Library Executive Director Marti Custer’s recent
financial report to the library board outlined two pos-
sible solutions for the budget shortfall:
• A combination of service reductions, staff elimi-
nations, closing for one or two days a week and
reducing collection allocations; or
• Using portions of unrestricted and capital fund
balances, as well as searching for other cost-saving
measures “that would have a minimal impact on serv-
ices.”
Conigliaro said finding cost-cutting measures is an
“on-going process” and that the library’s fund balance
is “dangerously low.” There have been no wage
increases for staff, some of which have gone from full-
time employees to part-time, she said.
Hoff said the squabble has “only come up in the
past few years,” before which the City Commission
and the library board worked together “very coopera-
tively.”
She sought to quash any indication that the com-
mission’s decision to reject a 1.35-mill library millage
levy — which was a split vote — was somehow a dis-
play of discontent toward the library. Instead, she said
the commission’s vote was based solely on maintain-
ing budgetary discipline.
“I don’t want to give the impression that the com-
mission doesn’t support the library,” Hoff said. “We
think our library is wonderful. But we think, in these
difficult economic times, they have to tighten up their
budget, cut where they can, and look for cost savings
just like the city is doing.”
In another potential blow for the library budget,
the Beverly Hills Village Council has voted to tentative-
ly opt out of Baldwin Library services, a decision
which would save that community about $522,000 a
year, according to Village Manager Chris Wilson.
However, the council has until Dec. 31, 2010 to
rescind the vote.
He added that the move was “completely unrelat-
ed” to the disagreement between the city commission
and library board. ■
21
T
he skeleton of the $350-million Bloomfield Park development
juts across the horizon of the Pontiac-Bloomfield Township
border, its bare-bones structures a result of the economic
downturn and a lack of proper capital to complete the 600,000-
square-foot project.
It’s hard to say what’s in store for the project that was once
ranked as one of the top six developments in Oakland County.
While permits for the property have been renewed with Pontiac
and Bloomfield Township, Betsy Keck, director of public relations
and corporate communications for Developers Diversified Realty
(DDR), said there has been no change in the decision to shut
down the Bloomfield Park project, a major mixed-use development.
“We don’t have any updates, and that’s all I have permission to
tell you,” she said. “Nothing has changed since the shutdown but
you are welcome to give me a call in another couple of months if
you want to check in.”
Construction was halted on Nov. 5, 2008 after DDR’s partner
failed to provide the equity required to complete the project that
was just less than 50 percent complete at the time of the stoppage.
The property was being developed by DDR and Coventry Real
Estate Fund II, known as “the fund.” The fund was formed with
equity capital commitments from several investors and Coventry
Real Estate Advisors served as the investment manager.
In an agreement signed by Coventry and DDR, Coventry was
held responsible for providing 80 percent of the funding required
for completion of the project. At the time of the construction shut-
down, Coventry hadn’t committed the capital per the agreement.
DDR is a self-administered and self-managed real estate invest-
ment fund operating as a fully-integrated real estate company that
acquires, develops and leases shopping centers. Coventry is a
Delaware-based limited liability company. Its principle place of busi-
ness is in New York, N.Y.
“They basically didn’t have enough committed leases and their
financing dried up on the project so they suspended construction
until they are able to obtain credit and leases, which all depends
on the economy,” said Bloomfield Township Supervisor Dave Payne.
The project was to be built in two phases. Phase I was designed
to contain 18 buildings with approximately 533,556 square feet of
retail space, 127,823 square feet of office space, 60 residential
condominium units, three parking structures, and various ameni-
BLOOMFIELD PARK: F
MAJOR MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
ties, including two lakes, walking paths, three parks and a fountain
to be converted into an ice rink during winter.
Phase II of the project was to contain approximately 1 million
additional square feet of retail and office space and approximately
1,000 residential units.
In 1992 the project developers began to assemble approximately
90 acres of land in Bloomfield Township and the city of Pontiac for
the construction of Bloomfield Park.
The project proposal came before the Bloomfield Township
Board of Trustees in December 2000. Craig Schubiner, the manag-
ing member of Harbor Companies, presented the board with proj-
ect plans and requested that the board make the necessary
amendments to the zoning ordinance in order to allow the devel-
opment.
According to minutes from the Dec. 6, 2000 meeting, Schubiner
described the project as a new type of suburban development. He
said, “Bloomfield Park will offer places for people to work, live,
shop and play by combining office buildings, apartments, retail
stores, a health club, a luxury hotel, public spaces with courtyards,
parks, benches and areas for festivals and cultural displays.”
He cited Meisner Park in Boca Raton, Fla.; Rodeo Drive in
Beverly Hills, Calif.; and Reston Town Center in Washington D.C. as
similar developments that offer the same look and feel as the pro-
posed Bloomfield Park.
Charles Leman, the township’s planner in 2000, addressed the
township board following Schubiner’s presentation and listed four
implications of the development that he wanted officials to consid-
er:
• The proposed zoning amendment for Bloomfield Park contem-
plated development that is so inconsistent with the township’s
Master Plan that it would effectively undermine the basic founda-
tion of the Master Plan;
• The existing zoning of the site would permit reasonable devel-
opment and use of the property. However, the proposed zoning
amendment for Bloomfield Park represented a policy change of
major proportion. The development was contrary to the core aes-
thetics and functional character of the community and was con-
trary to the basic manner in which residential and non-residential
development had been dispersed within the township in order to
promote the township’s objectives in planning and zoning. The
O
 existing land use plan had resulted in one of the most beautiful
townships in the state;
• Consideration of the proposed zoning amendment for
Bloomfield Park shouldn’t proceed unless the board determines
that it’s dissatisfied with the current conditions of the township,
taking into consideration that the proposed development would
require a basic rethinking of the policies responsible for the devel-
opment of the township in its present condition; and
• The proposed amendment for Bloomfield Park, if adopted,
would result in the creation of a new urban area of significant pro-
portion and correspondingly, could result in a significant decline in
existing urban areas within Oakland County, such as Southfield and
Troy. Likewise, such a new urban area could have an adverse
impact upon the city of Birmingham, which had long served as a
downtown or urban center for Bloomfield Township. The net effect
of the new urban center, therefore, would amount to urban sprawl.
As a result of the public hearing held at the meeting, the town-
ship board voted unanimously to deny a text change in the town-
ship’s zoning ordinance to accommodate Bloomfield Park.
Several board members, including Payne and Clerk Janet
Roncelli, stated that the developer, Schubiner, could work with the
township to develop plans that fit within the township’s Master
Plan and zoning ordinance.
“Initially the project was brought to the township in 2000 as a
concept by Schubiner,” said Bloomfield Township Treasurer Dan
Devine. “He wanted to totally bypass the township’s zoning ordi-
nance as it related to (building) height, density and parking
restrictions. In essence, he wanted to build a city within the town-
ship. At that time our height restrictions were 32 feet (2.5 sto-
ries) and he wanted to build multiple 20-story buildings. In
defense of our zoning ordinance and Master Plan, we said no to
his initial concept.”
According to Devine, the township then negotiated a compro-
mise that would have allowed Schubiner to build four- and five-
story buildings at a greater density than the zoning ordinance
allowed.
“We knew that there was a threat, that he made clear that he
could attempt to annex the property (into Pontiac),” Devine said.
“The township never owned the property, we simply had jurisdic-
tion.”
: FUTURE UNCERTAIN
T ON HOLD DUE TO CAPITAL, ECONOMY
The deal was negotiated through Schubiner’s attorney. Devine
said the township was waiting for the blueprints to move forward
when officials read in the newspapers that Schubiner had gone to
Pontiac and initiated the annexation process.
“The annexation of the property was approved through an elec-
tion in Pontiac, then a series of lawsuits resulted out of that,”
Payne said.
“It then became a court battle that went on and on and on,”
Devine said. “It entailed Bloomfield Township, Oakland County and
Pontiac. It ultimately went to the Michigan Supreme Court. On the
eve of their decision in the case, we were in court-ordered facilita-
tion through the Oakland County Circuit Court and were able to
come to a compromise, so we didn’t lose all jurisdiction.”
“We then reached an agreement with Pontiac,” Payne said. “If
the property were to be annexed, we’d have no standing in the
project at all. Since we were successful in negotiation an agree-
ment, we do get some input and do receive some (tax) revenue,
but not a whole lot because it’s a brownfield and they receive tax
abatements.”
A Pontiac City Hall clerical assistant who asked to remain anony-
mous confirmed that the development was a brownfield project
when construction began.
Brownfield redevelopment authorities provide access to financ-
ing incentives, in some cases through Oakland County. Those
incentives are a Michigan Business Tax (MBT) Credit and tax incre-
ment financing (TIF). The MBT credit is available at up to 12.5
percent of the eligible investment hard costs made on an eligible
property by a qualified taxpayer. With TIF, anyone who incurs eligi-
ble costs under an approved brownfield plan is entitled to reim-
bursement with TIF revenues.
The city of Pontiac collects property tax revenue from four of the
parcels that make up Bloomfield Park. These parcels have a total
assessed property value of approximately $12.8 million, and carry
a taxable value of approximately $11.4 million, according to Eric
Dunlap, an appraiser with the Oakland County Equalization
Division.
The taxable value of the Bloomfield Park property located in
Bloomfield Township is $403,800.
“We created a 425 agreement with Pontiac that ostensively
blocked the annexation,” Payne said. “As a result of that we ➤
The Paper photos/
Amy K. Lockard
BY BROOKE MEIER
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signed a 425 agreement, which is a conditional
transfer of land agreement, with the city of
Pontiac. That’s what the property is governed
over at this time.”
“We felt that 20-story buildings on our
doorstep would really have been a detriment to
the surrounding residential community and neigh-
bors that had been very much against the con-
cept,” Devine said.
As part of the compromise, eight-story build-
ings were allowed to be erected toward the back
of the development. The buildings tapered down
to two-story structures along Telegraph Road.
The settlement created a unique governing
body for the development.
“It’s really the only instance in Michigan histo-
ry — it’s called the Joint Development Council,”
Devine said.
The council was designed to oversee the devel-
opment and ensure that the developers followed
all of the rules and regulations as laid out in the
settlement.
The council is compromised of Devine, serving
as Bloomfield Township’s representative; Madhu
Oberoi, Pontiac planning administrator and
Pontiac’s representative; and neutral member Kay
Stanfield-Spinks, one of the court-ordered facilita-
tors.
“The developers had come to the city and sub-
mitted the same plans they had submitted to the
township,” Oberoi said. “After being rejected by
the township, the developer pursued annexation.
An election was held to approve the annexation
and the property was annexed by the city and
became a part of Pontiac. After the annexation
the city had jurisdiction to approve the plans.
However, an agreement was formed with
Bloomfield Township to create the council.”
Anytime the developer needed plans approved,
they were brought before the council for consid-
eration.
“The developers were able to comply with
most of the requirements, but he was having a
lot of trouble complying with the traffic elements
of the agreement because it required enormous
amounts of traffic flow on Telegraph Road,”
Devine said, adding that Schubiner eventually
brought DDR into the development project.
“They had the financial wherewithal, architec-
tural experience, and management needed for a
development of this size,” he said.
Eventually DDR stepped in and moved the
project along. Schubiner, according to Devine,
was either bought out by DDR or accepted a
package allowing him to step out of the project.
“In the meantime, during August or September
of 2008, simultaneous with the final approval of
all of the building plans, the market went down
the proverbial hole and the financing was put on
hold with DDR through their financial arm,
Coventry,” Devine said. “The project has essen-
tially been put on hold since that time.”
“That’s where the project stands now,” Devine
said. “We at the township are hopeful that the
project will be taken off the mothballs and put
back in full swing. It’s a matter of timing and
financing on DDR’s part. It appears to us that
they do have the financial wherewithal to do it,
it’s just a management decision on whether or
not they are going to treat it as a going concern
or an abandoned project. They have had a new
infusion of capital since February 2009 with some
international monies.”
Like many big companies, when the economy
tanked, so did DDR’s stock. DDR suffered like
many others, according to Devine.
“It isn’t a specific failure related to any one
person or anything,” he said. “It was just a crea-
ture of the credit crunch and unfortunate timing.
It’s ready to be finished; someone just has to
come along and pick it up from here. We do hope
it can be finished. It’s really a unique opportuni-
ty.”
If the project is ever finished, the hope, Devine
said, is that it will contain all of the elements
submitted in the plans, including a state-of-the-
art movie theater, a multi-story hotel, as well as
up-scale restaurants and high-end retailers similar
to those at the Somerset Collection.
According to Oberoi, the project, as it stands
today, is less than 50 percent complete.
“There is no plumbing or anything; just the
Simultaneous with
final approval
of the building
plans, the market
went down the
proverbial hole
and financing was
put on hold
structures have been put up,” he said.
If the buildings stand vacant and incomplete
for too long, they may have to be torn down.
Oberoi has visited and inspected the site since
the construction shutdown.
“There are some things, right now, that we are
asking of the developers at this point,” Oberoi
said. “They need to protect the structures so that
(demolition) situation won’t occur. There is struc-
tural steel in some places that seems to be rust-
ing and there are some beams and rebars that
are exposed and rusting. It’s only been vacant for
a year but if it turns out to be long-term, they
may have to be torn down.”
According to Payne and Oberoi, no perform-
ance bonds were submitted by the developers so
that the project could be finished by the town-
ship, city or another developer.
“It’s a private project; it’s up to them (DDR)
to fund it,” Payne said.
There are no roads constructed within the
development. However, according to Oberoi, some
off-site utility work and Telegraph Road work was
completed by DDR.
According to Devine, Schubiner, the original
developer, has since filed a lawsuit against DDR
for not living up to contractual agreements.
Two lawsuits have been filed against DDR and
Coventry by two Michigan-based limited liability
companies, BP1 and BP3.
The lawyers representing the plaintiffs in both
cases, David Fink and Darryl Bressack, didn’t
return multiple calls for comment prior to press.
“I don’t know whether it’s a valid lawsuit or
not. Schubiner is probably just trying to protect
his interest in whatever the deal was,” Devine
said.
The court complaint alleges that DDR and
Coventry didn’t properly perform their duties and
had materially breached their agreements. The
document states that if DDR and Coventry had
complied with terms of the agreement, “Phase I
of Bloomfield Park would have been completed in
the Fall of 2009 and soon would be providing sig-
nificant economic benefits to Oakland County and
to the entire Detroit metropolitan area. Had DDR
properly marketed the project and diligently
processed leases and pursued retailers, the proj-
ect would have been insulated from the recent
economic downturn.” The court documents state
that with DDR’s failure to proceed in a commer-
cially reasonable way, Coventry’s failure to fully
fund the needs of the project, and Coventry’s fail-
ure to hold DDR accountable, the project’s
momentum has been destroyed and there is no
realistic hope that BP1 will receive any of the eco-
nomic benefits it bargained for when it entered
into the agreements with Coventry/DDR. BP1 has
sustained significant damages due to the defen-
dant’s wrongful conduct, the documents state.
The BP1 lawsuit is centered on five counts.
The first claims DDR and Coventry breached the
Owner L.L.C. Operating Agreement. The second is
a derivative claim for breach of project develop-
ment and management and leasing agreements
with DDR. The third claim is a breach of joint
venture agreement with DDR and Coventry. The
fourth claim is tortious interference with contract
with Coventry. The fifth claim is fraud in the
inducement against DDR, Coventry and
Coventry/DDR. With each claim, the plaintiff, BP1,
is seeking a judgment in favor of whatever
amount it is found to be entitled to, together
with interest, costs and attorneys’ fees or any
other relief, equitable or otherwise, the court
deems appropriate.
The BP3 lawsuit alleges the same as the BP1
suit against Coventry and DDR. The claims are as
follows: breach of contract, owner L.L.C.; breach
of contract, DDR; tortious interference with con-
tract, Coventry, DDR, Coventry/DDR; and promis-
sory estoppel, Coventry, DDR, Coventry/DDR.
With each claim, the plaintiff, BP3, is seeking a
judgment in favor of whatever amount it is found
to be entitled to together with interest, costs and
attorneys’ fees or any other relief, equitable or
otherwise, the court deems appropriate.
Both the BP1 and BP3 lawsuits were filed on
April 3, 2009 and a trial date for both cases has
been set for March 9, 2010 before Oakland
County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren. ■
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26 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com
■ municipal
Transit center may
become reality for
neighboring cities
By Kirk Pinho
Birmingham and Troy residents
may have improved access to region-
al bus routes, rail service, taxis and
other modes of transportation if a
new transit center that’s proposed
for Doyle Drive comes to fruition.
Representatives from both munic-
ipalities have been hard at work,
holding design charrettes, planning
and working to garner more funding
for the project, which has an esti-
mated price tag of about $7 million.
Local officials have also ventured to
Washington D.C. to further pursue
the transit center project.
Birmingham and Troy have set
aside $1.6 million total, with another
$350,000 reportedly being chipped
in by the Michigan Department of
Transportation.
A design charrette was held in
mid-June and produced “lots of feed-
back” from the “couple hundred”
individuals who attended over the
two-day event, according to Carrie
Zarotney, president of the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
The transit center itself is slated
to be constructed on Doyle Drive,
with the entire transit-oriented dis-
trict itself being located between
Adams and Crooks roads to the west
and east, and Maple and Lincoln
roads to the north and south, respec-
tively, said Jana Ecker, planning direc-
tor for the City of Birmingham. The
two cities have roughly the same
number of parcels in the district.
The center is expected to be
approximately 2,500 square feet, but
the possibility of expansion exists,
should the need arise, according to
Zarotney. She said it was intentionally
planned to handle the existing need.
Room for about four or five
kiosks will be available for rental car
providers and relevant enterprises.
“We also kind of want it to serve
as a technology showplace,”
Zarotney said, adding that the center
is expected to “be able to evolve and
support future technologies.”
Zarotney said “there are all sorts
of studies” that conclude, in some
areas where a similar center exists,
the immediate quarter-mile radius
around it sparks property value
jumps of 30 to 40 percent, plus the
added tax base increase that accom-
panies such a development.
Ecker, Zarotney and other inter-
ested parties met in Washington D.C.
with U.S. Sens. Carl Levin (D-Detroit)
and Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing),
and the United States Department of
Transportation, to discuss potential
federal funding from the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the
stimulus package signed into law in
February.
Zarotney said both senators
expressed support for the project
during their Wednesday, July 8 meet-
ings.
www.oaklandpaper.com
comprehensive and clearer in its defi-
Senior center opens
nitions.”
According to a memo to Payne by
Patricia Voelker, the township’s
New structure result of bond issue Planning, Building and Ordinance
Department director, the new ordi-
nance is in response to complaints
By Brooke Meier from residents about an increase in
The new, state-of-the-art Bloomfield Township Senior Center opened the number of properties lacking
it’s doors on June 29, providing an array of equipment and opportuni- adequate building and site mainte-
ties to community residents age 50 and over. nance.
The new building replaces the Senior Services facility which was previ- “We want to make sure there is a
ously located in a former Bloomfield Hills Schools elementary school clear understanding of the ordi-
leased by the township. nance,” Payne said. “Right now the
“The move to this new center is long overdue,” said Bloomfield code says the property has to be in
Township Clerk Janet Roncelli. “We were in a limited facility — an ele- good repair. With this code it says
mentary school that was being used by senior citizens. exactly how that property must be
“This building we’re in now is made for the senior population,” she maintained.”
“The current provisions don’t pro-
said. “Everything about it is conducive to those 50 and up that want to
vide the detailed requirements or
use the center, whether they are an individual with a disability or some- enforcement capabilities to adequate-
one without a disability who wants to come in and exercise or attend a
ly address the physical condition of
class — it’s all made for their comfort and convenience.” existing buildings and premises fallen
The new structure is the result of a 2006 voter-approved, 25-year under disrepair,” Voelker stated in
capital improvement bond issue. the memo.
Some of the features of the new building include a therapeutic pool, a According to statistics provided
walking track, fitness equipment and craft and meeting rooms. by Voelker, there has been a 25 per-
In addition, the Adult Day Service, previously located in a separate cent increase in property mainte-
facility, will be incorporated into the new senior center. nance complaints in the township
While the facility is open, the staff is still moving things in, according over the last year.
In 2006, 13 properties were
to Roncelli.
maintained by the township at a cost
“It’s 24,269-square-feet, and two-stories,” she said. “It’s very big.
of $23,787; and 42 properties were
The pool is heated and has a ramp so people in wheel chairs can access maintained by the township in 2007
the pool. There will also be water aerobics and water therapy classes at a cost of $37,395. In 2008, that
offered.” number grew to 84, costing the
“They offer a ton of different programs for seniors,” said Bloomfield township $55,574. There are 64
Township Supervisor Dave Payne. “It’s really a very beautiful facility. properties being maintained by the
Getting a new facility was very necessary. The elementary school was township thus far in 2009. There is
designed for small kids, not seniors, and didn’t have any of the ameni- no cost estimate available on that
maintenance, as invoices for the
ties needed.”
The official ribbon cutting and grand opening took place at the new work are pending.
Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield
Senior Center, located at 4315 Andover Road, on July 14. Guided tours
and Commerce townships are among
of the facility are available by appointment, Monday through Friday from
the area communities that have
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ■ adopted the same kind of code.
Voelker’s memo states the new
“They are looking to assist in code allows the township to address
it will bring with it can become a
moving forward,” she said. building maintenance issues, both
reality.” interior and exterior, and maintain
A subcommittee of the U.S. House Michele Hodges, president of the
of Representatives Appropriations consistency with other building and
Troy Chamber of Commerce, said site regulations. It includes provi-
Committee recently approved a $1.3 stakeholders are “very committed”
sions for storm drainage to be main-
million project funding recommenda- to the project. ■
tained on the premises and not cre-
tion that U.S. Rep. Gary Peters (D-
ate a public nuisance; an administra-
Birmingham, Bloomfield, Bloomfield
tive fee to be established by the
Hills) had requested, according to
Cullen Schwarz, Peters’ communica-
Property code to township board and the costs
incurred to seek compliance with the
tions director.
Schwarz said the proposed alloca-
help deal with code to be paid by the property
tion could be taken up by the full more foreclosures owner; and an appeals procedure
before the township’s Construction
U.S. House as early as late July. The Board of Appeals.
By Brooke Meier
U.S. Senate also needs to approve The administrative fee is $75 per
A new international property
the funding. occurrence. The fee would only be
“I’m extremely pleased that feder- maintenance code has been adopted
by the Bloomfield Township Board of assessed to a property owner after
al support for the transit center is they have been properly notified by
making progress in Congress,” Trustees.
While the township already has a the township and they refused to
Peters said. “This is a vital project comply. Property owners who com-
that will create local jobs, spur busi- code to address property mainte-
ply with a notice won’t be charged
ness growth and provide more nance in the community, a new code
the fee.
transportation options for local resi- was deemed necessary to more “The Construction Board of
dents. Endeavors like this that yield clearly define violations and give the Appeals is made up of residents who
a high return in economic growth township more power to handle the are versed in that discipline and
are exactly the sort of targeted increasing number of foreclosed and building issues,” Payne said.
investments we need in Oakland abandoned properties. Under the new code, civil infrac-
County right now. I’ll keep fighting “Hopefully it will help us to expe- tions for a first violation will draw a
to ensure that this investment dite the process when necessary to $100 fine plus costs. Subsequent
makes it across the finish line so get compliance,” said Township violations would prompt a $200 fine
that the transit center and the jobs Supervisor Dave Payne. “It’s more plus costs. ■
THE PAPER 27
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30 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

