Title
Downtown Area Citizens Advisory Council Meeting Minutes for October 2, 2018
Memo
Members Present: Ray Detter, Carolyn Arcure, Peter Honeyman,
Hugh Sonk, Don Duquette
Members Absent: John Chamberlin, Kathleen Nolan, Joan French,
Chaz Stuckend
Guests Present: Joe Arcure, Christine Crockett, Jeff Crockett, Susan Pollay, Ty Buffington, Mary Hathaway, Eleanor Linn, Marc Gerstein, Jessica A.S. Letaw, John Kotarski, Norm Tyler, Ilene Tyler
Sixteen Downtown and Near Downtown neighbors gathered at the CAC meeting last night to pull together and discuss some of the currently proposed changes being considered in the downtown area. Items related to the DTE, and Lower Town sites, Main Street, the Tree Line, the work of the DDA on Ashley, First, Huron, William Street and related areas. These are all related and those relationships have to be considered every step of the way. Peter Allen’s contributions to information are significant
Those of us who attended last night’s meeting have a sense of urgency. We need to strive to know what’s going on every day. Conditions and possibilities are changing rapidly. On Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 1100 am., at the corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane, a groundbreaking celebration of the largest private development in Ann Arbor since Briarwood Mall will take place-that $140 million development includes apartments, condominiums and retail space. A short walk away will be a UM 1000-unit parking structure. Nearby, the DTE site with plans for a hotel, three condo buildings and a public park. Just to the south the work on Kerrytown is being completed and, in the last four days changes are being proposed for E. Summit, for North Division, and a major change in the bank block and Courthouse Square buildings on Main/E. Huron and S. Fourth. Also, permission has now been given to tear down the old factory buildings at 415 W. Washington.
DDA and City Council have scheduled a joint work session for next Monday, October 8, 7:00 pm. at CTN on Industrial Highway. What about plans to tear down all the old houses east of S. Main to Keetch? What about the Library Block, the Library, the YMCA site, S. Ashley, S. First? and a Central Park on the Library Block?
Last night’s message to the CAC is a message to all of us: Let’s support actions that fit hopes for integrated planning. Let’s be fully aware of what’s possible and support only the best.