This post was authored by Daniel Feinglos.
The Ann Arbor Report compiles development news from Ann Arbor and nearby parts of Washtenaw County. For those without the time to follow the goings-on in everyone’s favorite 28 square miles surrounded by reality, we hope we can help Curbed readers keep track of what’s what.
The busiest Amtrak station in Michigan is on the move. This week, we saw Ann Arbor accept federal high-speed rail money to figure out precisely where and how to set up a new structure to accommodate planned high-speed rail and possible commuter trains. Way to not be Troy, guys. There’s also new construction at St. Joe’s hospital, plus new places to eat, live, and buy things. And a new magazine HQ! You can either read about these things, or have someone dance them for you.
Ann Arbor is ever so slowly hopping on the train, having just accepted a $2.8 million federal grant to continue studying potential sites for the new station. Importantly, we’re not talking about Fuller Road Station anymore -- or not exclusively, anyway. Once the University’s big parking garage got peeled off into its own project down the road, the train station became untethered from the hospital-fronting site where the city already spent over a million in utility relocations. So now we’re possibly going to get a new station on the site of the current one. Or on Fuller. Or we could all just hang out in the Gandy Dancer until the trains show up, which would probably be a lot nicer. [AnnArbor.com]
Turns out that the government and the U aren’t the only giant nonprofits building things around here. While it may not be on the scale of C.S. Mott or Detroit’s midtown megaprojects, St. Joseph Mercy will be building a $30 million new outpatient surgery addition, designed to get around space constraints in a current structure on its Superior Township campus. We can only hope it will be ready in time to accommodate injuries from over-enthusiastic dancing. [AnnArbor.com]
A year after opening to widespread acclaim and licking of chops, the owner of downtown Italian restaurant Mani Osteria will be diversifying into the lost Italian province of Mexico. Occupying the site of a former furniture store immediately adjacent to Mani's space at Liberty and Division, the yet-to-be-named new Mexican spot will share an internal wall with Mani as well as a “modern” attitude to its cuisine. [AnnArbor.com]
Come fall, the automotive magazine Road and Track will be racing down the highway from California to set up a new headquarters in a TBD Ann Arbor location. The arrival of Road and Track will make the city home to not one, not two, but three major automotive magazines. We suppose Detroiters do need something to read when they come to our coffee shops. [Fishbowl LA]
For those of you who don’t have time to wait for all these dawdlers, Rock Paper Scissors is open now: the Tecumseh-based gift and stationery store has gone from friendly local business to friendly multi-city corporate juggernaut by opening a new 2300 square foot store at 216 S. Main in space previously occupied by the 16 Hands gallery. Wall decor and classy envelopes await! [AnnArbor.com]
And you can live there, too
Ann Arbor’s Downtown Development Authority is giving the 618 S. Main residential development a $650,000 grant to help them leverage state brownfield money. The largest part of the DDA’s funds will be going to streetscape work and landscaping, ensuring that the 7-story residential project will look like a much friendlier addition to the neighborhood. [AnnArbor.com]
To the west, the saga of the Maple Cove residential development continues. The 43-unit multi-building development goes to the city council after planning commissioners grudgingly approved the project despite concerns about density, curb cuts, and on-site pedestrian accommodations which could be described as “not there”. The project would have actually passed months ago, but notices about the meeting never got to many neighboring residents. We can only assume the notices are still waiting for their train. [AnnArbor.com]
As always, thanks for reading, and tune in again next week.
· Ann Arbor accepts $2.8M federal grant for new train station but location not yet decided [AnnArbor.com]
· Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor to build $30 million outpatient surgery facility [AnnArbor.com]
· Mani Osteria owner plans to open new Mexican restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor [AnnArbor.com]
· Road & Track Leaving California for Michigan [Fishbowl LA]
· Rock Paper Scissors opens today on South Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor [AnnArbor.com]
· Ann Arbor DDA agrees to chip in $650K to help pay for streetscape improvements along South Main [AnnArbor.com]
· Maple Cove apartments project goes to Ann Arbor City Council for final approval [AnnArbor.com]
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