■ county
Tri-Party road plan
may well be cut by
Oakland County
By Leslie Shepard-Owsley
Oakland County Executive L.
Brooks Patterson’s proposed 2009-
10 fiscal year budget won’t include
an allocation for the Tri-party
Program that provides participating
municipalities with funding to con-
duct modest road improvement proj-
ects.
The Tri-party Program has been in
effect since 1989. It allows local
communities to annually choose and
implement road projects funded
through equal contributions from the
Road Commission for Oakland
County (RCOC), the municipality, and
the county government. The pro-
gram usually funds minor projects,
such as widening intersections,
adding turn lanes and widening
roads. Money is allocated to partici-
pating communities based on road
mileage and the number of accidents
occurring annually in the municipali-
ty. Because some areas receive mini-
mal program funding based on those
statistics, participating communities
are allowed to accumulate monies
over a number of years in order to
tackle larger projects.
The county allocated $2.25 mil-
lion to the Tri-party Program for the
current fiscal year, according to
Deputy County Executive Robert
Daddow.
As county officials worked on the
2009-10 budget proposal, they
faced a decision between laying off
employees or scaling back expendi-
tures on road improvements in order
to keep the budget balanced.
“It’s discretionary money, first of
all,” Daddow said. “Otherwise, I’d
have to make cuts elsewhere, like
about 30 heads. It comes down to
roads or services. We’re actually
down to that decision right now.
“We’re not going to recommend
the Tri-party program in the fiscal
year beginning Oct. 1,” he added.
“We will be cutting future (Tri-party)
funding from the county on a tempo-
rary basis until we can (resolve)
budget issues.”
Patterson’s proposed budget for
2009-10 had to be submitted no
later than June 30. The Oakland
County Board of Commissioners has
until Sept. 30 to finalize a budget for
the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.
According to Oakland County
Board of Commissioners Chairman
Bill Bullard, Jr. (R-Highland), the
county board will seriously weigh all
the pros and cons before deciding
whether to eliminate the program.
“We intend to listen to the citi-
zens on what their priorities are, as
well as our local officials,” he said.
“The county executive is going to
recommend many valuable programs
be cut to balance the budget, but we
will have several committee hearings
www.oaklandpaper.com
intends to honor project commit-
ments dated through September
Prisoner release lawsuit 2009.
“Construction projects take longer
to complete with all the engineering
Cooper wants information from state and building components that go
into them,” he said. “They may take
longer than the fiscal year to appro-
By Kirk Pinho priately launch a project; therefore,
Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper has filed a lawsuit against we will honor $2.25 million through
September 2009. So, for example, if
the Michigan Department of Corrections for what she calls a “blatant
work isn’t done until November,
refusal to provide ... critical information” regarding 3,000 to 5,000 pris-
oners slated for early release in October as a cost-saving measure. we’d still appropriate the funding
because it was committed earlier.”
Cooper said she, as well as Wayne and Macomb county prosecutors,
Bloomfield Township Supervisor
recently traveled to Lansing to meet at Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s office Dave Payne said he isn’t surprised to
to discuss the thousands of inmates who are expected to be paroled by see the county considering elimina-
either October or December. tion of the Tri-party Program.
However, the prosecutors’ informal requests for a list of inmates that “The Tri-party Program is one of
will be considered for early release were rebuffed, and a subsequent the most successful programs that
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was filed. Cooper said the the county has issued because it’s
Department of Corrections responded that the requested list doesn’t enabled communities to accomplish a
exist, and that she takes issue with the reasoning for the department lot of road projects that they other-
wise wouldn’t be able to do,” he
not providing a list.
said. “I’m disappointed but not sur-
A lengthier, more detailed FOIA request was then filed, but the
department didn’t respond in time, according to Cooper, prompting the prised that they’ve had to suspend
the program given the economic
lawsuit.
times.”
Russ Marlan, public information officer for the department, said the For Bloomfield Township, elimina-
person in the department in charge of responding to FOIA inquiries had tion of the program would mean the
submitted a request for a response extension; under that extension, the type of road improvements the
department had until July 6 to respond to Cooper’s second FOIA township has been able to accom-
request, according to Marlan. plish in the past won’t occur in the
He added that it’s his understanding the department will be provid- future.
ing a list of people who are up for parole between now and the end of “It won’t affect our operating
budget but it will impact improve-
August, because the state’s Parole and Commutation Board doesn’t have
ments in the township,” Payne said.
parole information for the entire year at its disposal, only information it
will need for cases it will consider a few months in advance. “I totally understand why they are
doing it. It’s probably the right move
Cooper said she believes Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and
for them.
Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith will also file lawsuits seeking the “Most of the funds that we had
potential early prisoner release list. accumulated through the program
When asked if the lawsuit was requesting a list of all 3,000 to 5,000 were used to redo Cranbrook Road,”
inmates that may be released early, or if she just wants a list of those Payne said.
likely to come to Oakland County, Cooper said if it’s a full list she Bloomfield Township is one of the
receives, she would be able to work with it. few townships in the state to levy a
“We know who our people are,” she said. dedicate road millage. The township’s
While acknowledging that sometimes the minimum sentence may be voter-approved road millage is current-
ly levied at the rate of 0.74 mills, gen-
appropriate for certain convicted criminals, Cooper said it’s inmates like
erating just over $3 million in 2009.
those who have been convicted of violent crimes — such criminal sexual
conduct — who in all likelihood need to serve the maximum range of A mill is equal to $1 for every
$1,000 of a property’s taxable value,
their sentences. which is generally equal to half the
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Nancy Grant will be the presiding property’s market value. The owner
judge in the case. The state has 21 days from the date the lawsuit of a Bloomfield Township property
was filed to provide a formal response to the complaint, according to with a taxable value of $150,000
Cooper. ■ ($300,000 market value) will pay
$111 this year in property taxes
under the current road millage rate.
prior to adopting a budget on Sept. the route to go in the future for According to Bloomfield Hills City
24, so there’s a lot of opportunity some communities. Although he said Manager Jay Cravens, eliminating
for people to share in the discus- he knew the Tri-party Program the program would probably have
sions.” would probably be eliminated, he minimal impact on the city’s roads,
Unlike cities and villages, town- said he’s hoping that won’t come to though he said he’s disappointed the
ships have no authority to tax prop- fruition. program may be slashed.
erty owners for road construction “If it does happen it would be “We’re not a big user of the Tri-
and maintenance, and therefore have unfortunate because the communi- party funds because of the size of
no jurisdiction over public roads ties are able to fund projects that the community,” he said. “It’s nice
within their boundaries. The RCOC have little chance to be funded any to have the money, it really is. I’m
maintains jurisdiction over all public other way, while selecting which not trying to downplay the impact,
roads in townships. roads take priority,” he said. “It’s a but it’s not a substantial portion of
However, townships are author- great and popular program. Virtually our budget, if you will, for road
ized to levy up to a 1 mill for road everyone participates. We certainly improvement projects. I understand
construction and maintenance with understand where the county is why they are doing it. Obviously the
voter approval; otherwise, they rely coming from, however. This is an economic times are dictating that
on the RCOC to build and maintain unprecedented time and cuts are more than anything else.” ■
roadways. being forced upon them that they Staff writers Brooke Meier and
According to RCOC Spokesman don’t want to make.” Andrew Sawmiller contributed to this
Craig Bryson, a road millage may be According to Daddow, the county report.
THE PAPER 31
■ snapshot

kathe
koja

L ifelong Michigan resident and author Kathe Koja has

evolved from a young writer into an award-winning nov-
elist. Shifting from adult novels to young adult works in
2008, Koja’s novel “Headlong” takes place at a fictitious private school.
While the novel is not based on Cranbrook of Bloomfield Hills, Koja was
able to use the institution in her research.
“Cranbrook is one of the independent schools where I did some inter-
views with teachers,” Koja said. “Fortunately, I know some of the staff
from having spoken there before.”
Koja utilized Cranbrook, as well as other private schools, to provide a
realness for the book’s setting. “It’s taking little pieces of life to kind of
adding to the school that I had already built in my mind,” she said, adding
that she learned early on that, without proper research, a story can be
spoiled for an invested reader.
“It was a lovely place to do some of my research,” Koja said of
Cranbrook.
In the novel’s acknowledgement page, she thanks faculty members
Karen Hand, Beth Holland, Eric Linder, Carla Young and Scott Hedges.
Koja grew up in Roseville and began writing at an early age.
But it was the Clarion Workshop that really helped her take her talent
seriously enough to pursue a professional writing career. Having fellow
writers encourage her and recognize her talent became a watershed
moment that gave her the confidence and drive to succeed.
Koja isn’t limiting herself to any particular genre in the future. She has
a historical adult novel called “Under the Poppy” coming out in the fall.
“I’m going to follow my nose and go back and forth,” Koja said. “Who
knows what comes after that.”
Koja currently resides in Berkley with her husband, artist Rick Lieder,
who has done many of Koja’s book covers.
— Katey Meisner
The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard
■ business
After 20 years in business,
Edward Dorian at 237 Pierce in
Birmingham, is closing its doors.
The lease is up July 31, though
Nancy Paley, owner of the women’s
clothing store, has decided to extend
it through August in an effort to sell
off current inventory. In addition to
clothing, Edward Dorian offers shoes
and accessories from names such as
Alexis Bittar and Nanette Lepore.
Paley points to a need for a
change of pace as a reason for clos-
ing, though she admits that, with
the economic conditions, the closing
comes at a convenient time.
“I want to do some traveling,”
she said. “I’d like to visit friends and
family in the south of France, New
York, and California.”
Paley has even considered
enrolling in a culinary arts school. As
a long-time member of the
Birmingham community, she has cre-
ated strong ties to local residents
and said she will miss her Edward
Dorian patrons.
“People weren’t just customers;
they became friends,” she said. “It
was just a great, great 20 years.”
■ L.A.M.B., Michael Kors, Hunter, Ugg,
Michael Collins and David Zawicki,
owners of Oliver’s Trendz at 138 W.
Maple in Birmingham, have now
taken up the cause of raising aware-
ness with customers and other local
businesses about the value of shop-
ping locally with independent busi-
nesses.
As a Birmingham resident, Collins
said he believes strongly in investing
his own dollars in local, independent
businesses and counts on others to
Zawicki and Collins at Oliver’s Trendz
do the same. Involved in the 3/50
Project, a nationwide organization
that encourages consumers to keep
dollars in the community, Collins pro-
motes the idea by handing out flyers
and discussing the power of their
www.oaklandpaper.com
dollars with customers. He is also
working to organize other business-
es to promote the same message.
“When you shop with the local
businesses, it keeps the community
going,” he said.
Oliver’s Trendz specializes in
handbags and accessories, and the
two owners say they want to bring
affordability to a high-end communi-
ty.
“Fashion doesn’t have to go to
the highest bidder,” Collins said.
“Our business plan was to keep our
prices reasonable.”
Collins and Zawicki recently added
home goods store Suhm-Thing,
located at 122 W. Maple, to their
Birmingham business ventures.
■ Goldman said. “I know it sounds
The Annex accessory boutique has
moved to downtown Birmingham
from Royal Oak.
Owners Doug Schwartz and Annie
LeBlanc originally wanted to open
the shop in Birmingham, but a suit-
able space wasn’t available. The
rental prices have come down on Old
Woodward, LeBlanc said, and the
perfect opportunity and storefront
presented itself for the move to 534
N. Old Woodward.
“It’s been much busier in
Birmingham,” LeBlanc said. “There’s
a lot of foot traffic.”
The boutique, categorized by
LeBlanc as mid- to high-end in price,
carries hats, belts, scarves, hand-
bags, jewelry, coffee table books, and
knickknacks.
According to LeBlanc, they’ve had
a wonderful reception from
Birmingham.
“Everyone’s been super friendly,”
LeBlanc said, “and the city is really
helpful.”
Not only has she enjoyed a posi-
tive reaction from her neighboring
businesses, but LeBlanc said shop-
pers have been pleased with The
Annex, as well.
“We’ve seen people come in and
then come back with their friends,”
she said. “It’s been really great.”
■ Birmingham has been a great
Independent fashion boutique
L’Uomo Vogue was recently featured
in the TNT reality show “Wedding
Day” after providing designer fash-
ions for a June 23 episode.
THE PAPER
Footage was filmed inside the
boutique, located at 6520 Telegraph
Road in Bloomfield Hills, which
offers dress attire, sportswear, pre-
mium denim and luxury items.
“They said they were looking for
the best of the best in the Michigan
area,” said co-owner Mike Goldman.
“DreamWorks Production did their
homework and located the best
high-end boutiques they could find.”
L’Uomo Vogue has been in busi-
ness since 1979 and has operated
out of Bloomfield Hills for the past
nine years.
“Bloomfield Hills is great and we
love providing high-end fashion to
local individuals who appreciate it,”
kind of bizarre, but we really enjoy
making people look great.”
■
The Pink Pump shoe store, for-
merly known as Shoe Envy, opened
in late June at 150 W. Maple in
Birmingham, with a wide variety of
shoes suited for a broad range of
incomes.
With designer labels such as
and Betsey Johnson, owner Tawny
Thieu certainly has something for
the designer shopper. However,
according to Thieu, the Pink Pump
offers footwear from $30 to $400.
“I know what it’s like. Growing
up we didn’t have a lot of money,”
Thieu said. “It can be intimidating if
you walk into a store and can’t
afford anything.”
In addition to footwear, the bou-
tique offers shirts, hoodies, hand-
bags and wallets. A grand opening
was slated for Thursday, July 23,
complete with DJ La Femme and
shoe-inspired art by local artists on
display and available for purchase.
■
Eric Doelle, the owner of Chen
Chow Brasserie, will soon bring two
new businesses to downtown
Birmingham.
The Hamilton Room, an exclusive
lounge, and Quattro, an upscale
Italian restaurant, are scheduled to
open within the first two weeks of
August at 201 Hamilton.
Doelle characterizes the Hamilton
Room as a “VIP access, reservations-
only venue.” The lounge will feature
live entertainment and nationally
renowned DJs. Quattro will offer a
high-end setting with classic Italian
fare.
market for Doelle thus far.
“It’s probably the best restaurant
market in Michigan,” he said. “We
love Birmingham. It’s very affluent
with savvy clientele.”
■
Christian Grothe, 28, salesperson
for Max Broock Realtors of
Birmingham, recently made
“Realtor” magazine’s “30 under 30”
section following a surprisingly suc-
cessful year in a particularly difficult
market. Grothe credits his success
to his brand of customer service.
“My full-service approach to high-
end real estate goes above and
beyond what other agents do,” he
said.
Having been at Max Broock only
two years, Grothe said he is pleased
with the honor.
“It feels great,” he said. “It took a
lot of hard work.”
■
Joey Gatliff, 22-year-old Italian
entrepreneur, opened Via Bella, a
European fashion boutique, in May
2009 at 141 W. Maple in
Birmingham. The boutique special-
izes in European shoes, jewelry, bags
and will soon offer lingerie and
accessories.
Gatliff’s vision was to bring high
European fashion to Birmingham at
affordable prices.
“Birmingham is great,” he said.
“My family has two stores in Europe
and I wanted to do something here.”
Via Bella is a family affair, with
Gatliff’s mother, Gina, baking fresh
Tara, Joey and Elisa at Via Bella
pastries for browsing customers
while his sister, Elisa, and girlfriend,
Tara, manage the store.
Despite a less-than-ideal economic
climate, Gatliff’s boutique is thriving
in downtown Birmingham.
“Business has been great,” he
said. “A lot of our customers have
either come back or sent their
friends.”
The family makes regular buying
trips to Europe to stock the bou-
tique with the latest European
trends.
33
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34 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com
 NOTABLE NEIGHBORHOODS
Area retains its lofty status and unique character
By Mike Scott
As metro Detroit’s suburbs began to grow in
population at the start of the 20th century,
Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield
Hills quickly became some of the most highly
desirable communities in the state.
Today, even with the state’s economy in the
midst of a severe recession, these communities
have retained their lofty status in the minds of
area residents. And what sets the Birmingham
and Bloomfield communities apart is the large
number of notable neighborhoods located there.
Each neighborhood, from Echo Park to
Quarton Lake to Chestnut Run, has its own fea-
tures that appeal to residents and homeowners.
That each neighborhood is a bit different, offering
its own unique character, is a tribute to the com-
munities’ local planners, who provided residents
with a little bit of everything.
“The thing about Birmingham is that it can
satisfy the masses,” said Kathy Broock Ballard of
Max Broock Realtors. “You have pockets of com-
munities within a community. They have all differ-
ent feels to them.”
It would be impossible to feature every neigh-
borhood and there are likely some notable ones
that may not be mentioned here. But perhaps
that’s what makes the Birmingham-Bloomfield
area so attractive — the variety and sheer scope
of notable neighborhoods in these communities
alone is remarkable.
The Role of Planning
Great city and urban planning is largely the
reason behind the Birmingham and Bloomfield
communities developing into some of the most
sought-after neighborhoods in the state.
However, there have been some geographical
influences, as well, according to Bill McElhone,
executive director of the Birmingham Historical
Museum and Park.
What is now Birmingham sat along the Saginaw
Trail, which later became Woodward Avenue in the
late 1800s. Railroad and trolley train tracks fol-
lowed along that route to transport the population
from Detroit to Oakland County locales.
The Rouge River was an important body of
water that made it feasible for early residents to
build their homes near a large source of fresh
water. As some residents began to build their
homes in the Birmingham and Bloomfield commu-
nities, the city of Birmingham built a downtown
with a strong commercial district in the late
1800s. Town organizers began to promote the
city as a great place to live and work.
McElhone said virtually all major growth in
Birmingham occurred in the 1920s, when the city
expanded from 1 to 4 square miles. The city hired
nationally-known city planner Arthur Comey to
establish some growth guidelines for the commu-
nity.
“Preservation of residential quality and the
need for traffic control were two of the major
goals of (Birmingham’s) long-term city plan,”
McElhone said. “You still see those qualities built
into any city plans that we have moving forward
today.”
Birmingham and the Bloomfields were also
perfectly situated between the large cities of
Detroit and Pontiac with their thriving commercial
and shopping districts. And the many inland lakes
in and around Birmingham and Bloomfield
brought an added exclusivity to the area that
other communities couldn’t match.
For example, as part of Birmingham’s long-
term plan in the 1920s, Echo City, an area of
about 720 residential lots near what is now 14
Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, was developed
for laborers and middle managers in the automo-
tive and other growing industries. Nearby
Quarton Lake Estates was planned as an area
with larger lots — houses had to be built on at
least two to three lots. That neighborhood
attracted families of a higher social status.
“As transportation evolved, the growth of the
two communities continued,” McElhone said.
Eventually stricter development standards were
created in both communities to preserve a rural,
non-industrial feel, while still providing the many
services desired by modern households.
Present Home Values
Like all areas of not just southeast Michigan
but across the country, home values in
Birmingham-Bloomfield have experienced precipi-
tous drops over the last few years.
Bloomfield Township Assessor William Griffin
said home values clearly have dropped, but prop-
erties are likely to retain their value more over
time in high-end neighborhoods. Still, each of the
last three years have seen double-digit property
value drops, and values continue to fall by as
much as 1 percent a month, according to Griffin.
“The one good sign that I’m seeing is that
there is more absorption and more sales of some
of the homes on the market,” he said.
“Foreclosures are still a significant issue but if we
can reduce (the inventory) on the market, hope-
fully that will help out.”
Two of the more notable neighborhoods in the
Bloomfield area are the Judson Bradway neigh-
borhood in Bloomfield Village, where home values
range from $250,000 to $2.5 million. Griffin said
perhaps the highest home values in the township
are in the Turtle Lake subdivision, with values
ranging from $1.3 to $8.1 million.
While home values have fallen, Griffin said he
hopes the bottom will soon be found; and as the
automotive industry’s uncertainty settles, some of
these notable neighborhoods in Birmingham and
Bloomfield may be some of the first to rebound.
“Right now it’s a bit depressing but there’s
still residual value in these homes and once the
economy recovers, the outlook is good for such
areas,” Griffin said.
Neighborhood Features
Many of the interior and exterior features of
homes in these neighborhoods are similar, said
Nancy Browning, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker
Schweitzer in Birmingham. Homeowners in these
communities prefer granite tabletops, particularly
in the kitchens, and stainless steel appliances. If
they are renovating or updating their homes,
quality windows are another important feature.
“With any of the rebuilds or other updates you
see a desire for more natural light,” she said.
High ceilings are also among the more common
rebuild requests, and brick pavers as part of drive-
ways and sidewalks are fairly common in some of
these neighborhoods, according to Browning.
Finished basements are a virtually necessity.
“We have more finished basements here than
in many sections of the country because with the
cold winters we spend more time down there
than most,” Browning said.
Ronni Keating, a Realtor with SKBK Sotheby’s
in Birmingham, said many of the area’s current
home sites were occupied by cottages many years
ago. Homes on Quarton and Turtle lakes were
often smaller with more land on the shore, even
for residents who lived there full-time.
But as the population of the area migrated fur-
ther from Detroit, these “cottage” regions also
migrated north. Smaller structures on the lakes
were torn down and rebuilt by new owners.
Bloomfield Township became a community where
middle-aged couples with older or grown children
moved when their household incomes rose.
“These became the areas where older, more
(financially) established homeowners would live in
their second or third homes,” Keating said.
“Some of the younger families lived in communi-
ties bordering Birmingham and Bloomfield.”
Then in the last 10 to 20 years, that trend
changed again. For a time, rising property values
and loose lending standards made it possible for
younger people to afford homes in these commu-
nities. Those with growing incomes then began
the trend of again tearing down and building up
new homes, often to emphasize indoor living
space and reduce the amount of open land on
their property.
“You saw younger families starting out in
Birmingham and Bloomfield, which had never
been the case before,” Keating said.
Notable Neighborhoods
Here’s a sample of some of the unique neigh-
borhoods in the Birmingham and Bloomfield com-
munities that offer class and character. The
demographics of each neighborhood may vary
slightly, but all of the neighborhoods are consid-
ered highly-desirable locations with strong school
districts in safe areas of the region.
Bloomfield Village
Bloomfield Village covers an area of approxi-
mately 1 square mile, from Quarton Road on the
north to Maple Road on the south and from Lahser
Road on the west to the city of Birmingham on the
east. There are nearly 1,000 homes in the neigh-
borhood, which has become one of the most exclu-
sive neighborhoods in the entire state.
Judson Bradway established Bloomfield Village
in 1924 as a non-political entity within Bloomfield
Township. Area residents formed the Bloomfield
Village Protective Association at the beginning of
World War II as a civilian defense measure to pro-
vide fire and police protection. The association
incorporated in April 1942 as a non-profit
Michigan corporation. ➤
 OAKLAND CO
TH

UN
R
NO

TY
Great Gifts
NOCBOR
®

®
AR

RS
BO
D O F R E ALT O

Best of luck and good wishes from the

REALTORS® of North Oakland County and
member affiliates, mortgage brokers, title
companies and home inspection
companies!
We know based on our past experience with
your publishing group that The Paper will
provide the Birmingham-Bloomfield
community with a strong option to the non-
paperless world – a genuine opportunity for
readers to receive important information

GREENSTONE’S
through a print product –
Pat Jacobs
Creators of Fine Jewelry Since1925 Executive Vice President
North Oakland County Board of REALTORS®
528 NORTH OLD WOODWARD U BIRMINGHAM
248.642.2650

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36 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

 Many of the homes within Bloomfield Village
have been valued at or well above $1 million.
Some of the homes have been rebuilt in recent
years and cover more than 20,000 square feet,
and many have indoor pools, outdoor tennis
courts and an array of other features.
Little San Francisco
Wedged into a pie-shaped piece of land
between Woodward and Old Woodward, just
south of Oak Street, lies a Birmingham neighbor-
hood that has been nicknamed Little San
Francisco. Many area residents might not even be
aware that it exists, partly because it’s comprised
of only about six streets.
Little San Francisco received its name largely
because of its winding, hilly streets. It has large
houses with spacious yards. It’s safe to say that
the hills are not as noticeable or tall as they are
on the West Coast, but for southeast Michigan
the area is comparatively hilly.
When the north end of downtown Birmingham
was redeveloped from department stores like the
now defunct Crowley’s and Jacobson’s with a
theater, restaurants and luxury condominiums,
Little San Francisco became even more prized. It
benefits from being next to the new Booth Park,
the Birmingham Farmers Market, and the shops
and eateries along Old Woodward.
The homes on the market today in Little San
Francisco are diverse, and range in price from
$250,000 to well over $1 million.
Poppleton Park
Located north of Maple and east of Woodward,
Poppleton Park is a charming neighborhood with
many homes that have been renovated and
updated. Residents love the charm of this area,
which is within walking distance of downtown
Birmingham.
The enclave was “always considered kind of an
artsy-craftsy kind of spot,” said Broock Ballard.
The streets are tree-lined and include many
larger homes built some 50 to 70 years ago.
There haven’t been as many teardowns and
rebuilds in this neighborhood as other parts of
Birmingham, because many of the homes were
already large and there isn’t as much available
land to build on as there is in other neighbor-
hoods. Each home generally offers its own unique
look and design.
Quarton Lake Estates
Browning said this subdivision in Birmingham
surrounds Quarton Lake and includes many
homes that have been renovated and/or torn
down and rebuilt in recent years. Located north-
west of downtown Birmingham, Quarton Lake
Estates offers charming, tree-lined streets with
wide sidewalks and lake access for all residents.
However, given the number of rebuilds in the
area in recent years, the types of home designs
seen in the neighborhood virtually run the gamut.
“Whatever homeowners want in a house they
can usually find in Quarton Lake,” Keating said.
“Many of the neighborhoods wouldn’t be recogniz-
able to someone who hadn’t seen it in 30 years,
but the quality of construction and the number of
features these homes offer is remarkable.”
Heronwood
There are a number of newer homes in this
neighborhood, which has easy access to I-75. It’s
located north of Square Lake and west of
Telegraph in Bloomfield Township. This neighbor-
hood is gated 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The entire perimeter is fenced.
“Homeowners like Heronwood because the
entire neighborhood is in the West Bloomfield
School District and very close to the International
Academy,” Browning said.
Chestnut Run
According to Browning, Chestnut Run — locat-
ed around Long Lake Road between Woodward
and Telegraph — is now populated with many
homeowners who have school-age children. It’s
located close to many Bloomfield Hills schools.
“People love the fact that they are within walk-
ing distance to many of the schools,” Browning
said.
There are also a variety of house styles in the
neighborhood, from ranches and two-story colo-
nials to Tudors and more contemporary homes.
Some of the homes in Chestnut Run are near the
Bloomfield Hills Country Club.
Turtle Lake
Located south of Square Lake Road and west
of Club Drive, Turtle Lake is a gated community
with larger lot sizes and a variety of home styles.
It’s located near the Forest Lake Country Club
and many of its residents are members there.
The majority of the homes in this neighbor-
hood were built earlier this decade and many
offer dramatic elevations and sweeping vistas.
Estate parcels range up to 20 acres in size, and
the beauty of the neighborhood’s outdoor fea-
tures are emphasized. The neighborhood was
developed by Auburn Hills-based Victor
International, which has won many national
awards for work at Turtle Lake, Bay Harbor
(between Petoskey and Charlevoix) and for other
regional developments.
The total area of the Turtle Lake neighborhood
exceeds 250 acres. Approval was given to develop
more than 270 houses on the site, but only
about 100 were built so that the area’s natural
beauty could be highlighted.
Echo Park
Echo Park is a smaller neighborhood but it
stands out because of it’s wooded look. It boasts
a variety of tree types, lending a rural, forested,
“Up North” feel. It also has unique winding
streets that aren’t as common in some parts of
Oakland County.
There are a number of Tudors and two-story
homes within Echo Park, located south of Long
Lake Road and west of Andover Road in Bloomfield
Township, just south of Andover High School.
Holy Name
With a wide variety of architectural stylings,
the Holy Name neighborhood in Birmingham can’t
be “pigeonholed,” according to Lou Sabatini of
Max Broock Realtors. Part of the reason for this
is because some of the smaller, older homes have
been torn down and replaced by more lavish
structures. Sabatini said even the smaller homes
are desirable because owners in this area are con-
sistently putting in additions and making other
improvements.
The neighborhood is a “real blend of old and
new,” according to Madelon Ward of Hall &
Hunter Realtors. “It’s a real community, and a
real diverse community, both in terms of house-
hold income and the kinds of people who choose
to live there.
“I’m a real fan of the Holy Name area because I
like the idea of being able to walk to church and
kids being able to walk to school,” she said,
adding that “there’s a lot of Wallace Frost (influ-
ence in the style of homes there),” referring to
the architect who died in 1962.
The neighborhood takes its name from Holy
Name Parish on Harmon Street, with Maple Road
to the south and Old Woodward to the east. Ward
said homeowners in this enclave have residences
that vary in price from $350,000 to $3 million.
Triangle District
While Sabatini stopped short of referring to
this area — which has Woodward and Adams as
its western and eastern boundaries, respectively,
and Maple as its northern boundary — as a
notable Birmingham neighborhood, he did say
that, in the future, “it’s going to be.”
Broock Ballard echoed similar sentiments, say-
ing that she doesn’t consider it “notable yet.”
“Maybe 10 years from now, when we have
more people living in the mixed-use buildings,”
she said.
The city envisions the area as becoming a
mixed-use neighborhood with homes and retail
outlets, Woodward flanked by trees, parking struc-
tures replacing surface parking, and public gather-
ing spaces and art attractions being added. ■
(Kirk Pinho contributed to this article.)
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■ snapshot

charlie
bell

I ronically, “Close, but no cigar” is not a phrase that could be used to

describe life-long Bloomfield Hills native Charlie Bell’s efforts on TV’s
Wheel of Fortune. In fact, that’s the idiomatic expression that helped
the 21-year-old Michigan State University (MSU) student majoring in con-
struction management take home a whopping $69,000 on a recent
episode of the game show.
A 2006 graduate of Bloomfield Lahser High School who returns during
the summer to work for Birmingham-based Sachse Construction &
Development Corp., Bell initially started his efforts to be on the show with
an audition in Dearborn as “a complete joke” with some of his buddies.
“I actually thought it was pretty funny,” Bell said of his reaction after
receiving a call during a class at MSU notifying him that the show’s pro-
ducers wanted him on the long-running Pat Sajak and Vanna White spin-a-
thon. “Really, it was just a joke at first,” he said.
A true come-from-behind kid who plays in “a couple hockey leagues”
and hangs out with his friends on Waterford Township’s Watkins Lake
when he’s in town, Bell was about $15,000 behind his Wheel of Fortune
opponents going into the last round, during which he won the $24,000
that put him in first-place.
“I wasn’t too pumped until I realized exactly what had happened,” he
said during a lunch break from his summer job.
So, we ask, what is he going to do with about $70,000? Maybe throw
a kegger? Take a trip to Cabo San Lucas? Buy a new car and trick it out?
Nah, he said. It’s sitting in a bank — with the exception of the fraction of
his winnings he spent on tickets to watch the Detroit Red Wings square
off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup
Finals. “I’ll wait until after school to see what comes around.”
— Katey Meisner
The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard

GORGEOUS CHESTNUT RUN HOME
Completely remodeled in 2007. Dramatic great
room overlooks gorgeous pool and unbelievable
landscaping. Italian porcelain, marble,
hardwoods, moldings and crystal fixtures are but
a few of the fabulous amenities. Dream kitchen.
Finished walkout lower level.
$1,695,000 (29063390VAI) 248-626-8700
BLOOMFIELD HILLS RANCH
High on a hilltop on an acre of land. Beautifully
updated and remodeled with granite kitchen.
Five bedrooms, 3 full and 1 half baths. Living
room with fireplace and formal dining room.
Finished walkout lower level with library and
family room with fireplace. First floor laundry.
$529,000 (29059440GRI) 248-626-8700
BLOOMFIELD HILLS SCHOOLS
Fabulous ranch with lower level walkout in
popular Chambord. Enjoy views of Simpson
Lake from the kitchen. Expansive 5,400+ sq. ft.
of living space. Master bath with jetted tub and
separate shower. Huge walk-in closet. Lower
level has 2 bedrooms, 1 full and 1 half bath AND
a full kitchen!
$394,900 (29076796MON) 248-626-8700
CE
D TIN
DU
RE
WALK TO BIRMINGHAM
Irresistible charm. Updated brick Poppleton Park
ranch. Living room with custom built-ins and
fireplace. White kitchen with garden window.
Hardwood floors, recessed lighting,
professionally landscaped lot. Two car garage.
$309,900 (29060664KNO) 248-626-8700
G
TIN
LIS
NE
W RE
SOPHISTICATED IN-TOWN BIRMINGHAM
Contemporary private oasis. Magnificent 4,400
sq. ft. house built with finest materials. Open
floor plan allows for elegant entertaining,
enormous great room leads to fabulous pool.
Huge first floor master with spa bath. TRUE
GOURMET KITCHEN! Too many features to list.
$1,300,000 (29085347WAL) 248-626-8700
SE
EA
ORL
F
SO
AL
BLOOMFIELD
Very detailed executive style sprawling ranch on
nearly 2 acres in highly sought Charing Cross
Highlands! Gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line
appliances; newer carpet; freshly painted
throughout; upgrades throughout; 2 tier paver
patio; finished walkout with fireplace; 2 car
attached garage.
$499,900 (29063350EVA) 248-283-8700
G
TIN
LIS
NE
W RE
BLOOMFIELD
Half acre lot with front courtyard. Open floor
plan. Marble surround fireplace in living room
with built in lighted screen and hidden
bookcases. Family room overlooks backyard
with in-ground, solar heated swimming
pool/spa. Master has 3 walk-in closets and
marble bath with whirlpool.
$374,900 (29081931STU) 248-283-8700
G
LIS
W RE
NE
TURN-KEY CHARING CROSS ESTATE RANCH
Huge great room addition, kitchen with new
granite, new carpet, some hardwood, updated
baths (heated floors). Newer furnaces, windows
and more! All the work has been done! Three car
heated garage. Gorgeous lot with pond and
waterfall.
$279,900 (29080308TUL) 248-283-8700
CE
D
DU
UPPER LONG LAKE CANAL
Half acre lot. Five bedrooms, 4 full and 2 half
baths, upgraded granite kitchen off family room
with wall of windows. Living room with fireplace
overlooks the canal. Master with 2 walk-in
closets, shower, separate tub and separate
workout room. Walkout lower level with
bedroom and bath.
$989,000 (29089775LON) 248-626-8700
COMPLETELY UPDATED WALKOUT RANCH
Extensive use of granite and limestone.
Professionally decorated and landscaped.
Beautiful brick paver entry. Dramatic foyer with
skylight. Master bedroom with deck and hot tub.
Five bedrooms, 3 full and 2 half baths.
$499,500 (29073850LIN) 248-626-8700
CE
D
DU
GORGEOUS WEST BLOOMFIELD HOME
Four bedrooms, 2 full and 2 half baths,
hardwood floors, fabulous sunroom, newer
stainless steel appliances in the granite kitchen,
great room with fireplace and wet bar, beautiful
library with built-ins, newer roof and Andersen
windows.
$365,900 (29089768PIC) 248-626-8700
CE
D
DU
BLOOMFIELD
Stylish Colonial on private half acre treed lot.
Lovely hardwood floors including bedrooms.
Newer light oak kitchen with premium
appliances. Family room with fireplace and
access to patio. Updated baths. Birmingham
Schools. All new windows and doorwall. Also for
lease.
$199,900 (29090229ROB) 248-283-8700
BIRMINGHAM GEM!
Electronic gate opening to a private courtyard.
Beautifully renovated with exquisite finishes. First
floor master suite, 2-story living room with
fireplace, dining room and butler’s pantry.
Library with built-ins, designer kitchen and lower
level theatre and game room. Wine cellar for the
serious collector.
$735,000 (29067876SOU) 248-626-8700
BLOOMFIELD
Beautiful home on approximately 1 breathtaking
acre overlooking gorgeous landscaping and
double decks. Hardwood floors. Year round sun
room has spectacular views of gardens! Four
bedrooms, 3 baths, one lav. Wonderful family
room with wet bar, great master suite plus a
terrific gym.
$449,000 (29069084STU) 248-283-8700
TROY
Beautiful home on large treed corner lot. Nearly
all new, roof, carpet, appliances, cabinets, bath
fixtures, light fixtures, granite/marble counters.
Hardwood floors. Large deck features gazebo
and step down paver patio area.
$324,900 (29084099DEN) 248-283-8700
RARE 3 BEDROOM FOUR SEASONS CONDO
Park-like setting. Beautifully updated.
Professionally decorated with open and
functional floor plan. Closet organizers, quality
appointments throughout. Association fee
includes water and gas. Secure underground
garage with dumb waiter access. Pool,
clubhouse, tennis.
$145,000 (29077474WOO) 248-283-8700
■ events calendar
1 Saturday
Hatching The Past: Take a rare and
exciting look at the life of dinosaurs
through their eggs, nests, and embryos in
this interactive, hands-on exhibit.
“Hatching The Past” may be seen now
through Sunday, Sept. 6, at the
Cranbrook Institute of Science in
Bloomfield Hills. The exhibit is free with
museum admission. For more information,
call Cranbrook at 248-645-3200.
4 Tuesday
Tuesday’s At The Movies: Enjoy the
Tony award winning musical, “Sunday in
the Park with George,” at 2 p.m. at the
Bloomfield Twp. Public Library located
at 1099 Lone Pine Road in Bloomfield
Hills. With music and lyrics by Stephen
Sondheim and book by James Lapine, this
fictionalized story of artist George Seurat
is reputed to be one of the more fascinat-
ing bio-picks of all time. Admission is free.
For more information, call the library at
248-642-5800.
5 Wednesday
Books At Lunch: Come and share what
you’ve been reading. Bring your lunch and
the library will provide tea and coffee. This
program is especially geared for adults.
“Books at Lunch” begins at noon at the
Baldwin Public Library located at 300
W. Merrill Street in downtown
Birmingham. For more information, call
the library at 248-647-1700.
The Sun Messengers: The house band of
the Detroit Pistons, The Sun Messengers
will be performing classic Motown, rock,
and old school funk at 7 p.m. in Booth Park
located on Old Woodward next to
Salvatore Scallopini’s in downtown
Birmingham. Admission is free. The In the
Park Summer Concert Series is sponsored
by the City of Birmingham Park’s &
Rec Department. . For more informa-
tion, call 248-530-1642.
6 Thursday
Baldwin Ice Cream Social: Celebrate
summer reading at Baldwin Public
Library’s Summer Spectacular Ice Cream
Social that will be held at 6:30 p.m. at 300
West Merrill Street in Birmingham. The
Saline (Michigan) Fiddlers Re-Strung will
provide great live music and the summer
reading prizes by the Adult Services
Department will be drawn this evening —
you do not need to be present to win. For
www.oaklandpaper.com
more information, call the library at 248-
647-1700.
Alexander Zonjic: A syncopated evening
of jazz with Alexander Zonjic & Friends
will be held at 7 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. at
The Community House located at 380
South Bates Street in Birmingham. For
more information, call The Community
House at 248-644-5832.
7 Friday
Summer In the City: Summer in the City
Children’s Theatre with local children’s
performer Kevin Devine will be held at
6:30 p.m. this evening on the steps of city
hall in downtown Birmingham. Admission
to this family oriented event is free and is
sponsored by the Birmingham Principal
Shopping District. For more information
visit www.enjoybirmingham.com/events
or call 248-530-1200.
8 Saturday
Big Used Book Sale: For the serious
book and media shopper, this is the place
to be with over 200 feet of shelves, five or
more shelves high, filled to the max with
thousands of items. The Bloomfield
Township Public Library will be holding
its Super Saturday Sale from 9:30 a.m. to
8:30 p.m. at 1099 Lone Pine Road in
Bloomfield Hills. The first hour is reserved
for the members of the Friends of the
Bloomfield Township Public Library –
membership is available at the door. For
more information, call the library at
248-642-5800.
12 Wednesday
Stewart Franke: Offering a unique blend
of soul & rock, well known Detroit singer
and song writer Stewart Franke will be
performing live at 7 p.m. in Booth Park
located on Old Woodward next to
Salvatore Scallopini’s in downtown
Birmingham. Admission is free. The In the
Park Summer Concert Series is sponsored
by the City of Birmingham Park’s &
Rec Department. . For more informa-
tion, call 248-530-1642.
Writer’s Rendezvous: Be a part of this
ongoing writer’s group and share the cre-
ative process with others at 7 p.m. on
Wednesdays, Aug. 12 and 26 at the
Bloomfield Township Public Library
located at 1099 Lone Pine Road in
Bloomfield Hills. No registration is neces-
sary. For more information, call the library
at 248-642-5800.
THE PAPER
13 Thursday
Dave McMurray: A syncopated evening
of jazz with outstanding jazz artist, Dave
McMurray will be held at 7 p.m. and at
8:30 p.m. at The Community House
located at 380 South Bates Street in
Birmingham. For more information, call
The Community House at 248-644-5832.
15 Saturday
The Birmingham Cruise Event: Held in
conjunction with the Dream Cruise, the
Birmingham Principal Shopping
District is holding its own Birmingham
Cruise Event from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. with over
300 cars parked on Old Woodward for
visitors to look at and enjoy along with live
entertainment, special children’s activities,
and of course delicious summer time
foods. Admission is free. For more infor-
mation, call 248-530-1200.
16 Sunday
Socrates Café: Join this group for a scin-
tillating discussion from 2-3 p.m. at the
Baldwin Public Library located at 300
W. Merrill Street in downtown
Birmingham. Topics are chosen by those
attending and coffee is provided. For more
information, call the library at 248-647-
1700.
19 Wednesday
The Ralph Bowen Orchestra: Enjoy the
sounds of the Big Band era as the Ralph
Bowen Orchestra combines forces with
talented vocalist Julie Cochill and key-
boardist Matt Michaels at 7 p.m. in Booth
Park located on Old Woodward next to
Salvatore Scallopini’s in downtown
Birmingham. Admission is free. The In the
Park Summer Concert Series is sponsored
by the City of Birmingham Park’s &
Rec Department. For more information,
call 248-530-1642.
20 Thursday
Shlitz: A syncopated evening of jazz with
a very unique sound may be heard as Shlitz
and the Urban Jazz group will perform at 7
p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. at The Community
House located at 380 South Bates Street
in Birmingham. For more information, call
The Community House at 248-644-5832.
21 Friday
Summer in the City: Summer in the
City Children’s Theatre with Ron Coden
will will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the steps
of city hall in downtown Birmingham.
Admission to this family oriented event is
free and is sponsored by the Birmingham
Principal Shopping District . For more
information, enjoybirmingham.com/events
or call 248-530-1200.
Serenity & Delight: The Architecture of
Minoru Yamasaki exhibition opens today at
the Birmingham Museum & Park locat-
ed at 556 W. Maple Road in Birmingham.
The museum is open from 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday through Saturday and can be
reached by calling 248-530-1928.
26 Wednesday
Birmingham Movie Night: Sponsored
by the City of Birmingham, “The
Princess Bride” will be shown on the big
screen at 7:30 p.m. at Booth park located
on Old Woodward in downtown
Birmingham, next to Salvatore’s
Scallopini’s. Admission is free. For more
information, call 248-530-1642.
27 Thursday
Metro Jazz: One of the more popular
jazz groups, the Metro Jazz Voices, may be
heard at 7 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. atThe
Community House located at 380 South
Bates Street in Birmingham. For more
information, call The Community House at
248-644-5832.
29 Saturday
Reel Summer Time: The “drive in”
movie experience has returned with fun
for the whole family. The Birmingham
Unitarian Church will be showing the
movie, “Cars,” from 7-10 p. m. and those
attending are invited to come dressed as
they would as if they were going to the
drive- in; pj’s for children are encouraged.
Bring your own snacks or picnic — pop-
corn and water will be provided. The
church is located at 38651 Woodward and
may be reached by calling 248-647-2380.
Admission is by donation.
Items for the Events Calendar can be
submitted via fax to 248.360.1220 or
to cindystawick@thescngroup.com.
Events must based in Birmingham,
Bloomfield Township or Bloomfield
Hills to be included in the Events
Calendar. Items must be submitted by
the eighth of the month preceding the
issue in which they will be published.
41
OAKLAND COMMUNITY
Performing Arts Calendar of Events
September 2009 – March 2010
Sponsored by Student LIFE - Tickets available at all OCC Raiders Stores
Thursday, September 17 - PHOENIX STRING QUARTET
Sponsored by ALI. Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre / 10:00 am.
Admission: Free and open to the public
Friday, September 18 - CODY SHULER AND PINE MOUNTAIN RAILROAD
Bluegrass Series. Royal Oak Campus - Lila Jones Theater, 7:30 pm.
Admission: $20. Visit the website at www.pinemountainrailroad.com
For more information contact Stacey Jackson 248.246.2586
or e-mail snjackson@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, September 18 - PEOPLE DANCING - Dance Performance.
Orchard Ridge Campus / Smith Theatre, 7:30 pm Admission: $15
Photo credit: Glenn Bering.
For more information contact Ken Faulk 248.522.3666
or e-mail kpfaulk@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, September 18 - BUY THE WHOLE BLUEGRASS SERIES.
Royal Oak Campus - Lila Jones Theater, 7:30 pm Admission: $110
To receive the series discount, you must purchase your tickets on or
before September 18, 2009.
The series will include the following acts:
•Cody Shuler and Pine Mountain Railroad Sept.18, 2009
•The Grascals, Oct. 16, 2009
•Dailey and Vincent, Nov. 13, 2009
•Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, Jan. 22, 2010
•Nothin' Fancy, April 23, 2010
•J.D. Crowe and the New South, date
For more information contact Stacey Jackson 248.246.2586
or e-mail snjackson@oaklandcc.edu.
Thursday, September 24 - A MORNING WITH LOUIS NAGEL
Sponsored by ALI. Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre 10:00 am.
Admission: Free and open to the public
For more information contact the Adult Learning Institute -
Patricia Limbird 248.476.1107 or e-mail Birder5434@aol.com
Thursday, October 1 - VOICES OF THE HOLOCAUST
Sponsored by ALI. Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre,10:00 am.
For more information contact the Adult Learning Institute -
Patricia Limbird 248.476.1107 or e-mail Birder5434@aol.com
Friday, October 2 - CONCERT FOR TOLERANCE - All Proceeds to benefit
Focus Hope. Royal Oak Campus - Lila Jones Theater 6:00 pm Adm: $10
The Concert for Tolerance is designed to bring awareness and support to
the issues surrounding our diversity in Metro Detroit.
For more info contact Stacey Jackson 248.246.2586
or e-mail snjackso@oaklandcc.edu.
CHRIS COLLINS AND THE WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Collective - Chris Collins, Director. Sponsored by ALI. Orchard Ridge
Campus - Smith Theatre 10:00 AM. Admission: Free & open to the public
For more information contact the Adult Learning Institute -
Patricia Limbird 248.476.1107 or e-mail Birder5434@aol.com
Friday, October 9 - JOHNNIE BASSETT AND THE BLUES INSURGENTS -
DOWN HOME BLUES. Highland Lakes Campus - Student Center Arena,
7:30 pm. Admission: $14
For more information contact Velma Jones 248.942.3243
or e-mail vjjones@oaklandcc.edu.
Thursday, October 15 - SWINGING STRINGS AND ANGEL’S WINGS -
THE JAZZ HARP OF CHRISTA GRIX Sponsored by ALI. Orchard Ridge
Campus - Smith Theatre , 10:00 am. Admission: Free.
For more information contact the Adult Learning Institute -
Patricia Limbird 248.476.1107 or e-mail Birder5434@ aol.com
Friday, October 16 - THE GRASCALS BLUEGRASS SERIES
Royal Oak Campus - Lila Jones Theater, 7:30 pm Admission: $20
Visit the website at www.grascals.com.
For more information contact Stacey Jackson 248.246.2586
or e-mail snjackson@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, October 23 - 6th ANNUAL MARIACHI NIGHT featuring
MARIACHI CORA. Royal Oak Campus - Lila Jones Theater, 7:30 pm
Admission: Adults: $10. Students & children under 15: $5.
For more information contact Stacey Jackson 248.246.2586
or e-mail snjackson@oaklandcc.edu.
Thursday, October 29 - BEANIE AND THE BAMBOOZLING BOOK MACHINE
By Bob May, Roy C. Booth and Cristopher Tibbetts
Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre, 10:00 am
Admission: Free and open to the public
For more information contact the Adult Learning Institute -
Patricia Limbird 248.476.1107 or e-mail Birder5434@aol.com
For more info contact: Auburn Hills Campus, 2900 Featherstone Road - Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2845- Jessica Newman 248-232-4590 jlnewman@oaklandcc.edu
Highland Lakes Campus, 7350 Cooley Lake Road - Waterford, MI 48327 - Velma Jones, 248-942-3243 vjjones@oaklandcc.edu
Orchard Ridge Campus, 27055 Orchard Lake Rd. - Farmington Hills, MI 48334-4579 - Dusty Rhodes 248-522-3595 lprhodes@oaklandcc.edu
or Kenneth Faulk 248-522-3666 - Smith Theatre Email: kpfaulk@oaklandcc.edu
Royal Oak Campus, 739 South Washington Royal Oak, MI 48067-3898 - Stacey Jackson 248-246-2586 snjackson@oaklandcc.edu
OAKLAND
COMMUNITY COLLEGE®
COLLEGE
Friday, October 30, 7:00 pm & Saturday, October 31, 12:00 pm
BEANIE AND THE BAMBOOZLING BOOK MACHINE -
A Children’s Theatre Production - Directed by Diane Hill.
Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre Admission: Adults & students: $5.
Children under 12 yrs. old & accompanied by an adult: $2.
For more information contact Ken Faulk 248.522.3666
or e-mail kpfaulk@oaklandcc.edu.
Sunday, November 1 - BEANIE AND THE BAMBOOZLING BOOK MACHINE
A Children’s Theatre Production - Directed by Diane Hill
Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre / 2:00 pm
Admission: Adults and students: $5.
Children under 12 yrs. old & accompanied by an adult: $2.
For more information contact Ken Faulk 248.522.3666 or e-mail
kpfaulk@oaklandcc.edu. Tickets available online.
Friday, November 6 - HOTEL SAVARINE SOCIETY
Music From the 20’s, 30’s & 40’s. Highland Lakes Campus - Student Center
Arena 7:30 pm. Admission: $14. More to come.
For more information contact Velma Jones 248.942.3243
or e-mail vjjones@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, November 13 - DAILEY AND VINCENT Bluegrass Series
Royal Oak Campus - Lila Jones Theater, 7:00 pm
Admission: $20. Visit the website at www.daileyvincent.com.
For more information contact Stacey Jackson 248.246.2586
or e-mail snjackson@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, November 20 - BETH STALKER
Auburn Hills Campus - G-240 / 7:30 pm Admission: $10. More to come.
For more information contact Jess Newman 248.232.4290
or e-mail jlnewman@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, December 4 - OCC JAZZ BAND - Under the Direction of Tom Dennis
Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre, 7:00 pm
Admission: Free and open to the public.
For more information contact Dr. Tom Dennis 248.522.3681
or e-mail tadennis@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, December 4 - OCC COMMUNITY BAND WINTER
Concert - Lead by Director Fred Junod. Highland Lakes Campus -
Student Center Arena, 8:00 pm. Admission: Free and open to the public.
For more information contact Fred Junod 248.391.3390
or e-mail fpjunod@hotmail.com
Thursday, December 10 - MUSIC STUDENT SHOWCASE -
Under the Direction of Tom Dennis. Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre
7:00 pm Admission: Free and open to the public
For more information contact Dr. Tom Dennis 248.522.3681
or e-mail tadennis@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, December 11 - THORNETA DAVIS & HER BLUES BAND -
DOWN HOME BLUES. Auburn Hills Campus - Room: F-123
7:30 pm. Admission: $14. For more information contact Jess Newman
248.232.4290 or e-mail jlnewman@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, January 22 - RUSSELL MOORE AND IIIRD TYME OUT -
Bluegrass Series. Highland Lakes Campus - Student Center Arena
7:30 pm Admission: $20. Visit the website at www.IIIrdtymeout.com
For more information contact Velma Jones 248.942.3243
or e-mail vjjones@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, February 5 - SERIEUX - All Motown Review
Orchard Ridage Campus Smith Theatre
Friday, February 19 - 5th Annual OCC and EMU - PERFORMANCE
STUDIES FESTIVAL “POETRY, PLAY AND PERFORMANCE.
Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre / 12:00 pm Admission: Free.
This free two-day festival explores performance, writing and editing issues
for performers and writers. To see our schedule & look at past schedules
see the links at www.oaklandcc.edu/studentlife/Forensics.htm
For more information contact Ken Faulk 248.522.3666
or e-mail kpfaulk@oaklandcc.edu.
Friday, March 19 - BLACKTHORN - IRISH FOLK MUSIC
Highland Lakes Campus - Student Center Arena, 7:30pm Adm: $15.
For more information contact Velma Jones 248.942.3243
or e-mail vjjones@oaklandcc.edu.
Fri., March 26, 8:00pm - Sat., March 27, 2:00pm - Sat., March 27, 8:00pm
Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer - A Comedy directed by Diane Hill
Orchard Ridge Campus - Smith Theatre Adm: Adults: $10, Srs & Students: $5
For more information contact Ken Faulk 248.522.3666
or e-mail kpfaulk@oaklandcc.edu.
■ the community house
Have you heard the news? Despite the construction in Shain Park, a new ver-
sion of Jazzfest will continue at The Community House.
The newly created Jazz Masters Series will take place under the tented Van
Dusen Terrace at The Community House every Thursday evening in August.
Merrill Street will also be available for open seating
between Bates and Chester (Guests are asked to bring
their own chairs). Just like Jazzfest, the concerts are
free and open to the public. The jazz entertainment will
be arranged by Alexander Zonjic, who will also perform
on the series’ inaugural evening on Aug. 6.
Each performance will include two sets, from 7 to 8
p.m. and from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Entertainment includes:
• Thursday, Aug. 6: Alexander Zonjic and Friends
with special guests The Motor City Horns;
• Thursday, Aug. 13: Dave McMurray Show;
• Thursday, Aug. 20: Shilts with The Urban Jazz Collection; and
• Thursday, Aug. 27: Metro Jazz Voices.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. and space is available on the Terrace on a first-come,
first-served basis, with the exception of our reserved tables for sponsors. Food
and drink, including adult beverages, will be available for purchase on the Terrace.
Please help keep the tradition of summer jazz and our community alive by
becoming a Jazz Masters Series Sponsor. Sponsorship levels are available at
$5,000, $2,500 and $500. Of course, we accept and welcome any donation
amount to help defray the costs of this wonderful free community event. If you
have questions or want to become a sponsor, please call me at 248.594.6409, or
Kathie Ninneman at 248.594.6403.
Also, if you want to have a special summer event, our Terrace is the perfect
place, and we are already taking reservations for private and corporate holiday
parties. Book your reservation today by contacting our Banquet and Catering
Department (248.644.5832) to plan your party.
Now that summer is well under way, are any of you tired of hearing your kids
ask, “What are we going to do today?” If your answer is “yes,” there is still time
to sign up for a session of our great Theatre Camps. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Our unique four-day Grandparent/Grandchild Camp from Aug. 24-27 will be a
great experience for grandparents and grandchildren 5 to 9 years of age to enjoy
time together. Each session will have a different theme: Wonders of Pastels, My
Planet Earth and Me, Hands-On Cooking for a Fresh and Healthy Lunch, and Yoga
for Grandparents and Children.
Please see our website, www.communityhouse.com or call 248.644.5832 for
additional information or to register.
Also, if you’d like to take a brief vacation, join us for one of these trips:
• Aug. 14-15: Take this one night trip and see Meijer Gardens, the Gerald
Ford Museum and Saugatuck;
• Oct. 2-4: Visit Mackinac Island and stay at The Grand Hotel; and
• Oct. 24-25: Spend one night in Cleveland on this art and architecture trip
with Michael Farrell.
Call now and reserve your tickets for Jersey Boys! We will be attending the
matinee on Sunday, Dec. 20 and having brunch at The Whitney; and on Saturday,
Jan. 16 with lunch at Palette Dining Studio at the MGM Grand Hotel.
See our website or call 248.644.5832 to reserve your spot.
Finally, we are busy planning our always popular Birmingham House Tour and Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
still need a few more special homes. If you know of a possibility, and it is located Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
in reasonably close proximity to The Community House (Birmingham, Bloomfield
Sun. 12 noon-6 p.m. *Delivery Services are available for an additional fee
Hills, Bloomfield Township, Beverly Hills, Troy, etc.), please call Kathie Ninneman
at 248.594.6403. ■

$
10.00 OFF
Shelley Roberts is president and CEO of The Community House.

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Delivery!
FREE Buy any Burger, Sandwich & Receive
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www.oaklandpaper.com THE PAPER 43

■ eating out
The Eating Out directory for The Paper is
just that, a guide to dining establishments
where patrons can go out to eat. Many, if
not most, of these eateries also allow for
take-out orders. If an establishment serves
beer(B), wine(W) or liquor (L), the listing
indicates such. Likewise, if breakfast (B),
lunch (L) or dinner (D) is served, we indicate
by code and then the days it is offered.
220: A one-of-a-kind Birmingham restaurant
specializing in steaks and fresh seafood with
an Italian flair, complemented by a fine selec-
tion of distinguished American, Italian and
global wines. Located in the historic Edison
Building in the heart of downtown
Birmingham. B, W, L. L & D, Monday-
Saturday. 220 Merrill Street, Birmingham,
48009. 248.645.2150.
Akshay Indian Cuisine: Featuring Indo
Chinese, South Indian, Northern Indian and
Tandoori (Clay Oven) dishes. Spicy flavors
compliment the relaxed and elegant atmos-
phere. Reasonable pricing makes Akshay
Indian Cuisine a local favorite. L & D, Tuesday
Sunday. 1615 S. Opdyke Road, Bloomfield
Hills, 48304. 248.858.2315.
Andiamo: Andiamo’s offers Northern Italian
decor amid a chic dining spot. A favorite
among many area celebrities. Featuring tradi-
tional Italian dishes in an elegant dining room
or live music in the lounge. An extensive wine
list and selection of desserts. B, W, L. L & D,
daily. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield
Township, 48301. 248.865.9300.
Beau Jacks: Known for its superior whitefish
and popular salads, Beau Jacks offers certified
black angus beef as well as vegetarian and
heart-conscious items. The menu features
chili, onion loaf, baked spinach and artichoke
dip, croissants and wraps. B, W, L. L,
Monday-Saturday; D, daily. 4108 W. Maple,
Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.
Beyond Juice: Offering Meal-in-a-Cup cre-
ations, sandwiches and a variety of desserts.
Greek, seasoned chicken, tuna and garden
salads also available, along with homemade
Belgian waffles and jumbo muffins. B & L,
daily; D, Monday-Saturday. 270 West Maple
Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.
Big Boy: Big Boy features its classic diner
burgers, breakfast specials and popular
dessert menu. With its famous Big Boy sand-
wich and soup and salad bar, its a hometown
diner for the whole family. B, L & D, daily.
6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48301. 248.642.0717.
Big Rock Chophouse: Big Rock
Chophouse’s 4-star, award-winning menu
offers flavorful recipes centered around enor-
mous, hand-cut aged steaks, lamb chops and
fresh seafood. Featuring an on-site brew
house, the restaurant also boasts an extensive
wine cellar, complete with more than 400
%UHDNIDVW
201 S Old Woodward Avenue ƒ Birmingham MI 48009
248.594.7300 ƒ www.forterestaurant.com
44
fine wine and champagne selections. B, W, L.
L & D, Monday-Saturday. 245 S. Eton Street,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.
Birmingham Tower Deli: Gourmet deli-
catessen located in downtown Birmingham
features Boars Head meats and cheeses,
soups, salads, burgers and pizza. Catering
available. B, L & D, Monday-Friday. 280 N.
Old Woodward Avenue, Ste. 105,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.9730.
Bloomfield Deli: With a large selection of
sandwiches and wraps, Bloomfield Deli also
offers several different varieties of grilled
cheese sandwiches, grilled chicken wraps and
breakfast sandwiches. Also offering fresh sal-
ads and a salad bar with 20 different vegeta-
bles and fruits. B & L, Monday-Friday. 71 W.
Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.
248.645.6879.
Boston Market: Features sirloin, beef
brisket, turkey, meatloaf and rotisserie chick-
en. Boston Market offers soup, steamed veg-
etables, macaroni and cheese, mashed pota-
toes and casseroles to pair with a main dish. L
& D, daily. 42983 Woodward Avenue,
Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.334.5559.
Brandy’s Steakhouse: A cozy ambiance,
private dining room and traditional dishes can
be expected at Brandy’s. Offering salads,
seafood, pastas and Brandy’s signature steaks.
B,W,L. L, Monday-Saturday; D, daily. 1727
South Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48302. 248.338.4300.
Breakaway Deli: Breakaway Deli features a
variety of house sandwiches as well as a
meat-free zone for vegetarians. B & L,
Monday-Saturday; D, Monday-Friday. 71 West
Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.
248.642.2900.
Brooklyn Pizza: Brooklyn Pizza features
New York-style pizza by the slice, homemade
cookies and ice cream. L & D, daily. 111
Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009.
248.258.6690.
Cafe Via: A high-end downtown eatery fea-
turing an elegant setting as well as a patio
courtyard. Grilled salmon, roasted chicken,
crabcakes and lambchops are some favorites
at Cafe Via. B, W, L. L & D, Monday-Saturday.
310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.644.8800.
Cameron’s Steakhouse: Featuring dry aged
and prime steak with an impressive wine list.
Cameron’s is a classic steakhouse. B, W, L. D,
daily. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.
248.723.1700.
Cannella Patisserie: Offering an array of
authentic croissants and French pastries and
featuring light meals from a selection of
French crépes. Also offering special occasion
and wedding cakes. B, L & D, Tuesday-
/XQFK
THE PAPER
Sunday. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham,
48009. 248.203.9704.
Chen Chow Brasserie: The decor and
menu selection at Chen Chow Brasserie cre-
ate a most elegant dining experience. Main
courses include Pan Seared Tofu, Tamarind
Glazed Salmon, Miso Sea Bass, Steamed
Halibut, Dashi & Udon and more. Extensive
wine list. B, W, L. D, daily. 260 North Old
Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.594.2469.
China Village: A warm environment featur-
ing China Village’s famous sesame and
General Tso’s Chicken. L & D daily. 1655
Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.
248.758.1221.
Cityscape Deli: Cityscape offers homemade
soups and a wide variety of custom carved
sandwiches, pasta salads, bean and couscous
and Hungarian beef goulash. Homemade
healthy sides compliment fresh deli sandwich-
es. B, L & D, Monday-Saturday. 877 W. Long
Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.
248.540.7220.
Cosi: With a signature flatbread, sandwiches,
melts, soups, salads and a kids menu, Cosi
offers options for all diners. B, W. B, L & D
daily. 101 N. Old Woodward Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.9200.
Crust: An upscale restaurant, with an open
kitchen and dining room decor with natural
wood elements. Full menu includes
Neapolitan, thin crust pizzas, salads, sand-
wiches and small plates. B, W, L. L and D,
daily. 6622 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield,
48301. 248.855.5855.
Deli Unique of Bloomfield Hills: A menu
featuring eight different deli sandwiches and
an extensive breakfast menu. B & L, daily.
39495 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills,
48304. 248.646.7923
Dick O’Dow’s: Offering Irish classics and
home cooking, including stuffed chicken, wild
Irish salmon and, of course, shepherd’s pie. B,
W, L. L & D, daily. 160 West Maple Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135.
Einstein Bros. Bagels: Featuring a huge
assortment of bagels, sandwiches and spe-
cialty coffees. B & L, daily. 176 South Old
Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.594.9888.
Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Lebanese
dishes from stuffed grape leaves to taboulee
and humus. B, W, L. L & D, Monday Saturday.
263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.
248.647.2420.
Embers Deli & Restaurant: Pita sandwich-
es, soups, burgers, hot dogs and melts avail-
able. An extensive breakfast menu includes
egg specials, breakfast roll-ups, omelettes,
breakfast sandwiches and sides. B &L, daily.
3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48301. 248.645.1033.
Forest Grill: Forest Grill’s seasonal menu
showcases house-made charcuterie, raw bar,
clay oven-baked pizzas and traditional bistro
dishes. Influenced by French, Italian and con-
temporary American cuisine with an emphasis
on simplicity and flavor. Extensive wine list,
including a number of regional wines from
boutique vinters and Michigan vineyards. B,
W, L. L, Monday-Friday; D, Monday-Saturday.
735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.258.9400.
Forte Restaurant: With beautiful decor and
lavish cuisine, Forte offers a complete dining
experience, including an extensive wine list.
Renowned chefs present a complete break-
fast menu as well. B, W, L. B, L & D, daily.
201 South Old Woodward Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7300.
Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar:
An American steakhouse with a contempo-
rary flair featuring aged prime beef, market
fresh seafood and an award-winning wine list.
B, W, L & D, daily. 323 N. Old Woodward
Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.
Fuddrucker’s: With simple recipes and
made-from-scratch buns, Fuddrucker’s offers
burgers, chicken, fish, salad, and a kids menu.
B, W. L & D, daily. 42757 Woodward Avenue,
Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.333.2400.
Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Featuring
sandwiches, salads and Coney Island classics.
Breakfast is available anytime. B, L & D, daily.
221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.
248.646.1222.
Hogan’s Restaurant: Casual atmosphere
and homemade fare, Hogan’s offers steak,
seafood, burgers, a vegetarian and children’s
menu. A tavern-type environment is also
available to patrons. B, W, L. L & D, daily.
6450 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48301. 248.626.1800.
Hunter House Hamburgers: Featuring high
quality, gourmet hamburgers. Recently voted
Number One Burger in Michigan by Food
Network Magazine and “20 Burgers You
Must Eat Right Now” in June 2009 Gourmet
Magazine. B, Monday-Saturday; L & D daily.
35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham,
48009. 248.646.7121.
IHOP: From creatively flavored pancakes to
steaks, sandwiches and salads, IHOP is best
known for its breakfast fare. B, L & D, daily.
2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48301. 248.333.7522.
Kerby’s Koney Island: Kerby’s offers a spe-
cial chili recipe, lean meats and a wide variety
of breakfast, lunch and dinner specialties. B,
L, & D, daily. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue,
'LQQHU
www.oaklandpaper.com

Bloomfield Hills. 248.333.1166.
Kirk’s Open Pit Bar B Que: Serving barbe-
cue ribs that are slow cooked and covered in
a smoky sauce, Kirk’s also offers barbeque
and broasted chicken, seafood, homemade
macaroni and cheese, peach and apple cob-
bler, and sweet potato pies. B, L & D,
Tuesday- Sunday. 33766 Woodward Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7010.
Leo’s Coney Island: Greek specialties,
burgers and coneys are offered along with
omelettes, breakfast specials, soups and sal-
ads. B, L & D, daily. 6527 Telegraph Road,
Bloomfield Hills, 48301 (248.646.8568) and at
154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham,
48009. 248.646.8568.
Little Daddy’s Parthenon: Featuring Greek
fare, like hand-carved gyros, Little Daddy’s
Parthenon offers oven roasted turkey, gour-
met sandwiches and house-made food. B, L &
D, daily. 39500 Woodward Avenue,
Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.647.3400.
Maple Leaf Cafe: Offering a variety of
breakfast dishes, salads, lunch plates and
burgers are also available. B & L, daily. 297
East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.723.1222.
Max & Erma’s: Features a family-friendly
environment with a variety of burgers, an
assortment of salads and a signature tortilla
soup, plus steaks, ribs and fajitas. B, W, L. L &
D, daily. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham,
48009. 248.258.1188.
Mitchell’s Fish Market: Accepting daily
delivery of a wide variety of fresh fish flown
in from all coasts, the atmosphere is that of
an upscale seafood restaurant. Also features a
lively bar area. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 117
Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.
248.646.3663.
Mountain King: Chinese restaurant serving
fried rice, sesame chicken, General Tso’s
chicken and standard Chinese favorites. L &
D, daily. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2913.
New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Featuring a
Thai atmosphere and variety of Thai special-
ties such as duck, noodles, seafood and cur-
ries. Also offering soups, salads, fried rice and
appetizers. B, Monday Thursday; L, Monday-
Friday; D, daily. 183 North Old Woodward
Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181.
Northern Lakes Seafood Co: Serving a sig-
nature lobster reuben for lunch and a Chilean
sea bass for dinner. The seasonal menu
includes a soft shell crab, lobster bisque and
Columbia river king salmon. B, W, L. L,
Monday-Friday; D, daily. 39495 North
Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.
248.646.0370
Olga’s Kitchen: Olga’s offers fresh and
unique flavored appetizers, sandwiches, soups
and salads. Grilled to-order Olga bread avail-
able. L & D daily. 2075 S. Telegraph Road,
Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500 and at
138 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.
248.647.2760.
Peabody’s: With rustic beams and subtle
lighting, Peabody’s offers unique sandwiches
and salads, along with fresh seafood, house
prime rib, signature steaks and pastas. B, W,
L. L & D, daily. 34965 Woodward Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.5222.
Pancake House: Best known for breakfast
fare, the Original Pancake House has a varied
menu. B, L & D, daily. 33703 South
Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.642.5775.
Panera Bread: A variety of soups, sandwich-
es and desserts., plus an on-site bakery. B, L
& D, daily. 100 North Old Woodward
Avenue, Birmingham, 48309. 248.203.7966
■ main course
Rugby Grille
enhances the
neighborhood feel
By Eleanor Heald
Varying eye appeal, creating a
more modern atmosphere and seek-
ing to remove an English Country
Club look are the principal reasons
Director of Restaurant Operations
Keith Schofield offers for recent
updates at the Rugby Grille in
Birmingham’s Townsend Hotel.
Is this a rebranding? “No,”
Schofield says. “Rugby Grille has
cachet. Quality and excellence are
brand images. These have not
changed. True, we are looking to
attract younger neighborhood din-
ers. Now, we’ve observed more 35
to 50-year-old diners at our tables.
Yet we believe we have not disap-
pointed our long-time neighborhood
regulars.”
Art aficionados will notice new
artwork from some of metro-
Detroit’s finest artists. Glass-blown
sculptures are crafted by a “fazzo-
letto” process, where glass is blown
free-form. New, principally vibrantly-
colored paintings grace the walls.
All pieces came from Park West
Gallery in Southfield and offer a bal-
ance between contemporary and
traditional.
The heavy book-like menu folder
has been changed to a paper stock
format. New stainless flatware with
simple, clean, yet elegant lines has
replaced formal-looking silverware.
White tablecloths remain,
although in coming months they
may change to a subtle hue — all
part of the tweaking Schofield
expects to continue.
Menu Innovations
“Local and fresh; contemporary
American,” are descriptors 35-year-
old Executive Chef Jim Bologna
uses for his food style. Bologna
earned a Michigan State University
School of Hospitality degree, then a
second degree in culinary arts from
Schoolcraft College. He is the for-
mer Capital Grille and Holiday
Market Catering Executive Chef.
“I’ve always loved the instant
gratification of diners,” Bologna
says. “I view guests at the Rugby
Grille as diners in my home. They’re
putting their feet under my table.”
The menu is straightforward and
well-explained. Bologna suggests
beginning with one of two popular
starters: Tuna Tartare, composed of
day-boat tuna, Hass avocado, fresh
horseradish, olive tapanade and
fresh citrus salad ($18); or Hydro
Bibb Salad with peach berry vinai-
grette, cheddar cheese, dried cher-
ries and toasted pinenuts ($12).
For principal plates, the
Townsend Classic Dover Sole served
Tableside ($44) is far and away the
most popular. Braised Halibut, with
paysanne cut vegetables, couscous,
crimini mushrooms and fine herbs
($35), has caught on with diners.
Scottish Salmon ($34) with citrus-
horseradish dust, sweet pea mash,
pea shoot and heirloom carrot salad
is another favorite among fish
lovers.
With beef aficionados, Rugby
Grille steaks, 8-oz Tenderloin ($38),
14-oz New York Strip ($42), and
16-oz Bone-in Ribeye ($48) go
unchallenged.
Although health-conscious eating
doesn’t blast from the overall
menu, it’s there subtly. Bologna has
moved away from heavy sauces and
chosen broths as evidenced by Pan
Roasted Miller Farms Chicken with
consommé ($28). Vegetarians will
find palate delights. And a modern
era, now nearly-obligatory Burger
($18), served with caramelized
piperade, bacon, cheddar and
Townsend Sauce on a challah roll
with a side of Reggiano fries has
found its place on the menu for
more casual moments.
Every Sunday evening, a three-
course dinner menu at $35 per per-
son presents a moderately-priced
option.
An extensive wine list of Old and
New World favorites offers a range
of prices. And for a special wine
brought from a personal wine cellar,
a $25 corkage is modest.
Rugby Grille at The Townsend Hotel:
100 Townsend Street, Birmingham
(248.642.5999 for recommended reser-
vation). Breakfast 6-11 a.m.; lunch 11
a.m.-4 p.m.; and dinner 4-11 p.m. Check
averages per person: breakfast $20,
lunch $25, and dinner (excluding bever-
age) $17-45.
QUICK BITES
Birmingham’s Hunter House
Hamburgers received upbeat ink in
“Gourmet” magazine’s June 2009
issue. “Tasty as a gourmet slider
may be,” editors wrote, “its soul is
déclassé, which is why we cannot
think of a more suitable place to eat
them. Topped with grilled onions
and pickles and, if desired, cheese,
and served on steamy little buns,
they are slightly bigger than White
Castle’s but small enough that two
to four make a meal.” Established in
1952, Hunter House is the longest
continually-operating restaurant in
Birmingham. Burgers are $1.80
each; $2 with cheese. (35075
Woodward Avenue, Birmingham.
248.646.7121).
■
Each Monday evening,
Birmingham’s Forté restaurant goes
retro with talented front-of-the-
house man Louie Weidemann doing
two tableside flaming desserts,
Bananas Foster and Berries Jubilee,
$6 each. New in the main kitchen is
Executive Chef Steve Jalbert, for-
merly with the Ritz-Carlton and
Orchard Lake Country Club. (201 S.
Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham.
248.594.7300).
■
Late of Greektown Casino, native
Michigander and Certified Executive
Chef (CEC) Tim Enfield is now
Bloomfield Open Hunt Club’s new
private dining room executive chef.
With extensive experience fusing dif-
ferent cultures and tastes into his
menu offerings, his special interest is
using organic products from local
Michigan farms. (405 East Long
Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills.
248.644.9411).
■
“A casual place to get good food”
is the way owner Larry Bongiovanni
describes his new restaurant ven-
ture. Stepping out from the Salvatore
Scallopini image with the non-smok-
ing Deluxe Bar and Grill, he plans to
open in the former Aunt Olive’s Good
Food To Go Birmingham location on
Old Woodward. Ron Rea of Ron &
Roman Design LLC in Birmingham
echoes that with “clever, small,
friendly, active with an open kitchen.
Overall, 50 seats, 10-seat stainless
steel bar in a classic style from the
1940s to 1960s. Black and metallic
gold tile flooring and accenting
columns will enhance dark wood
details.” Opening is predicted in 120
days or less. Stay tuned. ❏
Eleanor Heald is a nationally-published
writer who also writes the wine column
in a double byline with her husband,
Ray, for the The Paper. Suggestions for
this feature and specifically for the
Quick Bites section can be e-mailed to:
quickbites@oaklandpaper.com.
■ focus on wine
Summer’s coolest
wine, welcome Rosé
By Eleanor and Ray Heald
You know the saying, a rose is a
rose. Yet when it comes to wine,
you can’t conclude that a Rosé is a
Rosé.
An explanation gets a little tech-
nical, but hang in there with us
because details will lead to fuller
enjoyment of summer’s coolest
wine, which according to data
released by The Nielsen Company
and reported by the CIVP/Provence
Wine Council (France), Rosé sales
soared 42 percent in the 52-week
period ending April 4, 2009.
With a few exceptions, Rosé wine
is made by a method known as
saignée (sen-YAY), which involves
removing a juice portion (bleeding)
from a fermentation tank after only
a short period of contact with the
skins of red grapes, which were
picked intentionally for red wine.
Essentially, it’s a wine by-product,
yet one we’ve come to enjoy.
In the southern France region of
Provence and some other areas (like
the California wines with an * men-
tioned in Wine Picks), a Rosé is not
and at 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield
Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877.
Phoenicia: A special dining experience,
Phoenicia offers all the traditional dishes of
Lebanon. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue,
Birmingham, 48009. B, W, L. L, Monday-
Friday; D, daily. 248.644.3122.
Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern fare featuring
chicken shawarma, sweet salad, fattoush,
Greek salad, lambchops, seafood and
taboulee. Pita Cafe is known for its fantastic
garlic spread. L & D, daily. 239 North Old
Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.645.6999.
Pizza Papalis & Rio Wraps: Full menu
includes rio wraps, pizzas, salads, soups, pasta
and desserts; known for its Chicago-style
deep dish pizza. L & D, daily. 4036 Telegraph
Road, Ste.106, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.
248.540.7722.
Qdoba: A one-of-a-kind Mexican grill restau-
rant, Qdoba features tacos, salads, nachos,
quesadillas and more. L & D, daily. 795 East
Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.
248.988.8941.
Rio Wraps: Features burritos, salads and deli
wraps. L & D, daily. 42805 Woodward
46
a wine by-product made by the
saignée method. Grapes are grown
with the sole intention of making a
pink (or often salmon-colored) wine.
They are picked earlier and when
whole-cluster pressed before fer-
mentation, yield a lighter color than
a saignée Rosé. They are also more
delicate, less astringent and less
tannic. The process continues more
like white wine making than red.
Some saignée Rosés are too dark.
The darker the color, the more
astringent the wine. That’s under-
standable since the grapes were
grown to make a dark red wine and
were picked riper. “Bleeding” is
intended to concentrate a resulting
red wine.
Preference for wine made by one
method rather than the other is not
only a matter of taste, but also of a
food match. Both styles may be con-
sidered as a choice between white
and red wines.
Delicacy of lighter-colored Rosés
match lighter, white-fleshed fish, as
well as summer salads. Darker-col-
ored Rosés can stand up to grilled
salmon, charcuterie, pasta with
tomato-based sauce, where a lighter
style matches a creamy non-tomato
sauce. Vegetarian pizza (peppers
and onions), mushroom prepara-
tions and soft cheeses are also deli-
cious with a lighter-colored Rosé.
World Rosé Wine Picks
• 2008 La Vieille Ferme (France)
$8
• 2008 Marques de Caceres
(Spain) $9
• 2008 Louis Jadot Beaujolais
Rosé (France) $11
Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.
248.540.7722.
Salvatore Scallopini: Salvatore Scallopini
offers fresh prepared daily Italian dishes,
appetizers and a variety of desserts. B, W. L
& D, daily. 505 North Old Woodward
Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.
Steve’s Deli: Classic and popular deli featur-
ing a wide variety of soups, sandwiches and
deserts. B, L & D, daily. 6646 Telegraph
Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.932.0800.
Streetside Seafood: Streetside has devel-
oped a reputation for fresh fish, oysters and
other seafood on a seasonal menu B,W,L. L,
Monday-Friday; D, daily. 273 Pierce Street,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123.
Sushi Hana: Sushi Hana’s menu includes
tempura, teriyakis, yakitori, fried egg,
seafood, vegetables and more. Offers tradi-
tional Japanese fare as well as some Korean
dishes. L, Monday-Friday; D, Monday-
Saturday. 42656 Woodward Avenue,
Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887.
Sy Thai Cafe: A casual dining atmosphere,
Sy Thai serves orange duck, noodle dishes,
stir-fried mussels with onions and all the
usual Thai classics. L & D, daily. 315 Hamilton
Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.
THE PAPER
• 2008 El Coto Rioja Rosato
(Spain) $12
• 2008 Paul Jaboulet Parallele 45
(France) $13
• 2008 Centine (Tuscany) $13
• 2008 Red Cote (California) $13
• 2008 Bonterra, Organically
Grown (California) $14
• 2008 La Scolca Rosa Chiara
(Italy) $14
• NV Lamberti Rosé Spumante
(Italy) $15
• 2008 Pietra Santa Rosato
(California) $15
• 2008 Bowers Harbor Vineyards
Pinot Noir Rosé (Old Mission
Peninsula, Mich.) $15
• 2008 Wild Rock Vin Gris (New
Zealand) $17
• 2007 Brys Estate Pinot Noir
Rosé (Old Mission Peninsula, Mich.)
$17.50
• 2008 Beckmen Grenache Rosé
(California) $18
• 2008 Forty-Five North Pinot
Noir Rosé (Leelanau Peninsula,
Mich.) $18
• 2007 Swanson Rosato,
Oakville, Napa Valley $18 *
• 2008 Chateau d’Aqueria Tavel
(France) $19
• 2007 Prieuré de Montezargues
(France) $20
• 2007 Etude Rosé of Pinot Noir
Carneros Estate (California) $20 *
• 2007 Domaine de Terrebrune
Bandol Rosé $23
• 2008 Robert Sinskey Vineyards
Carneros Vin Gris of Pinot Noir
(California) $24 *
• 2007 Azur Wines California
Rosé $24 *
The Corner Bar: Part of the Townsend
Hotel complex, The Corner Bar offers a
lighter fare from 5-7 p.m. that includes sliders
and salads. B, W, L. D, Wednesday-Saturday.
100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009.
248.647.2958.
The Gallery Restaurant: Family restaurant
in an art gallery environment offering full
menu. American fare includes omelettes,
sandwiches and a variety of salads. B, L & D,
daily. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48301. 248.851.0313.
The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: The
Moose Preserve features a full menu, includ-
ing fresh fish, barbecue ribs and certified
black angus steak. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 2395
S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills,
48302. 248.858.7688.
The Rugby Grille: Conveniently located
inside Birmingham’s Townsend Hotel and
offering a luxury dining experience. B, W, L.
B, L & D, daily. 100 Townsend Street,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.
Toast: With a modern retro style, Toast
offers American dishes with a touch of south-
western taste, including signature breakfast
food to burgers. B, W, L. B & L, daily; D,
Monday-Saturday. 203 Pierce Street,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.
• 2008 Tablas Creek Vineyard
(California) $27
Tooting State’s Rosé Horn
Michigan’s 2008 Forty-Five
North, Leelanau Peninsula Pinot Noir
Rosé is an unparalleled success. It
was awarded the Best Rosé at the
2009 Pacific Rim Wine Competition.
Yolanda Daly, director of the compe-
tition, wrote the following to wine-
maker Shawn Walters: “Your wine
certainly knocked the feet out from
under the judges and caused a great
stir. They were so impressed by
your wine that we were forced, for
the first time ever, to create a Best
Pacific Rim Rosé category. Beautiful
wine!”
Best For The Deck
There’s a lot of warm weather
left and for an easy-to-serve value
wine, you can’t beat the 3L pack of
Andes Peaks Select Chardonnay,
Chile, $19 (equal to four standard
bottles at less than $5 per bottle).
A slim pack design with an easy-to-
use spout fits in a refrigerator and
remains fresh for two weeks. The
recyclable packaging represents a 55
percent reduction in carbon foot-
print over traditional glass bottles.
There’s also Cabernet Sauvignon at
the same price. (Available at Hills
Fine Wine & Spirits, 41 W. Long
Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills. 248-
540-8200). ❏
Eleanor and Ray Heald are contributing
editors for the internationally-respected
Quarterly Review of Wines and
AppellationAmerica.com, among other
publications. Contact them by e-mail at
focusonwine@aol.com.
Tokyo Sushi & Grill: A cozy sushi bar offer-
ing sashimi, soba noodle dishes, teriyakis,
tempura, all the traditional Japanese dishes,
and, of course, sushi. L & D, daily. 225 E.
Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6501
TOPZ: Offering homemade fare, featuring
Michigan vendors and local Michigan prod-
ucts, TOPZ prides itself on its air-baked, non-
fried fries, nuggets, onion rings, burgers, chili
and soups. L & D, daily. 327 Hamilton Row,
Birmingham, 48009. 248.220.1108.
Whistle Stop Cafe: Voted among the best
diners in America by Good Morning America,
this eatery boasts of its local roots and feel. B
& L, daily; D, Monday-Friday. 501 S. Eton
Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.5588.
Want your eating establishment listed?
There is no charge for this directory in
The Paper but there are a couple of rules.
An eatery must be located in Birmingham,
Bloomfield Township or Bloomfield Hills
and must have tables where patrons can
eat out. Send your information via fax
(248.360.1220) to Katey Meisner or e-mail
to kateymeisner@thescngroup.com.
www.oaklandpaper.com
■ social lights / sally gerak
Here is the update on the social scene ■ Belle Isle Legacy Luncheon
from the past month. Social Lights is
posted each week on The Paper’s site at
oaklandpaper.com, where readers can
sign up for an e-mail alert when the latest
column is posted. Many more photos from
each event appear online each week.
Belle Isle Legacy Luncheon
Hats were a story at the fifth annual
Polish the Jewel Belle Isle Legacy
Luncheon. Strategic
Staffing Solutions
founder, president
and CEO Cynthia
Pasky, who received
the Legacy Award,
said she got her royal
blue-and-white straw
in New Orleans. Event
chair Valerie Belle Ellis said her hat and
ensemble were the work of Jules Joyner
Designs of St. Clair Shores. Ellis’ 23-year-
old daughter Ellisse Rutkofske, who
chaired the silent auction that raised more
than $15,000, created her own confection
with a whimsical, flattering, wavy brim. In a hat she made, auction chair Ellisse Rutkofske Betty Bright (back ground left) and Patricia Event honorary chair Maggie Allesee (left) of
Pat Hardy said her flower bedecked straw (left) and her mother, event chair Valerie Belle Ellis Burnett of Bloomfield with Jill Miller of Oakland Bloomfield with Linda Juracek-Lipa of
will always have a place in her heart of Grosse Pointe with BIWC founder Sarah Earley after Burnett bought Miller’s hat Birmingham
because it was a gift from its maker, Sandi of Bloomfield
Pape.
But Jill Miller made the big hat news
by winning the “Most Beautiful Hat” title
with the same hat that had won the title
earlier in the month at the Suite Dreams
Project’s Hats Off luncheon. She offered to
auction it to benefit the Women’s
Committee. The winning bidder ($400)
was 88-year-old artist Patricia Burnett
Siler, who, four days earlier, had received
an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the
College for Creative Studies.
The luncheon itself was in a tent adja-
cent to the Belle Isle Casino where the
400-plus guests first socialized, net-
worked and bid in the silent auction.
Settling at her table, Linda Morrow com-
pared the day to previous Legacy
Luncheons: “I’ve been to hot ones and
rainy ones. This one is perfect.”
When she welcomed all, BIWC founder
Sarah Earley cut to the chase. ” Our mis-
sion is simple. We are dedicated to raising
funds for the restoration of Belle Isle on a Rosemary Bannon (left) of Beverly Hills, Phyllis Marra and Irma Colleen Monahan (left) and Betty Desmond of Bloomfield, Noreen Keating of Auburn Hills
project by project basis.” The nearly com- Elder of Bloomfield
pleted restoration of Sunset Point is the
first project. The $293,000 raised by the
2009 event brings the total to $1.5-mil- ■ Prechter Research Benefit
lion.

Prechter Research Fund Benefit

Wally Pechter packs a lot of determi-
nation into a tiny frame. And much of it is
directed to the foundation she established
to find a cure for the disorder that caused
her dynamic husband Heinz to end his life.
She not only promised to match every
dollar spent on tickets to the benefit Etro
fashion show Saks Fiifth Avenue hosted,
she also bought SFA gift cards for each
guest. Not surprisingly, the event late last
month was sold out (200-plus) with
power brokers galore lining the runway
and the Prechter fund making $270,000.
Before the show, Prechter thanked
Saks, Etro, the event sponsors and the
guests. She also introduced her children Clockwise from lower left: Honorary co-chair Julie
Stephanie Prechter and Paul and Paige (left) and Bobby Taubman of Bloomfield with
Prechter from Ft. Lauderdale before intro- SFA’s Kim Nye of Troy. Al Taubman of Bloomfield
ducing Dr. Melvin McInnis. The lead and Fund founder Wally Prechter of Grosse Ile.
investigator of the Prechter Repository at Etro’s Marco Pievani (center) of NYC with hon-
the University of Michigan gave an update orary committee members Dr. Jane Werner of
Ann Arbor and Dr. Luisa Di Lorenzo of
on the genetics research, neuroimaging Birmingham. Diane Farber (left) of Bingham
and neuroscience that will help individuals Farms and Tavi Fulkerson of Bloomfield
with Bipolar live a high quality life.
The Etro collection included colorful
prints, beads and velvet, as well as the
ever-popular black. A tiered, black silk

www.oaklandpaper.com THE PAPER 47

■ social lights / sally gerak
■ Gilda’s (Club) Adventures
■ FJC ArtSeen
Stephen (left) and FJC vice president Nicole
Eisenberg of Bloomfield with Amanda and David
Posch of Grosse Pointe
■ Focus Hope Benefit
Main photo: One woman exhibit photographer / DCDS ’09
Christine Alix of West Bloomfield with her proud father Jay Alix.
From top: DCDS student Amanda Fakih of Bloomfield writing up
the order (seven prints) by Jack Aronson of Bloomfield. Aronson
said he interrupted a bike ride to attend. Nancy Hodari (left) of
Bloomfield, holding Oliver, and Jane Shulak of Birmingham.
Focus HOPE CEO William Jones, Jr. (left) of Birmingham and his
son DCDS alum William Jones, III, an MSU student.
48
Clockwise from lower left: Birmingham native
Matt Morin and Lauren Cavanagh of Detroit. Tina
Aquirre (left) of Bloomfield with Gilda Radner’s
brother / event platinum sponsor Michael Radner
of Southfield. Pat Connelly (left) of Troy, Lynn
Watson of Berkley and Bill Mulvihill of
Birmingham, with cake created by Ann St. Pete of
Pinwheel Bakery.
Birmingham architect Michael Poris with Yolanda
Garfield (left) of Lake Orion and Inez Garfield of
Farmington Hills
THE PAPER
cocktail dress was paired with a red printed princess topper. “That’s a great look,”
agreed Judie Sherman and Bobbi Toll.
Gilda’s (Club) Adventures
Gilda Radner would have loved the wacky 2009 version of Gilda’s Big Night Out. It
attracted nearly 300 Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit supporters, including relatives of club
co-founder the late Geri Lester, to the Troy Marriott. Party planners were inspired by
Lewis Carroll to put the fun in fund raising for the club that provides support, the kind
that Radner relished when she was fighting her losing battle, to people living with can-
cer and their families and friends.
Smile-provoking nonsense included fantasy-size flowers, an upside-down cake and an
Alice in Wonderland lookalike carrying a puppy in a teapot. In the live auction the puppy
sold to Botsford Inn’s new cancer center head Ted Tennenbaum for $1,150 and will be
a therapy dog for patients there. Bet Gilda would like that.
She would also have loved the Unbirthday Cakes created and donated by Flower to
Flour, Mrs. Maddox Cake Shop, The Sweetest Thing, Hermann’s Bakery, Marty’s Cookies,
Patisserie Ci and the Pinwheel Bakery. Their generosity, the live auction income of
$18,000 and sponsorships helped the event to net $85,000.
Founders Junior Council’s ArtSeen
Nicole Eisenberg, David Posch and Nicole Wagner cleverly designed the FJC’s
ArtSeen event that attracted about 150 to the Detroit Institute of Arts. Because
American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell was the featured exhibition, the
design trio dug into their childhood memories for food and toys from the ‘50s and ‘60s.
Tinker Toy constructions, baseball cards and Animal Crackers adorned tables where
guests ate sliders, hot dogs and Ding Dongs. Some sipped Faygo red pop. All took home
a Slinky toy, generously donated by Ray Dallavecchia’s Poof-Slinky, Inc.
The social was not a fundraiser, but FJC president Rick Bone and his board were
pleased that it did generate 10 new council memberships. And if any young profession-
als reading this are considering joining the FJC, you should know that it can be a great
connection. Witness that Posch and Amanda Moncour, who met through the group,
attended ArtSeen even though they were getting married the next day. “I thought this
was more important than a bachelor outing,” Posch noted.
Christine Alix Focus: Detroit Photography Benefit for Focus:HOPE
As a work study program concluding her senior year at Detroit Country Day School,
award-winning art student Chris Alix photographed Detroit. Big time. More than 20,000
photos. Her subjects included everything from hopeful hookers and hopeless homeless
persons to soaring Comerica Park and abandoned factories.
An exhibition of 150 of her photos attracted 700 viewers to a temporary gallery in
Birmingham earlier this month. They bought some 300 images. Several, like her poster
of the Michigan Depot, sold more than a dozen times. She also created three collages
that brought in $600 in a silent auction.
Alix had determined that 100 percent of sales proceeds and any donations an anony-
mous person agreed to match, would go directly to Focus: HOPE. The nationally-regard-
ed center has worked since 1968 to overcome racism, poverty and injustice in Detroit.
When the show concluded, Alix was able to give Focus:HOPE $30,000. Not too shabby
for a high school project. Alix, who may be contacted at HYPERLINK
“http://www.thumbprintphotog.com” www.thumbprintphotog.com, will study photog-
raphy at the University of Pennsylvania this fall.
Cranbrook Art Museum/Art Academy’s - A Serious Moonlight
Moon-like, giant, white balls dwarfed the 400-plus guests cavorting around them
under the peristyle at the Cranbrook Art Museum for the ninth annual version of Serious
Moonlight. The creation of CAA ’09 architecture graduate Quynh Vartu, “The Spheres”
made people smile, as did ’09 sculpture grad Paul Outlaw’s “The Big Time Adventure
Tours”. That work comprised a train station and working mini-train that took guests on
tours around the party.
Many guests said that the party was probably the most fun in the series of benefit
summer soirees. It was also the first held primarily inside the museum, which closed
immediately following for an 18-month renovation project. In addition to playing with
the artful toys, guests enjoyed comestibles donated by Slow’s BarBQ, Bonnie’s Kitchen,
Canape Cart, The Cupcake Station; Zingerman’s, Infinity & Ovation Yacht Charters and
Forte Belanger. They also danced until midnight to the music of Thonetta Davos.
All Moonlights have featured auctions of art donated by Cranbrook-connected artists.
This year’s included work by Beverly Fishman, Harry Bertoia, Mark Newport and Daniel
Libeskind, to name a few. The silent auction of 18 objects generated nearly $15,000 and
the live auction of six items brought in nearly $11,000 for museum programs. People
also donated cash ($3,500) for disadvantaged students’ bus transportation and admis-
sion to the upcoming Artology exhibition at the Cranbrook Institute of Science.
SKY Foundation Mother & Daughter Friend Raiser Social
Sheila Kasselman is one of the lucky ones. Because her pancreatic cancer was dis-
covered very early, she survived and thrives. She is also passionate about helping oth-
ers. Thus, she has established the SKY (Kasselman’s maiden name) Foundation to fund
research to identify an early blood test to detect pancreatic cancer.
Judy Mc Clelland, a foundation board member, invited old friends and their daugh-
ters to learn more about the foundation. Sixty guests flocked to a cocktail party at archi-
tect Irv Toboccman’s gem of a Birmingham home which he shares with Barbara Mazur.
Some of the younger women had not seen each other for many moons so there was
much socializing before Kasselman explained the foundation mission.
She also told them about the foundation’s first planned fund raiser – Sky Sessions -
Sunday Nov. 8 at Seldom Blues. SKYY Vodka will be the featured beverage and Alexander
Zonjic and Thonetta Davis the featured musicians.
www.oaklandpaper.com
Breast Care and Wellness Party ■ A Serious Moonlight
Speaking of mothers and daughters,
175 of them, plus friends, turned out for
the annual luncheon Patron Party Saks
Fifth Avenue hosted for the Francee &
Benson Ford, Jr. Breast Care & Wellness
Center. They socialized and enjoyed made-
up sessions at Guerlain stations. They also
heard about amenities at the new West
Bloomfield Hospital and saw a fashion
show featuring SFA’s “Want It” trends.
The latter was notable for Cheryl Hall
Lindsay’s commentating of the fashion
presentation, a departure from the cus-
tomary choreographed show accompanied
by loud music.
Thanks to the patrons’ commitments,
the fifth annual event has already raised
$92,000, even before the main event
Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Shenandoah Golf,
Banquet and Country Club. It will feature
Ambassador Nancy Brinker, who founded
the Susan G. Kormen Foundation in mem-
ory of her late sister. To get an invitation,
call Gloria Sirosky at (313) 874-6139 or
email her at gsirosk1@hfhs.org.

The Leukemia Ball 2009

More than 200 people celebrated the
glory and grandeur of Detroit in the
1950s at the Leukemia Ball. The soiree at
the Detroit Institute of Arts was chaired
by Marcia Fornaugh Avis to benefit the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society which she
serves as board president. Kate
Patterson, a leukemia survivor who was
honored at a past ball, provided the cock-
tail hour entertainment.
In addition to the DIA’s Norman
Rockwell exhibition, guests like the Steve Clockwise from top left: Bob (left) and Nancy Vlasic with their
Stromes, Mark Shaevskys, Ken Whipples, son Paul and his wife Adriana of Bloomfield. Dominic and Erin
Richard Gabryses and John Kamins could DeMarco of Bloomfield. Linda Murphy and Bob Ziegelman of
also view an LLS-owned collection of Bloomfield. Ben Motyl of Troy and Jessica Persichini of
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis photos from Birmingham. Brian Meer (left) of West Bloomfield and Bobby
Taubman of Bloomfield. Artist Judy Eliyas (left) of Ferndale,
her days (1961-1963) in the White
Anne Benson of Lake Orion and Susan Lundin of Bloomfield.
House. The highlight of the event was
Shelly Burton’s moving speech about her
little Nicole’s leukemia and how grateful
the family has been for support from the
LLS. The event raised $100,000 to con- ■ SKY Foundation
tinue providing support to patients and
their families.

Run For The Ribbon

The first annual Run For The Ribbon to
raise funds for prostate cancer awareness,
treatment and research was really two
events. The Night on the Townsend
attracted nearly 250 people ($125 tick-
ets) to the Birmingham hotel ballroom on
Friday, June 19 for auctions, a strolling
dinner and award presentations.
Former Detroit Lion Mike Lucci
accepted an award in memory of Nick
Pietronsante, who died in his early 50s of Left to right: Event co-hosts Barbara Mazer and Irv Tobbocman of Birmingham. Event chair Judy McClelland (left) of Birmingham and SKY Foundation founder
prostate cancer, and Bob and Maggie Sheila Kasselman of West Bloomfield. A family affair for Fran Dietz (left), Maria Dietz Scott, Suzanne Dietz, Diane Dietz and Kelly Dietz of Bloomfield and Missy
Allesee were honored for their benevo- Dietz of Troy. Late arrival not pictured - Alia Dietz
lence to many community organizations.
Some in the audience were the Joe
Vicaris, Duke Scarfanoes, Art Millers, Ed ■ Mother, Daughter, Sisters
Deeb, former NFL stars Paul Horning,
and Ron Kramer and National Coney
Island’s Jimmy Giftos, who provided
Coney dogs for the afterglow.
On Sunday, which was Fathers Day,
more than 4,000, including 1,500 regis-
tered runners and walkers, participated in
the 5K Run for the Ribbon at the Detroit
Zoo. The prostate cancer survivors among
them wore blue MIU caps. Killian
Smith,18, of Shelby Township (time of
16:50) and Tracey Rizer, 37 (time of
20:45) of Sterling Heights were the top
male and female finishers. Left to right: Event chairs Sally Orley (left), Pam Orley Feuereisen and Diane Orley of Bloomfield. Shari Barouch(left) and her sister, main event co-chair Francee
Run for the Ribbon founder Dr. Ford of West Bloomfield. Amanda Orley (left) of Bloomfield with main event co-chairs Florine Mark and Lisa Mark Lis of Farmington Hills.

www.oaklandpaper.com THE PAPER 49

■ social lights / sally gerak
■ Night for Sight
Clockwise from lower left: Dr. Geoffrey Gladstone gets a close look
at the technique of Bacco Ristorante owner chef Luciano
DelSignore of Bloomfield. Event hostess / psychologist Benora
Gladstone (left) of West Bloomfield with her partner psychologist
Freda Lerman of Franklin and Christine Beck of Bloomfield.
Honorary vintner Fine Estates from Spain’s Jorge Ordonez (left) of
Dedham, MA, Alliance for Vision Research board chair Dr. Luisa
DiLorenzo of Birmingham with Dr. Rick Bendel and George Jones
of Jacksonville, FL. Mark Serafimovski (left) of Dearborn, David and
Betty Vandeputte of Bloomfield.
■ Winston Canine Cancer Benefit
Left to right: Featured speaker / cancer researcher Dr. Nick Duesbery (left) of Grand Rapids with foundation founders Paul and Mindy Richards Dunbar of
Beverly Hills. Girls night out for Michelle Widerstedt (left) of Bloomfield, Hilary Vallone and Camille Purdie of West Bloomfield, and an event sponsor Candy
Sebold of Birmingham. Pepi Chapuseaux of Commerce and Lisa Andoni of Bloomfield.
■ Safari at the Zoo
Left to right: Event co-chairs Ryan and Lindsay Dembs of Franklin with their daughter Harrison. Event co-chairs Marc and Stacey Wittenberg of Franklin with
their sons Sam (left), Zach and Jonah. Stacey and Peter Schreiber of Birmingham with their children Maya and Jackson.
50 THE PAPER
Alphonse Santino was thrilled that the
inaugural effort netted nearly $60,000.
Eighth annual Night for Sight
The second largest charity wine auc-
tion in Michigan is an eye opener of sorts.
It benefits the Alliance for Vision
Research, which was founded by ophthal-
mologists Frank Nesi and Paul Fecko.
This year they honored Beaucanon Estate
of Napa Valley‘s Louis de Coninck, Pride
Mountain of Napa Valley’s Stuart Bryan,
Stelzner Vineyard’s Tim Dolven, Fine
Estates from Spain’s Jorge Ordonez, and
Suttons Bay’s Black Star Farms Don and
Marylou Coe.
The evening before the main event
there were winemaker dinners for spon-
sors and big check writers. These were
hosted by Ed and Jodi Barbieri, John and
Nancy Vespe, Frank and Susan Sovis and
Geoffrey and Benora Gladstone. Social
Lights attended the one at the
Gladstones’ new, art-accented home over-
looking Walnut Lake.
It was notable for the hosts’ extraordi-
narily warm hospitality, the superb
Spanish wines the very congenial Ordonez
had selected from among the 48 Spanish
estates whose wines he imports and the
cuisine personally prepared by award-win-
ning Bacco Ristorante’s owner chef
Luciano DelSignore.
The next evening, 350 wine lovers
attended the Night for Sight at the Ritz-
Carlton. It was chaired by long-time sup-
porters Deloitte Tax LLP’s Scot Morrison
and his wife Beth and Dr. Peter Savini
and his wife Marie. A highlight of the live
auction bidding was a last minute dona-
tion by Ordonez. It was an all-expense-
paid, 10-day trip for four through Spanish
wine country. The lot sold for $18,000,
bringing the event total to more than
$250,000. This will support Metro-
Detroit area vision-preserving research
projects.
Winston Canine Cancer Benefit
There were two main stories at
Winston Canine Cancer Foundation’s
annual fund-raiser at Oakland Hills
Country Club. One was the importance of
Paws with a Cause dogs and other service
dogs to the people they assist. This mes-
sage was relayed with the force of com-
pelling personal testimony by Ann
Manning, Donna Hebel and Jennifer
Swearingen. One of Swearingen’s dogs
was able to get radiation treatments
thanks to the Winston Foundation and is
still working as a therapy dog with special
needs kids.
The other message was contained in
Dr. Nick Duesbery’s presentation about
vascular tumor research. The Van Andel
Institute researcher made the point that
although soft tissue cancer is rare in
humans, it is not so in dogs. Thus dogs
are invaluable in this field because they
provide useful genetic material. “I want
your blood, sweat and tears and your
dog’s DNA,” Duesbery declared.
Dr. Lucy Henney, Dr. Barbara Kitchell,
sponsor Dr. Mark Burnstein, the John
Percivals, Stanley Szosteks and Camille
Purdie were some in the audience of more
than 100. Purdie mentioned she support-
ed the foundation because her two small
dogs died of cancer, as did Paul and
Mindy Richards Dunbar’s dog Winston,
who was the inspiration for the founda-
tion.
The party format was agreeable - a
strolling dinner before the program and
make your own sundaes at your table dur-
ing the program. Before and after the pro-
www.oaklandpaper.com
■ social lights / sally gerak
gram guests socialized and checked out a ■ Community House Green Breeze
silent auction. The event raised approxi-
mately $15,000 for the foundation.

JARC’s 2009 Safari at the Zoo

When JARC moved its important
SpringElation children’s division fundrais-
er to the Detroit Zoo last year, supporters
knew they had a tiger by the tail. Last
month 1,500 supporters of all ages
trekked back to the zoo for the 11th
annual event to help hundreds of children
with any disability and their families. The
Berkley High School Jazz Band greeted
them at the zoo entrance.
In addition to visiting the animal
exhibits, activities included a treasure
hunt, face and arm painting, a scavenger
hunt with prizes, tram and Tauber Family
Railroad rides and dancing to Strar Trax
music. And Matt Prentice’s picnic fare
included a birthday cake saluting JARC’s
40th anniversary.
The Quicken Loans and Somerset
Collection sponsored event raised more
than $300,000. This pleased JARC loyal-
ists like Scott and Carolyn Werner,
Stephanie and Josh Freedman, former
executive director Joyce Keller and her
successor (since 2008) CEO Rick
Loewenstein and his wife Dana. Rick was
also enthusiastic about the upcoming joint
Somerset Collection/JARC 40th anniver- Left to right: Publishers of “edible WOW, celebrating the abundance of Southeastern Michigan season by season” Kate and Robb Harper of Bloomfield.
sary celebration Oct. 17 at Somerset Cooking with Dawn’s Dawn Bause (left) of Commerce signs book for Kathie Ninneman of Bloomfield
Collection South.

Community House Green Breeze ■ Champions for Kids VIP Dinner

The first green living fair and house
tour event attracted 100 to tour five
Bloomfield-area gardens and a constant
drift of visitors to the booths of 50 eco-
friendly vendors at the Community House
one Saturday in June. Among other good-
ies and info, folks could get copies of
green cleaning product recipes from
Studio 5, which specializes in sustainable
design, and copies of Kate and Robb
Harper’s wonderful quarterly “edible
WOW”. It spotlights, season by season,
the bounty of Southeast Michigan. Some
also attended free lectures given by The
Detroit Garden Works’ Deborah Silver,
Four Seasons Gardening Center’s Glen
Goldberg, In the Garden’s Alison
MacKinder, Studio 5’s Holly Kaiser and
Discover Hyperbaric’s Greg Harris. The
event was sponsored by Charter One.

Antiquing for Alzheimer’s

Judy Frankel celebrated the
10th anniversary of her Antiques Center
of Troy by hosting a fundraiser for the
Alzheimer’s Association. More than 150
attended Antiquing for Alzheimer’s:
Preserving Memories for Those Who No
Longer Can. They perused vignettes pre-
sented by Ron Povlich, Dale Ross, Janet
Long, Dr. Bob Burnstein and Mark Fritz
and savored cuisine by Savoire Faire
Catering. Many brought objects for free
appraisals by David McCarron. The two-
hour event raised approximately $10,000

Halloween in the Summer

JJ Benkert and Sharon DeAngelis, col-
lectors of friends and non perishables for
food banks, are now collecting gently used
Halloween costumes for the 70 Pontiac
youngsters they help tutor in the Bound
Together program. These children are Clockwise from top left: Host committee co-chair Richard
ages 5 – 13 and most have never had a Leebove(left) with event co-chairs Norman Yatooma of Bloomfield
Halloween costume. Drop off contribu- and presenting sponsor WJR’s Mike Feezy of Farmington. Hoot
tions at the Claymore Shop, 908 South McInerney(left) of Bloomfield with Candice and event title sponsor
Adams in Birmingham or at DeAngelis’ Prototype Systems’ Jeff Feltrin of Oakland Township. Jack
Krasula(left) with Pam Good, event co-chair Nicole Yatooma and
front door, 345 Golfview, Birmingham.
Julie Keating of Bloomfield. Linda Orlans (left) of Birmingham,
Brooks Patterson of Clarkston, Dave and Lisa Gorcyca of Troy.
Champions for Kids VIP Dinner Event co-chairs Steven and Tara Grekin of Bloomfield.
Despite the economy, the fourth annu-
al two-day fundraiser for Norman
www.oaklandpaper.com THE PAPER 51
■ social lights / sally gerak
■ Community Service Award Yatooma’s foundation that honors his
father’s memory began with a sold-out
(350) gala at the Townsend. Guests
socialized, schmoozed and bid $25,000 in
the silent auctions before dinner, but what
happened after dinner made the Sunday
evening notable.
When he accepted the Champion
Award for his unparalleled support
($100,000 per year through 2011) of
Yatooma’s Foundation For The Kids, title
event sponsor Prototype Systems’ Jeff
Feltrin explained why - he knew from the
experience of his mother’s death that sur-
vivors have immediate needs when a par-
ent dies.
Then a video featuring the devastating
tragedy that caused Kim Newberry and
her three children to need help from
Yatooma’s Foundation For The Kids was
followed by the young widow’s personal
report of their progress. She received a
standing ovation when Yatooma gave her
the inaugural Bridge to the Future Award.
These moving moments were followed
by a live auction with Dan Stall encourag-
ing the bidders to part with $140,000.
You’ll not likely be surprised that Feltrin
and a friend bid $43,000 of that total on
one item - coach Tom Izzo’s donation of a
trip for two to an away game with the
MSU basketball team. But given the cur-
rent condition of the car business you
might be surprised to learn that Feltrin’s
friend is a car dealer. That is unless you
know of Hoot McInerney’s legendary gen-
erosity.
Combined with the next day’s golf
tournament, Yatooma’s Foundation’s
Champions for the Kids 2009 grossed
nearly $600,000. This brings to more
than $2-million the four-year total of dol-
lars raised to ameliorate the grief that can
overwhelm a family when a parent dies.

Community Service Award

Nearly 100 Birmingham civic leaders
and downtown boosters gathered last
month on the tented Van Dusen Terrace at
The Community House to salute designer
Ron Rea, the 2009 Community Service
Award winner. The Community House
Board of Directors makes the award, as
board chair Carole Deyer noted when she
presented it to Rea, to recognize people
who have gone beyond the normal duties
of their jobs to enhance the quality of
community life.
From his first Birmingham restaurant
for Herb Schmidt in the former Edison
building at 220 Merrill to his newest, Café
Via on Maple Road, Rea’s designs have
given a signature panache to restaurants
and commercial projects all over the
globe. But he became a Birmingham leg-
end when he applied his talent and vision
to Shain Park, which was, at the time
stuck in a quagmire of conflicting opin-
ions. And he did so anonymously at no
charge, delivering the unsigned design in
the middle of the night.
“(This) is very humbling,” Rea said,
adding that being recognized by ones
community “…is just phenomenal.” Along
with his family, friends and Ron and Rea
associates, some of the 20 previous
award winners were in the cocktail supper
Top to Bottom and left to right: Event co-sponsor Chris (left) and Therese Longe with city commission- audience that applauded Rea and his sin-
er Tom McDaniel and J.C. Cataldo of Birmingham. Birmingham jeweler and past honoree Richard cere expression of appreciation. These
Astrein (center) of Huntingtopn Woods with event co-sponsors Tender’s Cheryl (left) and Karen Daskis included 1988’s honoree Shirley Bryant,
of Birmingham. Presenter State representative Chuck Moss with event co-sponsor Ted Fuller of
Birmingham. Karen Jacobson (left) with Anna and honoree Ron Rea of Birmingham. Current
1997’s Geoff Hockman, 2004’s Carol
Birmingham mayor Stuart Sherman (left) and past mayor Don Carney of Birmingham. Newlyweds Maria and John Aubrey and 1992’s this
and restaurateur Bill Roberts of Bloomfield. reporter.

52 THE PAPER www.oaklandpaper.com

Pre-‘60s Concert Benefit Picnic ■ Pre-‘60s Concert Benefit Picnic
“I lived all of this…it was sort of my
life,” noted Leni Currie as she strolled
through the current exhibition at the
Birmingham Historical Museum. The
Voices of Change, The 1960s: Birmingham,
Michigan, The World exhibition explores
the local scene during an era that was
shaped by major political, social and cul-
tural events. It features, music, clothing,
furniture and an expansive time line from
the 1960s. It runs through Aug. 1.
Currie was among the 60-plus society
supporters who each anted up $19.60 to
attend the picnic before the July 8 Concert
in the Park. They walked past a static dis-
play of three, bright red, classic cars from
the decade. Some, like June Taylor
McGregor, wore ‘60s attire. “These Levis
are 40 years old and it took me 20 min-
utes to get them zipped,” she confided.
The picnic fare was donated by
Krogers, Leo’s, Franks Ana’tra, the
Cupcake Station and board president Pam
DeWeese, whose strawberry shortcake
was a big hit. She also passed out door
prizes generously donated by Detroit
Rocks, Kilwins, Panera, Cupcake Station,
Astreins Jewelers, Trader Joes and Tom
Wall and Mary Partridge.
The old fashion social raised more than
$1,000 for the BHS endowment fund.

Music Hall Cars & Stars

Unlike the past several years at the
Cars & Star soiree, there was no walking
back and forth across Madison Avenue
between the Detroit Athletic Club and
Music Hall this year. All the action, begin-
ning with the cocktail party backstage for
161 patrons ($500), occurred inside the
historic (1928) theatre.
And, while 120 supporters ($125)
cocktailed in the Tina & Leland Bassett
Lounge, patrons dined at tables set on a
three level platform built over the theatre
seats. “Simple and delicious” is how Pat
Nickol described the cuisine by Edwards
Clockwise from top left: Leni Currie of Birmingham looking at ‘60s fash-
Catering of Northville and presented buf- ion display loaned by The Village Players. Historical society board pres-
fet style. It included star-shaped, puff pas- ident Renee DeWeese (left) and board member Elaine Morse with Pat
try accented beef tenderloin and stelline Olson of Birmingham. Architect Jim Ryan of Birmingham and his 1960
lobster macaroni. Corvette..
The supporters sat in the mezzanine
seats while patrons stayed at their tables
for the show. And what a show it was. ■ Music Hall Cars & Stars
Savion Glover tap danced non-stop for
more than an hour, with such energy that
he seemed to morph into an instrument in
Jeff “Tain” Watts’ ensemble. Their warm-
up act – Denzel Jackson, Zhane Stalling
and Shadonn Jenkin from Music Hall’s
educational programs – also wowed the
crowd.
Following the show everybody flocked
to the main stage for dancing and
desserts. Hiram Jackson and Marvin
Beatty won the $100 raffle drawings for a
theatre and restaurant package and the
trustee/Holiday Market donated wine col-
lection.
The event saluted the past generosity
of Chrysler Foundation, Ford Motor
Left to right: Patti and Jim Prowse of
Company Fund and the General Motors
Bloomfield. Suzanne Paul (left) of Farmington
Foundation, but there was no partying on Hills, Helen Forman of Bloomfield, Charlie
their largesse this year. Even so, it still Paul of Farmington Hills, Saul Forman and
raised more than $50,000 for the preser- Bob and Paulette Koffron of Bloomfield.
vation of Music Hall’s jazz, dance and the-
atre programs.
Send ideas for this column to:
Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane,
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 or
email samgerak@aol.com or call
248-646-6390

www.oaklandpaper.com THE PAPER 53

■ final word
Right course of action on vacancies
T
he city of Birmingham, through its
Principle Shopping District (PSD)
office, is taking the correct, aggres-
sive approach to combating the rising
retail vacancy rate in the downtown area, and
none too soon.
The PSD office as part of City Hall is basi-
cally funded by merchants to the tune of about
$1 million annually. Most of that budget goes
toward promotion of the shopping district,
which is what gives the city of Birmingham its
character. The governing board for the PSD
consists of local businesses appointed by the
City Commission.
PSD members have been discussing rear-
ranging the current budget and contracting
with a search firm to help solicit retail busi-
nesses of a national scope to lease space in
downtown Birmingham. As the logic correctly
goes, a couple of national retail anchors would
help stabilize the downtown shopping scene
and add to the daily foot traffic, all to the ben-
efit of the existing merchants, whether they
are part of a larger retail group or an inde-
pendent retailer.
As this issue was going to press, a search
committee for the PSD board had zeroed in on
a final candidate to take on the chore of
recruiting national retail firms to look at
Birmingham. Based on scant information avail-
able at press time, with the final details of the
contract to be worked out, the applicant rec-
ommended by the search committee is a local
resident who has spent over two decades with
the Bloomfield-based Taubman mall group.
We are also told that this final candidate
has the right focus for the task. The city cer-
tainly has a strong entertainment base, so
Cooper correct to challenge state
O
akland County Prosecutor Jessica
Cooper has taken the relatively rare
action of filing a lawsuit against the
state government to learn which state prison
inmates are being considered for early release
this year as a state Department of Corrections
cost-cutting initiative. With previous informal
and formal attempts to gain that information
rebuffed, Cooper is justified in taking her infor-
mation-gathering effort — which really
amounts to an attempt to ensure the public’s
safety — to court.
Cooper has filed a lawsuit against the
Department of Corrections for what she calls a
“blatant refusal to provide ... critical informa-
tion” regarding 3,000 to 5,000 prisoners slat-
ed for early release in October.
Cooper said she, as well as Wayne and
Macomb county prosecutors, recently traveled
to Lansing to discuss the thousands of
inmates who are expected to be paroled by
either October or December. However, the
more restaurants are not necessarily needed.
Likewise, Birmingham has its fair share of
salons and spas and sufficient professional
offices. The focus of the search will be on retail
businesses with a national base.
Yes, there is some difference of opinion
among members of the business community
as to whether national retail firms in down-
town Birmingham is the solution. In an ideal
world, you could build a strong downtown
just from independent retail merchants and let
the national chains populate the mall develop-
ments.
But independent retail outlets have a
track record of not withstanding downturns
like the one we are now experiencing
and Birmingham already faces its fair challenge
from the Somerset Collection just outside
its border. So a mix of strong independent
retail outlets and stores as part of national
chains makes the most sense in terms
of attracting the largest number of shoppers
to the city. Adding foot traffic to the city
streets is good for all those in the business
community.
It would also appear that the direction of
the national search is on target in terms of the
type of business the city’s downtown needs.
More fashion outlets will be the key here. A
strong base already exists in most other cate-
gories of business in the city, so a balance
must be struck so the downtown shopping
district offers the correct array of businesses
to attract even more shoppers.
Frankly, everyone has their own take on
how serious of a problem the climbing retail
vacancy situation is in Birmingham. While city
numbers suggest that there is just slightly
prosecutors’ informal request for a list of
inmates that will be considered for early
release was rejected, and a subsequent
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request
was filed. Cooper said the department
responded that the requested list doesn’t
exist.
A lengthier, more detailed FOIA request was
then filed, but the department didn’t respond
in time, according to Cooper, prompting the
lawsuit. A Department of Corrections
spokesperson states the department has
requested an extension to address the second
FOIA request.
Cooper’s lawsuit strikes us as a reasonable
approach to a legitimate end. She had hoped
to obtain a list of potential early parolees
before their release, so that she might be able
to share information with state corrections
officials to help avoid the release of dangerous
individuals back into the community.
Although her argument — that the correc-
more than a 5 percent storefront vacancy rate
in the city, a windshield survey of the main
downtown shopping district leaves one with
the impression that the situation is not
healthy. And given that appearances are one of
the key factors in the success of a downtown,
the vacancy rate, no matter how small, is a
serious problem.
There are a number of reasons for the retail
storefront vacancies. It goes without saying
that no community, Birmingham included, is
immune from the economic downtown in the
nation, state and region. Along with that,
some of the vacancies naturally occur because
some businesses are simply under-capitalized,
no matter what the economic climate.
The current situation in Birmingham is a
good lesson for everyone.
The health of the downtown business dis-
trict in Birmingham is critical to the overall
well being of the community at large. The
shopping district in the city is what makes
Birmingham unique. At the same time, a
strong business district provides employment
and a good tax base from which the schools
operate and the city provides services.
Further, a healthy downtown Birmingham
helps maintain the homeowner property values
in the city. So residents and the business com-
munity are tied together in the effort to keep a
strong shopping district downtown.
While the merchants underwrite a national
search for retail business to join the landscape
in downtown, local residents must remember
that their support of the existing businesses in
the city is a critical element in keeping
Birmingham the unique community that we
have all come to call home. ■
tions department must have a list of prisoners
being considered for early release, or else the
department wouldn’t know how many inmates
may be released early — may or may not be
accurate, we think she did the right thing by
taking her fight to court.
Current Oakland County Executive L.
Brooks Patterson did much to define the role
of county prosecutor when he held that posi-
tion decades ago. He took the notion of the
prosecutor post being one responsible for
ensuring citizens’ safety to new heights: If
that means sometimes having getting aggres-
sive with Lansing, that’s what must be done.
We’re not sure Oakland has always had that
since Patterson left that office.
Cooper appears to embrace that view. She
states that it’s unfortunate that her office
must resort to formal litigation to obtain infor-
mation about early inmate releases, but that
it’s her duty to protect the public. She’s exact-
ly right. ■
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